Riverdale’ Season 6 Mid-Season Return: Release Date, New Cast, and What to Expect
Riverdale Season 6 is far from over. In November, the CW’s Archie Comics adaptation kicked off its five-episode “Rivervale” event set in an alternate universe. After five weeks of shocking deaths, confusing twists, and even a cameo from Sabrina Spellman, the event concluded with Riverdale‘s 100th episode on Dec. 14. Riverdale Season 6 is now on its winter hiatus, but the teen drama will return in spring 2022. Here’s everything to know about the mid-season return.
When does ‘Riverdale’ Season 6 return to The CW?
The “Rivervale” event aired on Tuesday nights at 9 p.m. ET. However, fans shouldn’t get too attached to that time slot. According to the CW’s mid-season schedule, Riverdale Season 6 will pick up on March 6 at 8 p.m. Instead of Tuesday nights, the show will air weekly on Sunday nights at its new time.
And as for how many more episodes fans can expect from the season, the answer isn’t quite clear yet. A report from Decider in December seemed to indicate the cast is still filming season 6. If that’s the case, the season might finish airing sometime in the summer. For reference, previous Riverdale seasons have included anywhere from 13 to 22 episodes.
‘Riverdale’ Season 6 will bring in a new cast member
It looks like most of the cast will remain the same heading into the second half of season 6. That includes KJ Apa, Lili Reinhart, Camila Mendes, Cole Sprouse, Madelaine Petsch, Vanessa Morgan, Casey Cott, Mädchen Amick, Charles Melton, Drew Ray Tanner, and Erinn Westbrook. However, the CW did bring on one new face.
As Deadline reported, You’s Chris O’Shea has joined the Riverdale cast in a recurring role for the rest of the season. He’ll play Percival Pickens, the town’s newest baddie. Percival is described as “charming” but “manipulative, powerful, and increasingly dangerous.” He’ll clash with Riverdale’s residents, “especially Archie.”
“A descendent of one of Riverdale’s founding fathers, General Pickens, Percival wants to turn Riverdale into a ‘utopia,’ a dark agenda he pursues quietly but ruthlessly,” the character description reads.
Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa says ‘death is definitely coming’ to ‘Riverdale’
The first half of Riverdale Season 6 brings its characters to a much darker and more dangerous version of Riverdale called Rivervale. No one is safe in this alternate reality, and supernatural occurrences are common.
When Riverdale returns with season 6 episode 6, the story picks up where season 5 left off. The disgraced and exiled Hiram Lodge (Mark Conseulos) plants a bomb in Archie’s (Apa) room, where he and Betty (Reinhart) are hooking up. Although they survive the blast, the incident will have lasting effects.
Showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa hasn’t shared too much about what to expect from the rest of the season. However, he did have an ominous message for fans via Variety:
Death is definitely coming to Riverdale, and it is definitely permanent.
Riverdale Seasons 1 through 5 are now streaming on Netflix. Meanwhile, fans can catch up on the “Rivervale” event via The CW’s website and app.
