#Riverdale Season 5 Episode 6 Review: Chapter Eighty-Two: Back To School

Not even Hiram Lodge could tear down the walls of Riverdale High. The hopes and future of the town are riding on the success of the high school.

Archie, Betty, Veronica, and Jughead put their plan into action on Riverdale Season 5 Episode 6. Their first day as teachers wasn’t perfect, but they made it through with everyone still intact.

Their chances might be looking up if the mysterious trucker and Reggie/Hiram don’t get them first.

Riverdale High wasn’t in too bad of a shape. Minus the financial issues, the classes seemed full, and their activities were pre-planned in advance.

Betty, Archie, Jughead, and Veronica easily slid into the roles with ease.

Jughead taking on the Literature/English class was perfect because he had the right experience and served as our resident writer. The same goes for Veronica as the Economics teacher; she has a strong business mindset and attention to detail.

Archie’s job as RROTC head had already been set regardless.

Reggie, a high school offers hope and people are sentimental about Riverdale High, for reasons that allude me. And as long as it remains open, there’s a chance the town will grow back around it. Like a weed. And that is bad for our business.
Hiram

Betty’s job as the Autoshop teacher was a fun nod to Riverdale Season 2 Episode 6, where she revealed her history with repairing cars. It went against what we would’ve guessed for her teaching job, like a Forensics teacher or Newspaper Editor.

Still, it would be amazing if Betty were to bring back the Blue & Gold.

If Archie can bring the Bulldogs back and Toni with the River Vixens, the school newspaper shouldn’t be too tough. The newsroom office is a staple of our time at Riverdale High.

Did Archie not know the Bulldogs were cut before he signed up? That information seems like something he would’ve known.

Toni and Principal Weatherbee should’ve given all the new teachers a heads-up of what was still around. The group could’ve planned accordingly for the year, and Archie wouldn’t have been shocked seeing the River Vixens still around.

Instead, the Riverdale High Bulldogs seemed like a petty tactic to one-up Reggie and Stonewall Prep.

Archie’s heart was in the right place, but he’s still got reckless Gryffindor energy in him. He needed to get his ducks in a row first financially before raising the students’ hopes of having a football team.

He can’t keep relying on Veronica and her money to solve his issues. Cheryl had the right attitude by kicking him out, regardless if he used Jason as a ploy or not.

The underlining tension between the couples came back with a roaring force. Riverdale is setting up a love square between Archie, Betty, Veronica, and Chad.

Firstly, Betty and Archie’s chemistry is red-hot! Every time they’re hooking up, they go right into it and catch up for the lost time.

Secondly, Chad and Veronica also have good chemistry. Their duet during “Shallow” showed that there is love between them, and they get along when they’re not battling for alpha position.

It’s Doris Bell. You told me to keep you apprised of going’s on at the school. Well, there’s something I think you should know.
Ms. Bell

The wrench in the plan is the unresolved history between Veronica and Archie.

“Chapter Eighty-Two: Back To School” had plenty of moments where “Varchie” slid in their comfortable rhythm, like with the longing looks and asking for favors. It would be surprising if something reignited between them while Archie is redesigning Veronica’s home.

Though, let’s hope this doesn’t happen (at least for a long while). We’ve moved well into the future since the high school romances. It’s time the plots focused on something new and explored new connections.

Veronica choosing to have space away from Chad was the right call for her.

Her husband is domineering and controlling. Granted, the flowers and surprise at work were cute (and something I’d like), but when that’s paired with him making decisions for her and being everywhere around her, it came across as suffocating. He wasn’t giving Veronica any breathing room.

The problem with Chad and Veronica is that they don’t act like a partnership. Someone always has to be on top and in control as the alpha dog.

Veronica: As fun as the last few days have been, I still think we need a break.

Chad: Because of Archie?

Veronica: No, Chad, because of me.

The pair should’ve talked first before agreeing to sponsor the Bulldogs. Veronica should’ve talked with Chad about being a teacher. Chad should’ve talked with Veronica about not wanting her to go and the many issues he apparently had. (There’s a lot of “should” with this relationship.)

Veronica talking over the business idea with Chad and plans for their future was a healthy step for them as a couple. It’s moments like these where they’re communicative and supportive that will give them lasting success.

Jughead and the Mothmen mystery came across as an interesting B-plot. This mystery will either lead to the bigger case later on in Riverdale Season 5 or get solved in the first half.

Let’s get this out of the gate first: the Mothmen aren’t aliens.

Nope. It can’t be. There’s no way Riverdale is going full alien with this mystery!

Fangs: You know after all these years, it’s still kind of adorable to witness your back-to-school jitters.

Kevin: Well, I’d be there already if I wasn’t waiting on our house diva. Can you tell Queen T my truck is leaving without her?

[The door opens]
Toni: This outfit is a masterpiece that can’t be rushed, as we all know. And we’re taking my motorcycle.

I’d believe the demons and witches of Greendale were kidnaping the miners for experiments on Chilling Adventures of Sabrina before aliens made it Riverdale.

The Mothmen could be a shady secret within the town, such as dangerous chemicals within the mine or something nefarious happened to the men. Still, this case might be the trick that pairs Tabitha and Jughead together as the next big couple.

Tabitha jumped at the chance to join the investigation. Sparks are forming between them, and it’s happening quickly.

Something bad had to have happened to Polly for her phone to end up at Swendlow Swamp. Whether it’s the Jingle Jangle, the Ghoulies, or the mysterious trucker, Polly ended up in a situation that she couldn’t escape from.

It’s great to have Betty, Kevin, and Alice team up for this mystery.

The trio didn’t have many plots together pre-time jump; it was one or the other teaming up with Betty. “Chapter Eighty-Two: Back To School” gave Alice and Kevin more substantial roles than supporting characters saying an odd line.

And Riverdale didn’t just rely on Jughead being the one who teamed up with Betty to get the job done! The mystery is feeling like a breath of fresh air.

Hopefully, Alice and Kevin stick around for the remaining parts of the case. They’ve found the swamp and uncovered bits of Polly’s past at the truck stop, so there has to be more to this mystery we don’t know about.

Last Thoughts From Sweetwater River:

• Nana Blossom and Cheryl are going to make a fortune with all those masterpieces Cheryl is creating.
  
  
   
• Come on, Toni knew bringing back the River Vixens would get Cheryl to confront her. Toni is playing a masterful game of chess!
  
  
   
• Veronica and Chad’s rendition of “Shallow” was beautiful. Kevin tearing up was a mood we could all relate to.
  
  
   
• Reggie and the Stonewall Stallions really love acts of sabotage using fire.
  
  
   
• It’s weird hearing the group call Principal Weatherbee by his first name. Certain things are hard to shake off from the high school chapters.

Now, over to you, Riverdale fans!

What did you think of “Chapter Eighty-Two: Back To School”?

Is Polly dead in the swamp? Will the Riverdale High Bulldogs defeat the Stonewall Stallions? What will Tabitha and Jughead discover during their mystery?

If you missed the latest episode of Riverdale, you can watch Riverdale online via TV Fanatic. Come back here and share your thoughts in the comments below!

Justin Carreiro is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.