The CW
Riverdale is airing its fourth season now, with the second half of the season returning tonight on The CW. Riverdale airs on The CW every Wednesday at 8 p.m. Eastern, but when can you watch it on Netflix or on Hulu? The answer is a bit complicated, so read on for more details.
‘Riverdale’ Is on Netflix Outside the U.S., But It Won’t Premiere in the U.S. Until After the Season Ends
Viewers in the United States won’t be able to watch Season 4 of Riverdale on Netflix until about a week after the finale airs, which will most likely happen in May. Netflix follows the same pattern it’s used with other shows on The CW, releasing a new season on Netflix in the U.S. about a week after the finale airs on The CW. That’s because in 2016, Netflix and The CW reached an agreement that in the United States, Netflix could stream full seasons for all of The CW’s shows starting eight days after each show’s finale. For example, The 100 Season 4 aired its finale on The CW on May 24, 2017, and Season 4 was released on Netflix on June 1, 2017. Similarly, The Flash Season 3 released on Netflix on May 31, and the final episode for the season premiered on The CW on May 23. Riverdale Season 3 premiered on Netflix on May 23, 2019, after the season finale aired on May 15.
So, in short, you won’t be able to watch Season 4 of Riverdale on Netflix in the United States until sometime in May.
It’s worth noting that Netflix’s deal with The CW does not extend anymore to new series, Newsweek reported. So it’s unclear when (or if) Nancy Drew and Katy Keene will appear on Netflix in the U.S., for example.
In other countries, Netflix does things differently. Netflix has first-run rights to air new episodes of Riverdale the day after they air in the U.S., so many countries get to enjoy new episodes of Season 4 on Thursdays after 12:01 a.m. Pacific.
In the UK, for example, Season 4 is already airing on Netflix. Each new episode is released every Thursday, after it airs in the United States. Traditionally, it releases Thursdays around 8 a.m. in the UK. In Canada, new episodes also premiere on Thursday mornings, often around 3 a.m. there. Other countries that traditionally are able to air new episodes include New Zealand, Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, France, Austria, India, and more. This is subject to change.
‘Riverdale’ on Hulu
If you’re wanting to watch Riverdale on Hulu, you can only do so if you have Hulu with Live TV. Regular Hulu users don’t have access to Riverdale. But if you have Hulu with Live TV, then you can watch Riverdale. The CW (live in select markets) is included in Hulu With Live TV, which comes with 60-plus live TV channels and Hulu’s extensive on-demand library of TV shows and movies.
If you can’t watch live, “Hulu with Live TV” comes with both its extensive on-demand library (which has most new episodes and specials available after they air) and 50 hours of Cloud DVR storage (with the ability to upgrade to “Enhanced Cloud DVR,” which gives you 200 hours of DVR space and the ability to fast forward through commercials).