All I Desire

A once-successful stage actress who abandoned her family for a life on the road. Naomi returns to Riverdale with a calculated charm, trying to present herself as a glamorous star rather than the unreliable mother she once was. She is torn between a lingering love of performance and a renewed commitment to her family. Her choices drive the town’s gossip and threaten the Murdoch household.

The Murdoch patriarch and high school principal who fears that scandal could derail his career. He is wary of Naomi’s return and begins a tentative romance with Sara while trying to protect his household. He grapples with duty, desire, and the pressure to maintain propriety for the sake of advancement. His reconciliation with Naomi signals a fragile, hard-won stability.

Naomi’s hopeful younger daughter who longs for her mother’s presence and a chance to shine on stage. She orchestrates moments to keep Naomi in town, including inviting her to stay for graduation and supporting her in the pursuit of performance. Her blend of innocence and ambition tests family loyalties and the boundaries of love. She embodies the town’s dream of upward mobility through theatre.

The elder Murdoch daughter who runs the household and harbors resentment over Naomi’s long absence. She embodies practical concerns and skepticism about Naomi’s grand promises. Her perspective shifts as Naomi’s return reshapes family dynamics and Henry’s career plans. She experiences a painful but necessary evolution toward reconciliation.

Owner of the hunting and fishing store and Naomi’s former lover. Dutch clings to the past and pressures Naomi for a rendezvous, threatening to drag the family into scandal again. He is confrontational and possessive, escalating the tension until Naomi shoots him to break free from the cycle. His fate becomes a catalyst for the town’s moral reckoning.

Drama teacher at the high school and Henry’s ally in protecting Naomi’s reputation. She encourages Naomi to perform publicly and to face the town, becoming a confidante who sees the potential for reconciliation. Her presence adds complexity to Henry’s loyalties and Naomi’s choices.

Naomi’s son who remembers little of his mother's absence and remains friendly with Dutch. His presence during pivotal moments highlights the personal cost of adult decisions on the next generation. He serves as a subtle barometer of how Naomi’s actions affect her children.