‘Virgin River’ Season 5 Is Here: Everything About the Cast, What to Expect in Part 2 & More

Netflix has already dropped the first ten episodes of Virgin River season five, which premiered on September 7.

The new installment is being split into two parts and following these first ten eps, two special holiday episodes will debut on November 30. (FYI, this latest season was helmed by a new showrunner: Patrick Sean Smith.)

With the premiere of Part 1, a message was posted to the official Virgin River Instagram account, which read: “Todays the day! Virgin River S5 (Part 1) is now streaming only on Netflix. Who’s binge watching it right now?!”

Virgin River tells the story of Melinda “Mel” Monroe, a nurse practitioner who is looking for a fresh start after losing her husband, Mark. The first two seasons follow Mel as she adjusts to small-town living, while the third and fourth installments further explore her relationship with Jack. The fifth season picks up right where the finale ends, with Charmaine’s paternity bombshell and Preacher’s battle with Vince.

The show is based on the best-selling book series by Robyn Carr. “I’m so happy with the series,” she told Parade magazine. “It just goes on and on and people are loving it. With 21 books to draw from it means we can grow very old together.”

Virgin River features an all-star cast, including Alexandra Breckenridge (Mel), Martin Henderson (Jack), Colin Lawrence (Preacher), Lauren Hammersley (Charmaine), Tim Matheson (Vernon, or “Doc”), Annette O’Toole (Hope), Jenny Cooper (Joey), Lexa Doig (Paige), Ben Hollingsworth (Brady), Daniel Gillies (Mark), Zibby Allen (Brie), Sarah Dugdale (Lizzie) and Nicola Cavendish (Connie).

Executive producer and writer Richard Keith previously revealed that season five would feature some new faces. “There’s some new characters coming to Virgin River this season that will mix things up a bit,” he told Tudum.

Now with these first ten episodes, we've been introduced to these new characters, like Kaia (Kandyse McClure) and Ava (Libby Osler), while other rarely-seen figures, like Melissa (Barbara Pollard), have become more central to the story.

There’s a lot to unpack, so get ready. Preacher is caught in a love triangle with Paige and his new fling, Julia. Melissa is replacing Calvin as the town’s newest villain. Denny comes clean about his Huntington’s Disease diagnosis. Brie is trying to escape the wrath of her ex, Don. Charmaine also reveals the unthinkable: Jack isn’t the father of her twins.

The season five ending sets the stage for what’s to come in the upcoming holiday episodes and in season six. Throughout the first half of the fifth installment, Mel and Jack are struggling with fertility issues. However, there’s a glimmer of hope for their future when they visit Ava’s family’s property and discuss the possibility of purchasing the land, building a home and hosting a wedding once it’s complete. 

In the final scene, Mel receives a phone call from her sister, Joey, who drops a major bombshell. Joey explains that she found some of their late mother’s belongings, including love letters addressed from someone in Virgin River. Joey not only confirms that their mom was having an affair, but she also believes that the man may be Mel’s biological father.

Virgin River director previously revealed that the season five holiday episodes will further explore Mel’s journey to find her biological father. This means that season six will likely focus on other open-ended story lines, like Calvin’s return, Brie’s love triangle and Preacher’s guilt now that Wes’s body has been discovered.  

Netflix hasn’t announced whether the sixth season will be split into two parts like season five. But if there’s an opportunity for more episodes, you won’t hear us complaining.

No spoilers here, but let's just say that Virgin River season five certainly lives up to the hype. Fans of the romantic drama will not be disappointed, but they should be warned that this season is a little more serious than past ones.

In her 4.5-star review, PureWow’s senior editor for news & entertainment, Greta Heggeness, wrote: “We’ve been waiting more than a year for Virgin River season five to premiere on Netflix, and—to no surprise—it didn’t disappoint. Although we hoped for more feel-good moments, the entertainment value is at an all-time high. And that’s all we ask.”

Heggeness also adds that season five hits a different tone than past seasons. “While past seasons have pulled at our heartstrings, [season five’s] changes make the new episodes feel more dramatic and—dare we say—emotional than previous installments.”

We'll be streaming over and over.

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