Virgin River Season 5 is coming to Netflix on Sept. 7. But don’t expect series star Alexandra Breckenridge or the rest of the cast to be talking up the new episodes in interviews or on social media. That’s because actors aren’t allowed to promote their projects while on strike.
Thousands of actors have been striking since July 14
Roughly 65,000 actors and other performers walked off the job on July 14 after their union, SAG-AFTRA, failed to come to an agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. AMPTP represents major film and TV studios and producers, including Disney, Netflix, Warner Bros. Discovery, and NBCUniversal.
Actors want pay increases and a bump in the residuals they receive from streaming movies and TV shows. They’re also advocating for more guidelines around the use of artificial intelligence and better working conditions.
The actors’ strike, along with the writers’ strike that began in early May, has shut down work on most movies and TV shows. Union members are also forbidden from doing any work to promote projects that were completed prior to the strike. That means actors aren’t doing interviews, appearing on talk shows, attending film festivals, premieres, or conventions. They also can’t post on social media about movies or TV shows in which they appear.
‘Virgin River’ Season 5 hits Netflix on September 7
Even though actors are on strike, that hasn’t stopped streamers and TV networks from releasing new seasons of previously filmed shows. That’s why we’ll soon be getting fresh episodes of Virgin River. Filming for those episodes actually took place in the summer and fall of 2022 – well before the actors went on strike.
Virgin River Season 5 premieres Thursday, Sept. 7 on Netflix. The first 10 episodes of the new season will be available on that date. The final two episodes – which are being billed as a holiday special – will stream on Thursday, Nov. 30.
The new season will feature “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,” per Netflix’s synopsis. Plus, with motherhood on the horizon, Mel (Breckenridge) must make a big decision about her future at the clinic. Jack (Martin Henderson) will fight to prove himself to Mel by confronting both his own demons and his ex, Charmaine (Lauren Hammersley). Meanwhile, Doc (Tim Matheson) and Hope (Annette O’Toole) will find solace in their community and each other.
The new season will feature some of the show’s most impressive episodes ever, Breckenridge teased in a 2022 interview.
“I think this season has started out well and we’re getting into a few episodes soon that are pretty heavy,” she told New Beauty. “They’re really intense and I think that they’re some of the best episodes we’ve ever done. I never say that either! I think that there’s a high sense of drama that starts to come up this season that it’s going to leave people on the edge of their seats. At least, I hope. I’m excited to get into that.”
