‘Virgin River’: Filming for Season 5 Has Wrapped
Fans have been enthralled with Netflix’s Virgin River since it debuted in 2019. Based on the books by Robyn Carr, the series follows Mel Monroe (Alexandra Breckenridge), a nurse who moves from Los Angeles to the small town after her life implodes around her.
Though she hopes to lay low upon her arrival, Mel falls for Jack Sheridan (Martin Henderson), a retired Marine who owns the town’s bar. Now Season 5 has just wrapped. Here’s what we know.
‘Virgin River’ Season 5 is expected to be ‘heavy’ and ‘intense’
As lighthearted and romantic as Virgin River is, the series has not shied away from heavier topics, including infant loss, sexual assault, violence, death, PTSD, and drug abuse. Still, fans should expect the fifth season of the hit drama series to be even more intense than previous seasons.
“I think this season has started out well and we’re getting into a few episodes soon that are pretty heavy,” Breckenridge told New Beauty. “They’re really intense and I think that they’re some of the best episodes we’ve ever done. I think that there’s a high sense of drama that starts to come up this season that it’s going to leave people on the edge of their seats. At least, I hope. I’m excited to get into that.”
Filming for Season 5 has wrapped
Filming for Virgin River Season 5 has come to an end, and the cast and crew celebrated by having a dance party which was then posted on social media. They shared a caption that read, “That’s a WRAP on Season 5! ?” Though the plot for the forthcoming season has not yet been revealed, fans can expect 12 episodes in the new season, just like in Season 4.
“You could feel that [we had more time] a little bit in season four, having those two extra episodes compared to just the 10,” new showrunner Patrick Sean Smith told Glamour. “We’ve been mindful of that as we’ve been arching out all the events this season.”
This season, there will also be more of a focus on diversity and inclusion. “I’m hoping that in the future, we can bring more conversations to the table,” Breckenridge told Glamour. “In season five, we’re bringing some more LGBTQ+ stories into the show, which I think is absolutely wonderful. I’ve been fighting for diversity on the show since we started, and I think we’ve been slowly moving toward a lot of that. Certainly, with our new showrunner and directors. Netflix is really trying to bring more inclusivity into programming.”
‘Virgin River’ Season 5 could premiere earlier than expected
Since the fifth season of Virgin River has come to a close a couple of weeks ahead of schedule, it’s likely that the new season could premiere ahead of summer 2023. Though Netflix usually keeps much of its yearly slate under wraps until closer to premiere dates, fans are aware that two of their biggest hits, Squid Game and Stranger Things, won’t be airing new episodes at all in the coming year.
As a result, it’s likely that they could position Virgin River to debut earlier than expected since the show is a ratings hit.
Instead of a summer debut, it’s likely that fans might return to the small Nothern California town in the spring of 2023.
