15 things to remember before watching Virgin River Season 6

The phrase “too many cooks spoil the broth” clearly doesn’t apply to the drama in this small town. But can you remember it all before watching Virgin River Season 6?

With an eccentric ensemble cast, there’s a lot to remember when watching Virgin River. Season 6 is helping us out by giving us one key storyline that overshadows them all: Mel and Jack’s wedding. 

If you’ve seen any of the marketing for the upcoming season, you’ll know our bride and groom are leading the narrative charge. But this is Virgin River! There are about a million ongoing plotlines you need to be well-versed in.

To save you the memory strain, we’ve compiled a list of the 15 things you absolutely need to know before watching any new Virgin River Season 6 episodes. 

1. Mel has been married once before

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Mel and Jack are getting married in new episodes, but this isn’t the first time she’s been down the aisle. Before Virgin River even started, she was married to a guy called Mark – though we only ever see him through flashbacks.

Mark died following a car crash after Mel told him she wanted to take a break from their marriage. After struggling with IVF, Mark said he no longer wanted to try, which Mel took badly. She’s lived with the loss ever since, prompting her move to Virgin River. 

2. She’s been engaged to Jack since Season 4

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Ever since she arrived on the scene, she’s had eyes for Jack. He was initially dating Charmaine in Season 1, but by Season 4 their relationship was solid enough for Jack to pop the question.

If you’re wondering why there’s a hefty delay on the actual nuptials, cast your mind back to Season 5. Mel fell pregnant for a second time but suffered another miscarriage. There’s also the revelation of Mel finally meeting her biological father for good measure. 

3. They’ve struggled to have children

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Google anything to do with Virgin River and you’ll be sure to find “Will Mel and Jack become parents?” in the search. From the original book series you’d guess yes, given that they go on to have two children fairly quickly.

In the TV series, it’s not quite that simple. Mel is clouded by fertility issues, which extends into her relationship with Jack. After their miscarriage in Season 4, they’ve put starting a family on the back burner. 

4. Everett is Mel’s biological father

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Season 5 Part 2 ended with the bombshell cliffhanger that Everett is Mel’s biological father, not the man she grew up believing was. He has something he needs to tell her… except we’re still waiting to find out what that is.

We don’t know much about him yet, but Everett’s past is set to be explored through flashbacks to 1972, when he first met Mel’s mom, Sarah. 

5. Everett isn’t Joey’s father

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As you might have guessed, this unexpected family reunion doesn’t include Mel’s sister Joey, who now has a different father. But will the discovery drive a wedge between the two?

Nothing is confirmed at this stage, but Joey will most likely be returning to the small town for Mel’s wedding – meaning she’ll be meeting Everett face to face. 

6. Preacher is on trial for murder

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Remember Paige? She left the series with son Christopher after escaping her abusive ex-husband, Wes. After enduring years of abuse from him, their final meeting ended with Wes’ death, which was an accident. Paige called on Preacher to help her out, who buried Wes’ body in the woods.

However, it wasn’t long before the police found it, tracing the trail right back to Preacher. In order for Paige to be protected, he’s taking the hit – which now means he could be sentenced to life in prison if he’s found guilty of first-degree murder. 

7. Muriel and Cameron are split on one issue 

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Another Season 5 bombshell that shocked us all was the unexpected romance between Muriel and Cameron. They met working at Doc’s clinic, but there’s a 15-year age gap between them. All seems to be going well, but there’s one issue that could break them up in Season 6.

Cameron is dead set on wanting a family, while Muriel has absolutely no interest in starting one. They’ve had a few conversations up until this point, but so far have been able to work through it.

8. Brady’s girlfriend Lark is plotting something

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Many Virgin River fans want Brie and Brady together, but boy-done-good Brady has turned his life around straight into the arms of Lark. However, we know the father of her daughter Hazel is Jimmy, who is currently banged up in prison.

Brady played a key part in taking down Melissa’s crime ring, with Jimmy’s prison sentence collateral. He wants revenge on Brady, and Lark is set to play a huge part in that. We see them on the phone in the final Season 5 scene, with Lark confirming Brady “doesn’t suspect a thing.”

9. Doc’s eyesight is a big concern

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After almost 30 years of running the clinic, Doc isn’t quite what he used to be. He’s much more open to accepting help in the form of Mel and Cameron, but now his eyesight is potentially on the line.

In fact, it’s such a concern that he’s set to undertake medical trials to see if his wet age-related macular degeneration can be improved. Given what we’ve seen in the Season 6 trailer (and what showrunner Patrick Sean Smith has let slip), all should end up well. 

10. Brie is with Mike, but still has feelings for Brady

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You might remember Season 5 saw Brie dump Brady after lying to protect her. As a result, she’s ended up with cop Mike, who just also happens to be a former Marine that Brady is friends with.

It appears that their relationship is going well, but it’s clear there’s still unspoken feelings between Brie and Brady. In fact, if you look at the cast poster for Season 6, you’ll see Brady is looking right at Brie. They’ve been on-off again for so long that it’s a confident bet to assume we’ll see more in new episodes. 

11. Ricky left to join the Marines

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After splitting from high school sweetheart Lizzie, Ricky has officially left Virgin River to enlist in the Marines. Jack was the person who helped him through the process and inspired him to go, while grandmother Lydie doesn’t know what to do with herself.

Thanks to first looks at the series, we know Ricky has left a boy and will return a man in Season 6. We don’t know what his storyline is or how long he’ll be in town for, but he’s incredibly likely to be reunited with Lizzie. 

12. Lizzie told Denny she’s pregnant 

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Meanwhile, Lizzie has issues of her own. At the end of Season 5, we saw her tell Denny – who just happens to be Doc’s grandson – that she’s pregnant. Now, the two are preparing for life as parents, which will have to factor in Denny’s Huntington’s disease.

Season 6 images revealed that Lizzie is really showing, suggesting she is at the end of her pregnancy rather than still at the beginning. 

13. Yes, Charmaine has had the twins

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From one pregnancy to another – the show’s longest-running pregnancy officially came to an end in Season 5 Part 2, when Charmaine had her twins. It was first announced she was pregnant at the end of Season 1, so we almost can’t imagine what she looks like without a bump.

14. Calvin is their father (and alive)

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In an absolutely shock twist, Calvin was revealed to be the father – and he’s not actually dead. He was found alive in Season 5 Episode 10, approaching Charmaine and revealing the truth that absolutely none of us saw coming.

However, it still feels as though Charmaine is going parenthood alone… Calvin is a wanted man, after all. Being involved in the town’s nefarious crime ring drove him to fake his own death, so it’s safe to assume there are still targets on his back.

15. Hope has suspected Alzheimer’s

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After a traumatic head injury, Hope has suffered significant memory loss since Season 4. It’s also heavily implied that this is actually first-stage Alzheimer’s, though this hasn’t been explicitly confirmed.

However, it’s likely to have a huge impact on Mel and Jack’s wedding. As mayor, Hope will be taking a big role in the organization, but she’s also officiating the ceremony.

Virgin River Season 6 arrives on Netflix on December 19. In the meantime, check out other Season 6 storylines, what we know about the time jump, and more similar shows to watch while you wait.