‘Riverdale’: The Case for (and Against) a Reggie/Veronica Hookup

The New Year is a time to contemplate change. A time to try new things, to branch out, to do things differently. And when it comes to The CW’s Riverdale, that means we finally need to deal with the fact that the long rumored Reggie Mantle (Charles Melton) and Veronica Lodge (Camila Mendes) pairing, a.k.a. Veggie, a.k.a. Regonica, a.k.a. ManLodge might be coming.

To be clear, there are still weeks to go until Riverdale returns on January 16, and we don’t have a clear idea what the town will be like now that it’s under quarantine and controlled by Veronica’s Dad, Hiram Lodge (Mark Consuelos). But we do know that since Season 3 started, the folks behind the scenes have teased a new romantic interest for Veronica. And given the promo for the second half of the season, it sure looks like that someone might be Reggie.

So without further ado, let’s present the case for — and against — a Veggie pairing. By the way, it’s Veggie, it’s the best hashtag for the couple, we’re sticking with that. Thanks for coming to my TED Talk.

The Case For Veggie

In case you’ve decided to pick up Riverdale starting mid-Season 3, you’re going to be very confused, but let’s give you the lay of the land anyway. Archie (KJ Apa) was implicated in a murder he didn’t commit, got sent to jail, escaped from jail, fled Riverdale because he was worried Hiram would kill him, broke up with Veronica, and then fled the country. Veronica, meanwhile, stayed in Riverdale, cleared Archie’s name, and ran two businesses stacked on top of each other. The bottom business is a non-alcoholic teen nightclub named La Bonne Nuit, which she runs with Reggie.

So far, there hasn’t really been anything romantic between the two, Reggie has mostly acted as her right-hand man. But frankly? Reggie has been there for her, and Archie has not. Don’t get me wrong, Varchie has chemistry for days. But Archie is always extremely focused on what is directly in front of him, and if that’s not Veronica, he quickly moves on to the next thing.

Reggie has issues of his own — his abusive Dad, his general lack of smarts — but he’s available. Not just in the sense that he’s A) inside the Riverdale quarantine zone, and B) not wandering Canada with his dog. But he’s emotionally available, as well. Given everything Veronica has been dealing with, she deserves a boyfriend who is there for her, versus the one she’s constantly cleaning up messes for.

There’s also the real world consideration that Melton and Mendes are reportedly dating. Kissing people professionally is weird enough, it would nice to have to smooch the person you’ve decided to smooch in real life, as well.

Ultimately, though, a Veggie pairing would help mend Veronica’s broken heart, it would give Reggie someone to confide in, and the two really do seem like a good team. It’s a win for everyone (except Archie, I guess).

The Case Against Veggie

Rebounds don’t work. Sorry, it’s just a fact of life. And Veronica is still reeling from Archie’s rash decision to break up with her over the phone. Even if Veggie is OTP (a term meaning “One True Pairing”), their relationship will always be colored by Veronica’s feelings for Archie.

Also, they’re coworkers, and that’s a steep climb, as well. Dating and managing a business together is going to put a strain on that relationship, almost immediately.

And one final thing… Nothing against Archie or Reggie, but Veronica is much smarter than both of them. Going from one to the other wouldn’t be trading up, it’s trading sideways. Veronica deserves someone who can match her intellectually, not just please her physically. Apa and Melton are chiseled hunks of men and delightful actors, but the characters they play would accidentally slip into a woodchipper if there was a pile of banana peels next to it.

Riverdale has never really traded in relationship speed bumps, something I talked about at length elsewhere. If they move forward with Veggie, that’s what it’s most likely going to become: a speed bump on the way to Varchie’s inevitable reunion. Will that be good drama? Sure. Is it fair to Reggie in particular? Probably not.

That’s why a Veggie pairing would be a loss, in the long run.

…So should Veggie happen? Should it not? There are ample cases to be made for both possibilities. We’ll just have to wait until the show returns to find out which way they go.

Where to stream Riverdale