Don't Watch "Virgin River" Season 2 Before Reading This Refresher
Virgin River returns for a second season on Friday, November 27.
The first season's finale set up major cliffhangers, especially regarding the future of Jack (Martin Henderson) and Mel's (Alexandra Breckenridge) relationship.
This is what you need to remember from Virgin River.
Along with Sweet Magnolias and the upcoming show Bridgerton, Netflix's Virgin River is an escapist romantic drama, ricocheting between feel-good moments and emotional plot twists. Ahead of Virgin River's season 2 premiere on November 27, we're revisiting the most important plot lines from the first season.
There's a moment in Virgin River's first season finale that just about sums up Mel Monroe's (Alexandra Breckenridge) difficult position. Mel, a recent widow, moved to the California town of Virgin River to work as a nurse practitioner, and hopefully recuperate from her awful experiences.
There, she meets Jack Sheridan (Martin Henderson), a former Marine-turned-bartender. Over and over again, their romance is halted before it can begin—leading to some delectable tension. "We don't have a long history together," Mel says, referring to Jack. Doc responds, "Maybe you have a future."
Season 2 of Virgin River will determine what that future looks like. But before watching, here's what you need to remember from season 1.
Surprise! Charmaine is pregnant with Jack's baby, complicating his relationship with Mel.
Charmaine, Jack, and Mel comprise one of TV's most complicated love triangles. Jack and Charmaine—another Virgin River local—are dating when Mel comes into town. Jack is unable to reciprocate Charmaine's romantic feelings, because he finds he's developing them for Mel. In Virgin River's season 1 finale, Charmaine throws another plot twist by revealing that she's pregnant.
The already complicated love triangle is made messier by Hope McCrea's (Annette O'Toole) involvement. She's the mayor of Virgin River, but she's really the meddler-in-chief. She tells Mel about Charmaine's pregnancy before Jack can. Jack, furious, decides to cut Hope out of his life. "I think this time, I've gone too far, and there might not be any room to come back," she tells Doc (Tim Matheson).
Hope and Doc's romantic future is looking up.
In the first season of Virgin River, Hope and Doc work on their own complicated relationship—in addition to getting involved with Mel and Jack's. Their long marriage is troubled by Doc's actions: He cheated on Hope 20 years prior.
Though Hope serves Doc divorce papers in season 1, her action has the opposite effect than intended: The threat of a break-up brings them closer. Doc works to win Hope back. By the finale, Hope and Doc are back to kissing like young lovers. Jack may have cut Hope out of his life—but she has Doc now.
Paige has disappeared.
Preacher (Colin Lawrence), Jack's best friend, strikes up a relationship of his own. After trusting Preacher, Paige (Lexa Doig) reveals that she and her son are running from her dangerous ex-husband, and living under new identities.
In the finale, Preacher goes on to check on Paige—and finds that she and her son are missing, and there's blood in the house. Cue suspenseful music.
Brady gets involved with the bad guys.
Jack's fellow Marine, Brady (Dan Hollingsworth), takes a job at the bar with him and Preacher in the first season. However, Brady struggles to adjust to civilian life. By the end of the season, Brady leaves the bar and finds another sort of employment—the illegal kind. He agrees to work for local drug dealers.
Given Charmaine's news, Mel decides to leave Virgin River.
Charmaine's pregnancy is hard for Mel to take for another reason: After having a stillborn baby in Los Angeles, Mel learned she can't have children. After speaking to Charmaine, Mel decides to leave Virgin River and return to L.A. As she tells Jack, staying in Virgin River is "asking too much" of her—even though Jack is falling in love with her.
Given that there's a second season of the show and it's called Virgin River and not Los Angeles, we assume that Mel comes back. But the premiere will determine just what that looks like.
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