Warning! Spoilers ahead for Season 7, Episode 3 of Riverdale, “Chapter One Hundred and Twenty: Sex Education.”
The seventh and final season of Riverdale is set in the 1950s, with the gang back in high school. While the characters are still the same, they are also different in a way, and a chance at round two of high school gives the series a chance to explore more storylines, including the birds and the bees. The latest episode focused on a sexually-determined Betty, and Lili Reinhart revealed that her character will only get…hornier.
Having a series set in the 1950s means that there are certain storylines that would have been delicately danced around if the show was actually made during that time. However, since it is Riverdale they are not shying away from those topics, including Betty’s evolving feelings for her best friend and next-door neighbor, Archie Andrews. While chatting about this topic, Lili Reinhart jokingly told EW that Betty’s hormones will only grow throughout the season. She also teased that her character might explore her sexuality as well during this final season, saying:
I joke about it on set all the time. As the season progresses, she just gets hornier and hornier. It's so interesting to see how Betty's mind is warped around her sexuality when she's being repressed. In the '50s, sexuality was not openly talked about. And certainly me, as a bisexual woman, it was not talked about. And you may or may not see Betty explore her own bisexuality. It's been a fun opportunity.
Since it is a teen drama, it’s definitely not uncommon for Riverdale to focus on sex and sexuality. To see how it plays out in the 1950s will be a different story though since topics like these were considered taboo. Betty has already been trying to get with her boyfriend Kevin, who is doing some exploring of his own, and now that she’s developing feelings for Archie, it’s only just a matter of time before those feelings overtake her. If they’re anything like that freaky jungle dream sequence she had in this episode, she’s in for a ride.
It should also be interesting to see Betty possibly explore her bisexuality, as this wouldn’t be the first time Riverdale has done it. Season 6 saw the adult version of Reinhart's character get closer to fellow FBI agent Jillian Drake, who even admitted she had feelings for her. At one point, it even seemed like Betty felt the same way but ended up pushing them down because she was with Archie. Maybe this second chance in the '50s is just what she needs.
There is going to be much more romance, relationships, heartbreaks, and make-ups as the final season of Riverdale continues, and no doubt, some horny teenagers. How it all builds up to the series finale this summer will be something to look forward to. To check out the final season of the CW show, be sure to tune in every Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET as episodes continue to drop on the 2023 TV schedule.
