The CW is currently the home of a few fun comedies, some sci-fi favorites, and superhero shows like Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow and soon Black Lightning. Yet this past spring, the broadcast network decided to once again dabble in the teen drama genre and added a very different kind of series to its lineup: Riverdale. Based on the characters of Archie Comics, Riverdale has so far been a murder mystery wrapped in a coming-of-age story, but that will change a bit going into season 2.
The jury's still out on whether Archie's father Fred, who was shot in the finale, will survive or become next season's murder mystery. However, there are a lot of other storylines brewing for the characters, including the possible war between the Southside Serpents and the rest of town. Now that his father F.P. is in jail, Jughead has seemingly found a new home with the Serpents, and it will cause a strain on his relationship with girlfriend Betty, especially since he's about to have a new female guide into the underworld.
Season 2 of Riverdale will introduce Vanessa Morgan (The Shannara Chronicles) as Archie Comics character Toni Topaz - a vivacious member of the Southside Serpents known for her signature pink hair and impressive appetite. Toni and Jughead already sound like a match made in heaven, and indeed their friendship could mean trouble for Betty and Jughead (whose relationship has been given the moniker "Bughead" by fans). Talking about the casting with ET, showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa hinted Toni may get in between the pair as Jughead begins to confide in her:
"Bughead is pretty strong, and pretty undeniable, and pretty epic, but you know even the most epic of romances has trouble -- and trouble often comes as a third party. So yes, it is conceivable that Toni will potentially test the limits of Bughead."
As for Morgan winning the part, it sounds like it was always meant to be hers. A leaked audition tape recently showed actress Lorelei Linklater (Boyhood) trying out for the role of Toni Topaz, but Aguirre-Sacasa says it was always in the cards for Morgan to join the Riverdale cast:
"Vanessa auditioned for us last year and we all fell in love with her. We didn’t have a spot for her last year, but I called her after she auditioned and tested and I said, 'I'm so sorry I'm not going to be able to bring you aboard this year, but I love you and I promise you're going to come and be a part of Riverdale next year.'"
Now that Riverdale season 2 has been confirmed to have 22 episodes, there'll also be time for secondary characters like Toni to have their own minor storylines. In Archie Comics it's strongly hinted that Toni is bisexual, and Aguirre-Sacasa confirmed they'll explore this topic, too. The character will also definitely be rockin' her iconic pink hair. Apparently, the two times that Morgan auditioned for the role she happened to have pink hair, so one could say her casting was fate.
Major characters from last year like Kevin, Josie, the Pussycats and Reggie who didn't get their due will also have an expanded role in season 2. Aguirre-Sacasa divulged that episode three will be the biggest and strongest Kevin Keller episode so far, while Josie is going to be a River Vixen and have a romance with Reggie. In season 2, the series will also launch two or three new mysteries to keep fans on the edge of their seat.
Source: ET Online