And just like that, our favorite couple is wed. Virgin River Season 6 melted my chilly little heart, and it’s delivered its best season of delicious drama yet.
When my mum first raved about a little-known Netflix series called Virgin River in 2019, I took almost no notice of her. In my mind, our tastes completely differed – this is a woman who refuses to watch anything “too heavy” and doesn’t understand why narratively speaking, you need sad moments. So when I watched the binge-worthy TV show years later, I had to stand corrected.
Frankly, it’s incredible how much complex lore one small town can weave into its fabric. We’re talking Lord of the Rings level of detail with All My Children level of complexity. It strikes the right balance for anyone (even me) to satisfyingly sink their teeth into it. Yet somehow, Virgin River Season 6 is the best outing yet.
Why? It’s chosen to focus on solidifying its core relationships rather than faff about with more half-hearted ideas (looking at you, random drug smuggling operation in an otherwise hearty town). With Mel and Jack married, the show now has a core rock to bounce more tantalizing relationship drama off of. Sure, not all the plots work – but when they’re good, they’re golden.
What is Virgin River Season 6 about?
Frankly, the better question is what isn’t Virgin River Season 6 about? This time out, Mel and Jack are getting hitched after getting engaged in Season 4. The whole town is pitching in to help, led by an ever-exasperated Hope.
Elsewhere, Lark tries to hoodwink Brady with the help of jailbird boyfriend Jimmy, but Brady is still harboring feelings for ex-girlfriend Brie. She’s feeling the same way, despite getting closer to new boyfriend Mike. Everett’s appearance in town causes huge division in the community, with Doc revealing the pair have longstanding tension.
Preacher is facing trial after helping Paige dispose of Wes’ body, while a lot has gone down offscreen between Muriel and Cameron. Lizzie is now eight months pregnant, though hers and Denny’s priorities are wildly different. Oh, and Ricky is coming back home just for good measure.
Mel and Jack’s wedding made me believe in love
Obviously, the crux of Season 6 is watching Mel and Jack get married after a painful wait. While so much is up in the air around them, the pair remain more connected and grounded than ever, and it’s refreshing to see. They’ve clearly done their time going through life’s ups and downs and have come out the other side, and the entire show is all the better for it.
I got a fellow series expert (aka my nearly 60-year-old mother) to weigh in on this, and she agrees. Stripping back Virgin River’s many accouterments to tell a good old-fashioned love story has been a card well played, and it’ll hugely benefit the impending Season 7. Finally, we have a romantic lead that is settled down – and that allows other relationships to step in and have crazy spirals all their own.
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It’s spread out in a way only Virgin River can make seem normal, but the wedding itself is the hit of sweetness we need. Mel and Jack listen to what they each need every step of the way, and without external concerns (i.e. children), they can pour all their love and energy into each other. The result is why I almost cried multiple times through multiple episodes. As a perpetually single girl, I’ve never wanted to be in a relationship more.
Some storylines suffer, but others shine
As a good ensemble cast, the rest of the town lands almost every B-plot in sight – and the final 20 minutes of Episode 10 are so stacked, you’ll be screaming at the TV.
If I’m being really persnickety, Doc’s personal journey (alongside an unnecessary dramatic moment for Everett in Episode 9) is building to another cliffhanger we don’t need. The payoff isn’t quite there, and frankly, he did his fair share of drama back in the days of being mean to Mel.
The ongoing will-they-won’t-they between Brady and Brie, however, cinches it. Despite an elaborate wedding, their undeniable chemistry and frustrating indecision are the best reasons to watch one episode more, making us desperate to see if they’ll give into the connection that never went away.
Everett’s also proven his worth too. The Season 5 cliffhanger doesn’t immediately pan out, but the more we learn about his backstory, the more integral he becomes to the wider framework. He’s got something extra to offer Mel when she needs it the most, and it proves new value can still be injected even six seasons deep into a series.
Virgin River Season 6 review score: 4/5 – Very Good
Goodbye crime and fake deaths, hello beautifully told love stories – Virgin River Season 6, you’ve made all the correct decisions. I’ve fallen in love with this small town and all of the many nefarious cogs that keep it spinning… and now I’m hooked, I absolutely cannot wait for more. You better not do my girl Muriel dirty, though.
Virgin River Season 6 is on Netflix now. Find out more about the original book series, filming locations, and more shows to watch if you like Virgin River.
For more information on how we score TV shows and movies, check out our scoring guidelines here.
