Hope & Muriel’s Friendship Is the Best Thing to Happen to ‘Virgin River’ Season 4

*Warning: Spoilers ahead*

There are plenty of relationships that were introduced in Virgin River season 4, including Preacher/Julia and Lizzie/Denny. But if we had to choose our favorite new on-screen pairing, we’d pick—drumroll, please—Hope and Muriel.

Hope (Annette O’Toole) and Muriel (Teryl Rothery) develop a strong friendship in the show’s fourth season. Their on-screen moments may surprise some viewers because they have an interesting past.

If you recall, Hope tries to set up Muriel with Doc (Tim Matheson) when they are separated in season 1. When Hope decides to rekindle her relationship with Doc, it causes an awkward tension between her and Muriel. In season 4, when Hope is recovering from her accident, Muriel goes out of her way to support Hope and even teaches her how to play backgammon.

The gesture shows a different side to their friendship that viewers haven’t seen before. It’s a gentle reminder that everyone deserves a second chance, even if it’s someone you consider a frenemy.

O’Toole discussed the characters in an interview with PureWow and explained how their dynamic has changed over the past four seasons. “I’m glad they’re over that, and I think she appreciates Muriel as someone she can really relate to in a way she can’t anybody else,” she said. “I think she and Muriel are similar people with a lot of energy. I think they’re both a little eccentric, and I think they bring that out of one another. I think they also realize how they can really be friends after the whole Doc thing.”

She continued, “I like it when things don’t go the way you think they’re gonna go.”

The actress also shared details about her off-screen relationship with Rothery, adding, “I love working with her. I think it’s apparent that even though we’re sort of frenemies on the show, our appreciation for one another as actresses kind of leaks over into the real world.”

Fingers crossed for more Hope and Muriel in Virgin River season 5.

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