Yahoo News Virgin River EP Breaks Down Those Major Holiday Twists, Reveals First Season 6 Spoilers (and It’s Good News!)
For a breezy, feel-good pair of Christmas-themed episodes, Virgin River Season 5 Part 2 sure did stuff our stockings full of dramatic developments. (But hey, isn’t that what we were all hoping? If we wanted to watch nothing happen, we’d binge Clear River. No thank you.)
Where do we even begin? Mel’s family increased two-fold, first with the emotional discovery of her estranged biological father, then with the gift of a puppy (named Pony, which is what she really wanted); a chance encounter under the mistletoe almost led to a kiss between Brie and Brady, the latter of whom is unaware that his new girlfriend has ulterior motives; and Lizzie learned that she and Denny are expecting a baby girl.
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Meanwhile, Doc and Hope reaffirmed their commitment to one another in an impromptu (but still very romantic) vow renewal ceremony; Cameron’s ex-wife showed up to throw a wrench in his relationship with Muriel; and Preacher, after dropping the L-bomb on Kaia, received a bomb of his own — the authorities found Wes’ body!
Like we said, it was a lot. Fortunately, showrunner Patrick Sean Smith was more than happy to field TVLine’s questions about some of Part 2’s biggest twists and turns, including how they could affect Virgin River‘s upcoming sixth season.
Grade Virgin River Season 5 Part 2 in our poll below, then read on for Smith’s thoughts behind the Christmas episodes’ potentially game-changing moment. When you’re done, drop a comment with your own hopes for Season 6 (and beyond).
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Mel’s Two Dads
The good news? Mel found her dad! The bad news? He appears to have something pretty serious to tell her in the final moments of Part 2, and we’ll have to wait until Season 6 to find out what it is.
All Smith will say about Everett’s seemingly important news is that it will affect Mel “personally.”
Regardless of what Everett has to share with Mel, he will become a major part of her life next season, making things a little awkward for Doc, who has been Mel’s father figure since she arrived in Virgin River.
“What we’re exploring in Season 6 is a sort of a paternal love triangle,” Smith says. “Doc has always been a surrogate father to Mel, so we’ll see what happens when her actual biological father comes into her life and how that affects their relationship.”
Mel and Jack’s New Addition
Of course, Everett wasn’t the only newcomer to Mel’s family in Part 2. Jack also surprised her with a puppy (named Pony, because she always wanted one). This probably seemed random to those who merely watch the show, but not to viewers who also read Robyn Carr’s Virgin River books.
“One of the books in the series deals with a basket of puppies being found, so it was a bit of an Easter egg,” Smith explains. “There are a ton of Easter eggs in the two episodes of other Netflix holiday movies. Hopefully people will be looking for those as well.”
First Comes Baby, Then Comes…?
With a baby girl on the way, might Lizzie and Denny consider tying the knot in Season 6? According to Smith, “it’s something they’re exploring, but them becoming young parents is overwhelming enough at the moment.” Moving forward, their relationship will reflect the “realities” of their situations, as they shift from “not YA issues but actual young-adult issues,” both in her pregnancy and his Huntingson’s disease.
#PreacherProblems
Some people just refuse to stay buried, huh?
An otherwise wonderful Christmas for Preacher, which included him telling Kaia that he loves her, came crashing down when a phone call from Mike revealed that Wes’ body has been dug up — and it’s not looking good. (The situation, not the body, though that probably doesn’t look good at this point either.)
“That body was just waiting for us to do something with it. It felt like unfinished business,” Smith says, adding that what comes next is “definitely going to be a make or break moment for [Preacher and Kaia’s] relationship, but hopefully not for his freedom.”
Brie and Brady’s Unmerry Kiss Miss
Brie and Brady were this close to puckering up under the mistletoe, but their romantic reunion was ultimately not meant to be. At least not yet.
“They’re always going to have that pull towards each other,” Smith admits. “Their connection is undeniable. Their relationship is still something that can and should be explored more deeply. But it’s all about timing.”
Oh, Lark, We Almost Liked You
While we’re talking about Brady, we have to admit, we were beginning to see major potential in his new relationship with Lark… until the end of Part 2, when we overheard her assuring a mean-looking prison inmate that Brady has “no idea” what they’re up to.
“Brady has done a lot of shady things and worked with a lot of shady people,” Smith says. “He has created some enemies for himself along the way, and some of them might be looking for revenge.”
Cameron’s Ex-mas Surprise
Cameron and Muriel’s relationship was one of the few bright spots of Season 5 Part 1, so we weren’t thrilled when his ex-wife showed up looking for a second chance in Part 2. (Are we proud of her for doing the work? Sure, but we’re more invested in #Camuriel than we are in her sobriety journey. Sorry, lady!)
“It was fun to tell this May–December romance story with their characters, and with these being the holiday episodes, it’s December!” Smith reminds us. “So they do find themselves at a crossroad.”
Cameron insisted that he no longer wants to start a family with his ex, but Muriel urged him to give the situation more thought, as she isn’t exactly interested in bearing any children of her own. So, where do they go from here?
“Even from the beginning, the way Cameron characterized his coming to Virgin River was that he wanted to find love and romance — he wanted to start a family,” Smith says. “That’s a pretty big obstacle for a couple to work through, so we’ll just have to see in Season 6.”
Charmaine’s Next Steps
The day we never thought we’d see has finally arrived: Charmaine Roberts is no longer pregnant! Mel helped Jack’s troublesome ex welcome her twin boys into the world in Part 2, and she even booted Calvin from the clinic for no extra charge.
So, is Charmaine officially out of Mel and Jack’s lives now that she’s no longer tethered by a string of hastily crafted lies? … Not so fast!
“In these holiday episodes, Charmaine says she’s not interested in having Calvin be a part of the boys’ lives, and Mel does make a promise to help Charmaine along that line,” Smith says. “Our intention is to see that through in Season 6.”
Hope For Doc
If Doc and Hope renewing their vows warmed your heart, this news will just about set it on fire:
“We will find out early on [in Season 6] that Doc’s clinical trial was successful,” Smith reveals. “We’ll actually have a season where they’re both in good health, as opposed to coping with TB and a possible loss of eyesight. We’re giving them a new lease on life as we head into the new season.”
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