Netflix has come a long way since its days of mailing DVDs to people. The industry-defining streamer now has a whole host of original shows and movies, from the platform’s earliest hits like Orange is the New Black and House of Cards to more recent additions like Bridgerton. Some of these shows have also had solid (and/or ongoing) runs. In fact, it was only recently that Orange is the New Black and Grace and Frankie, each with seven seasons, were beaten out for the longest-running Netflix shows of all time.
Virgin River, which began in December of 2019, just became Netflix’s longest-running show thus far with its season 8 renewal. The show primarily centers on Melinda “Mel” Monroe, a nurse practitioner who makes the move from the big city to a small town following a string of tragedies in her life, although there is an ever-growing ensemble cast of characters as well. The series has the charm of other beloved small town-focused shows like Gilmore Girls, with a flair for some dramatic storylines. Unfortunately, with season seven now concluded, there’s a difficult truth that it’s time to finally face.
Virgin River Feels Like It’s Going In Circles
Virgin River clearly has staying power, given that it’s now Netflix’s longest running show. Yet, the most recent season revealed one concerning flaw: the narrative has started to feel like it’s going in circles. It’s true that significant events are transpiring. Mel and Jack were married in season 6, for example, and in season 7, they were going through the adoption process (although, until the very last episode of the season, it wasn’t clear whether the baby would really be theirs in the end).
At the same time, however, many of the key plot points have begun to feel repetitive. Perhaps the worst offender in the most recent season is Brie and Brady’s relationship, which is once again in its on-again-off-again cycle, and although both characters seem convinced that it will stick this time, it’s feeling like more of the same. Likewise, while Doc and Hope are married, season 7 ended with the two in a bad place, with Hope leaning on her ex husband, Roland, with her current relationship woes. That, too, feels cyclical.
Even Mel and Jack’s path to parenthood in season 7 felt like a story audiences have seen before. Their son was born in the final episode of season 7, which is a significant event in the larger story, but the season also revealed that he has a life-threatening heart condition, putting yet another child’s life in danger for Mel, who has already suffered an unimaginable number of losses.
For a generally feel-good show, Virgin River has continued to make Mel’s motherhood journey excruciating. That can reflect real mothers’ experiences, of course, but it’s also begun to feel like the show is just being cruel to Mel—and not moving her story forward. (Just let her be a mom!)
Season 6 Left On A Massive Cliffhanger…That Turned Out To Be A Red Herring
Season 7 was particularly frustrating in terms of moving the narrative forward because it quickly confirmed that the season 6 cliffhanger was deceptive. The final episode of season 6 had heavily hinted that Jack’s ex, Charmaine, had been killed by the father of her twins, Calvin. Instead, season 7 revealed the twist that it had actually been Calvin who was killed. Granted, the show then offered a soap opera-style kidnapping plot involving Charmaine, but it still felt like the season 6 finale was an intentional red herring.
It isn’t that the show has to incorporate violence to be interesting, though—that was just something that the show had suggested was coming in the most recent season. Rather, Virgin River can continue to be one of Netflix’s great dramas without needing to infuse the story with murders; it just needs to start adding to the main characters’ stories in more innovative ways. Hopefully, with season 8 confirmed to be on its way, the writers are aware of this necessary change.
Season 8 Is Confirmed, And It Has Some Work To Do
Season 8 has some obvious story arcs to address, the most notable being the fate of Jack and Mel’s brand-new baby. It feels almost certain that the baby will survive because it really would feel downright cruel to give Mel another loss at this stage. Ideally, the narrative will also move forward so that audiences can finally see Mel as a mom—something viewers have been waiting literal years to see.
The other major relationships in the show, including Brie and Brady’s complex dynamic and Doc and Hope’s marriage, also need forward momentum. If Brie and Brady are truly committed to leaving their on-again-off-again history in the past, then the new season should make that clear and truly move on. Doc and Hope’s marriage also needs more certainty, although hopefully the story isn’t going to take a turn toward the two ending the marriage they fought so hard for. Ultimately, there are countless directions Virgin River season 8 could successfully take, as long as the new season really does feel new.
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