Virgin River Season 5: Release date, trailer, cast & plot
NetflixWe’re days away from Virgin River Season 5 dropping on Netflix – so, here’s everything we know, including its release date, trailer, cast, plot, and more.
Virgin River, created by Sue Tenney, first premiered on Netflix in 2019. Based on Robyn Carr’s series of novels, the show follows a nurse who moves to Virgin River, a quiet, small town in North California.
While the show has always received positive reviews, what’s more jaw-dropping is its viewership: in 2022, it amassed 13.6 billion minutes viewed, ranking at number six on Nielsen’s streaming ranking.
So, here’s everything we know about Virgin River Season 5 so far, including any release date information, cast, plot, and more.
Is there a Virgin River Season 5 release date?
Virgin River Season 5 premiered on Netflix on September 7, 2023. Additionally, the series is also getting a Christmas special on November 30.
Season 5 was initially given an order of 12 total episodes, however only 10 episodes will be dropping on September 7, as the last two will be released as part of the Christmas special in November.
Season 5 was confirmed in 2021, when Netflix renewed the series for its fourth and fifth seasons. However, last year, it was announced that Patrick Sean Smith would be replacing Sue Tenney as showrunner.
He told TV Line: “Sue had moved on to other projects, and I’d worked with Netflix on Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings so we had a pre-existing relationship.
“I was already a fan, and I was super excited when they came to me with the possibility. The cast cares so much about the show and the fans, and they want to put on the best show possible. I think they’ve done that for the past four seasons, so it just makes it easier for me to pick up the ball and keep running into Season 5 and beyond.”
Filming kicked off in July 2022, having been delayed for four months. Production wrapped in November, as confirmed by the show’s Instagram page.
Virgin River Season 5 cast: Who’s in it?
The Virgin River Season 5 cast includes:
- Alexandra Breckenridge as Mel Monroe
- Martin Henderson as Jack Sheridan
- Annette O’Toole as Hope McCrea
- Tim Matheson as Dr. Vernon Mullins
- Benjamin Hollingsworth as Dan Brady
- Zibby Allen as Brie Sheridan
- Gwynyth Walsh as Jo Ellen
- Colin Lawrence as John ‘Preacher’ Middleton
- Sarah Dugdale as Lizzie
- Jenny Cooper as Joey Barnes
- Nicola Cavendish as Connie
- Chase Petriw as Christopher
- Kai Bradbury as Denny Cutler
- Mark Ghanime as Dr. Cameron Hayek
- Marco Grazzini as Mike Valenzuela
- Teryl Rothery as Muriel
- Steve Bacic as Vince
- Christina Jastrzembska as Lydie
- Trevor Lerner as Bert Gordon
- Lucia Walters as Julia
- Keith MacKechnie as Nick
- Emma Oliver as young Mel
Season 5 will also include some new characters, one of which will be played by Kandyse McClure.
“There’s some new characters coming to Virgin River this season that will mix things up a bit,” said writer and executive producer Richard Keith to Tudum (via Comic Book).
In an interview with Glamour, Martin Henderson said Season 5 is the best one yet. “I didn’t sleep a wink last night. I’ve been an actor for 34 years, and it doesn’t even matter,” he said.
“This is Season 5 of a show that’s clearly working, yet there’s some part of my mind that is filled with doubt that I don’t know if I’m going to be able to do it. But I think I looked appropriately sad at the right moments and appropriately happy at the others. So yeah, I think I’ve still got my job.
“Season 5 is great, by the way. It’s the best season yet. I’m amazing in it.”
Virgin River Season 5 plot: What’s it about?
Netflix’s Tudum site states that Season 5 will feature “surprising new relationships, a shocking break-up, a difficult court trial, a heartbreaking goodbye, and a wildfire that threatens the town, bringing some residents of Virgin River together while tearing others apart.”
Actor Alexandra Breckenridge told New Beauty: “I think this season has started out well and we’re getting into a few episodes soon that are pretty heavy. They’re really intense and I think that they’re some of the best episodes we’ve ever done. I never say that either!
“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.”
Annette O’Toole also told Hello: “There is a big thing that happens right in the middle of the season that brings the community together in a very big way and it’s a kind of timely topic that’s happening in our country and I’m really glad that they’re going there.”
One thing is certain: there’s no shortage of stories in Virgin River, with 24 books in the series to take inspiration from.
Jinny Howe, head of drama at Netflix, told Deadline: “We’re paying very close attention, understanding that this is a really rich universe of characters and that people can’t seem to get enough, myself included.
“So I think as long as that continues to be the case – which we’re very hopeful for – you can rest assured that there will be more Virgin River.”
Is there a Virgin River Season 5 trailer?
Yes, you can check out the trailer for Virgin River Season 5 below:
That’s everything we know about Virgin River Season 5 right now. In the meantime, check out our breakdown of the show’s cast and its filming locations.
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