Virgin River
Virgin River Review – Can’t Be Bought (3×05)
Mel was blindsided from every single direction on Virgin River Season 3 Episode 5.
When she assisted Doc with an interview for a new physician, she didn’t know she was interviewing Doc’s replacement.
She was surprised by his revelation that he’s retiring, and if she hadn’t pressed him on it, she likely wouldn’t have known about his long-term plans.
While it’s understandable that Doc wants to keep his plans private, Mel deserves to know considering she’s directly affected by his decision.
Dr. Hansen seems like a solid choice; she has all the qualities Doc was looking for, plus, she wants to work at a small, family-run practice. But if Doc doesn’t make a decision soon, she’ll accept another offer and he’ll be left without any solid candidates again.
Do you think Doc will retire fully or will he just scale back hours and hire on additional help?
Mel was also blindsided in the romance department when Brie slipped up about Jack’s ex-wife Mandy.
Ex-wife?! Jack, what the hell?
How is that possible when Jack recently mentioned that he has never lived with anyone else?
Not mentioning an ex-wife is such a betrayal of trust from the man who keeps emphasizing that he wants their relationship to be based on full honesty.
Mel has been super vulnerable and transparent with Jack, so this is a pretty big omission. Why didn’t he ever tell her about Mandy? Why hasn’t she come up before this moment? And what led to the divorce? It seems like there’s a lot to unpack here.
Mel told Brie she wouldn’t say anything, but it’s not something she’s going to brush off.
It’s also pretty crappy timing considering she just told Jack that she wanted to have a child.
Jack’s reaction was more understanding than I imagined it would be for a man who has lost his home and is expecting twins, but he still didn’t jump at the idea. Who can blame him? He has a lot on his plate right now.
And unfortunately, not wanting kids might lead to the end of an otherwise promising relationship with Mel.
On top of everything that Jack has been forced to deal with, he’s also getting memories of the night he was shot.
While the flashback remains vague, it’s a step in the right direction. I’m still convinced Brady will be revealed as the man in the hooded sweatshirt.
However, Brady does seem like he’s turned over a new leaf. I want to hate his relationship with Brie, but I just can’t. They’re cute and seem to fill a void in each other’s lives.
Jack doesn’t know the extent of their relationship, but he will find out fairly soon as I’m sure Brady will check in on Brie, who fainted right before heading out to drinks with Mel.
It’s still unclear what’s going on in Brie’s personal life back home, however, the anxiety definitely has something to do with her job and her ex.
Why do you think she collapsed? Drinking on meds or is there a health issue at play?
Speaking of health issues, Doc checked up on Lilly and she finally told him about her cancer diagnosis shortly before telling her daughter Tara, who was visibly broken up. It doesn’t seem like Lilly will seek radiation or chemotherapy, so we should probably strap in for a sad storyline in the near future.
After her rift with Connie, Lizzie moved into Ricky and Lydie’s place, but the arrangement seems temporary… at least Lydie really hopes it is because Lizzie’s been using up all the hot water in the house.
Lizzie proposed that she and Ricky get a place together, which took him by surprise. From everything that I’ve seen from Ricky, he isn’t ready to be in a mature relationship. He’s not ready to fly the coop, and as cute as they are, Lizzie needs someone more independent. The poor kid still has a lot of growing up to do.
Jack’s situation with Charmaine is not good. In fact, it’s terrible.
She stopped by his bar to tell him that Todd wanted to grab lunch, and when Jack informed her he didn’t have time that day, she basically threatened his relationship with the children. Why is Jack made out to be a bad guy for having prior responsibilities? Why does he have to be on Todd’s time?
His meeting with Todd went even worse as he basically tried to buy the unborn twins from Jack as if they were up for sale. What makes Charmaine think that Jack doesn’t want to be a present father? Things between them may not have worked out, but he has said he wants to be involved in their lives countless times. The audacity!
Do they think Jack’s a fool? Or that he’s just going to jump for joy that he doesn’t have to raise his children? It’s a huge responsibility, sure, but it’s one that he wants no matter how difficult it may be. Getting rid of Jack would make things easier for the two of them and not the other way around. It’s only in their best interest.
If I were Jack, I wouldn’t even deal with Charmaine without a lawyer. You never want things to get messy with the mother of your child, but Charmaine is pushing it. And worse — she has Todd throwing large sums of money at any little problem and encouraging her behavior.
It would obviously be much easier for Jack just to cut all ties with Charmaine, and it would also make things easier for him and Mel when it comes to starting a family, but Jack’s not the kind of man to shirk his responsibilities! Those kids are going to be lucky to have him cause Todd is a tool!
What did you think of the episode?
Who do you think shot Jack? Will Mel’s desire to have a child come between her and Jack? Sound off in the comments below!
There wasn’t a dull moment on Virgin River Season 5, from the wildfire threatening the picturesque small town to Brady’s team-up with Mike to take down Melissa, the new woman running Calvin’s drug empire, and even Brie’s trial against her predatory ex—and weaved in through the fabric was Mel and Jack’s pregnancy storyline.
Disclaimer — this post includes spoilers from the episode — proceed with caution.
Mel Monroe (Alexandra Breckenridge) and Jack Sheridan’s (Martin Henderson) pregnancy started off as one of the more positive storylines, juxtaposed with the shocking revelation that his ex, Charmaine, spent months lying to him about the paternity of the twins. In the Virgin River Season 4 finale, Charmaine suffered a medical episode during which she came clean that Jack was not the father of the boys as she led him to believe. I won’t spoil who the real father is revealed to be in the final moments of the season (you can read that in more detail here and here).
Mel’s pregnancy was immediately considered high risk because of her previous miscarriages, yet it was filled with hope that this time would be the one. Until it wasn’t.
Sadly, Mel lost the pregnancy about midway through the season at the worst possible time as she was volunteering at Doc’s (after quitting her job to make sure she had a safe pregnancy), so she didn’t even have time to fully process what was happening. As she was gearing up to treat patients affected by the wildfires, she stepped away for a bathroom break, which is when she noticed blood on the toilet paper. She confirmed the heartbreaking news with a quick ultrasound showing that there was no longer a fetal heartbeat present.
Instead of having the fully-deserved breakdown, Mel composed herself and gave the people of Virgin River her all, including baby Chloe, who nearly perished when the fire took hold of Lilly’s farm.
Eventually, when the fires got under control, Mel was able to let the feelings in, and they flooded in all at once as she reunited with Jack and broke down crying as she offered up a heartfelt apology, a clear indication that something tragic happened.
Jack fully supported Mel in the aftermath of her loss, allowing her to grieve the way she needed to, and when she was ready, he asked Hope to convey the news to the rest of the town so that Mel wouldn’t have to tell everyone and re-live it every single time.
When Jack brought up trying again, Mel kept avoiding the topic, seemingly not ready to talk about it. She was being honest with herself, so she couldn’t be honest with Jack, however, in a moment of honesty and clarity during her girls’ night with Brie and Ava, Mel confirmed that she didn’t have it in her to keep going and experiencing hit after hit. Not only was it emotionally taxing, but it was physically and mentally draining. Mel didn’t want to get her hopes up again thinking this time would be different only to feel crushed by the realization that it wasn’t.
It definitely wasn’t what Jack wanted to hear—or expected to hear—and his side of things was also valid as he lost three prospective children in a very short time period, however, he remained committed to finding a solution that pleased them both without being pushy or forceful.
He didn’t want to give up on his dreams of being a father, and he knew that deep down, Mel also wanted a family, despite feeling broken and discouraged at the moment. He suggested trying a different method—and there are so many to explore with adoption and surrogacy at the top of the list—reminding her that it doesn’t matter how you get there, it simply matters that you do.
She was a bit hesitant at first as it wasn’t what she’d always envisioned, but things rarely go as planned. And she, of all people (she ended up in Virgin River spontaneously), should know that.
The more she thought about it, the more she realized that Jack was right. This hiccup, though heartbreaking, didn’t have to be the end of their journey towards having kids. They didn’t come this far (she didn’t come this far), to only come this far.
The final moments of the episode found Mel and Jack agreeing to buy Lilly’s farm to start their dream life and family together, all while planning their future wedding in the most perfect spot.
It’s not the outcome many fans were expecting, but given her history, it’s one that made sense, while also allowing the writers to deepen Mel and Jack’s bond while showcasing their journey toward parenthood in a realistic way.
Will There Be a Season 6 of ‘Virgin River’? And If So, When?
Virgin River is giving a holiday gift of two bonus episodes.
After all 10 episodes of the fifth season arrive on Sept. 7, fans can look forward to two additional holiday-themed episodes streaming a few months down the line as “part 2” on Thursday, Nov. 30. It will be the show’s first-ever Christmas offering, bringing the episode count to 12 in total for season 5.
The 10th episode, the unofficial “season finale,” even included a time-jump four months into the future, setting the scene for the additional episodes as Mel and Jack can be seen gearing up for Christmas by decorating their cabin with wreaths and lights.
Mel is chatting with her sister, Joey, as Jack asks if she and the kids are excited for their first Virgin River Christmas.
A few days after the fifth season premiered, Lauren Hammersley, who plays Charmaine, shared the first look at the holiday episodes, revealing what fans can expect—and yes, Christmas in Virgin River looks just as magical as you’d expect.
As the town goes all-out for the Christmas tree decorating competition (the grand prize is a Yule log and bragging rights), Mel, who is sporting some chic new bangs, explains that she’s looking for her biological father as she wants to know “what happened.”
By the end of the brief trailer, she informs Jack that they’ve located him, with Preacher noting that he’s “still in Virgin River.” There are a handful of possibilities as to who it could be, which we break down in full right here!
Lizzie’s pregnancy is also addressed as she has doubts about whether she’ll be a good mom as Hope (likely) gears up to give her some incredible advice.
And speaking of pregnancies, one of the longest in TV history is finally coming to an end as Charmaine begins experiencing contractions at Doc’s practice and Mel jumps in to help.
As for Brady and Brie shippers, there may still be hope for their reconciliation after all as she approaches her ex and accidentally meets him right under the mistletoe. One fan in the comments suggested that she’s now doing the chasing, though a later scene, which seems to be a holiday dinner with everyone in town, sees her cozying up to Mike, so it seems she’s still very much conflicted on matters of the heart.
The only upsetting storyline includes Preacher, who may have found love with Kaia, but whose life might also blow up now that they’ve located Wes’ body after the fire.
“This thing is about to blow,” Mike tells him over the phone as Kaia inquires if he can clue her in on anything.
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We have to wait till Nov. 30 to see how everything unfolds, but remember, despite the drama and love triangles, it’s still the most wonderful time of the year!
Will There Be a Season 6 of ‘Virgin River’? And If So, When?
Virgin River Season 5 ended with a handful of cliffhangers for all the inhabitants of the picturesque small town, so it’s no surprise that fans are wondering if and when we’ll get more of the popular romantic drama.
In addition to the two bonus holiday episodes coming later this year on Nov. 30, the Netflix series starring Alexandra Breckenridge and Martin Henderson has already been renewed for a sixth season.
Virgin River Season 6 was officially confirmed back in May 2023, though for now, no release date has been announced.
And the series will likely experience some delays due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes in Hollywood.
Mark Ghanimé, who portrays Cameron, the clinic’s newest doctor, confirmed the renewal, revealing in his Instagram post that the sixth season has yet to start filming.
“I am hoping our lovely gang of writers can get what they need so they can continue writing this show for 5 more seasons and we can get right into shooting our 6th!!” he wrote.
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The series, based on Virgin River novels by Robyn Carr, has no shortage of source material as there are 24 books in the collection, and considering the early renewal for season 6, the streaming giant clearly believes in it as there’s plenty of fan interest to keep visiting the idyllic small town with its fair share of drama.
“I think we definitely see more longevity and growth with the show,” Netflix’s Head Of Drama, Development Jinny Howe told Deadline, noting, “As long as the audience asks for it and shows up — and I think we see with Season 4 that the fandom is very strong and growing in many places as well — it feels like based on what we’re seeing with Season 4 and the anticipation for Season 5 that there is a lot more storytelling to offer us.“
As of now, the family faces, aka the main cast, which includes Breckenridge, Henderson, Colin Lawrence, Tim Matheson, Annette O’Toole, Benjamin Hollingsworth, Lauren Hammersley, Sarah Dugdale, Zibby Allen, and Marco Grazzini, are all set to return.
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