Ahsoka, the Riverdale finale, and more new TV this week

This week we say goodbye to one of our own, a myth, a legend: Riverdale is finally ending its legendary run after seven seasons. Riverdale went out like it lived: as a show few could comprehend while always being true to itself to the very end.

Of course, that’s not all that’s coming to TV this week. Premiering this week is Disney Plus’ latest Star Wars show, Ahsoka, following Rosario Dawson’s live-action take on the beloved Clone Wars character as she sniffs out some trouble in the galaxy (most likely from the Dark Side of the Force, but it’s post-Rebellion, so we’ll see!).

And, of course, there’s plenty of other big shows coming your way, like Invasion season 2 premiering alongside plenty of series in the middle of great runs, like What We Do in the Shadows, Only Murders in the Building, Reservation Dogs, The Afterparty, and so many more. Here are the most significant TV premieres and finales this week.

New shows on Netflix

Who Is Erin Carter?

Genre: Thriller
Release date: Aug. 24, with all episodes
Showrunner/creator: Jack Lothian
Cast: Evin Ahmad, Sean Teale, Indica Watson, Pep Ambròs, Douglas Henshall, Denise Gough, and Jamie Bamber

Jack Lothian (who created Doc Martin) is back with a new thriller, following a British expat teacher after she gets caught up in a supermarket robbery. But — as the title might imply — who exactly Erin Carter (Evin Ahmad) is might be a little up for debate. And after she’s revealed to be a total badass, her true identity is something she’s desperate to keep under wraps.

New shows on Disney Plus

Ahsoka

Genre: Star Wars
Release date: Aug. 23, with two episodes
Showrunner/creator: Dave Filoni
Cast: Rosario Dawson, Eman Esfandi, Ivanna Sakhno, Ray Stevenson, Genevieve O’Reilly, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, and more

The last time we saw Ahsoka (Rosario Dawson), she was popping up in The Mandalorian season 2. Now, she’s helming her own show, hunting down big Star Wars names (at least, to Clone Wars and Rebels watchers) like Thrawn and Ezra. The plot of the show is still fairly mysterious, but Ahsoka will be investigating an emerging threat to the galaxy after the events of Mandalorian season 3 — and possibly knocking heads with Andor’s Mon Mothma.

New shows on Max

And Just Like That... finale

Photo: Craig Blankenhorn/Max

Genre: Frothy drama
Release date: Aug. 24
Showrunner/creator: Darren Star
Cast: Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis, Nicole Ari Parker, Sarita Choudhury, Karen Pittman, and Sara Ramirez

This season of Sex and the City spinoff And Just Like That... promised three big things: the (limited) return of Kim Cattrall, the return of Aiden (John Corbett) to the love life of Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), and more soapy relationship drama in loud outfits. So far, the season has delivered plenty, and with at least one big couple already felled by the season, the finale is likely to pack quite a punch.

New shows on Apple TV Plus

Invasion season 2

Genre: Sci-fi (alien invasion version)
Release date: Aug. 23, with 1 episode
Showrunner/creator: Simon Kinberg and David Weil
Cast: Golshifteh Farahani, Shamier Anderson, Shioli Kutsuna, Billy Barratt, Azhy Robertson, Tara Moayedi, India Brown, Paddy Holland, and more

Invasion season 2 picks up just months after the first, with aliens now at all-out war with the humans. Like season 1, questions, destruction, and extraterrestrial life forms are everywhere, as we follow different perspectives around the globe and make sense of humans’ fight for survival.

The Riverdale series finale

Riverdale season 7’s final episode

Genre: Riverdale teen drama (a genre unto itself)
Release date: Aug. 23 on The CW, Aug. 24 on TheCW.com
Showrunner/creator: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
Cast: KJ Apa, Lili Reinhart, Camila Mendes, Cole Sprouse, and more

The end of an era. This show took on so many forms: Twin Peaks-lite, the chronicle of several serial killers, a Satanic Panic ripoff around a game called “GnG” (Griffins and Gargoyles), alternate-universe superhero shit, and, finally, throwback 1950s show teaching us about the dangers of McCarthyism, racism, puritanism, and more. If any of this sounds like I don’t like it, you’re very wrong; I already miss it most of all.