One of The CW’s most buzzed-about dramas returns when Riverdale debuts its fifth season Wednesday, January 20 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
If you don’t have cable, here’s how you can watch Riverdale Season 5 online for free:
Heavy may earn an affiliate commission if you sign up via a link on this page
FuboTV
You can watch a live stream of CW (live in select markets) and 100-plus other TV channels on FuboTV, which you can use for free with a seven-day trial right here:
Once signed up for FuboTV, you can watch Riverdale live on the FuboTV app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Firestick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, Samsung Smart TV, Android TV, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet. You can also watch on your computer via the FuboTV website.
If you can’t watch live, FuboTV comes with 250 hours of cloud DVR space, as well as a 72-hour look-back feature, which allows you to watch most shows on-demand within three days (and sometimes longer) of their conclusion, even if you don’t record them.
Hulu With Live TV
You can watch a live stream of CW (live in select markets) and 65+ other TV channels via Hulu With Live TV, which you can try out for free with a seven-day trial:
Once signed up for Hulu With Live TV, you can watch Riverdale live on the Hulu app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV, or Firestick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Samsung Smart TV, LG Smart TV, Android TV, iPhone, Android phone, iPad, or Android tablet. Or you can watch on your computer via the Hulu website.
If you can’t watch live, Hulu with Live TV comes with both its extensive on-demand library (which includes most shows 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).
YouTube TV
You can watch CW (live in select markets) and 80-plus other TV channels on YouTube TV:
Once signed up for YouTube TV, you can watch Riverdale live on the YouTube app, which is available on your your Roku, Roku TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Fire TV, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Samsung Smart TV, LG Smart TV, Android TV, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet. You can also watch on your computer via TV.YouTube.com.
If you can’t watch live, it comes with included DVR.
‘Riverdale’ Season 5 Preview
When Riverdale returns, the kids are still reeling from the events of season four. Here’s where everyone was the last time we saw the kids of Riverdale, according to The CW’s synopsis of season four:
The fourth season of Riverdale began with a funeral and tribute to Archie’s late father, the beloved Fred Andrews (Luke Perry). Throughout the season, Archie (KJ Apa) tried to live up to his father’s memory by mentoring youths at his Community Center with the help of his pals Reggie (Charles Melton) and Munroe Moore. But the shadow of that tragedy loomed over Archie — and only darkened when Fred’s brother Frank arrived, bringing unforeseen complications with him, much to the chagrin of Archie’s mother (Molly Ringwald).
Meanwhile, after Betty (Lili Reinhart) saved her mom (Mädchen Amick) and sister from the Farm cult, she joined her brother Charles’s Junior F.B.I. Training Program. Veronica (Camila Mendes) found herself locked in a season-long battle with her father Hiram (Mark Consuelos) and half-sister Hermosa over her burgeoning maple rum business. And, at the urging on FP (Skeet Ulrich), Jughead (Cole Sprouse) enrolled in a new school, Stonewall Prep, only to be caught up in a mystery that involved his grandfather, the secret author of a series of teen detective novels called “The Baxter Brothers.” His classmates turned out to be killers — and it was up to Betty and Jughead (pretending to be dead) to solve the murder of…Jughead Jones!
At Thistlehouse, Cheryl (Madelaine Petsch) was trapped in a gothic nightmare, fighting her demons, literal and metaphoric, with the loving support of her girlfriend Toni (Vanessa Morgan). She finally put her brother Jason to rest while maintaining her control over the Vixens as resident HBIC against Principal Honey (Kerr Smith). Kevin (Casey Cott) got dragged into an illicit tickle scheme, but still found time to put on a Variety Show with hit songs from “Hedwig and the Angry Inch.” And throughout the season, disturbing unmarked videotapes kept appearing on our characters’ doorsteps, ensuring that there would be one more mystery to solve.
Now when season five picks up, it’s the kids’ final days at Riverdale High. The description teases, “From an epic Senior Prom to a bittersweet Graduation, there are a lot of emotional moments and goodbyes yet to come — with some couples breaking up, as everyone goes their separate ways to college — or elsewhere. Then, we will re-dock with our gang as young adults, all returning to Riverdale to escape their troubled pasts. And life — and romance — will only be more complicated now that they’re in their twenties.”
Riverdale airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on The CW.
Comments
How to Watch ‘Riverdale’ Season 5 Online Without Cable