Is Doc Mullins going to die on Virgin River?
Doc Mullins (Tim Matheson) is tying up loose ends. So, is Virgin River setting us up to say goodbye to our favorite curmudgeon?
On season 5 of the Netflix series, Doc’s macular degeneration rapidly accelerates, forcing him to hand over medical procedures to Cameron (Mark Ghanimé) in the midst of emergencies. Ultimately, he admits his diagnosis to Cameron, who eventually agrees to take over the clinic at Doc’s request.
After some moving steps toward embracing his role as his grandfather, Doc accepts a quieter life without his work. He tells Hope (Annette O’Toole) that he’s decided to enroll in a macular degeneration clinical trial, even though it comes with the risk of speeding up his blindness.
Losing your eyesight isn’t a terminal diagnosis, but we’re still concerned about Doc. In Robyn Carr’s novels, which inspired the series, Doc does eventually die. The novel Temptation Ridge includes Doc’s death and Virgin River’s attempts to say goodbye to one of their most beloved residents.
With his clinic safely in Cameron and Mel’s (Alexandra Breckenridge) hands and significant steps made toward making peace with his past, it certainly seems like Doc could be headed for the end.
Though we can at least expect it won’t happen over the holidays (hopefully). Director Gail Harvey tells EW, “Hope and Doc get some joy in the holiday season. They really do. There’s a surprise that I think people will really enjoy .”
To no one’s surprise, Charmaine survives her talk with Jack, although he refuses to accept her apology for humiliating him and breaking his heart. (Funny, that’s how she felt as she watched him fall in love with Mel.)
She says the real father was a one-time thing and Jack was her best option to give the twins a good life. Ma’am. Setting all emotional and ethical considerations aside, it costs approximately $400,000 to raise a child to the age of 18 in California, and we’re talking about two of them here. And you’re all la la la forgive me??
Jack cools off by hiking to Angel’s Peak with Brie, who finally tells him that she’s a rape survivor. He offers to be in court when she testifies, but she doesn’t want that big brother protectiveness. Besides, Brady’s coming with her.
Jack doesn’t love it but agrees to give Brady another chance at dinner that night. When he blames Charmaine for keeping him too busy to realize what was happening with Brie, Mel gently suggests that he might actually owe Charmaine an apology for leading her on for years.
After a pep talk from Doc, Charmaine swings by the cabin to apologize to Mel, and Jack asks for forgiveness too. Charmaine vows to build the life she always wanted and leaves with more optimism than we’ve ever seen from her.
