riverdale season five© Photo: Netflix

KJ Apa on what to expect from Riverdale's mid-season time jump

We're not ready for this

TV & Film Writer
Updated: February 9, 2021

Riverdale's highly-anticipated time jump is finally here. Ahead of tonight's episode which sees Archie, Betty, Veronica and Jughead return to Riverdale as young adults, KJ Apa has opened up about what fans can expect from the rest of season five.

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Speaking to TV Line, the actor who plays Archie has revealed that when we meet the gang as 25-year-olds, the gang have gone "their separate ways" and are no longer BFFs.

"We learn that everyone kind of went their separate ways," he explained. "Archie enlisted in the Army after graduation, and when he returns, after all that time in the Army, he discovers the town is on the verge of becoming a ghost town, thanks to Hiram.

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"He came back and saw Riverdale turning to [expletive] pretty much, and he's like, 'There's no way I'm going to let this happen.' So he wrangles the whole team in, and they figure out ways to revive the town, and the best way to do that is through Riverdale High."

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The time jump isn't the only change fans can expect in the new series, as the show will also introduce some new faces including Chris Mason, who had his breakthrough role on ITV's Broadchurch. The British actor will play Veronica's controlling and jealous husband, Chad Gekko while Glee star Erinn Westbrook will star as Pop's granddaughter Tabitha Tate.

© Photo: Netflix

KJ revealed that Archie returns to Riverdale at 25 to find it's a ghost town

The synopsis for season five of Riverdale reads: "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 redock 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…"

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