Prep college secret society. Vigilante Archie. Creepy VHS tapes.
Riverdale Season 4 was a curler coaster of suspenseful mysteries and surprising twists. And in some cases, baffling ones too.
The characters dived deeper into the city’s seedy underbelly and uncovered truths that had been lengthy hidden for generations. (We see you, Mr. DuPont!) There have been romance troubles, secret dishonest, Mr. Honey’s polarizing motive, and dance numbers to Broadway hits.
As I stated, it was a curler coaster.
Riverdale Season 5 is a complete summer time AND fall season away earlier than it returns in January 2021.
With all that point in between, it is given the right second to consider the wishlist for subsequent season.
What will we need to see? What ought to return? What must be fastened or lower out for good?
A major time jump is anticipated to have an effect on the present after the Riverdale Season Four story ends off, so something may occur. It is probably the recent restart that the present wants.
Right here, we have mapped out 13 of our favorites. Try the checklist under for the concepts!
1. A Thrilling Finish To The VHS Story
Simply because the mysterious tapes (and their masked performers) began ramping up the drama, Riverdale Season Four abruptly got here to an early finish.
The place are the tapes coming from? What did the Mr. Honey homicide scene imply? Who’s creating the tapes?
There are such a lot of questions left unanswered, and the cliffhanger throughout Riverdale Season 4 Episode 19 left us wanting extra. If there needed to be a method to finish on a surprising be aware, that scene was the right repair!
Riverdale Season 5 will end up the story within the first few chapters, so the decision will arrive ultimately. Although, let’s hope that the conclusion is a jaw-dropping reveal that ties the whole lot up on a excessive be aware.
That is the ultimate plot of the group earlier than the time bounce; it must be a twist to recollect. (Particularly since we’ll have waited 9 months for it to occur.)
2. Fond Farewells For FP and Hermione
It is no secret that Skeet Ulrich and Marisol Nichols (who play FP Jones and Hermione Lodge, respectively) will depart the present on the finish of Riverdale Season 4.
The actors have been vocal about their time on the present and why they’re leaving. For instance, try Skeet Ulrich’s new interview about why he is departing after 4 years.
Each actors have been with the present since Riverdale Season 1, and far of their earlier plots affected the path of the tales/characters. Whereas their plots have been inconsistent these days, their legacies on Riverdale must be acknowledged with a fond farewell to the characters.
The very last thing anybody desires is for FP and Hermione to easily be written out with none rationalization. Give them a purpose for why they’re leaving city or transferring to the background.
3. A Grounded Thriller With Actual Stakes
Riverdale is an outlandish present that does not thoughts attempting one thing new. From manipulating cults to harmful serial killers, the present embraces its soapy darkish facet.
Its mysterious and eerie tone is likely one of the the reason why we fell in love with Riverdale.
The plots, however, are likely to go off the rails fairly rapidly. Typically twists are made with none actual build-up, or they change into pointless by the following chapter. And, let’s not even speak about once they get off-the-wall loopy, like The Gargoyle King medieval forest battle.
The perfect case up to now has been the Jason Blossom homicide. The thriller was concise, the characters and motivations had been grounded in actuality, and the writing was the strongest but. The Stonewall Prep and VHS plots got here near it, however some fillers and wasted time.
A brand new season is a recent begin to arrange the following thriller on the proper foot.
Let’s rein the craziness in and convey it again to emphasise the evil city. Additionally, possibly we think about two predominant mysteries of 11-13 episodes every? The 22-episode construction is just too lengthy to stretch one case.
4. Touchdown The Time Leap
A time bounce is a good way to refresh a present’s plot and provides it new life. That’s, nevertheless, if the sequence can land the bounce.
Each One Tree Hill and Determined Housewives succeeded with their flashforwards since they arrange the characters for sturdy and plausible instructions.
Riverdale has the right alternative to convey the characters again to a restart and map out their locations. Their character developments, relationships, careers, and plotlines could possibly be reinvigorated to set them up into stronger arcs.
Plus, with out being compelled to painting highschool teenagers, the characters will match as much as their grownup plotlines. (Veronica’s bar enterprise will lastly make sense!)
This solely works if all of the characters get the love and a spotlight they deserve. Folks like Toni or Kevin cannot merely fade into the background of highschool anymore to justify no plot.
5. Constant Character Improvement For Archie
Archie’s story alone has been essentially the most inconsistent one but. He is reckless, emotional, and he makes choices that thrust him into harmful conditions past higher judgment.
Plus, his courting historical past could possibly be a actuality TV present!
A post-university grownup Archie could possibly be simply what the character wants. He’ll be by means of his reckless teen part and can have skilled real-life exterior of Riverdale’s small-town bubble. This could possibly be his recent begin.
Archie wants a path to change into a fully-developed character, and his writing ought to mirror a brand new and improved Archie. He should not be used as a simple plot system anymore.
6. The Hiram Downside
Hiram Lodge is a cartoonish supervillain at instances.
Do not get me mistaken, he is a harmful and mysterious risk who wields connections and energy that may destroy lives. Nevertheless, his conduct, most instances, appears to frame between a Batman villain and a petty little one than a plausible risk.
Every thing works out for Hiram; nobody can efficiently arise in opposition to him. However, once they do and get the higher hand, the tables rapidly flip, and Hiram’s again on high very quickly. And each time Veronica is mad at him, she finds a method to forgive him.
There aren’t any stakes each time Hiram is concerned.
If Hiram is meant to be the Massive Unhealthy, make him the villain. There need to be winning and losing plots to make the risk really feel actual.
Riverdale cannot hold dragging out Hiram’s victory parade to outwit the kids at each flip. Riverdale Season 5 should not observe the identical route.
7. Profitable Enterprise CEO
As talked about above, the time bounce provides the right alternative for characters to determine themselves sooner or later. Veronica Lodge is one such character who can catch as much as the grownup plots she was already dwelling.
Veronica has two golf equipment (La Bonne Nuit and the Maple Membership), a thriving diner, a rum enterprise, she’s an investor on the El Royale, and has different enterprise ventures in her portfolio.
Riverdale Season 5 may have a post-university Veronica dwelling her glamorous life because the Lodge famous person she was sure to change into. Similar to her dad and mom, she owns important components of the city; her story may proceed to increase her enterprise community.
With out the every day grind of college, she’ll have extra room to increase her enterprise and take care of the actual penalties of her actions.
8. Jughead’s Writing Aspirations
Are we prepared for the following nice thriller novel? You higher consider it!
The Stonewall Prep murder-mystery may’ve halted Jughead’s earlier plan to launch his ebook, however a push into the longer term may see him able to put his abilities to good use.
Jughead has talked an enormous sport about wanting to make use of his typewriter to create a piece of fiction. Now’s the proper time! Because the narrator of Riverdale, it appears solely proper that he brings that fireside to his first novel.
He may both be prepared to jot down his ebook or have a manuscript ready from his time away. Both approach, a ebook is on the wishlist for our favourite aspiring author.
9. Betty Reaching Happiness
Betty Cooper is in severe want of a cheerful ending. Like, proper now.
Severely, she’s gone by means of greater than anybody else on Riverdale!
From a serial killer father to kidnapping to unlawful intercourse tapes, Betty has fought in opposition to each hassle that Riverdale has thrown her approach. And when Darkish Betty plagued her thoughts, the outlook of her “fortunately ever after” appeared grim.
Together with her inside demons vanquished, Betty has the possibility at true happiness.
Her post-Yale story throughout Riverdale Season 5 ought to showcase her thriving in her new life. Positive, let the homicide plots and mysteries pull her again in, however Betty has all of the potential to be set-up for fulfillment. Let her get pleasure from some nice years throughout her time away from the depraved little city.
10. Do not Overlook About Cheryl, Toni, Reggie, and Kevin!
This level was talked about above, but it surely must be reminded and highlighted.
Cheryl, Toni, Reggie, and Kevin want their very own thought-out and developed plots. (Level, clean, and the interval.)
The characters have not had an actual goal for some time, besides to affix in random plots as they arrive up. For instance, Kevin with romance and musicals, Toni in Cheryl-centric scenes, or bizarre side-plots, just like the tickle storyline.
Madelaine Petsch, Vanessa Morgan, Charles Melton, and Casey Cott are nice actors; they will deal with substantial storylines for his or her characters. The time bounce ought to make the most of new arcs for this core 4 as properly.
11. Toni and Cheryl Endgame
Maintain “Choni” thriving and alive!
Regardless of some hiccups throughout Riverdale Season 3 Episode 16, the couple has stood because the strongest pairing. They’re deeply in love and appear to be the assured endgame out of any of the {couples}.
Let’s not mess with success and break them aside.
Although, they every ought to get their very own plots and growth to make them sturdy particular person characters on their very own. Cheryl has connections exterior of the pairing, however Toni wants her personal motivations exterior of Cheryl.
12. Navigating The Love Sq.
Are you staff #Bughead, #Varchie, or #Barchie? (Or, is it the uncommon #Jeronica?)
The primary core 4 of Archie, Jughead, Veronica, and Betty have spent their time exploring romances in highschool. Whereas Betty/Jughead and Archie/Veronica stood because the longest {couples}, there have been hints of the opposite two that left many questions.
The most important, after all, being Betty and Archie’s close to union on Riverdale Season 4 Episode 18. With a brand new season and a time bounce since then, it could possibly be anybody’s guess which {couples} have lasted.
Riverdale Season 5 ought to give resolutions to a number of the {couples}.
Which of them are nonetheless endgame potential? Are they really in love, or was it only a highschool romance? Who will get collectively?
13. Alice and Betty Investigations
Their team-up was temporary, but it surely was a legendary partnership. Who else beloved Alice and Betty working collectively throughout Riverdale Season 4?
As a brand new thriller plagues the city, the 2 intrepid reporters ought to unite as soon as once more to resolve the case.
Their mom/daughter relationship is stronger now, they’re going to have completely different assets to work with, they usually will not have the pressures of highschool distracting Betty. Riverdale Season 5 may make the most of their abilities to showcase how their kinds have modified in any case these years.
Simply think about Alice (who’s almost certainly now the lead anchor at her information station) teaming up with Betty for a surprising expose!
What do you hope occurs subsequent season? Share your ideas within the feedback under!
And do not forget, you may watch Riverdale online through TV Fanatic to compensate for all of the previous drama.
Riverdale Season 5 returns January 2021 on The CW.
Justin Carreiro is a employees author for TV Fanatic. Observe him on Twitter.