“When I heard what happened at Nick’s party, I decided that we should come together…to deal with this motley crew of liars, dope fiends, and fornicators.”
In a normal show, “Chapter Nineteen: Death Proof” would be an episode about the complexities of justice. In a broken system, is there really justice? Does intent matter? Is justice possible when people set up injustices against you? Can any one person make deals for justice that affect many? What happens when trying to do good causes more trouble? How much can you compromise before you compromise yourself? Is it worth the cost?
Of course, Riverdale is not a normal show. It exists in a unique and charming quantum state where the agony of its characters is visible or not as High-Speed Plot Moments allow. (The Sugarman is introduced, discovered, and murdered in forty minutes, because despite Betty’s ongoing breakdown at the hands of the Black Hood, this episode has a more urgent mandate: “Challenge them to a street race.”)
AV Club: Riverdale’s speeding plot loses a little traction on Dead Man’s Curve