Riverdale Round Table: Thanksgiving Dinner Surprise
Justin Carreiro
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Veronica destroyed Hiram and Hermione's Thanksgiving dinner, Betty got excited about eating candy for Thanksgiving, and the Dickinson Crime Family crashed Archie's dinner for the community on Riverdale Season 4 Episode 7.
Below, TV Fanatics Meaghan Frey, Jasmine Peterson, and Becca Newton debate FP's return as the leader of the Southside Serpents, Hiram's new position as the mayor, and Cheryl's plot to keep Aunt Cricket from snooping around the manor.
Hiram won the mayoral election since no one campaigned against him. Why do you think no one in Riverdale competed for the job?
Meaghan: Because Riverdale has an obsession with Hiram being the evil dictator of Riverdale. In actuality, Kevin's dad, Alice, FP, someone, anyone would have run against him to block this power move.
I also feel as if Riverdale overestimates the power a mayor has. I don't feel like Hiram would have been able to order Archie to shut down El Royale. This town is bizarre.
Jasmine: I agree with Meaghan. "Because plot." It makes no sense after everything he has done and how Riverdale has suffered because of him that not a single soul would attempt to go up against him. Not one.
Especially since they treat the position like it's a coveted power with no limitations.
Becca: Watsonian answer: Voter apathy. Most of the town didn’t even remember an election was happening.
Doylist answer: This is how I think the conversation went down in the writers’ room. "We have it planned for Hiram to win and need more screentime for a Sweeney Todd homage, let's skip the election and have Hiram run unopposed."
Archie kept his cool against the Dickinson Crime Family and Mary waved a gun around during the Thanksgiving dinner at the El Royale. Which Andrews family member were you most impressed by during this heated dinner?
Meaghan: Mary. Archie has had a death wish for a while now so his response to the situation wasn't surprising.
Mary, on the other hand, was impressive. With Fred gone, Mary needs to step up her game to combat the crazy that is Riverdale.
Honorable mention goes to the deep fryer. Such wonderful timing for the deep fryer to blow up when it did.
Side note: Does the Dickinson Family remind anyone else of the werepanthers from True Blood?
Jasmine: Mary. The Chicagoan in her jumped out. Archie willingly hurls himself into danger at every turn, so it loses its luster.
But Mary was ready to kick ass. I loved her. A true mama bear.
They DO have the werepanther vibe. It was that and the Farrell clan from Outsiders, maybe? I don't know.
Also, why does Darla look younger than her son? Nevermind, I looked it up, and the actors who play Darla and Dodger are the same age. Oh, Riverdale.
Becca: Mary FTW!
FP is assuming his old position as the leader of the Southside Serpents while still being sheriff. Will this blowback in his face or will he win the war against Hiram?
Meaghan: I foresee FP coming out on top, even eventually becoming the mayor.
What kind of mayor FP would be is up for question, but given his leadership training as head of the Serpents, he is more than ready for the job.
FP: I can’t live my life doing Hiram’s bidding, Alice. I’m not cut out for it. There’s too much blood on the tracks.
Alice: I hear you.
FP: I am a Serpent, Alice. I am a Serpent! Every bone in my body is a Serpent.
Alice: Okay, is there a rule that says you can’t be both?
FP: That’s not bad. If Hiram can be mayor and a kingpin, who says that I can’t be sheriff and a gang leader?
[He kisses her]
Jasmine: FINALLY! I love me some Southside Serpents and was just lamenting the loss of their storyline. FP gave my favorite line of the night with, "if [Hiram] can be mayor and a kingpin then I can be sheriff and a gang leader."
God, I love this show! FP might come out on top with this.
He can give Hiram a run for his money, and his wifey Alice is just as formidable. She's cunning, badass, and let's not forget she's the one who passed down that serial killer gene and has previously gotten her hands bloody.
It's a battle of the power couples, but FP might have this.
Becca: I suspect FP and Hiram’s feud will be similar to how Veronica’s feud with Hiram went.
Initially, Hiram will have FP on the ropes, but FP will make a comeback and score a huge victory. Then Hiram will pull off a parting shot to show he’s not gone for good.
Cheryl and Toni concocted a plot to convince Aunt Cricket and Cousin Fester into believing they ate Uncle Bedford. Did you at all believe they cooked him in the pie and feed him to his family?
Meaghan: Did I think they did it? No. Would it have surprised me if they did? Hell no. They need to get these two out of the house because they both have completely cracked.
Toni at least has had a slower descent into madness, but her wheeling Jason out to the table like it was an everyday occurrence as part of their plan shows that she might be getting there too.
Jasmine: I feel the same way. I didn't think they did, but it also wouldn't have surprised me if that was really the case.
They do need to get out of that house and away from this storyline, whatever the hell it is. And maybe lay Jason's corpse to rest. Maybe with the Serpents back in business they'll get something new?
Let the Pretty Poisons and the Serpents join forces, and please let Toni be the Serpent Queen while FP maintains his day job.
Cheryl: We Blossoms have always been highly carnivorous. I mean, I ate my brother Julian in the womb. And, you’re eating those meat pies we prepared especially for you.
[Fester crunches and hits something]
Cousin Fester: Oh, my tooth. What on earth?
[Fester pulls a ring from his mouth]
Aunt Cricket: What?
Cousin Fester: Is this Uncle Bedford’s ring?!
Aunt Cricket: What does this mean?
Cheryl: It means, Aunt Cricket, that you’re welcome to search the house. It means that Uncle Bedford will never be found. It means that any evidence of him ever being here is in the process of being … digested. In other words, I think you know what it means.
Becca: No. Riverdale Season 4 has been better about making me believe Riverdale will commit to moving into darker territory. For example, I was surprised Cheryl said Uncle Bedford was dead when I was expecting it to be revealed he was only injured and now held prisoner.
However, and I know I’ve said this before, Riverdale tries really hard to make us believe it can pull off the things Game of Thrones does, but it can’t. Having protagonists feed human flesh to their enemies is something Game of Thrones can do and Riverdale can’t achieve.
Alice surprisingly invited Hiram and Hermione to join her and FP for Thanksgiving dinner at the diner. Why do you think she extended them an invite?
Meaghan: Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, right?
Alice always has something up her sleeve, and this is probably no exception. With Alice and FP determined to bring Hiram down, I think they might actually stand a shot that others haven't had in the past.
Jughead: That’s strike three, nowhere is going to be delivering through this ice storm. How about I just raid the vending machine?
Betty: Yes, I can finally live out my Charlie Brown fantasy of having junk food for Thanksgiving dinner. Yes! [Smacks bed!] Okay, I will have Stonewall’s finest chocolate chip cookies, chips, soda, and candies, please.
[Jughead slides off the bed]
Betty: Get yourself something too!
Jasmine: Alice is always working an angle. She's worming her way into their inner circle, so she and FP can take Hiram down.
Becca: Alice took The Farm’s stash of mushroom brownies with her and has been indulging.
Donna claimed that Mr. Chipping committed suicide because she threatened to out their affair. Was she telling the truth or do you think it was a story made up from Quill & Skull?
Meaghan: That was a cover-up if I've ever heard one. The group was not shocked one bit when Chipping jumped. If her story were true, this would have been unexpected, and they all would have had a much different reaction.
Jasmine: Oh, it was totally made up! They really took advantage of the #MeToo movement for that one.
It's true, no one was surprised by him suddenly jumping out of a window in the middle of class. Donna seemed on the verge of sharing more before, but they got to her.
Mary: Archie, yesterday was without a doubt the strangest Thanksgiving I have ever had. I mean, I pointed a gun at a woman!
Archie: Welcome to Riverdale, Mom.
Becca: Donna’s story has Quill & Skull written all over it.
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Justin Carreiro was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow him on X.
