Virgin River
Virgin River Review – Never Gonna Be the Same (504)
Virgin River Season 5 Episode 4 made some big moves in terms of Brady’s attempt to bring down the drug empire previously belonging to the late Calvin.
Disclaimer — this review includes spoilers from the episode — proceed with caution.
The thought of losing Brie terrified Brady, and when he realized that she wasn’t interested in making amends until he was out of the drug business (even though he had no choice), he took matters into his own hands and reached out to Mike for help.
This has to be one of Brady’s better ideas and shows plenty of character growth as the old Brady would’ve simply attempted to handle this on his own. But now, there’s too much at stake, including Brie’s safety and their future, and as Melissa Montgomery proved before, she’s not messing around and won’t hesitate to take action.
So while reaching out to Mike for help was a promising first step, it’s not a foolproof plan. They’ve been trying to nab Calvin for quite some time, and it hasn’t worked out, but maybe their luck will change when it comes to Melissa. Brady’s insistence on being a CI is a dangerous one—and it could take a wrong turn any minute. However, as he told Mike, Brie doesn’t deserve this and if anyone is to get hurt, it’s not going to be her. Mike hesitated when it came to trusting/helping Brady out, but since he has feelings for Brie himself, he was persuaded more easily when her safety was brought into the mix. The thought of anything happening to her is something neither of them wants.
Thankfully, now that Mike is looped in and knows the identity of Calvin’s boss, he’ll hopefully be able to prevent Jack from making a deal with the devil herself.
I hope that they don’t make Brie and Mike develop feelings for each other while Brady is trying to straighten everything out—that would be terrible on Mike’s part and so predictable in terms of how they can destroy a solid relationship—but I do love that she has so many people looking out for her.
Sadly, she likely doesn’t feel the wave of support right now as she’s gearing up to testify against Don. Brady was the person who was going to be in there for her in court, but now, she’s all on her own.
Jack and Mel offered to go with her, but Brie didn’t want to drag them into it, plus now that the wildfires are seemingly spreading into Virgin River, they’ll likely be preoccupied with trying to save the town.
Jack is a person who goes above and beyond for his community, so we already know he’ll volunteer to help evacuate residents or assist in any way he can. Meanwhile, Mel’s medical expertise will prove useful during this time as she’ll likely lend a hand at the clinic as they’ll be swamped with patients and it’s mostly down to Cameron now that Doc is pretty much out of commission as his macular degeneration stopped responding to treatment and he’s beginning to lose his eyesight.
We, and Doc, knew this was coming, but facing the truth that you will no longer be able to work and run your clinic, your life’s work, or even look into your wife’s eyes, is a tough one to accept.
And it surely doesn’t help that Hope isn’t in the best health following the TBI. She’s been in denial about it for quite some time, but I think she’s finally coming to terms with the fact that what everyone has been saying—and their lack of faith in her—was coming from a place of love. She didn’t want to accept that people may be right about her new limitations because it felt like she was giving up on herself, but the quicker she comes to terms with this new phase in her life, the quicker she can heal and make the best of it.
And this segues beautifully into the whole spa/mud fight scene that I did not anticipate would be one of the best scenes of Virgin River to date.
It was a beautiful scene about aging — the fears, insecurities, the beauty of it, right along with the difficulties that come with the changes, and the peace that comes with when you finally do accept it, a freeing feeling that Lydie experienced when she simply stopped trying to hold onto her youth.
In a society that shames aging, encouraging people to do everything in their power to prevent it or, at the very least, postpone it, it was empowering for a series that counts viewers of all ages into its fanbase to take a different approach—the one that embraces it as a natural part of life, and one that we should all count ourselves lucky to experience… every wrinkle, every fold, every ache. Because as it was pointed out when mourning Lilly’s absence, not everyone gets to grow old.
Virgin River. (L to R) Christina Jastrzembska as Lydie, Teryl Rothery as Muriel St. Claire, Gwynyth Walsh as Jo Ellen, Sarah Dugdale as Lizzie, Annette O’Toole as Hope, Nicola Cavendish as Connie in episode 504 of Virgin River. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2023
It was also honed in with Lizzie’s inclusion—who is just an old soul at heart at this point, but also the one that keeps them young—as she took note that youth is fleeting and you should make the most of every moment while you can, further embracing her romance with Denny. The scene complimented her free-spirited, live-in-the-moment, attitude, but it was also a reminder that this time doesn’t last forever, as some young people might think. No one actively thinks about aging, but it sneaks up on you even if you think you’re prepared for it, just take Hope and Doc’s word for it.
Jack and Mel enjoyed a little time together on their camping trip and were reminded to enjoy the peace and quiet right now because once that baby comes, there will be none of that as evidenced by their co-campers with three kids. It was a little test in parenting as they babysat the kiddos, accidents and all, and Mel got a first-hand experience as Jack as a dad. He’s going to be fantastic at it, so I’m hoping the series gets renewed for additional seasons so we can see it come to life. It’s such an exciting moment in their lives, and one we know they’ve been waiting for, so I hope nothing goes wrong as the series has underscored several times that she’s considered “high risk.”
As for Preacher, things with Kaia are truly heating up. He had a glow about him the day after their night together in his “sex attic.” She seems like she’s going to be good for him—and will break him out of his shell a little bit. I’m hoping they don’t inflict more pain on Preacher’s heart by putting Kaia in the line of danger while battling these wildfires because that man has been through enough and deserves a shred of happiness. And as we see, Kaia makes him very happy. Who knew Preacher would ever be this smitten after Paige again?
And finally, am I the only one picking up on vibes between Muriel and Cam? I know that it would be an unconventional relationship, but it also makes sense whenever they share the screen together because that chemistry can be felt radiating off the screen.
Also, I would really like to see him in the town’s musical production, so fingers-crossed that happens somewhere down the line.
What did you think of the episode? Was it too blissful and should we be waiting for the other foot to drop?
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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