Virgin River: Is there a time jump?

Fans have a hefty wait in store for new episodes of Virgin River – but is there a time jump on the cards? Here’s what you need to know.

Ever since its first season, Virgin River has been stacked with juicy storylines that fans have gotten stuck into since 2019. Across five seasons, viewers have followed nurse practitioner Mel on her fresh start from her former life, bringing plenty of drama along for the ride.

By the end of 2023, the show wrapped up its fifth season with two final episodes, leaving the family dynamics on the ultimate cliffhanger – with even more twists and turns on the horizon.

With Virgin River so far following a chronological order, will there be a time jump in the future? Here’s everything you need to know.

Virgin River: Is there a time jump?

Though no solid storylines have been confirmed, it has been heavily suggested that upcoming episodes of Virgin River will feature a time jump.

Netflix

According to a report from EarlyBirdTimes, showrunner Patrick Sean Smith has hinted that a significant time jump will be hitting the fictional town sooner than we might think.

Smith suggests that a time jump element is planned in Season 6, but how it pans out will depend on audience reaction. Because of this, we don’t yet know how the jump will affect Virgin River, or just how much time will pass.

As always, Virgin River fans are full of thoughts and feelings over on Reddit, with many stating that the timeline is already confusing enough as it is.

“Since the start of this show, I have moved cities, changed jobs twice, had a cat die, and adopted a new cat and Chloe is still only like 9 months old. The supposed timeline is incomprehensible. It honestly makes it hard to watch!” one user wrote.

“Their episodes are on pace with the old daily soap operas that would air 5 times a week,” added another. “It’s just not going to work when you show 10 episodes every 12-18 mos. These actors are going to be in their 60s and still pregnant and engaged. I’m not sure what the show is thinking moving time this slow in episodes. I’m worried we’re going to get a very unsatisfying and abrupt ending when Netflix decides it’s done with this show. Will there even be weddings and babies before the show ends?!”

A third weighed in: “I explained this to my partner yesterday. So slow it’s insane. How old Chloe is is always the indicator of how much time has passed. So what, Brie and Brady dated for only a few months? And Jack and Mel were expecting and engaged after only being together for months? Hiding bodies, wildfires, pregnancy, multiple festivals, weed and lumbar operations, house building, baby abandoning, wildfires… whose life is this eventful in one year?”

If the time jump goes ahead, will it work with the complicated present timeline? Time, quite literally, will tell.