Finally, Mel and Jack have made it official: they’re engaged!
A ring is finally on it! Netflix has ordered a fifth season of Virgin River, following a season 4 finale that saw Mel (Alexandra Breckinridge) and Jack (Martin Henderson) get engaged and find that he is the father of their baby.
In the end, though, Virgin River simply wouldn’t be Virgin River without another massive cliffhanger. Jack may not be the father of Charmaine’s twins after all, according to new evidence!
To work at Doc Mullins’ office, Mel Monroe relocates from Los Angeles, where she is a midwife and nurse practitioner (Tim Matheson). As a result, she finds herself entangled in a web of medical emergencies, local politics, and hilarity with bar owner and ex-Marine Jack.
Season 4 was a difficult one for Mel and Jack, as they had to deal with alcoholism, PTSD, childhood trauma, and legal concerns. Our gut tells us their happy ever after won’t be without additional trouble, even though they’re engaged.
What we know about Virgin River season 5 thus far is summarized here.
Preliminary rumors about the release date of Virgin River’s fifth season
Virgin River season 5 release date speculation
Seasons 4 and 5 of Virgin River will premiere on Netflix in September 2021. Seasons 1 and 2 were not shot back-to-back. The first two episodes of season 5 have already been shot, according to Martin Henderson, who spoke to Glamour(opens in new tab).
He raved, “Season 5 is wonderful, by the way.” This is the greatest season yet.
Virgin River season 4 was a huge hit and even ranked higher than Stranger Things on Netflix’s Top 10 list!
Season 5 of Virgin River will be wrapped up in November of this year. That places it on a par with season 4 in terms of production schedule. Expect season 5 to air in July 2023, as seasons 3 and 4 both premiered in July (2021 and 2022, respectively).
Virgin River season 5 cast
Alexandra Breckenridge, who plays nurse practitioner and midwife Melinda “Mel” Monroe on Virgin River season 4, is the show’s star.
Martin Henderson plays Jack Sheridan, a former Marine and owner of a restaurant and pub.
In season 5, they will likely be joined by:
- Tim Matheson as Vernon “Doc” Mullins, the town doctor
- Colin Lawrence as John “Preacher” Middleton, Jack’s bar partner who is a former Marine
- Zibby Allen as Brie, Jack’s sister and a lawyer
- Annette O’Toole as Hope McCrea, the mayor of Virgin River and Doc’s separated wife
- Lauren Hammersley as Charmaine Roberts, Jack’s ex-girlfriend who claimed to be pregnant with his twins
- Benjamin Hollingsworth as Dan Brady, a former Marine who served with Jack and Brie’s boyfriend
- Marco Grazzini as Mike Valenzuela, a former Marine who served with Jack
- Mark Ghanimé as Dr. Cameron Hayek, a new doctor at the practice
- Grayson Gurnsey as Ricky, a young man who is enlisting in the Marines
- Sarah Dugdale as Lizzie, Connie’s niece and Ricky’s ex-girlfriend
- Kai Bradbury as Denny Cutler, Doc’s grandson and Lizzie’s new love interest
- Nicola Cavendish as Connie, owner of the town’s general store
- Gwynyth Walsh as Jo Ellen, owner of the town B&B
- Teryl Rothery as Muriel, a local actress and Hope’s rival
- Christina Jastrzembska as Lydie, Ricky’s grandmother
- Stacey Farber as Tara Anderson, daughter of the deceased LIlly
- Jenny Cooper as Joey Barnes, Mel’s older sister who lives in Los Angeles
- Daniel Gillies as Mark Monroe, Mel’s late husband seen in flashbacks
- Lexa Doig as Paige Lassiter, the owner of a bakery truck who went on the run
- Chase Petriw as Christopher, Paige’s son
- Lucia Walters as Julia, an Aikido instructor and Preacher’s new love interest
- Keith Mackechnie as Nick, Jo Ellen’s husband
- Barbara Polland as Melissa Montgomery, leader of a local drug ring and Nick’s sister
- Tom Butler as Sam Sheridan, Jack’s father
Virgin River season 5 plot and season 4 ending explained
After the season 4 finale’s cliffhanger, there will be a lot of loose ends to tie up in Virgin River season 5.
Mel finally says yes to Jack’s proposal in the episode’s epilogue. They find out the following morning that Jack is indeed the father of Mel’s child, thanks to the results of the paternity test. They won’t have to worry about a custody battle with the mother of her late husband.
Cameron has resigned from his position at the practice because Mel rejected his assessment of Jack’s (lack of) dependability as a future father. Mel is shocked to find this when she returns to the practice. Later, Mel makes the decision to quit the clinic instead, so Doc may continue to benefit from Cameron’s expertise and assistance.
In celebration of Nick and Jo Ellen’s cooperation with the Airstream rental business, Mel and Jack dine with Nick and Jo Ellen. Melissa, Melissa’s sister, is also there. She has taken over the leadership of the local drug ring from Calvin without anyone’s knowledge. Outside the restaurant, someone is filming and photographing the five of them.
Charmaine’s panicked call interrupts dinner. Jack and Mel make their way to her residence. They find her distraught over Todd’s impending separation from her. She bursts into tears as she confesses that Jack is not the father of her upcoming twins.
In the climax, there are also a number of other scenes:
Everyone in town says goodbye to Ricky as he heads to boot camp. Lydie is comforted by the Knitting Circle’s presence.
Preacher returns to Vince’s cabin to get Paige now that Christopher is safe and sound at Connie’s place. After a fight, Preacher knocks Vince unconscious and saves Paige.
For the first time since Jack’s death, Brady has been found innocent.
- Brie refuses to sign a nondisclosure agreement with her rapist ex-boyfriend from Sacramento.
A deadly condition, Huntingdon’s, is revealed to Lizzie by Denny, who tells her.
Season 5 of Virgin River has a number of storylines ready to go when it begins. Of course, Charmaine’s twins’ paternity is the first to be revealed. Is it possible that Jack is not the child’s father, as he claims? Maybe she’s just fed up with Todd. What will happen if Jack is not the father?
Mel’s resignation will be a big plot component as well. The jury’s still out on whether Doc will accept it or whether it will influence Cameron’s decision. Will Mel be able to cope without her? She might start her own midwifery practice or work in a nearby clinic. So perhaps she’ll become one of the town’s emergency responders.
Though fresh complications will likely arise, the multi-season plotline involving Paige and Christopher on Preacher appears to have been finally resolved. After they leave Virgin River, Preacher may be forced to choose between Paige and his new love interest Aikido teacher Julia, if they decide to stay in Virgin River.
Both Doc and Hope appear to be doing well, despite Hope’s lengthy rehabilitation from a brain injury. Even more so, Doc may have a hard time dealing with the news that his grandson Denny has a serious medical problem.
Finally, Melissa, the drug lord, has made an appearance in Mel and Jack’s lives (as well as Brady’s and Brie’s) in an unwelcome way. We’ll have to wait and see what she has in store for our favorite Virgin River characters.