Too bad the Virgin River Season 5 Episode 10 carnival didn’t have a rollercoaster—it would have been fitting because the finale was a whirlwind of emotions.
Disclaimer — this review includes spoilers from the episode — proceed with caution.
I would say “All’s well that ends well,” but that’s not the case for everyone in town.
Brady’s nightmare with Melissa escalated fully, Doc made a big decision in terms of his declining eyesight, Cameron and Muriel decided to make things official, Mel and Jack found a renewed hope for the future following a dark period, and the father of Charmaine’s twin boys was finally revealed…. and that’s just scraping the tip of the iceberg in terms of plot developments.
Virgin River always finds a nice balance, straddling the line of being a dark and dangerous and sleepy and cozy small town.
The episode kicked off with intense action that found Jack confronting Brady about the drugs planted in the airstream. Brady insisted that it wasn’t what it looked like and begged Jack to believe he was telling the truth just as Melissa and her goons pulled up to the campsite. If Jack had any hesitations about the validity of Brady’s story (and he definitely did at first), well, he saw it all go down with his own eyes. After Melissa’s men threw a bag over Brady’s head and drove off with him, Jack didn’t even hesitate to jump into action, trailing the SUV and calling Mike for help in the process.
Jack saw firsthand that Brady was a man of honor, one who wasn’t willing to snitch on his friends even when he was staring down death. Brady definitely deserves the majority of the hero treatment, but Jack also showed up and pulled his weight when it mattered. He had his back! The two of them have always made a good team, so before the cops arrived, Jack and Brady were able to fight back and came out relatively unscathed.
Unfortunately, Mike didn’t get off so easy as Gene, Melissa’s right-hand man, was able to get a shot in at the last minute, so even after they took down the whole operation, uncertainty clung in the air like a dead weight as everyone waited to see if Mike would survive.
Thankfully, he pulled through and was able to vouch for Brady to the FBI since he was an off-the-book CI throughout the whole operation so as to not raise any flags. Brady’s biggest mistake proved to be not checking for cameras when he went snooping around the manufacturing company, and he knew it, too. I couldn’t help but laugh at his “shit” response when they showed him the video of his escapades because he knew he was caught red-handed.
Mike has been very hot and cold this season as a character—I wanted to like him but I didn’t like how he was pursuing Brie—but he did go as far as vouching for Brady about being the real hero. Sadly, she already made up her mind about her ex and wanted to give things with Mike a try, which is her prerogative, however, it doesn’t fully make sense to me. This is the second time this season someone is like “look, Brady, your man is a hero,” and she’s like, “that’s cool.” I wonder if the fact that everyone liked Mike, including her mom and her co-workers, while no one was in favor of Brady, lent itself to her decision.
As someone looking for safety and security, dating a man with such a dangerous job doesn’t provide any peace of mind. She also didn’t hold it against Mike for lying to her in the same way she held it against Brady. Neither of them was honest with her—for the same reasons—and yet things between her and Brady were beyond repair, even after everyone underscored just how much he risked to make things right and be with her. She vouched for him when everyone turned on him, and now that everyone was praising him, she couldn’t forgive the situation.
Brady is truly a hero—and quite frankly, deserves so much better than Brie. I’d like to say he did it all for her, but in reality, he did it for the town because he knew he was the only one with the ability to stop it—proving himself to Brie was just part of it.
I’m certain, however, that Brady will land on his feet, and hopefully, Lark will continue to be someone who recognizes the good that he’s doing. I shipped Brie and Brady for so long, I couldn’t see him with anyone else, but after she turned him away so quickly despite his near-death experience saying nothing changed for her, I’m questioning if she even really loved him at all. And now know that I’m Team Brady till the end, so I’m in full support of his relationship with Lark and Hazel. The way he agreed to go on the carnival rides with the little girl was truly too cute; the mother-daughter duo is a family that has been through hell and back and feels the safety that Brady provides, something Brie couldn’t recognize, and that doesn’t go unnoticed.
I also can’t shake this feeling that she’s going to want Brady back once he’s fully moved on with Lark and they’ve created a family together. Brie, don’t do this!
One thing that felt like it was just glossed over was the fact that Nick’s sister Melissa was in charge of the whole drug ring. I feel like news of that caliber would take the town by storm, yet it was briefly mentioned in passing by Nick, who apologized to Jack informing him that he didn’t know. It should’ve had more impact considering how small the town is and how everyone knows each other’s business.
Doc was informed that someone dropped out of the clinical trial to treat his macular degeneration, so he eagerly claimed a spot. It’s proactive to take a chance considering the end result regardless of the trial’s success is blindness. At least he’s fighting for the possibility of regaining his eyesight, and he’s doing it with Hope by his side. They remain the cutest, even if Hope was a little tough to stomach during some of her “firecracker” moments this season.
Muriel approached Doc informing him about her and Cameron’s feelings for each other, and as expected, he had nothing against it as long as they kept it cordial in the office. Keep your hands to yourself in front of the patients is all we ask, though out in the town, they clearly couldn’t resist each other—and Joe Ellen’s reaction was absolutely priceless. Between this new couple and the realization that Nick’s sister was a drug lord, Joe Ellen has plenty of “hot gos” for the sewing circle.
Pregnancy has been a huge theme throughout the season with Mel suffering a miscarriage and Ava learning that she needed to have a hysterectomy (which she decided to go through after freezing her eggs to ensure she can have kids when the time comes), but the last person I expected to announce her pregnancy was Lizzie. And yet, it makes so much sense and also creates just the right amount of drama in light of Denny’s revelation that maybe his grandma was right and he shouldn’t put his travel plans/med school on hold to stay in Virgin River.
Then again, he didn’t expect this turn of events, and I’m glad Lizzie history didn’t repeat itself and she told him regardless—unlike Rose to Doc—so he could make the decision for himself. If he chooses to leave town, Lizzie would have the full support of all the ladies in Virgin River, no doubt.
But having a child also guarantees Denny’s future, one he didn’t think he had before he met Lizzie. She has given him a renowned sense of purpose in every sense of the word, so I think that’ll sway him into sticking around. He could always get a degree nearby and join his grandfather’s practice, which would make things come full circle!
Also, Mel’s idea of starting a birthing center to help expectant mothers in the area is absolutely going to come in handy and makes Virgin River a prime destination ensuring a bright future for the practice. Doc filled it with great people who won’t let him down, and in the meantime, he can still do telehealth appointments, which, in this day and age, are crucial.
Speaking of pregnancy, Charmaine is STILLL PREGNANT. I fully thought she would go into labor in the final moments of the episode as she made her way to the car, but instead, she was confronted by the father of the twins…. Calvin! Yes, not only is he alive and came out of hiding after Mellissa was nabbed, but now he wants to be there for the boys. This was a soap opera-level twist that I didn’t see coming, nor did any of us actually need. I could’ve settled for the father of Charmaine’s children to just be some one-time hookup we never saw again. But alas, drama makes the world go round, and nothing will shock the townspeople more—particularly Jack—than the realization that Charmaine slept with the sworn enemy. Right about now, I’m truly wishing those boys could just claim Jack as their father for their own sake.
Did you see how great Jack was with the kids at the carnival? He was born to be a father, and now, he’s understanding that it’s something he really wants in life. Thankfully, Mel’s outlook on everything did a complete 180 after their hiking heart-to-heart, and not only did she realize that they can have their dream of being parents (upon letting go of the how and when), but also that the perfect opportunity presented itself for them to start building their dream family—restoring the farmhouse on Lilly’s land. Lilly would’ve wanted nothing more, and there’s no one more authentic to Virgin River than Jack, who will surely keep the land’s integrity intact. Plus, the show reminded us that this is where it all started, her whole love story with Jack, by the swing at Lilly’s, which somehow survived the fire. They saved each other and got to this moment together, and it feels right. With each passing episode, I love Jack and Mel more and more. Plus, it was a nice change of perspective after a darker period in their lives. In the face of immense loss—the air stream glamping business seized by the FBI for an unknown period of time—a new opportunity presented itself, proving that everything happens for a reason and no one should ever let themselves get too down about something.
And it looks like we have a wedding to plan, people! I’m just imaging the nuptials on Lilly’s former farm, and I have no doubt it’s going to be completely breathtaking.
But while some people definitely had some happier moments, Preacher went from being borderline broken-hearted by Kaia’s leave to Alaska to floating on cloud nine when she returned and informed him that she switched units so that she could stick around longer to once again watching his ever-after crash when she got a call that they found a body likely belonging to Wes, the man Preacher buried out of his love for Paige, in the fire wreckage. Nothing will send Kaia fleeing faster than learning that she’s dating a possible murderer (even if we know that’s not necessarily the case). How is Preacher going to find his way out of this one? How much pull does Mike have in this case?
And finally—leading into the two bonus holiday episodes—is a scene set four months after the Labor Day carnival. As Mel and Jack decorate their cabin in anticipation of Joey and her kids coming for their first Virgin River Christmas, Joey informs her sister that she found a stack of love letters between Mel’s mother and a mystery man in Virgin River who she believes is Mel’s father. Who could he be? There aren’t that many elderly males in Virgin River aside from Doc (and it would truly be next level if he had another secret child) and Nick, Bert, and Charlie. You’ve got to hand it to them, they sure know how to keep us on the edge of our seats and clamoring for more.
While I fully expect the holiday episodes to address some of the cliffhangers, they will likely be merry and full of joy (and insanely sweet moments with all the new romantic pairings established this season), which means that we have to wait until Virgin River Season 6 for clarity. As they say after a great vacation, take me back!
Personally, I found this to be the best season of Virgin River with thrilling plot developments, promising character and relationship growth, and plenty of gratifying and heartfelt moments with a dash of intense drama.
What did you think of Virgin River Season 5?