This week’s episode of Riverdale included an empowering, infuriating scene of Veronica, Josie, and the Pussycats rushing to Cheryl’s rescue and beating up Nick St. Clair following his attempted rape of Cheryl. Riverdale channeled the late, great show with “When a Stranger Calls.” Not only with a representation of women taking the punishment of rapists into their own hands, no longer willing to rely on the infrequent justice of institutional authority, but with the inclusion of a Broadway tune as some form of catharsis. (In Riverdale, it’s Josie and the Pussycats’ rendition of Rent classic “Out Tonight” during the climactic confrontation. In Sweet/Vicious, it’s Jules and Ophelia belting out Wicked‘s “Defying Gravity” in shock after killing a rapist in self-defense.) “When a Stranger Calls” was a painful reminder of how great and vital Sweet/Vicious was, and a wake up call for anyone who still thinks this issue is a minor one. Den of Geek was part of a group of reporters who visited the Riverdale set earlier this week, and talked to the cast about the importance of telling stories like this one. What did Murray think of the way Josie and her friends took Nick down? “I think it spoke volumes for all us to get together and go save Cheryl the way she needed to be saved,” continued Murray. “[Nick] deserved it, he deserved to get that ass-whooping. I really enjoyed that scene because it was empowering, and it showed a camaraderie and a togetherness that women don’t often have, especially young women.” Marisol Nichols plays Hermione Lodge, a character who has become increasingly sinister in Season 2, but who has always been protective of her daughter. Nichols told us that she’s glad Riverdale is tackled the subject of sexual assault. Teasing how the Lodges will react moving forward when they find out that Nick forced himself on Veronica, as well, Nichols said: “When it comes to your family, it’s sort of like all bets are off. I would say when I learn how the Lodges deal with it, there’s a part of me that goes, ‘Justice. I get it.’” If you’re eager to watch more TV stories exploring the subject of sexual assault and how it affects everyone involved, I would encourage you to check out Sweet/Vicious. Series creator Jen Kaytin Robinson spoke about the experience of telling a story about the trauma of sexual violence at the ATX TV Festival, saying:
