Is Todd Gaslighting Charmaine on Netflix’s ‘Virgin River’? The Answer Is *Absolutely* Yes

*Warning: Spoilers ahead*

As much as we love the show, there’s a major issue in Virgin River that no one is talking about: Todd (Patrick Sabongui) is gaslighting Charmaine (Lauren Hammersley). Let us explain.

Charmaine and Todd secretly tie the knot in season three of Virgin River, and while they seem like a happy couple to outsiders, there’s ample evidence to support the argument that Todd is manipulating Charmaine—who’s pregnant with Jack’s (Martin Henderson) twins—and making her question her own reality and her own sanity.

Prior to Todd, Charmaine is OK with the idea of co-parenting with Jack. But once Todd enters the picture, everything changes. Charmaine questions whether Jack should be in the twins’ lives. She considers moving to Eureka, which would separate the babies from their dad. And she even gives away the dog that Jack gave her, per Todd’s request.

The problem? Charmaine is making these “changes” to please Todd. Behind closed doors, it seems like he’s feeding her false information that’s influencing her decisions. Or at the very least, Todd is gaslighting her by making her feel crazy for wanting the keep the babies near their dad.

News flash: Charmaine shouldn’t feel that way…but she does. And who’s to blame for this? All signs point to Todd.

According to Merriam Webster dictionary, gaslighting is the “psychological manipulation of a person usually over an extended period of time.” This treatment “typically leads to confusion, loss of confidence and self-esteem, uncertainty of one’s emotional or mental stability and a dependency on the perpetrator.”

This seems very applicable, especially since Charmaine has hinted at Todd’s controlling behavior. In one scene, Charmaine seems totally on board with the idea of moving away from Virgin River. Then in another, Charmaine tells Jack that Todd made the decision without her consent.

Even if Todd isn’t doing it on purpose, he is 100 percent gaslighting Charmaine.

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