Virgin River Season 5: Spoilers, Release Date, Cast and Everything Else to Know

With another season of Netflix's Virgin River in the books, fans were once again left with so much drama to unpack by the end of Season 4. The biggest bombshell might have been Charmaine (Lauren Hammersly) admitting that Jack (Martin Henderson) is not the father of her twins, but it was followed very closely by Preacher (Colin Lawrence) killing Vince (Steve Bacic) in order to protect Paige (Lexa Doig). Finally, it was revealed that the real Fentanyl kingpin is a woman named Melissa, who just happens to be the sister of the primary investor in Jack's new business. That's a lot to process, but it seems we will have time to do so. 

The good news is that Virgin River has already been renewed for Season 5, and cast and crew are back in production up North. We know Virgin River fans are always on the lookout for new information about the show, so TV Guide has compiled everything we know so far about the upcoming season, including some spoilery tidbits from lead actress Alexandra Breckenridge herself about what the future holds for Jack and Mel.

Here is everything we know so far about Virgin River Season 5. 

Latest News 

Season 5 of Virgin River started production in July shortly before Season 4 dropped on Netflix. The official Virgin River Instagram account posted a screen grab from the cast's virtual table read on July 18, announcing that things had started rolling on Season 5. Since then, the account has been actively posting behind-the-scenes looks on location in British Columbia where shooting is currently taking place.

Cast

Alexandra Breckenridge and Martin Henderson are returning as Jack and Mel, of course. Lauren Hammersley will need to be present in order for Charmaine to explain why she lied about her babies' paternity for almost six months. Colin Lawrence, Ben Hollingsworth, Tim Matheson, and Annette O'Toole are also expected to return as Preacher, Brady, Doc, and Hope, respectively. 

After the season's other big cliffhanger, we expect Lexa Doig to return as Paige and for Zibby Allen to stick around as Jack's sister, Brie. 

Release Date

No official release date has been announced yet. Fans will have to wait a while longer for Season 5, even though Virgin River does have a relatively quick turnaround when it comes to producing new episodes.  

Spoilers

TV Guide spoke to Alexandra Breckenridge about Season 4, and she gave us some insight into what's in store for Jack and Mel going forward. Here is what she told us about the show's biggest plot points:

On Jack and Mel's reaction to the baby news: "I think Mel feels, obviously, lied to and betrayed," Breckendridge said. "I'm sure there's an underlying sense of relief that she probably will never talk about with Jack. I think Jack is absolutely devastated because he really invested in these children. It's crushing for him."

Of course, the Charmaine revelation comes after a very tumultuous season for Jack and Mel as past trauma forced Jack to take a hard look at his drinking and how he was struggling to cope with tragedies in his past. By the end of the season, Jack and Mel finally seemed to be on the same page, but Breckenridge admitted that the news of the twins' paternity will cause some more tension between the couple, though it won't rock them like the events of this season. 

"I think that they have dealt with so much already in the very short time that they have known each other and started their relationship. I am sure it's going to create some tension between them," she explained. "It's just trying to cope with it. The reality of that is huge. If someone lies to you and says five months into her pregnancy, 'Oh no, by the way, they aren't yours.' That is huge, massive. So they're going to have to deal with that, as anybody would, but I don't think it's going to damage their relationship."

On Melissa and Nick's involvement in Jack's business: Nick (Keith MacHechnie) is a beloved citizen of Virgin River, and a rich one at that. He decided midway through the season to invest in Jack's new glamping business and put up three times what Jack asked for in the initial investment. A few episodes later, we found out that Nick's sister is actually the string-puller behind the fentanyl business Brady has been trying desperately to escape from, which brings up a lot of questions about whether Nick is also in the drug business, and what that means for Jack's new venture. 

"It's an interesting twist. Jack and Mel are such honest people that I'm surprised," Breckenridge informed TV Guide. "I'm really curious to know if Nick knows that Melissa is a fentanyl kingpin. I don't actually know that. Obviously, Nick has invested in this airstream glamping business that Jack is starting, so I think Melissa may become a part of that. How that ties into any danger for Jack and Mel, I don't know!" 

On Mel's life in Virgin River without the clinic: Another surprising development in the Season 4 finale was Mel's decision to step away from the clinic. She's doing it partially to keep Cameron (Mark Ghanime) in town. He decided to leave after he egregiously overstepped and tried to convince Mel to break up with Jack over his drinking, which made things super awkward. Breckenridge swears that Mel wanting to keep Cameron around is purely to make things easier for Doc, but that leaves Mel with a big void in her life.

"I don't think she's interested in mending any relationship with Cameron. I think she realizes that she has a high-risk pregnancy, and she's not going to stay at the clinic, and Doc is declining. She's really worried about the town having a medical facility, so she wants Cameron to stay for that reason alone," the actress said. "I don't know what [Mel's life without the clinic] going to look like. I don't know what Mel is going to do. She loves her job. She loves caring for people, and I imagine that stepping away from that is going to be very difficult for her." 

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Burning Questions

1. Who is the father of Charmaine's twins?: We now know it's not Jack. We can guess it isn't her dirtbag boyfriend on the verge of leaving Charmaine, considering he offered to buy the babies from Jack. Why would he do that if the kids were actually his children to begin with? 
   
2. Will Paige and Preacher get away with murder...again?: This is the second dead body Preacher and Paige are responsible for. Vince's death was once again caused by self-defense, but Paige is still wanted by police, so are they going to report what happened to Vince? Or will they cover it up like they did with Wes' body at the end of Season 2?
   
3. Will Jack and Mel get roped into a fentanyl money laundering scheme?: It feels pretty obvious that the drug money is going to get involved in Jack's glamping business, but how aware of it Jack and Mel will become and when remains the big question mark for Season 5. Maybe there will be a way for Brady to use his leverage with Melissa to save Jack and Mel, and that will put all of them back on good terms and end this storyline once and for all.
   
4. What does Denny's terminal diagnosis mean for Doc and Hope?: Season 4 properly introduced us to Doc's grandson Denny (Kai Bradbury), but also revealed the horrible news that he has a terminal Hunter's Disease diagnosis. Doc seems to know what's going on, but it's unclear what can be done for Denny in his remaining days — and what kind of effect that is going to have on Doc and Hope, who have invited Denny into their home and hearts. 
   
5. Will Cameron actually stay in town?: Breckenridge was adamant that Mel has no interest in mending fences with Cameron, but does that mean he has to leave Virgin River altogether? He's the most handsome eligible bachelor in town, and even if things did not work out between him and Mel, there are plenty of other wonderful people in town he could make happy! He's charming, and while he needs to learn to mind his own business, he's not entirely a bad guy. There's room for redemption there! 

What Else to Watch

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Where to Watch

Virgin River Seasons 1-4 are now streaming on Netflix. 

Virgin River

5 Seasons Netflix

Eager for a new start, a nurse practitioner relocates from LA to a remote northern California town and surprised by what she discovers.

2019 - 2023 TV14 Drama

Watchlist

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