Another Virgin River cliffhanger has fans desperate for the next season to start!
The Netflix original series, starring Alexandra Breckenridge as Melinda “Mel” Monroe and Martin Henderson as Jack Sheridan, released the second half season 5 on Nov. 30.
Following the show’s initial 10-episode release on Sept. 7, the back half of the season consists of a two-epsiode Christmas special set during the holidays. The episodes picked up more than three months after the “Labor Day” season 5 part 1 finale.
Virgin River season 5 answered a lot of questions fans of the quaint California town had been waiting to get answered. Among the plot lines addressed include Hope’s recovery, Doc’s diagnosis, the Paige situation and Brie and Brady’s relationship.
But in classic Virgin River fashion, the fifth season of the drama series — led by Patrick Sean Smith, who was named the show’s brand-new showrunner and executive producer in July 2022 — left fans with even more questions.
Season 6 will be packaged differently than its previous seasons. It will return to a 10-episode season, as it did in seasons 1–3, in contrast to the 12 episodes of the two most recent seasons.
“I don’t know if I would do the holidays again,” Smith told in a Nov. 30 interview. “It’s sort of, been there done that, and I feel like we did it in a big way that I wouldn’t even know where to start to explore.”
Though he didn’t confirm how many more Virgin River seasons are to come, he said “We’re probably looking at a 10-episode season moving forward.”
Here’s everything we know so far about Virgin River season 6.
What is Virgin River season 6 about?
While an official Virgin River season 6 synopsis has yet to be revealed, Smith opened up to about his plan for the plot. The first episode will see a time jump from the second part of season 5’s holiday special, “Father Christmas.”
As its title suggests, the Christmas special’s storyline follows the bombshell cliffhanger surrounding the reveal of Mel’s biological father. Several twists and turns are explored in the season 5 holiday episode, many of which Smith dissects. and explains how they might fit into season 6.
According to Deadline, in the upcoming season Smith “promises more Mel and Jack, “reveals Doc’s prognosis,” and shares “whether Paige would be back.” He also hints at “how long Lizzie would be pregnant on the show.”
Smith told the outlet that the storyline about whether Everett will be part of Mel’s life is “a big thing that we’re exploring in season 6” because it “felt like an opportunity for a character who hasn’t had a living parent in her life.” He added, “Getting to see Mel with a living parent has been fun to explore.”
Who’s in the cast of Virgin River season 6?
The official cast list for Virgin River season 6 isn’t confirmed, but several names can be predicted based on what Smith has teased about the plot. Obviously if he “promises more Mel and Jack,” fans can definitely expect the return of Breckenridge and Martin Henderson in their respective roles.
Others likely to return include Tim Matheson as Dr. Vernon “Doc” Mullins, Annette O’Toole as Hope McCrea, Colin Lawrence as John “Preacher” Middleton, Benjamin Hollingsworth as Dan Brady, Sarah Dugdale as Lizzie, Jenny Cooper as Joey Barnes, Zibby Allen as Brie Sheridan, Marco Grazzini as Mike Valenzuela, Lauren Hammersley as Charmaine Roberts, Mark Ghanimé as Dr. Cameron Hayek, Kai Bradbury as Denny Cutler and Kandyse McClure as Kaia Bryant.
Did production on Virgin River season 6 begin?
Production on Virgin River season 6 is expected to begin in the first half of 2024, Smith told Deadline. First, they have to finish the script.
The Virgin River writers, led by Smith, had half of the season 6 scripts finished when t he Writers’ Guild went on strike in May 2023; now that the strike is resolved, they’re working on finishing the second half.
In a separate interview, Breckenridge told Deadline the team plans to start “as the Vancouver weather allows … So hopefully in the spring, is what I’ve been hearing.”
Is there a trailer for Virgin River season 6?
Since production didn’t start yet, a trailer for Virgin River season 6 has yet to be released.
Where to watch Virgin River season 6?
Virgin River season 6 will be available on Netflix, joining seasons 1–5 which are currently available to stream in full on the platform.
When will Virgin River season 6 be released?
A Virgin River season 6 release date has not been confirmed.
Will there be a Virgin River season 7?
Although season 5 just wrapped and season 6 is underway, fans are already looking ahead to a Virgin River season 7. While the show has yet to be renewed, neither Breckenridge nor Smith indicated to that they thought the end was in sight.
“I’m not aware of it being the final season,” the actress said. “Hopefully we’ll get more.”
Smith added, “There’s no plans of wrapping anything up. I think. As long as these characters are living, there are always going to be stories to tell, and that’s an incredible opportunity for any showrunner.”
