Virgin River Season 5 Part 1 Review: a heartwarming emotional rollercoaster

After exactly 414 days, Martin Henderson, Alexandra Breckenridge, and the cast of the acclaimed Netflix show are finally back on our screens with Season 5, Part 1.

Spoiler alert: This article contains spoilers.

A detailed Season 5 Part 1 recap will be published in the following days.

SYNOPSIS SEASON 5 PART 1

Season Five of Virgin River features surprising new relationships, a shocking break-up, a difficult court trial, a heartbreaking goodbye, and a wildfire that threatens the town, bringing some people of Virgin River together while tearing others apart. Issues of motherhood push Mel to make a big decision about her future at the clinic while her pregnancy unexpectedly sparks an emotional connection to her past.

To further prove himself to Mel, Jack squares off with some long-overdue confrontations with his own demons, and of course, Charmaine. And as Doc and Hope’s respective impairments throw their identities into question, the doctor and the mayor must find solace in their community, in their young new family, and each other.

Virgin River. (L to R) Alexandra Breckenridge as Mel Monroe, Martin Henderson as Jack Sheridan in episode 507 of Virgin River. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2023

Patrick Sean Smith takes the place of Sue Tannay as showrunner for season 5. With him, almost all new writing room is born: Erin Cardillo, Richard Keith, Mary Page Keller, Thomas Ian Griffith, John Lowe, Talia Gonzalez, Jackson Sinder, Tesia Joy Walker, and Ildiko Susany.

Sue Tanney officially left as showrunner at the end of season 4 to pursue other projects.

Creating a fifth season for an already established, popular, and cherished show represents a challenge. One specific request for the new season was probably trying to remove the “Hallmark style” label when discussing Virgin River.

Mission accomplished. The new ten episodes have a much more modern and contemporary writing style than previous seasons, without compromising the romantic element.

The show narrates current and everyday stories: wildfires, miscarriages, sexual assault, degenerative diseases, TBI, PTSD, etc. Compared to previous seasons, the stories have much more depth and emotions as their characters. Like all Virgin River seasons, the latest one is easily bingeable but needs to be taken in. Emotions and drama are running wild this year.

Many characters are very well written this season; there’s depth and growth.

JACK SHERIDAN

We already loved Henderson’s performance in Season 4. Jack’s started growing in the previous season, but the actor has outdone himself this year. Jack is not simply the handsome bar owner who helps whoever is in need and bottles up all his feelings. If, in the previous season, he finally understood he couldn’t do it all on his own and he needed to be able to ask for help. This season, he keeps working on himself, his fears, and his need to always be in control. With Mel always by his side, he faces Charmaine and finally acknowledges that he never lied to her about what he wanted when they were together. Although his words might have been clear, his actions weren’t. Jack is not afraid of showing his emotions and pain. Who wouldn’t fall in love with a man like him?

MEL MONROE

Mel’s storyline is the most heartbreaking to watch this season. At first, we questioned this decision. After all her suffering in the past, knowing how much she wanted a baby and the baby girl to be Jack’s, why this direction? We might not get an answer for a while. AMPTP seems unwilling to find a solution with WGA and SAG-AFTRA anytime soon.

The creative team portrays a painful story that many couples can relate to through Mel.

Mel and her husband were arguing the night of Mark’s accident: he wanted to quit the fertility treatment, and she didn’t. She didn’t want to let it go. After the accident, her wish to become a mother doesn’t go away. Her grief and guilt bury it. As soon she gets better, falls in love with Jack, and starts a relationship, the desire for a child of her own emerges again. She wants a baby and owns it to herself to try; she doesn’t back down. Not even when she breaks up with Jack back in season 3. With the miscarriage, she recognizes she doesn’t want to force it anymore. She can’t put her body and her heart through that again. Mel’s arc looks like she finally has closure and is healed from the pain. Thanks to Jack, she realizes she can still have her dream family. It might be different from what she imagined, but it can still happen, and she still wants it.

We hope the couple chooses adoption, as adoption storylines in the series are scarce.

Patrick Sean Smith and the writers gave a great storyline to Hope, played by Annette O’Toole, who is formidable in this role, and Lizzie. From spoiled and difficult young adult in season 2, Lizzie (Sarah Dugdale) has flourished and grown in Virgin River, thanks partly to the influence of Hope and the ladies of the sewing circle.

NEW ADDITIONS WE DIDN’T KNOW WE NEEDED

Our favorite new entry is Ava, played by Libby Osler. We love the character and the friendship she creates with Mel. She’s the friend Mel has needed since season 1, and we sincerely hope she will stay throughout the Christmas episodes and in season 6, too.

Another great addition is Kaia, played by Kandyse McClure.

Virgin River. (L to R) Gwynyth Walsh as Jo Ellen, Sarah Dugdale as Lizzie, Annette O’Toole as Hope, Christina Jastrzembska as Lydie, Nicola Cavendish as Connie in episode 507 of Virgin River. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2023

SEASON 5 IS AN ENSEMBLE SHOW

The one aspect we didn’t particularly appreciate has been turning the series into an ensemble. Mel and Jack are not at the center of the show this year. While we understand and enjoy the sense of community and the many personalities who live in the delightful town, the series has become popular because of this couple.

Because of the ensemble aspect, many characters and stories progress and evolve, making the town and its members exciting and appealing.

We did enjoy the new couples’ pairing. Smith wanted to pair actors without much screen time together in previous seasons. Jack goes hiking with Kai, Mel is the new proud sewing circle member, and Mauriel becomes the clinic’s office manager, joining Mel, Doc, and Cameron.

The cozy and charming town of Virgin River is always at the center of the narration. This year, even more, when wildfire hit the town. Episodes 5 and 6, directed by Martin Wood, are very realistic, particularly in portraying how small and rural towns face these events and how the community comes together to help each other. With their rapid pace, the wildfire episodes keep up the tension and help advance many storylines.

The show’s pace is steady, even though the timeline is still relatively slow. Only in the last few minutes of the 10th episode do we finally get the most significant time jump of the series, from Labour Day to Christmas.

Another significant aspect was the use of flashbacks and references to lines and events of previous seasons to give a sense of continuity. To the viewers, it might have been five years since season 1 was released, but Mel should be in town for less than a year in the show.

One of the season’s most beautiful scenes is the burnt but still hanging tree swing at the end of the tenth episode. The scene, combined with flashbacks from season one, is profoundly emotional and meaningful.

Virgin River. Martin Henderson as Jack Sheridan in episode 507 of Virgin River. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2023

One of the show’s many strengths is creating intergenerational plotlines, which allow viewers to enjoy it with their moms and grandmothers and have fun together.

Season 5 narrates real things that happen to people; it evokes a very emotional response in its viewers, who easily empathize with the stories and their characters.

Virgin River is a tight, caring community that always comes together when distressed. The town’s people take care of one another, no matter what.

Season 5 Part 1 maintains its original charm while being more dramatic and emotional than the previous seasons. It still has its fair share of romantic moments, humorous and snarky scenes, without any of Hallmark’s clichés and cheesiness. Be prepared to use many tissues.

The increase in drama and action this season may be due to the previous season’s lighter tone and the need to set up future storylines for the Christmas episodes and upcoming season 6.

We won’t address the cliffhanger, but it will leave you wondering and creating new theories until Part 2 drops on Netflix on November 30.

ONE FINAL CONSIDERATION

We need to address and contextualize Season 5 within the Virgin River fanbase.

Netflix premiered Virgin River in December 2019. The streamer then wanted to fill in the “Hallmark content gap” within the platform.

Very soon, the show found its niche and audience, a huge one. It was even able to enter into the top ten most-watched series of 2023.

A strong and opinionated fan base can be found on social media, particularly Instagram and Facebook.

We fear that the most loyal viewers and fans who often rewatch it might not enjoy it as we did.

We suspect they might criticize and be against some creative choices, such as:

Making the show not Jack and Mel centric anymore, less screen time for the show’s leads.
Fans might feel Mel’s miscarriage is a betrayal of the show’s essence and its characters.
“steamy scenes,” fans call them, can’t be found in Season 5.