Riverdale: Josie McCoy Is A Bonafide Movie Star

Josie McCoy has returned to Riverdale. But, although she was known to have left town with Valerie and Melody to restart Josie and the Pussycats, Josie returns to town alone as a theatre performer.

The 1950s Josie McCoy is a star, so not entirely different from the present-day portrayal. However, the big difference lies in the medium of performance. In season seven, she takes the stage as an actress, having won a Tony Award for her performance in “Going Uptown.” But, after discovering that the minds behind the film adaptation wanted to recast her role, Josie got out in front of them, buying the rights to the story and financing the movie herself which she acted in and directed.

Josie wants to make a name for herself in the movie industry, and Veronica Lodge is just the person to help her do it. Since Veronica owns the Babylonium movie theater, she is more than happy to put on Josie’s film as a major premiere event after Josie agrees to the idea.

Of course, things do not go perfectly at first, but that just gives Josie an excuse to sing while the audience waits for Kevin and Clay to fix the film reel.

However, Josie does not leave Riverdale without knowing that her movie will be a success after Veronica reads a critic’s positive review of her movie and performance. Josie’s presence in Riverdale may even be helpful for Fangs if he can get a record deal through Josie’s connection to a record producer. She even puts the idea in Veronica’s head that maybe she could see a future making movies. Riverdale also sees Josie visit Toni and Clay’s literary society, Black Athena.

But, Josie is not the only one making big moves toward her future. “A Different Kind of Cat” sees Betty make the decision to turn The Teenage Mystique into a novel while revealing herself to be “The Girl Next Door.”

So much of Betty’s storyline in season seven has been about Betty trying to learn more about who she is, what she wants, and what her identity is. Although plenty of that story has been focused on sexual interest, it has also come out in Betty giving advice to others.

Betty joining forces with Cheryl and Toni is a nice change of pace, as it allows the trio to work together in a way they have not throughout the season. Still, this team-up allows Cheryl to encourage Betty’s sexual curiosity with ways of how Betty can get results without a partner.

Riverdale even finds the time to reference Sabrina, The Teenage Witch through Jughead’s comic book storyline. Although Jughead was initially inspired by Veronica and planned to call the story, “Veronica, The Teenage Witch,” the idea was turned down, not that the follow-up, “Sabrina, The Teenage Witch,” gained traction either considering its affiliation with magic and witchcraft, no matter how innocent and campy the idea may have been.

In one of its more difficult stories during “A Different Kind of Cat,” Riverdale sees Archie try to improve his poetry, which in his mind means he needs more sexual experience. When Twyla Twyst turns him down, Archie’s next course of action is severely uncomfortable.

Although Archie does not remember his past with Mrs. Grundy, having him read a poem to her in a public place surrounded by his friends who can clearly understand what he is getting at, may be one of the most uncomfortable moments in the episode. Kevin and Veronica even get the chance to show themselves as being embarrassed and uncomfortable just watching and listening to Archie’s poem.

If there is any old relationship or old pattern that Riverdale does not need to revisit, it is the problematic and inappropriate relationship between Archie and Mrs. Grundy.