Everyone's favorite murder mystery-turned supernatural drama Riverdale has kept fans intrigued — if not completely bewildered — for six years now. Cast members Lili Reinhart, Camila Mendes, KJ Apa, Madelaine Petsch, and Cole Sprouse have basically become household names, and now, with the start of the show's seventh season, they're officially saying goodbye to the Town With Pep. Alas, it's the end of an era.
If you want to find out how things end for Archie and his friends in Riverdale Season 7, you'll have plenty of ways to tune in. Here's what you need to know.
How many seasons of Riverdale are there?
Riverdale premiered in January 2017 on The CW, and just kicked off its seventh season. While many fans are torn about whether the show has overstayed its welcome, the CW’s CEO Mark Pedowitz told Deadline(opens in a new tab), "We want to make sure it goes out the right way.”
Is the 7th season of Riverdale the last?
In March 2022, Riverdale was renewed for a seventh season. It was also announced that the seventh season would officially be the end of the subversive Archie Comics-based series. Season 7 premiered on March 29, 2023, and the series finale is set to air on August 23, 2023. The core cast has already started diving into other acting roles to expand their repertoire.
How many episodes are in Season 7 of Riverdale?
The seventh and final season of Riverdale will consist of 20 episodes, released weekly on the CW. With exception of the pilot season, every season of the show has had between 19 and 22 episodes, so we expect the final season to follow a similar format.
How to watch Riverdale Season 7 for free
New episodes of Riverdale Season 7 hit the CW every Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET. If you're a stickler for watching new episodes live, you'll need a cable subscription or a live TV subscription like FuboTV(opens in a new tab), Hulu + Live TV(opens in a new tab), or YouTube TV(opens in a new tab). Of course, all of these options come with a price tag.
If you don't mind waiting until the next day to watch new episodes of Riverdale, you have a few different routes for streaming — including a free one. The CW app and website both add new episodes the day after they air on live TV. The CW app(opens in a new tab) requires no subscription or login — it's always free. There are just a couple of qualms. First, the free collection only includes the five most recent episodes throughout the season. So, you'll have to be extremely strategic with your watch schedule. Second, you'll have to sit through ad breaks with no options for skipping. Hey, what do you expect when you get to watch for free?
One of our favorite workarounds for those issues, however, is a handy VPN. Riverdale Season 7 premieres on UK Netflix and Canadian Netflix the day after the live episodes air on TV in the U.S. Netflix doesn't limit the episode selection, so you can watch at your own leisure. And with the right subscription, you won't have to sit through annoying ads. Win-win. Of course, you'll have to subscribe to a VPN and connect to a server in the UK or Canada in order to access the content — and VPNs usually require a paid subscription. Fortunately, we've got you covered with the best deals.
The best live TV deals for watching Riverdale Season 7 live on the CW
Love hosting live watch parties or knowing what happened in a new episode before everyone else? You'll need a live TV subscription to catch the new episodes of Riverdale Season 7 live. You've got a few different options depending on what you're looking for, where you live, and what your budget is. The CW is not available on live TV streaming in some local markets, so be sure to double-check your zip code before you commit to a subscription.
Hulu + Live TV(opens in a new tab) — no free trial, $69.99/month
YouTube TV(opens in a new tab) — 3-week free trial, then $62.99/month
$72.99/month(save $30) for three monthsFuboTV(opens in a new tab) — 7-day free trial, then $74.99/month
The best VPN deals for streaming Riverdale Season 7 on Netflix
If you want to bypass the geo-restrictions on Netflix for streaming Riverdale Season 7, you can use a VPN and connect to a server in the UK or Canada. Some VPNs are better than others, of course, and some are more affordable than others. Here are the ones we recommend (and the latest deals).
ExpressVPN (1 year + 3 months)(opens in a new tab) — $6.67/month
$12.95/month(save $6.28/month)NordVPN Standard (2 years + 3 months)(opens in a new tab) — $3.29/month
$12.99/month(save $9.70/month)Proton VPN Plus (2 years)(opens in a new tab) — $4.99/month
$9.99/month(save $5/month)CyberGhost VPN (2 years + 2 months)(opens in a new tab) — $2.11/month
$12.99/month(save $10.88/month)
How to catch up on previous seasons of Riverdale
Need to catch up on previous seasons of Riverdale before the final season? Fortunately, Seasons 1 through 6 are on Netflix in the U.S., UK, and Canada. So, there's no need to go the VPN route. Subscriptions start at just $6.99 per month(opens in a new tab) for the ad-supported plan and $9.99 per month(opens in a new tab) if you want to watch ad-free.
