‘Virgin River’: Jack Was Almost Going to Be the Father of Charmaine’s Twins
Virgin River Season 4 was shocking. We learned that Jack (Martin Henderson) is not the biological father of Charmaine’s (Lauren Hammersley) unborn twins. However, he is the father of Mel’s (Alexandra Breckenridge) unborn baby girl.
But things weren’t supposed to always pan out that way. For a time, the Virgin River writers were considering the opposite.
The father of Charmaine’s twins will be revealed in ‘Virgin River’ Season 5
Virgin River fans were stunned to learn that Jack is not the father of Charmaine’s twins. However, we will learn who is in season 5.
“I was told who it was supposed to be in the writer’s minds, but I haven’t seen it written. One thing I know around here is you can’t count your chickens until they’re hatched in terms of plot lines,” Henderson told Glamour. “Because there’s this sense that it could be who you think, but then what’s the more shocking choice? I don’t know where they’ve landed on that, but the one I heard is really, really good. It’s juicy.”
Jack was almost going to be the father of Charmaine’s twins
As shocked as fans were regarding Charmane’s revelation to Jack at the end of season 4, Jack was initially supposed to be the father of her twins. However, it was Breckenridge that advocated against it.
“I was also like, ‘I think Charmaine having [Jack’s] kids is absolutely bananas as well,’” she told Glamour. “I got my wishes at the end of the season, because that wasn’t really the plan for a minute. I think they were planning to have them go the other direction. I was like, ‘You’re all insane!’”
It turns out that the writers and producers took Breckenridge’s concerns about the perspective storyline seriously. “I don’t know if I made that happen, but I was definitely the squeaky wheel about it,” Breckenridge says. “Every chance I got, I was like, ‘Are you sure we want to do this? I don’t know if it’s the right direction.’”
Mel’s baby was initially going to be fathered by her late husband on ‘Virgin River’
In addition to changing things up between Jack and Charmaine, the writer’s switched other storylines. Mel’s late husband, Mark (Daniel Gillies), was initially going to be the father of her baby. Breckenridge was not here for that storyline either. She explained to Glamour,
I think I made the assumption that it will be Jack’s. And as we went on, we got wind that actually, no, they were going to make that baby Mark’s. I didn’t love that idea personally, either. But look, I think as a writer you’ve got to walk this tightrope between giving the fans what they want, because that’s what they’re there for. They’re there for the love and they’re there for the romance and the beautiful scenery. You have certain things that you have to deliver to meet their expectations, but good writing is also about thwarting those expectations. It’s about the shock value and the surprise and the hooks and the cliff-hangers and all that.
In the end, Breckenridge is glad the relationship between Mel and Jack can progress the way she imagined.
