‘Riverdale’: “Witness for the Prosecution” Synopsis Teases a Lodge Family Showdown

We’ve only just begin Riverdale Season 4, but we’ve already got a good look at what to expect from the series’ fifth episode, “Chapter Sixty-Two: Witness for the Prosecution,” thanks to the official synopsis from The CW. And though the hour doesn’t air until November 6, we’ve got a bunch of intel on what to expect as the Lodge family heads for a serious showdown.

First though, the very good news for fans of the show: there’s seemingly going to be no break for the show for a good long while. Last season, fans were frustrated by the stop and start nature of Season 3, as there were two breaks built in the first eight episodes, followed by a lengthy winter hiatus. Though we only have official dates through episode 5, it looks like there is a good chance we’ll be break-free at least through Thanksgiving, if not all the way through the midseason finale in episode 9. To be determined, though, so we’ll wait and see.

That bit of business out of the way, let’s, uh, get to more business, with the official synopsis for Riverdale Season 4, Episode 5, “Chapter Sixty-Two: Witness for the Prosecution”:

THE TRIALS OF HIRAM AND HERMOINE — Caught between Hiram (Mark Consuelos) and Hermoine’s (Marisol Nichols) double trial, Veronica (Camila Mendes) grapples with what the future holds for her family. Archie (KJ Apa) finds himself the unexpected target of the town’s local businesses. Betty (Lili Reinhart) and Kevin (Casey Cott) join the Junior FBI Training Program, and Jughead (Cole Sprouse) learns some surprising information about his family history. Madchen Amick, Skeet Ulrich and Charles Melton also star. Harry Jierjian directed the episode written by Devon Turner (#405.) Original airdate 11/6/2019.

Lets talk about the Lodges first, because that’s the big plot this episode. Hiram was sent to jail at the end of last season for a variety of crimes, but mostly through a little finagling via Veronica. Unfortunately for her, he was sent to a private prison he owns, which means he’s been able to lash back at his daughter as recently as this past week’s episode, “Fast Times at Riverdale High.” Meanwhile, her mother Hermione was also sent to prison, thanks to Hiram. Asked by the press to choose which parent she’d side with, Veronica pulled a Kelly from 90210 and chose herself. Still, she does seem to be leaning to her mother, given she changed her name on college applications to Veronica Gomez, her mother’s maiden name. Adding to those clues? As of the previous week’s episode, “Chapter Sixty-One: Halloween,” Veronica will be bonding with her mother for the first time since she was arrested last season.

Oh, and there’s one other very big tidbit to consider, something that will come into play this episode… Veronica has a secret, older half sister named Hermosa Lodge, played by Vida star Mishel Prada. Hermosa is the “fiercely loyal” daughter of Hiram, as vicious as he is — and perhaps even moreso. She’s been living in Miami and running nightclubs, just like her lil’ sis, which will lead to some serious sibling rivalry between the two. Hermione isn’t so nice, though: she hates Hermosa.

Added into the mix is Mary Andrews (Molly Ringwald), Riverdale‘s all-purpose lawyer, who ends up representing Hermione during the trial. And good thing, too, because Hermione — who has committed at least two murders over the course of the show — thinks she’s done for.

So, that’s a lot, huh? Don’t worry, this is Riverdale, so there’s always more going on. We don’t have a ton of info on Archie’s storyline, but do know he’s going vigilante in previous episodes, and even dressing up as his Archie Comics superhero alter-ego Pureheart the Powerful in the Halloween episode. Part of the reason is that the gym he owns and is turning into a community center is in the bad part of town (wait, there’s a good part of Riverdale?) and folks want him and his do-gooder ways out of the way.

What about Betty and Kevin joining the Junior FBI Training Program? Like most things Riverdale, this is almost a real thing, but not quite. In the real world, it’s a mentoring program for kids, not a way for teen sleuths to transition into professional serial killer hunting. Though it’s not mentioned, this plot-line might tie into some mysterious videotapes that start showing up in Riverdale as of “Halloween.” We’ve seen hints that Lochlyn Munro might be returning as Hal Cooper/The Black Hood, despite being shot in the head at the end of Season 3. Could he be on these tapes? And an impetus for Betty to join Fedz Kidz?

And last but not least we’ve got Jughead, who is learning about his family history. That almost definitely has to do with his grandfather, Forsythe Pendleton Jones The First, who was name-dropped in “Fast Times” and will officially debut in the midseason finale. FPJ1 was briefly a former student at Stonewall Prep, the elite prep school Jughead is now attending. But is he a friend… Or a new big bad?

Riverdale airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on The CW.

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