A baby is on the way in Virgin River season 5 — but so is danger in the form of a wildfire! The popular Netflix series has returned with more small-town romance, drama and hijinks.
Virgin River follows midwife and nurse practitioner Mel Monroe, who moves to the small rural town from Los Angeles. When she settles in, she falls for bar owner/former Marine Jack (Martin Henderson). At the same time, Mel works at the practice owned by Doc Mullins (Tim Matheson), though the two sometimes lock horns.
Season 5 will be split up into two parts, with a pair of holiday episodes premiering later this year. Last we visited the small town of Virgin River, Mel and Jack were expecting a little one. But Mel is experiencing a high-risk pregnancy and must make a difficult decision about her job. Things get even more stressful when the entire community is threatened by a devastating wildfire.
Elsewhere, Doc (Tim Matheson) and Hope (Annette O’Toole) are grappling with how their respective impairments are changing their identities. Still, there’s a silver lining on the horizon, as Preacher (Colin Lawrence) finds new love.
Here's what you need to watch Virgin River season 5 on Netflix.
When does Virgin River season 5 come out on Netflix?
Virgin River season 5 part 1 is streaming now on Netflix.
It premiered Thursday, Sept. 7 at 3 a.m. ET
Season 5 consists of 12 episodes. The first 10 are available now. The final two holiday-themed episodes will arrive Nov. 30.
Virgin River season 5 trailer
The Virgin River season 5 trailer begins with Mel and Jack basking in the glow of impending parenthood. But clouds loom on the horizon, as Mel makes a difficult decision about her job at the clinic and a wildfire threatens the entire town.
Virgin River season 5 cast
The cast of Virgin River season 5 is led by Alexandra Breckenridge as Melinda "Mel" Monroe, a nurse practitioner and midwife originally from Los Angeles.
Alongside her is Martin Henderson as Jack Sheridan, a restaurant/bar owner and former U.S. Marine.
They're joined by:
- Tim Matheson as Vernon "Doc" Mullins, MD, the town doctor
- Colin Lawrence as John "Preacher" Middleton, Jack's friend and bartender who is a former Marine
- Zibby Allen as Brie, Jack's sister
- Annette O'Toole as Hope McCrea, the mayor of Virgin River and Doc's separated wife
- Lauren Hammersley as Charmaine Roberts, Jack's ex-romantic interest
- Benjamin Hollingsworth as Dan Brady, a former Marine who served with Jack
- Grayson Gurnsey as Ricky, a young man who works at Jack's Bar
- Sarah Dugdale as Lizzie, Connie's niece from Los Angeles
- Nicola Cavendish as Connie, owner of the town's general store
- Jenny Cooper as Joey Barnes, Mel's older sister who lives in Los Angeles
- Gwynyth Walsh as Jo Ellen, owner of the town B&B
- Lynda Boyd as Lilly, a friend of Connie's
- Mark Ghanimé as Dr. Cameron Hayek, a new doctor in town
- Kai Bradbury as Denny, Doc's long-lost grandson
Virgin River season 5 plot and storylines
When Virgin River season 5 begins, it "picks up right after season 4," new showrunner Patrick Sean Smith told TVLIne.
Several storylines need resolutions. The first, of course, is the truth about the paternity of Charmaine's twins. Is Jack really not the father? Or is she just upset about Todd? And if Jack isn't the father, then how will he react?
Another major plot point will be Mel's decision to resign. It's unclear if Doc will accept it or if it'll change Cameron's mind. And if she does leave, what will Mel do? She may work at a local clinic or even start her own midwifery practice. She's also proven she's good in emergencies, so maybe she'll join the town's medics.
Preacher's multi-season arc involving Paige and Christopher seems to finally be resolved, though new issues will undoubtedly pop up. If Paige and Christopher stay in Virgin River, Preacher may be torn between them and his new love interest, Aikido teacher Julia.
Doc and Hope seem to be in a good place, though her recovery from traumatic brain injury is slow. Additionally, Doc is likely to be rocked when he learns of his grandson Denny's condition.
Lastly, drug queenpin Melissa has rather ominously become a part of Mel and Jack's life (not to mention Brady's, and by extension, Brie's). We'll see what nefarious things she's got planned for our Virgin River favorites.
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Kelly is the streaming channel editor for Tom’s Guide, so basically, she watches TV for a living. Previously, she was a freelance entertainment writer for Yahoo, Vulture, TV Guide and other outlets. When she’s not watching TV and movies for work, she’s watching them for fun, seeing live music, writing songs, knitting and gardening.