Virgin River Season 7 Spoilers Ahead
Virgin River continues to be the biggest conundrum, but I suppose that’s why we’re all here, isn’t it? I don’t even know anymore. All I know is that Season 7 starts on a strong foot and ends with the type of drama the show is now an expert at.
As someone who constantly finds herself deeply frustrated with the antics on the show, the seventh season is a step up in lowering the stakes and focusing on character development. Four episodes into the season is a mostly solid ride, but as matters are dialed up, we’re thrust back into the “too much” territory. Still, the season is the best, without question.
A large part of the reason why so many of us can’t seem to give up on this show is that we want to see Jack and Mel finally start a family. Mel, especially, who’s wanted it for so long and who’s experienced one too many tragedies that no woman should experience. But in true Virgin River fashion, it all seems too easy, and, understandably, viewers could’ve spent the season being too concerned with the fact that a “yes” could later turn into a “no.”
And while that’s thankfully not the outcome we see with Marley choosing the Sheridans as the adoptive parents, the baby’s health condition does concern me in the end. Still, I want to believe that after seven seasons of putting these characters through literal hell, the showrunners wouldn’t give them a spark of profound hope and happiness only to snatch it away with surgery complications. Hearing Mel utter the words, “I’m his mother,” is so lovely, and Alexandra Breckenridge is remarkable in that final scene that if the show were to go back on this, I’m not quite sure I’d tune in again. This woman deserves to be the mother she’s always dreamed of becoming, and their baby deserves a long, happy life alongside parents who’ll adore him through everything. So for the time being, we’re going to hope.
The seventh season also delivers a few blows, like the final few moments with Brady falling off his motorcycle and Preacher deciding to leave Jack’s bar to start his own endeavors. Things are finally looking up for both characters, and the outcome of seeing them happy and content would result in rewarding character journeys that viewers have rightfully invested years to see. So, here’s to hoping. Again.
More than anything, a majority of the fans tuning into Virgin River are here for the romance, and the season delivers with a number of characters while it simultaneously throws a wrench in Doc and Hope’s dynamic. Nonetheless, it’s safe to assume they’d all work through everything to get to a place where there’s happiness and rational decisions by the end.
It’s hard to wonder how long a show like Virgin River can stay on air, but it’s even more frustrating to be concerned that happiness will be short-lived for these characters. The series is no stranger to cliffhangers and tragedies, but there comes a point where it’s too exhausting, and that would be the case in upcoming seasons if some of these issues aren’t resolved.
Regardless, Season 7 is solid for the most part, gorgeous in its use of scenic shots, and thoroughly satisfying where romance and new character journeys are concerned. The resolution to various arcs makes total sense, and the friendships throughout continue to be sweet reminders of why small-town centered shows are the best kind of escape from the terrors of the real world.
Now streaming on Netflix: What are your thoughts on Virgin River Season 7? Let us know in the comments below.
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