‘Riverdale’: With Skeet Ulrich and Marisol Nichols Out, Here’s Where Fans Think the Story Will Go
Out of the many headlines trending in the past few days, one of them was the announcement that Riverdale actors Skeet Ulrich and Marisol Nichols are leaving after season four.
If you watch the series, then your jaw may have dropped upon learning that Jughead’s dad and Veronica’s mom are out. No, not F.P.! In a season that memorialized Luke Perry and his character, Fred Andrews, some viewers are surprised that two major characters are departing the show.
However, fans also realize that it leaves room to take the future season in a new direction, and they have ideas about how things will shift.
We already know ‘Riverdale’ is a go for season 5
Back in January, The CW announced its early renewals and Riverdale was on the list for season five. At the time, Nichols tweeted out a message expressing her excitement over the news.
One of the reasons Riverdale and other series were renewed sooner than later is so writers can get a jump on their new seasons.
CW president Mark Pedowitz said, “These early orders for next season give our production teams a head start in plotting out story arcs and a jump on hiring staff, and this also provides us with a strong foundation of established, fan-favorite CW shows to build on for next season.”
We know it’s only February, but does that mean Riverdale creator Robert Aguirre-Sacasa already has something cooking for season five? Probably.
Without F.P. Jones and Hermione Lodge, what now?
Fan theories are already sprouting up about the fate of Riverdale once these two parental figures are no longer around. By the time season four wraps up, Jughead’s mystery will probably be solved, Veronica will either win or fold against her father, and Archie and Betty’s story arcs about their inner struggles will progress.
But these kids also have one thing in common: Riverdale High will be over for them. With that in mind, fans believe the absence of parents like F.P. and Hermione signifies a time jump and future without heavy parental involvement.
It makes sense and given that Katy Keene takes place five years ahead of Riverdale, things could sync up. A time jump could pave the way for a Riverdale gang reset and a whole new set of drama – whether they go to college or simply become 20-something adults.
What fans are hoping for is that F.P. survives the season finale and the character is written off in a kind way. That could be the case, judging by Aguirre-Sacasa’s statement to TVLine on Nichols and Ulrich’s exits:
“Part of life in Riverdale — and part of growing up — is saying goodbye to people. I’m grateful to Skeet and Marisol for their incredible work on the show these last four years, and we all wish them well on their future endeavors. F.P. and Hermione will never be far from our hearts. And, of course, they’re always welcome back in Riverdale.”
Both Ulrich and Nichols have other projects lined up
Following the announcement of her departure, fans sent Nichols love on social media, and while thanking everyone, she noted that they’re still filming until April. There’s more! Ulrich also thanked fans and Riverdale creator Aguirre-Sacasa for the past four seasons with an Instagram post:
“I can’t even begin to thank you all for the unwavering support and love!! It is remarkable and deeply appreciated.”
Ulrich is starring in a movie alongside Tom Hanks called BIOS, coming out in October, and also has other projects in the works. Nichols can be seen next in Spiral, the Saw reboot helmed by Chris Rock which is due in theaters in May 2020.
