This week’s episode saw Tiera Skovbye return to Riverdale as Polly Cooper, but it turns out that she won’t’ be the only familiar face making the rounds in The CW series’ final season — or whose character brings a bit of glitz, glam, and fame to the Town With Pep. The CW has released a preview for next week’s “Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Four: A Different Kind of Cat”, the seventeenth episode of the series’ seventh and final season and it will see Ashleigh Murray return as Josie McCoy, though this time, Josie’s a big movie star, come to Riverdale to screen her latest film and, as you can see in the preview below, she has some big expectations for her red-carpet moment. Check it out for yourself.
The episode will also see Betty pursue some of her own dreams while Archie moves forward with his poetry, but things don’t quite go as planned. You can check out the official episode synopsis as follows: “TAKING THE TOWN BY STORM — Betty (Lili Reinhart) enlists help from Cheryl (Madelaine Petsch) and Toni (Vanessa Morgan) after deciding she’s going to publish her own book. Veronica (Camila Mendes), Kevin (Casey Cott) and Clay (guest star Karl Walcott) host Hollywood movie star Josie McCoy (guest star Ashleigh Murray), who is in town to screen her latest film. Finally, Archie’s (KJ Apa) attempt to take his poetry to the next level doesn’t go as planned. Kevin Rodney Sullivan directed the episode written by Ariana Jackson & Evan Kyle.”
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One Fan Favorite Star is Not Returning
While Murray is just the latest familiar face to return to Riverdale as the series begins to wind down, there is one fan favorite who won’t be making it back. Series star Mädchen Amick recently revealed that F.P. Jones actor Skeet Ulrich will not be coming back to the series before it ends.
“He was invited back, and the plan was he was going to come back,” Amick said. “But then it fell through… I think that was Roberto [Aguirre-Sacasa]’s intention, to have everybody back that he could in that last season. There was an episode that was dedicated to his character, but it didn’t happen.”
Ulrich departed Riverdale in Season 5 with F.P. leaving the Town With Pep to go to Toledo with Jughead’s little sister, Jellybean. Ulrich announced his departure midway through Season 4, telling fans on an Instagram live at one point that the reason he opted to leave the series was he was bored creatively.
Will Riverdale Remain in the 1950s for the Remainder of the Series?
With the 1950s setting this season of Riverdale technically reflecting them being in an alternative timeline following the events of Season 6, fans have wondered if the series will end with them returning to the present day, something Aguirre-Sacasa has previously suggested. Unfortunately, series star Mädchen Amick recently cast some doubt on that — sort of. Amick did tease that fans would get some closure outside of the 1950s setting as well, but the series does remain in the 1950s.
“I don’t know if I should answer,” Amick told Decider when asked about the setting. “No, we don’t get out of the 1950s. So, I guess maybe that is a big spoiler. I will say you do experience the characters in different… dimensions, that you get to see a lot of closures that are outside of the 1950s. I can tease it that way. I think that’s saying enough.”
Riverdale airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on The CW. “Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Four: A Different Kind of Cat” airs August 2nd.
