These parents can't set aside their drama for one night. They ruin everything. Why can't they just get along?

Polly's baby shower on Riverdale Season 1 Episode 8 was supposed to be her night to celebrate. After what happened to Jason, I had high hopes. She deserved a better night.

I loved that "Chapter Eight: The Outsiders" focused on the theme of family drama. We got a taste of it on Riverdale Season 1 Episode 5, but this came out in full force. And it wasn't simply a Cooper vs. Blossom battle; the Lodges, Joneses and Andrews joined in the fighting too.

Alice Cooper and Penelope Blossom hate each other!

I know it. You know it. We're feasting on the perfection that is their heated rivalry. (Does that make me sound evil?)

Cheryl: Oh Polly, come stay with us at Thorn Hill!
Penelope: Cheryl's invitation is...genuine. Thorn Hill's gates will always be open to you. The child would want for nothing. You would want for nothing.
Alice: [Sighs] Do you think you can just waltz in here with a bed bug-infested Trojan horse, wave a blank check around, and steal my daughter?
Penelope: I didn't think you wanted her, or else, why would she be exiled like some pariah?
Alice: To keep her away from your family!
Penelope: Oh...and not because you're ashamed? Why is your own daughter not living with you?
Alice: She's not gonna step foot in that twisted, poisonous house of yours!
Cheryl: She should be so lucky.
Betty: Cheryl, that's not helping.
Penelope: She'd do a lot better there than with you.
Alice: How dare you!

• Permalink: Cheryl's invitation is...genuine. Thorn Hill's gates will always be open to you.

For a hot second, I thought they would bury the hatchet for one night. It was Polly's baby shower, after all. However, their rivalry is rooted deep into Riverdale town history.

It's one of the things I love about Riverdale (the show). There are decades of hate and history influencing these pre-existing relationships throughout the generations. There's so much depth to these characters.

And we can't deny that Alice and Penelope have great chemistry together. They're the soap opera matriarchs that could destroy worlds with a side-eye glance.

Was anyone else creeped out by Nana Blossom?

There's something more to this mysterious character. My gut feeling is telling me that we need to pay close attention to her. Her words or sudden appearance could be a twist later on.

I would love if she was, in fact, psychic and predicted Polly's twins. A small supernatural element is never a bad thing, and this character is creepy enough to pull it off. This moment could be a foreshadowing.

Nana Blossom: The specter reads the baby's aura. It predicts the sex.
Cheryl: Nana has dementia and gypsy blood.
[Dangles the crystal]
Nana Blossom: Oh!
Polly: What? Is my baby okay?!
Nana Blossom: Babies. It's twins. One of each.
Betty: This is occultism at its most ludicrous.

• Permalink: Nana has dementia and gypsy blood.

Clifford Blossom is an underhanded businessman!

I felt so bad for Fred with the whole construction yard crisis. This was seriously not his week. He's already struggling and had to deal with so much.

It warmed my heart to see Archie and friends come help for the first day. My only issue, strangely enough, is with Moose's attack. For someone being roughed up by thugs, he didn't look too shaken or roughed up. He handled the situation, but I expected more after something like that happens.

Alice: You must be loving this, Hermione. Providing sanctuary to my daughter. Asking me here to...what...gloat?
Hermione: I asked you here because I'm trying to help. So what is your plan for Polly? What do you want?
Alice: I want my daughter back. I want my family back together.
Hermione: Then it's time to face the facts.
Alice: Hermione, Polly is a teenager. She hasn't even finished high school, the father of her baby has been murdered. You want to play house with her and throw her a baby shower? Fine. But the very next day, all of those things will still be true. And she's supposed to...what...raise a child?!
Hermione: Mothers do it every day. We did it. Come to the shower, be there for Polly, help her. Otherwise, you're going to regret it for the rest of your life.

• Permalink: Mothers do it every day. We did it.

Was anyone else surprised with the polite scenes between the parents? They were civil. I was shocked.

Sure, Mr. Jones and Fred Andrews will never be best friends again, but they shared a reassuring moment outside the bar. He went out of his way to get Fred to pick up Archie.

And that doesn't even include Mr. Jones now helping Fred with construction. I have to believe there is an ulterior motive for this than kindness. Mr. Jones is working an angle. Could this also be sabotage for Hiram?

Hermione and Alice, on the other hand, seemed to be more about doing what's right. Hermione giving Alice a taste of her own medicine and instilling common sense about motherhood was the cherry on this sundae of irony. Alice must've been seething. I loved it!

Did anyone else smile when Veronica dropped the "boyfriend" tag for Betty and Jughead?

This relationship won me over on Riverdale Season 1 Episode 6. It's great to see their puppy love in full effect with kisses and flirting. Don't get me wrong, I will always be #TeamBetty in the original love triangle debate, but Jughead complements her now. Archie never knows what he wants until it's gone.

It was an awkward scene seeing Jughead introduce Betty to his father.

Clearly, Jughead is self-conscious about the situation (who wouldn't be?), and they had other reasons to meet him. I agree with Jughead – I don't think his father killed Jason. But he is a nefarious mastermind, apparently.

A question did pop up: Did Joaquin start dating Kevin to get information on the investigation or was this decided after-the-fact? This manipulation seemed a bit unclear. Joaquin, at this moment, is just doing it to get facts. But did he make-out with Kevin on Riverdale Season 1 Episode 4 to plot for a future plan?

Mr. Jones: The heat is on, the cops are coming around. This is our insurance, in case everything goes to hell. Figuratively. Stash it and keep it safe.
[Throws bag to Joaquin]
Mr. Jones: How's it going with the Keller kid?
Joaquin: It's just good, things are legit.
Mr. Jones: Right on. We're going to need that inside line with the sheriff.
[Silence and stare]
Mr. Jones: What? You've got a problem?
Joaquin: He likes me.
Mr. Jones: For real? [Scoffs] Ah, you're breaking my heart. We've all got a part to play.

• Permalink: Ah, you're breaking my heart. We've all got a part to play.

Kudos to the music team on their choices for Riverdale Season 1 Episode 8. I loved the selection! It's one of the most recent times where every song seemed to work and fit perfectly together.

There was a mix of '80s songs, covers and even up-to-date tracks. The pairings flowed, and they added a creepy factor to some of the tracks' heightened the drama.

Does everyone else agree that Mr. Cooper is a terrible person? I couldn't believe him.

He actually set up an abortion appointment without asking Polly what she wanted. That's low, even for him. He only cares about himself and this Cooper vs. Blossom family drama.

Sure, their family hatred is rooted in decades of murder and betrayal, but that's in the past. This twist seems like it's a red herring. Signs are pointing to Mr. Cooper as Jason's murderer, but that would be too easy. He must be the fake suspect.

Did your heart break for Alice Cooper? I was sad. She looked devastated.

I've had my issues with Alice Cooper in the past. In fact, I think I called her evil a few times. Still, she is a mother with a child who doesn't want to be around her.

Institutionalizing Polly and trying to give her baby up for adoption is low. There's no denying the severity of the situation – it's wrong! But she is turning over a new leaf and loves her daughter. Her tears looked genuine when Polly decided to live with the Blossoms instead of returning home.

Though, I think that move will only be temporary. Something doesn't feel right at Thorn Hill. The Blossoms must be hiding something in that creepy mansion.

What did you think of "Chapter Eight: The Outsiders"? Will Kevin learn the truth about Joaquin? Will Polly ever return home to the Coopers? Should Hermione be worried after Hiram's act of sabotage?

If you missed the latest episode of Riverdale, you can watch Riverdale online via TV Fanatic. Come back here and let us know what you think.

Justin Carreiro was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow him on X.