The fourth season of Riverdale premiered on The CW on October 9, 2019, and concluded on May 6, 2020, with a total of 19 episodes. The series was based on the characters from the Archie Comics, created by Maurice Coyne, Louis Silberkleit, and John L. Goldwater, and was created by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa.
The principal cast included KJ Apa, Lili Reinhart, Camila Mendes, Cole Sprouse, Marisol Nichols, Madelaine Petsch, Mädchen Amick, Mark Consuelos, Casey Cott, Skeet Ulrich, Charles Melton and Vanessa Morgan returning from the previous season. Ashleigh Murray, who portrayed Josie McCoy on the previous seasons, exited the main cast after the first episode of the season, as she was cast in a leading role on the Riverdale spin-off series Katy Keene.
This was the first season of the series not to feature Luke Perry, who died on March 4, 2019, weeks before the completion of the third season. The season premiere was a tribute dedicated to him and his character on the show, Fred Andrews.
The season continued to develop the previous season cliffhanger, detailing Jughead's apparent murder and Archie, Betty and Veronica's involvement in it, while also focusing on the mysteries surrounding Jughead's new school and classmates. As well, the season focused on The Voyeur/Auteur, an anonymous person who has been videotaping some of Riverdale's residences, and then evolves to re-enact the gruesome murders of some of the town's deceased residents in video, while wearing masks crafted to their likeness.
Episodes
Cast and characters
Main KJ Apa as Archie Andrews, the main protagonist of the series, Veronica's boyfriend, Jughead and Betty's best friend, a high school football player and boxer who is also the owner of the El Royale Gym. Lili Reinhart as Betty Cooper, Veronica and Archie's best friend, Jughead's girlfriend and a former member of the Farm. Camila Mendes as Veronica Lodge, Archie's girlfriend, Betty and Jughead's girlfriend and the owner of La Bonne Nuit who faces off against Hermosa this season. Cole Sprouse as Jughead Jones, Betty's boyfriend and the leader of the Southside Serpents who goes to Stonewall Prep for his writing skills. Marisol Nichols as Hermione Lodge, Veronica's mother, Hiram's ex-wife and the co-owner of Lodge Industries who is also now the hostess for La Bonne Nuit. Madelaine Petsch as Cheryl Blossom, the leader of the cheerleading squad the River Vixens, Toni's girlfriend and member of the Blossom family who is haunted by her past. Ashleigh Murray as Josie McCoy, a singer, leader of the Pussycats and Sierra's daughter who was also Archie's former love interest. Mark Consuelos as Hiram Lodge, Veronica and Hermosa's father, Hermione's ex-husband, a drug dealer, gangster and the owner of Lodge Industries who manages to escape prison after being put there at the end of last season. Casey Cott as Kevin Keller, Riverdale's resident gay student, Fangs's boyfriend and a former member of the RROTC Cadets and the Farm. Charles Melton as Reggie Mantle, the Captain of the Riverdale Bulldogs, Archie's frenemy, Veronica's former boyfriend and a worker at La Bonne Nuit who squares off against Mr. Honey and is jealous of Mad Dog. Vanessa Morgan as Toni Topaz, Cheryl's girlfriend, a former member of the Southside Serpents and the leader of the Pretty Poisons. Skeet Ulrich as FP Jones, Jughead, Charles and Jellybean's father, Gladys's ex-husband, Forsythe's son, Alice's boyfriend and the former leader of the Southside Serpents who is also the Sheriff of Riverdale. Mädchen Amick as Alice Cooper, Betty, Polly and Charles's mother, the deceased Hal's ex-wife, FP's girlfriend and a former member of the Farm who is revealed to be an FBI informant secretly helping get rid of Edgar Evernever.
Recurring Molly Ringwald as Mary Andrews, Archie's mother, the deceased Fred's widowed wife and a Chicago lawyer who returns to Riverdale for her husband's funeral and raises Archie all by herself. Nathalie Boltt as Penelope Blossom, Cheryl's mother and Nana Rose's daughter-in-law who tries to get revenge on her daughter. Martin Cummins as Tom Keller, the former Sheriff of Riverdale and Kevin's father. Zoé de Grand'Maison as Evelyn Evernever, Edgar's wife posing as his daughter who tries to continue the farm. Eli Goree as Munroe Moore, Archie's best friend and sparring partner at the El Royale Gym who faces off against Reggie. Cody Kearsley as Moose Mason, a bisexual former student of Riverdale High and Kevin's former boyfriend who is now a student of Stonewall Prep. Kerr Smith as Holden Honey, the new strict and controlling Riverdale High principal replacing Waldo Weatherbee who tries to "discipline" the students. Wyatt Nash as Charles Smith, Betty and Polly's illegitimate older brother, Alice and FP's illegitimate son, Chic's former boyfriend and an FBI Agent trying to uncover the mysterious tapes and mystery at Stonewall Prep. Mishel Prada as Hermosa Lodge, Veronica's secret and estranged older half-sister, Hiram's illegitimate daughter and a private investigator from Miami who comes to Riverdale to help her father. Ryan Robbins as Frank Andrews, Fred's younger brother, Mary's brother-in-law and Archie's paternal uncle who comes to Riverdale to help Mary raise Archie. Malcolm Stewart as Francis DuPont, the principal and founder of Stonewall Prep and the creator of the Baxter Brothers franchise who may have stolen the idea from Jughead's paternal grandfather. Juan Riedinger as Dodger Dickenson, a small-time thief in Riverdale and Darla's son who faces off against Archie. Tiera Skovbye as Polly Cooper, Betty's older sister, Juniper and Dagwood's mother and Alice and the deceased Hal's daughter who tries to get rid of the Farm. Sam Witwer as Rupert Chipping, an English teacher at Stonewall Prep who tries to help Jughead. Alex Barima as Jonathan, a student at Stonewall Prep and a member of the Quill and Skulls Club. Sean Depner as Bret Weston Wallis, a student at Stonewall Prep, Donna's assistant, a member of the Quill and Skulls Club and leader of the Stonewall Stallions who faces off against the Riverdale High students. Sarah Desjardins as Donna Sweett, a student at Stonewall Prep and Brett's master. Trinity Likins as Jellybean Jones, Jughead's younger sister, FP and Gladys's daughter and a student at Riverdale High. Ajay Friese as Eddie, a boy recruited by Archie to help with the El Royale Gym. Doralynn Mui as Joan Berkeley, a student of Stonewall Prep and member of the Quill and Skulls Club. Drew Ray Tanner as Fangs Fogarty, a bisexual student of Riverdale High, Kevin's boyfriend and a member of the Southside Serpents. Jordan Robinson as Toby, a boy from the Northside streets recruited by Archie to help with the El Royale Gym. Alvin Sanders as Pop Tate, the kindly and aging owner of Pop's Chocke-Litte Shoppe. Barbara Wallace as Rose Blossom, Cheryl and the deceased Jason's paternal grandmother, the deceased Clifford and Claudius's mother, Penelope's mother-in-law and one of Riverdale's oldest residents. Marion Eisman as Doris Bell, an aging secretary for principals at Riverdale High. Marlon Kazadi as Malcolm Moore, Munroe Moore/Mad Dog's younger brother who helps Archie with the El Royale Gym. Trevor Stines as Jason Blossom, Cheryl's deceased brother, Nana Rose's grandson and Penelope's son whose dead body is used by Cheryl.
Guest Robin Givens as Sierra McCoy, Josie's mother and the former Mayor of Riverdale, now a defense attorney. Barclay Hope as Clifford Blossom, Cheryl's deceased father, Nana Rose's son and Penelope's husband who appears in flashbacks. Lochlyn Munro as Hal Cooper, Betty and Polly's deceased father, the serial killer the Black Hood, the former owner of The Register and Alice's ex-husband who appears in flashbacks. Shannen Doherty as Stranded Motorist, a woman who knew Fred Andrews. Bernadette Beck as Peaches 'N Cream, a member of the Pretty Poisons and an acquaintance of Toni and Cheryl. Tom McBeath as Smithers, The Lodge family's butler at the Pembrooke Moses Thiessen as Ben Button, a deceased pizza boy who appears in flashbacks. Chad Michael Murray as Edgar Evernever, Evelyn's husband posing as her father and the leader of the Farm. Nikolai Witschl as Dr. Curdle Jr., Dr Curdle Sr's son and a morgue attendant Azura Skye as Darla Dickenson, a small-time Northside thief and Dodger's mother seeking revenge on the main characters. Timothy Webber as Forsythe Pendleton Jones I, Jughead and Jellybean's paternal grandfather, Gladys's father-in-law, FP's father and the former leader of the Southside Serpents who was also a student at Stonewall Prep as a teenager and may have been the real creator of Baxter Brothers. Emily Tennant as Ms. Appleyard, a teacher at Riverdale High Ty Wood as Billy Marlin, a jock from Greendale. (He previously appeared in Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) Lucy Hale as Katy Keene, a New York socialite and Veronica's estranged best friend who reunites with her when she visits New York. Graham Phillips as Nick St. Clair, Simone and Xander's son and a former friend of Veronica's who tried to rape a drugged Cheryl formerly and now returns to Riverdale. Spencer Lord as Terry, a young boy helping Archie with the El Royale Gym. Luvia Petersen as Brooke Rivers, an army recruiter and Mary's estranged best friend who was also formerly her girlfriend. Matthew Yang King as Marty Mantle, Reggie's abusive father and the owner of Jamboree Luxury Cars and Mantle's Used Car Lot who finally stops abusing his son. Jordan Connor as Sweet Pea, a member of the Southside Serpents and Fangs's best friend Shannon Purser as Ethel Muggs, a depressed student at Riverdale High who was formerly in the Sisters of Quiet Mercy and the Farm. Kett Turton as David, an acquaintance of Hiram Lodge. Steve Makaj as Jinx Malloy, the owner of the Maple business who faces off against Archie and Hiram. Billy Wickman as Hunter Malloy, Jinx's son and a worker at the Maple business facing off against Archie and Hiram. Peter Bryant as Waldo Weatherbee, the former principal of Riverdale High and now a member of the Farm. Hart Denton as Chic, a former hustler and Charles's former boyfriend who is now a prison inmate. Gina Torres as Mrs. Burble, a psychologist brought in by Mr. Honey who tries to psycho-analyze the main characters.
Production Development On January 31, 2019, The CW renewed the show for a fourth season. Filming for the season began on July 8, 2019, and was initially scheduled to end on April 4, 2020. On June 19, 2019, it was announced the season premiere would serve as a tribute to actor Luke Perry and his character Fred Andrews; the series' writing team opted to wait until early in season four to directly address the absence of Fred, who had been "away on business" during the final episodes of season three. On July 25, 2019, it was announced the season would include the first Halloween-themed episode of the series.
Casting