How to watch Riverdale online: stream every new season 5 episode from anywhere

(Image credit: The CW / Warner Bros)

Take a deep breath. We can FINALLY see Archie, Betty, Veronica and Jughead celebrate their graduation from Riverdale High, after coronavirus postponed filming of season 4’s final three episodes. Read on as we explain how to watch Riverdale season 5 online and stream every new episode of the hit drama as soon as it's released each week.

Season 5 promises to ramp things up a notch by jumping forward seven years into our protagonists’ young adult lives. What new romances and evil schemes will have bloomed in Riverdale then? We're currently in the process of finding out!

How to watch Riverdale season 5 online

Air date: Wednesdays from January 20

TV channel: The CW

Time: 8pm ET/PT

Watch without cable: get The CW with a FREE fuboTV trial

FREE stream: The CW (from Thursdays)

Watch anywhere: try our top VPN pick 100% risk-free

While don’t know exactly what the future holds and won't spoil anything that's gone down so far, you can generally expect season 5 to be bittersweet. It marks the departure of Jughead’s Dad, FP Jones (played by Skeet Ulrich), while after prom we’ll see this tight-knit group of friends disband as they leave for college.

Actors KJ Apa, Lili Reinhart, Cole Sprouse, and Camila Mendes will return, in addition to Casey Cole as Kevin and Drew Ray Tanner as his boyfriend Fang. Plus, there’ll be fresh blood on set as Insatiable's Erinn Westbrook and Katy Keene’s Chris Mason join the cast.

Showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa teased that viewers will be dropped “in the middle of something crazy” this season: part of which involves a time jump that propels us into the characters equally tumultuous adult lives, and Jughead and Betty being warned that “something’s coming…and it’s going to hit you like a Mack Truck” – one with a skeleton strapped to it that prowls the highways at night, it seems.

So, prepare yourselves for more steamy teen drama and Lynchian mystery as we explain how to watch Riverdale season 5 online from anywhere - including on the 100% FREE and open CW website the day after it airs on US TV!

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How to watch Riverdale season 5 from outside your country

Should you find yourself abroad for whatever reason, you'll likely discover you're unable to watch Riverdale season 5 like you would at home due to regional restrictions.

Luckily for you, there’s a simple solution. Downloading a VPN will let you watch every episode of Riverdale season 5 no matter where you are. All that’s required is this simple bit of software, which changes your IP address and so allows you to access your favorite television live or on demand just like you would from home.

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Is Riverdale season 5 on Netflix?

Yes - but only in certain countries.

As we explain below, Netflix UK, Netflix Canada and Netflix Australia are among the regions that will be getting new Riverdale season 5 episodes every Thursday, less than 24 hours after they first air in the US.

How to watch Riverdale season 5 online in the US for FREE

It feels like an age since season 4 concluded abruptly back in May 2020. But answers will finally be forthcoming – and new mysteries revealed – as season 5 begins on The CW, with episodes airing weekly from Wednesday, January 20 at 8pm ET/PT, or 7pm CT.

If you don’t have cable – or don’t mind waiting a little longer – episodes will be added 24-hours after their initial broadcast on the CW website. The platform is FREE to view and no log-in or even registration is required, as long as you're based in the US. Great news if you’re trying to save a buck.

However, those considering an online alternative to cable should consider fuboTV, which offers The CW as part of its end-to-end cable replacement service - pricing starts at $64.99 after taking advantage a FREE fuboTV trial to see if it's right for you.

Meanwhile, Archie Comics fans looking to recap the last 76 episodes can do so with a basic $8.99 subscription to Netflix. Season 5 episodes, meanwhile, will likely be added to the streamer once they’ve finished their run on The CW.

As mentioned above, if you find yourself out of the country when Riverdale season 5 airs, you can use clever software like ExpressVPN to watch every single episode live or on-demand. That way you never have to miss a moment of Riverdale’s eerie antics.

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How to watch Riverdale season 5 online in the UK

Netflix has been spreading the gospel of Riverdale since its premiere in 2017, and the UK is just one of many lucky territories receiving the word of Archie. The streaming platform will drop a new episode every Thursday at 8am GMT from January 21. And, at only £5.99 a month for a basic Netflix sub, you’ll get a weekly fix of season 5 plus all four prior seasons too.

American’s abroad, however, will find geo-blocking restriction prevent them from watching new Riverdale for free on The CW, and might be reluctant to sign up for another VoD service.

If you’re out of the country when Riverdale airs, trying a 100% risk-free VPN will let you connect to your preferred on-demand platform, and so enjoy Riverdale season 5 online no matter where you are.

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How to watch Riverdale season 5 online in Canada

North of the US border and Canadians can enjoy all-new Riverdale on Netflix, with episodes available weekly from Thursday, January 21 – just a day after their American broadcast. A basic subscription costs CND$9.99, and its streaming library includes all prior seasons of Riverdale too – so a full house!

If you’re away from home as Netflix adds season 5 episodes to its library, don’t worry. Just download a VPN to avoid geo-blocking restrictions, and you’ll be enjoying the latest twisted adventures of Archie, Betty, Jughead and friends in no time.

watch Riverdale season 5 online australia

How to watch Riverdale season 5 online in Australia

Well, there’s no mystery here. Netflix is streaming Riverdale season 5 in Australia too, beginning on Thursday, January 21 and debuting a new episode each week. At AUS$10.99 for their entry-level plan, a subscription not only grants you access to thousands of movies and TV shows, but every single season of Riverdale. That’s a big win for fans of dark teen drama.

As detailed above, if you’re abroad then you’ll struggle to connect to Netflix or any other regionally specific service. The solution? Try using a VPN as per our guide above.

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Daniel Pateman is a freelance writer, producing articles across the cultural spectrum for magazines like Aesthetica, Photomonitor, The Brooklyn Rail and This is Tomorrow. He also provides text-writing services to individual curators and artists worldwide, and has had work published internationally. His favourite film genre is horror (bring on Scream 5!) and he never tires of listening to Absolute 80s on the radio.