It’s been a long time coming, but the holidays finally came to Virgin River in the two-episode Christmas event that double as the season 5 finale. In the last two episodes of Virgin River season 5, Mel searches for her biological father, while others in town grapple with their own personal relationships, major reveals, and a moment we’ve been waiting for since season 1.
All of the holiday festivities tee up a handful Virgin River season 6 teases, including the cliffhanger moment that finds a certain someone having news for Mel and a pair of bombshells that will surely send shockwaves through town. It’s all leading up to the highly anticipated sixth season, which has been said to begin filming in early 2024.
Before fans can dig into season 6 and learn the answers to all of our lingering burning questions, the show’s new showunner Patrick Sean Smith dropped some huge spoilers about the upcoming season, and we’re sharing six of the biggest tidbits about what’s coming next.
In the final episode of season 5 part 1, Doc comes to Hope with the news that he’s decided to take part in the risky clinical trial for his macular degeneration. He made the choice because either way, whether the trial is successful or not, he will likely lose his eyesight. Hope supports his decision, and he’s set to take part in the trial after the holidays, possibly after their vow renewal.
When speaking to both Deadline and TV Line, Smith confirmed that Doc’s procedure will be successful. The show’s new showrunner has promised that season 6 will find both Doc and Hope in a better place health-wise, considering both have spent much of the series struggling with different health battles, whether it’s heart problems, a brain injury, or declining eyesight.
Brady and Brie could be getting back together
Even though Brady and Brie officially broke up in the first part of season 5 and they each moved on — Brie with Mike and Brady with Lark — the Christmas episodes had an almost kiss under the mistletoe between the former couple and some awkward run-ins. There appears to be unfinished business between them now that the drug storyline dust has settled.
Going into season 6, Brady and Brie very much remain in their new relationships, though it seems Brady’s relationship with Lark could implode at any second. She takes a phone call from Jimmy in jail, and he’s revealed to be her daughter Hazel’s father. Smith teased that Jimmy will play a role in season 6 on a personal level and hinted that it might not be over for Brady and Brie. When asked if there’s a possibility of Brady and Brie getting back together, Smith flat-out said “Yes.”
““For me, I love them as a couple, and I think that spark will always be there. It’s just a question of given how, in ways, Brady is broken and what Brie has to work through on a personal level that it’s more of seeing them both grow as people to hopefully get to the place where they can be together as a couple.””
There will be another time jump
It’s been a long-running joke about how slowly paced the show has been for its first five seasons. I mean, Charmaine has been pregnant for the entirety of the series and just gave birth in the season 5 finale. But Smith says there will be another time jump, though it’s currently unconfirmed how far into the future the time jump will take us. Between the first and second parts of the fifth season, there was a minor time jump that brought the timeline into the holiday season.
““[We] do intend to do another time jump from the holidays to when season 6 starts so we can anticipate a bit of a time jump. I don’t know exactly how many months but it won’t be a direct pickup from the holidays.””
But don’t worry, the show won’t be ignoring the season-ending cliffhanger, in which Everett arrives at Mel’s cabin admitting that he’s her father and that he has something to tell her. As Smith promises, we’ll find out what Everett needs to share with Mel before the time jump takes place. He also joked that the time jump will move Lizzie’s pregnancy along so she won’t be pregnant as long as Charmaine.
Doc and Everett will have some issues to sort out
Now that Mel has an active, biological paternal figure in her life with the discovery of her real father, her surrogate father Doc will likely feel some type of way. As Smith shared with Entertainment Weekly, “Having another father figure move into Mel’s life will be a new challenge for Doc and their relationship.” There seems to be some jealousy brewing in Virgin River when it comes to looking out for Mel. Surely, Doc just wants to protect her.
