Riverdale, an American teen drama TV series based on the characters of Archie Comics, will be back this fall on the CW for its second season renewal scheduled to debut on October 11th. The series follows the life of Archie Andrews (played by KJ Apa) in the small town of Riverdale and explores the darkness hidden behind its outwardly “perfect” image.
Season one began with the murder investigation of Jason Blossom, a teenager who went to Riverdale High. A group of high-schoolers consisting of Archie the jock, the girl next door Betty, the new girl Veronica, and Jughead the outcast become close as they work together to unravel the evils lurking within this seemingly innocent town.
Although the Jason Blossom murder mystery was resolved in the end, that didn’t stop more violence and darkness from happening in Riverdale. In fact, more questions were raised in the finale after its shocking, plot-twisting end. Full of cliffhangers, mystery and suspense, this dramatic thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat, digging for more answers.
Here’s what you can expect to see in season two of Riverdale this fall:
It will pick up right where season one left us.
Just as season one began, the finale left its viewers on a cliffhanger, anxious to know what happens next. The chaotic ending had a lot of details to address that set things in motion for its season two return, especially with the town diner Pop’s being robbed and Fred (Archie’s father) getting shot. The question of whether Fred survives remains unclear, and viewers can expect to see a drastic change in Archie with how this affects him in the season to come.
As of things of in the romance department, things have taken a turn for the better. While season one started off with a love triangle between Archie, Betty, and Veronica, the show concluded with new couples. With Archie and Veronica now in a relationship and Jughead and Betty declaring their love for each other, there’s been ceaseless passion.
However, at the end of the season, it’s clear that Jughead is heading down a different and possibly reckless path. Between transferring to a different school, living on the other side of town, and befriending the Southside Serpents, Bughead’s relationship will certainly be put to the test….
Archie’s dark side will come out.
Viewers will see a different side of Archie in season two as he seeks revenge against the gunman who shot his father in the season one finale. Showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa reveals to Entertainment Tonight that Archie will be going through a heroic journey throughout the next season, but that it will be a journey more full of “darkness and violence begetting violence.” The “Dark Archie” will mostly likely present obstacles for the rest of the characters, but mainly for the redheaded heartthrob. “There’s a switch that goes off, and I think it’s a different side of Archie we haven’t seen yet,” KJ Apa shares with Deadline. This new darkness to Archie will definitely add more edge and depth to his character.
A civil war will occur between the north and south side of Riverdale.
There will be a greater divide in town as tension builds between the Southside Serpents and the North Side in season two. With Jughead inching towards joining the Southside Serpents, season one concludes with him putting on their signature leather jacket just after having a romantic moment with Betty. It remains unclear what side of the war he’ll be fighting on and more importantly, what this means for his relationship with Betty and his friends on the North Side.
There’s a new Reggie in town.
TVLine has learned exclusively that Charles Melton (known as Mr. Wu on American Horror Story: Hotel) will now cast as Reggie, the loudmouth bully who’s always in competition with Archie. Reggie was originally played by Ross Butler, who is also a series regular on Netflix’s teen drama 13 Reasons Why. With that show getting a season two renewal, Riverdale had to look for a new Reggie.
More characters will be introduced.
Deadline reports that True Blood alumna Brit Morgan has been cast as Penny Peabody, a recurring role on season two. Known to some as the “Snake Charmer,” Penny is a backroom attorney for the Southside Serpents who prefers that her clients pay her with favors, not cash. Deadline reveals that when Jughead discovers this, he will use her to help his father in jail.
According to an Entertainment Tonight Exclusive, Riverdale will also add Vanessa Morgan into the cast as the Archie Comics character Toni Topaz; a member of the Southside Serpents known for her signature pink hair. ET reports she will also become good friends with Jughead… watch out Betty!
Veronica Lodge’s father who spent season one behind bars will finally make an appearance on the show as Hiram Lodge, casted by Mark Consuelos. Marisol Nichols, who plays the role of Veronica’s mother Hermione, shared a photo on Instagram of the Lodge family:
The show will be getting darker and stranger.
Between Archie going through a grimmer phase and a civil war erupting between the two sides of town, things are about to get more intense. In an interview with TV Line, Cole Sprouse discloses that the whole show will be getting darker and stranger: “We’re going to be leaning into a lot of those qualities that a lot of people ended up loving in the first couple of episodes — this heavy cinematography, this overbearing coloration, this really dark content that’s kind of over-the-top and campy, but it’s taken very seriously.”
Prepare for a rollercoaster ride of surprises and twists in Season 2 of Riverdale, premiering this fall on the CW on Wednesday, October 11th at 8:00 pm!