In Virgin River Season 5, Part 2, the titular town undergoes a Christmastime transformation, but the high-profile gossip and twisty romances remain the same. At the end of Virgin River first installment of season 5, Mel (Alexandra Breckenridge) discovered her late mother had an affair. As fate would have it, his mother's affair was in Virgin River; In another shocking twist, the mystery man could even be Mel's biological father. Most of the first episode of the Netflix show's two-part Christmas release centers on Mel and Jack's (Martin Henderson) investigation into the identity of Mel's biological father. Yet, Virgin RiverThe cast of other characters also have important moments.
While Mel and Jack cut down a Christmas tree and interrogate a postal worker-turned-Santa Claus, others Virgin River The final plot points of Season 5, Part 1 come to light. For starters, Cameron (Mark Ghanime) and Muriel (Teryl Rothery) reevaluate their relationship and what family really means to them, while Jack's parents learn to agree for the sake of their own still-growing family. Big moments happen for Lizzie (Sarah Dugdale), as well as Hope (Annette O'Toole) and Doc (Tim Matheson). It goes without saying that Virgin River offers a juicy two-part installment in a cheerful holiday setting which fits well with the fictional Northern California town.
Mel finds her biological father
She spends season 5 looking for him
In Netflix's “The More, the Better” Virgin River season 5, episode 11, Mel finds out more about her mother's case. After reading some of the letters from the mysterious man, known only as Champ, she determines that her mother may have started the affair after losing a son – something that drove a wedge between the parents Mel grew up with.
Jack joins Mel in her cross-town investigation into Champ's true identity, which leads them to a former postal worker who plays Santa Claus during the holidays. Mr. Claus remembers Champ well; his postcards to Mel's mother were the talk of the office. Unfortunately, he doesn't know Champ's real name.
Virgin River showrunner Patrick Sean Smith has already teased a Season 6 time jump.
However, Santa manages to fulfill his gift-giving promise when he discovers a crucial memory: Champ got his nickname because he won a lumberjack contest in the 1970s. With more to go on, Mel and Jack discover the mystery man's real name: Everett Reid.
When Mel works up the courage to visit Everett, she isn't very well received. In fact, he pretends not to know Mel's mother or what she is talking about; the 1976 Lumberjack Games trophy behind him reveals the lie, but Mel doesn't linger. Disappointed by her biological father's actions, she finds comfort in her chosen family – until the end of episode 12.
Charmaine finally gives birth to her twins
Charmaine was pregnant since season one
After playing a pregnant character since 2019, Lauren Hammersley is finally able to close this chapter in her character's story. At the beginning of the series, Charmaine Roberts was Jack's friend with benefits, but since Mel came to town, that has changed. What's more, Mel is Charmaine's midwife. After experiencing continuous Braxton Hicks contractions, Charmaine decides to call Mel, and it becomes clear that Charmaine is having babies on Christmas Eve. Fortunately, this finally ends Virgin Riverthe most absurd plot of, like the seemingly pregnant forever Charmaine finally gives birth to healthy twins in the episode “Santa Claus”.
Preacher and Kaia take their relationship to the next level
Preacher will have another surprise
For the most part, Preacher (Colin Lawrence) and Kaia (Kandyse McClure) are alone during the show's Christmas episodes. While the two enjoy the vacation atmosphere and take a cold dip in the water, Preacher lets it slip that he loves Kaia. Although he tries to take it back, she assures him it's not something she can just forget.
Later, Kaia reveals that she's on the same page and has even gotten a permanent job at Virgin River. After nearly two hours of old-fashioned fun, things change drastically. Wes' body is discovered and identified, which could lead to a devastating fate for Virgin Riverof the Preacher.
Lizzie tells more about her pregnancy
Lizzie's mother finds out about her daughter's life
At the start of the two-part special, everyone in Virgin River who heard the news of Lizzie's pregnancy seems excited for the mom-to-be and Denny (Kai Bradbury). However, Lizzie worries about telling her mother, who is visiting from out of town for the holidays. When Lizzie goes off topic, Hope takes matters into her own hands and asks Lizzie about her hesitation. It's clear that Lizzie fears her mother's judgment – and that she won't be the supportive maternal figure that Lizzie needs. In typical melodrama style, Lizzie's mother overhears the two talking, learning about the pregnancy secondhand.
Despite the drama, everything works well. Hope talks to Lizzie's mother, assuring her that Lizzie wants her mother in the photo. After all, there are things Hope won't know how to help with. It's a warm, holiday-appropriate moment that finds Lizzie and her mom talking about everything. Lizzie's mother worries that her daughter is carrying too much: caring for a newborn and Denny, who has Huntington's disease, can be a difficult task.
Possibly, Lizzie's mother sees how much her daughter loves the family she formed in Virgin River and seems excited about the baby girl's arrival.
Doc proposes hope
The two traveled back to each other
After twenty years of pre-show separation, Hope and Doc's relationship comes to a head in the first season of Virgin Riverculminating in Hope filing for divorce. The mayor of Virgin River isn't known for pulling punches, but despite everything they've been through together and apart, Hope and Doc have found their way back to each other.
This becomes extremely apparent in episode 12: while the two are enjoying the holiday light display in Virgin River, Doc asks Hope to marry him – again. Every good Christmas drama needs a plot proposition, and Hope and Doc deliver after the twists and turns of their relationship's timeline in Virgin River.
Mel's biological father ends Virgin River season 5, part 2 on a cliffhanger
The Cliffhanger Sets the Stage for Season 6
In Virgin River In the final moments of episode 12 of season 5, Mel's biological father, Everett, appears looking for a second chance. Although he apologizes for rejecting Mel, his excuse is a little flimsy: he is not the man he was when he wrote the letters, but, he admits, he is Mel's father. After offering to be in her life (as Mel chooses), Everett hands Mel a stack of postcards her mother wrote to him. Moved, Mel accepts the letters.
Before the credits roll, Everett explains that he has something more important to say, ending the show on a big cliffhanger before Virgin River 6th season.
How The Virgin River Season 5 Finale Sets Up Season 6
Virgin River, season 5, brings more information about the past in season 6
While Season 6 is set to take place in the future, as a time jump has been hinted at for the series, it is also set to explore the past, long before Mel arrived in Virgin River. The final episodes of season 5 tease everything from Mel finding her biological father to him revealing he has something more to tell her.
While the Season 6 trailers hinted at an imminent wedding for Jack and Mel, they also showed Mel's mother in the 1970s. This is one of the most anticipated Season 6 flashbacks by fans of the series since these flashbacks could also lead to a spinoff series about Mel's biological mother and father during her days in Virgin River. However, it also opened the door for Mel to find more connections in the city that had become her home.
With her biological father living in Virgin River, the theory has persisted among fans that Mel's journey in Season 6 needs to be about other biological connections in the city, like siblings she didn't previously know. This, combined with their marriage, allows for two very different paths of love and connection to be explored in season 6.
How The Virgin River Season 5 Finale Was Received
The Season 5 Finale Was More Liked Than the Entire Season
Fans of Virgin River Tune in to a cozy romantic drama set in a small town. For this reason, Fans and critics believed that season 5 could have gotten a little bogged down with other, even more dramatic storiesas the crime element. The season's final episode functioned as both a season finale and a holiday special, bringing the series back to its more rom-com elements and stories involving love and family.
The final episodes are a return to form for Virgin Riverand a fan would love to see moreespecially since the book series also includes several holiday anthologies. Wonderful Geeks is one of the outlets that found Season 5 had a lot of dramatic elements at play, but loved the way the finale worked to wrap up the season, celebrate the holidays, and tease the future of the show. Their review stated:
It's almost as if the series feels like if it doesn't release new developments left and right, it will lose all of its charm. But the appeal isn't in the drama – it's in the characters and their everyday lives….
Virgin River Season 5 tries too hard when it needs to take a step back and simply exist – exist in a place where things can be calm and normal. The dynamics work, the relationships feel entirely earned, and the characterizations are fantastic, but the drama continues to be Virgin River's downfall.
While there are certainly more dramatic storylines that will have to end in Season 6, Virgin River proves itself to be a cozy small-town romance series time and time again.