Last November 21, 2022, Virgin River officially wrapped its filming for its fifth season. And judging by the cast’s teasers, the classic small-town Netflix series will be treating fans to a whole new and more intense roller-coaster of drama. In an interview with New Beauty, Alexandra Breckenridge (Mel Monroe) spilled that season five will have ‘pretty heavy’ storylines that will “leave people on the edge of their seats.” She even added that they’re some of the best episodes they’ve ever done. Annette O’Toole (Hope McCrea) also said that the events this season are ‘important’ and ‘timely.’
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We’re sure everyone is itching to know what these storylines and plot twists are in the new season of Virgin River. But for now, here’s everything we know so far – from the production to the release date down to the returning cast and new faces that we’ll see in the show.
Production
Netflix quickly capitalized on Virgin River’s success by renewing it not only for a fourth but also a fifth season shortly after season three was released. And it was reported that the streaming giant budgeted $3 to $5 million dollars per episode for the next seasons (a whopping $60 million per season!).
Season 4 arrived last July 2022, and it was also around that time that the cast started filming Virgin River’s new season. Though that was actually delayed for four months as they were scheduled to start by May. In a chat with Glamour, Breckenridge slipped that her other show, This Is Us, has been getting her to come back since she has been on Virgin River. And if it hadn’t been for the pushback on the filming schedule, Sophie and Kevin [of This Is Us] might not have ended up together. In the end, everything seemed to work out for the best.
On July 18, the virtual table read for the cast was shared on Instagram along with the announcement that Patrick Sean Smith would take over Sue Tenney’s role as showrunner. Smith has been known for his previous works in Greek, Supernatural, Chasing Life, and most recently, writing the episode Jolene for Dolly Parton’s limited series Heartstrings.
Usually, a big change like this can push a series in a different direction. Not to mention that the series is in a crucial phase with the story timeline. There could be significant backlash from fans.
But there is nothing to be worried about that, as Smith assured that Virgin River will still feel like the same show and he wouldn’t let fans down. If there were any change, “it would be a little bit louder but not to the detriment of the comfort of the show.” Also, there would be no jump between seasons, and season 5 will pick up right where the previous season left.
Release Date
Up until season 3, Virgin River ran for ten episodes every season. However, the fourth season was expanded into 12 episodes, and season 5 will follow through with that.
As for the release, there is still no official date, but the 12-episode season is expected to air by the summer of 2023, possibly at the earliest in July. Season 3 was released in July 2021 and season 4 premiered in July 2022, so it’s a safe bet if Netflix aims to stick to a yearly release.
There’s also a high chance that Virgin River will be renewed for another season and probably even more.
First, there are 24 Virgin River books by Robyn Carr, on which the series is based. Second, Netflix’s head of drama, Jinny Howe, told Deadline that fans could expect ‘more longevity and growth with the show,’ adding: “We’re paying very close attention, understanding that this is a really rich universe of characters and that people can’t seem to get enough, myself included. So I think as long as that continues to be the case—which we’re very hopeful for—you can rest assured that there will be more Virgin River.”
Returning Cast
Based on the snapshot shared by the Virgin River’s official Instagram account during the virtual table read, here are the following cast members who will return for season 5:
- Alexandra Breckenridge as Mel Monroe
- Martin Henderson as Jack Sheridan
- Annette O’Toole as Hope McCrea
- Tim Matheson as Dr. Vernon Mullins
- Benjamin Hollingsworth as Dan Brady
- Zibby Allen as Brie Sheridan
- Gwynyth Walsh as Jo Ellen
- Colin Lawrence as John ‘Preacher’ Middleton
- Sarah Dugdale as Lizzie
- Jenny Cooper as Joey Barnes
- Nicola Cavendish as Connie
- Chase Petriw as Christopher
- Kai Bradbury as Denny Cutler
- Marco Grazzini as Mike Valenzuela
Fans were also quick to notice that Grayson Gurney, who plays Ricky, was also photographed at the table read, even though he joined the Marines at the end of season 4 and was expected to be absent in the next season.
New Cast Members
According to What’s on Netflix, there will be four new faces on the show. Susan Hogan (Legends of Tomorrow, Liar, Liar), Elise Gatien (Supernatural, Tower Prep), Paolo Maiolo (Supernatural, Nancy Drew), and Kandyse McClure (V-Wars, Battlestar Galactica, Hemlock Grove) will be joining the cast of Virgin River for season 5. Still, details on their characters remain to be a mystery as of now as they’re considered spoilers.
Additionally, Howe confirmed that this season would feature more diversity – which Annette O’Toole had also been hinting about – than the previous seasons. And it will definitely continue to be a priority as they expand the Virgin River community. Not only that, according to Breckenridge, with the new showrunner, directors, and writers, more LGBTQ+ stories will also be brought in to create and foster more inclusivity in the show.
Behind the Scenes
The fifth season will be directed by a total of six directors, four returning and two directorial debuts.
Monika Mitchell, who previously directed Take My Breath Away, Spare Parts, and Broken Hearts from season 3, will be coming back to direct a couple of early episodes for season 5. Martin Wood (15 episode credits) and Gail Harvey (6 episode credits) will also be returning to direct the rest of the episodes with two new directors – Felipe Rodriguez, who has worked on Hudson & Rex, The Good Doctor, Blood and Water, and Ruby and the Well, and Jem Garrard who directed Motherland: Fort Salem, Wynonna Earp, and Charmed.
What to expect
Season 4 ended with a cliffhanger, and Virgin River Season 5 will probably be starting with an answer to the burning question: Who is the father of the twins? We know that Charmaine had already confessed that her twins are not actually Jack’s, and lead actors Alexandra Breckenridge and Martin Henderson confessed in an interview with Glamour that they know the twins’ paternity. Fans suspect it could be one of the three: Brady, Mike, or Dr. Cameron.
The rest of the season will definitely get into the new chapter of Mel and Jack with their baby girl, Hope’s recovery, Brie’s trial, a possible love triangle between Preacher, Paige, and Julia, and Lizzie’s decision whether she would stay with Danny despite his illness or will she go back to Ricky.
There’s definitely a lot to unpack this season, so Virgin River fans, brace yourself for one hell of a ride!
