Virgin River’s Alexandra Breckenridge on this Season’s Harrowing Ending
In season 2 of Virgin River, Mel (Alexandra Breckenridge) and Jack (Martin Henderson) continue their relationship.
Speaking to OprahMag.com, Breckenridge unpacks this season’s romantic highs, lows, and twists.
In the history of pop culture, few love triangles rank in complexity compared to Charmaine (Lauren Hammersley), Jack (Martin Henderson), and Mel’s (Alexandra Breckenridge) in season 2 of Virgin River. Speaking to OprahMag.com, star Alexandra Breckenridge describes her character’s romantic situation in a single phrase: “Rollercoaster.”
When Mel moved to the small California town of Virgin River in season 1 of the series, she foiled Charmaine’s plans of walking into the sunset with the dreamy bartender Jack (and we understand the impulse, Charmaine). But with Charmaine pregnant with Jack’s twins, Mel and Jack’s romantic future will never be Charmaine-free—especially since Mel, who is unable to have children, is Charmaine’s doctor. So, yeah: Complicated.
What makes Virgin River’s love triangle so compelling is that each of the characters’ emotional lives are treated with compassion. In another show, Charmaine might be a manipulative villain—but in Virgin River, she’s a woman trapped in a difficult situation, just like Mel and Jack. Mel is a grieving widow, scared to accept the love Jack is offering her, and Jack is recovering from PTSD.
Speaking to OprahMag.com, Breckenridge opens up about this season’s twists, kisses, and Mel’s challenging relationship with Charmaine.
She does a lot of opening up this season, especially with Jack. Talk to me about their first kiss—which she initiates.
I just imagine that I’m Mel, and I’m in love with this person! And let it take me away from there. [Laughs] We all have an idea of what is romantic in our heads. I definitely brought that to those scenes and tried to make them as visually romantic as I would want to see if I was watching the show. What would be thrilling to me?
Part of it is construction. The show does not rush to the first kiss.
The build-up of tension is done very well. You’re really earning those moments, when you get there. That’s what makes it so exciting to watch.
Were you excited for your characters once they finally got together?
I was, but I knew that it was going to be a rollercoaster. I knew that they were going to continue to have obstacles thrown in their path.
Typical Mel, she keeps it together.
I know. My favorite part of that scene was Martin’s face. He gives the most ridiculous forced smile to Charmaine, who is so excited. She’s like, We’re having twins! His smile is…it’s the worst fake smile you’ve ever seen. Purposefully fake. When we were filming, I almost started laughing. I was like, Oh, man. That’s so rough.
Did you empathize with Charmaine, at all, or did you try to stay in Mel’s head?
I empathize with Charmaine’s character, as myself. I think Mel empathizes with her situation as well, that’s part of the reason why she’s able to continue to treat Charmaine even though she ‘greatly dislikes’ Charmaine, is a nice way to put it. Especially after Charmaine backstabbingly goes and tells the entire town that Mel and Jack have slept together, purposefully to create issues. She knows. She’s lived there long enough. She knows it’s going to be a big thing, and she’s trying to get sympathy. After that, Mel’s view of Charmaine takes a turn. She’s not as empathetic. I would be so pissed.
