This article, “who is Riley” contains spoilers regarding the Netflix series Boo, Bitch season 1.
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Every show needs a villain and in Boo, Bitch, Riley fulfils that role perfectly. She is your stereotypical, standard bully. A mean girl, who follows the teen tropes of the genre to the letter, delivering a paper thin version of the bad guy.
Who is Riley in Boo, Bitch season 1?
Played by actress Aparna Brielle (A.P. Bio), Riley is a manipulative and calculated individual, who will stop at nothing to become the most revered or hated girl in school. She isn’t interested in been liked or loathed, she just wants to be the most famous person. Riley hates Erika with a passion and dates Erika’s crush Jake C at the start of the series. She is a spiteful and vengeful teen, who makes Erika’s life a living hell. But why does she hate her so much?
Through a flashback the origins of their rivalry are revealed. Erika was queuing at orientation when she accidentally bumped into Riley and broke her nose in the process. Riley chose to ruin Erika from this point forwards. She managed to make everyone call her Helen Who and that name stuck, even appearing on Erika’s ID badge every year and under the yearbook photo. After being threatened by Riley, Erika decided to live her school life in the shadows, shying away from drama and social events. This in essence led to Erika’s outbreak and the events that transpired in season one.
Jake C breaks up with Riley at that infamous party, stating that he is done with the drama. Riley loves to create drama wherever she goes and made Erika’s life miserable. Eventually the two argue with one another and Erika finally stands up to the bully. Erika becomes the most popular girl in school and Riley becomes hated in return. The mean girl fights back though and concocts a plan to befriend and then turn on Erika. It works perfectly and she gains the support of the whole school in the end. Riley convinces everyone to hate Erika after she cancelled prom. Riley becomes prom queen, although her plan backfires in the finale, when Gia is finally crowned prom queen.
There are a few hints at a much deeper character under the surface. With glimpses of a self-conscious and scared coward hiding underneath all those layers. She is a deeply flawed, two-faced character, who craves attention and power, but her motives are always entirely predictable. It was obvious she was going to double-cross Erika, although it was a nice touch taking away her crown at the very end. A mean girl in a Mean Girls rip-off, Riley is the unfortunate bad guy, tasked with battling our protagonist with very little motivation.
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