Virgin River spinoff has fans wishing for a different prequel

Virgin River is getting a spinoff on Netflix, but fans wish the prequel series would focus on different characters. 

Season 5 of the soapy series, based on Robyn Carr’s novels of the same name, ended on an almighty cliffhanger involving the discovery of Mel’s biological father. 

Not only will this be explored further in Season 6 – which just started filming – but it’s been announced that this will play a major role in an upcoming spinoff series. 

The news was shared this week, and while fans are excited the Virgin River world is set to expand, they wish it would focus on different characters. 

Virgin River spinoff has fans wishing for a different prequel

Deadline reported this week that a prequel spinoff series in the works, centering on the origin story of Mel’s father Everett and her late mother Sarah – but some fans wish it would focus on the origin of Virgin River, starting with Hope’s arrival. 

Taking to Reddit when the news was announced, one wrote: “Supposedly, part of Season 6 will have flashbacks to Sarah (Mel’s mom) and Everett Reid. It will explore who Everett is, his backstory, and his connection to VR back when he met Sarah and today. 

“I think that would be sufficient and an entire prequel would not be necessary. New actors would be cast for these roles and the showrunner Patrick Sean Smith is writing this prequel, in development stage.

“I would much prefer an origin story that featured the beginnings of VR itself. Take it from the time Hope arrives and builds the town to when Doc arrives to start his practice. Show us Lilly and Buck falling in love and starting their family on the farm. 

“I want to see Connie come to run the general store. There’s Lydie moving to VR, her daughter (Ricky’s mom), and advising JoEllen to move there as well, where she meets Nick. Include Charlie, the AG pilot, and his attempts to woo Hope between husbands. 

“It could conclude with Jack, Preacher, and Brady arriving in VR for the first time and Jack’s decision to build the bar.”

Others are on board with the Netflix spinoff idea so long as additional Virgin River characters’ backstories are incorporated into the spinoff. “I’ll watch if we get to see Hope and Doc’s love story and also Hope’s loser exes,” wrote one. 

Another said: “So now this really has started to intrigue me. If they want this prequel to go more than one season, the story has to really be expanded. 

“What if Everett and Sarah knew each other for longer than we’ve been led to believe? What if they were friends or lovers but broke up, Everett moved to VR and Sarah married her husband (btw, have we ever heard his name mentioned other than ‘father’ and ‘husband’?). 

“And then when Sarah’s marriage hit a bad patch when Chloe died, she sought out Everett again, only to return home to her husband and Joey after becoming pregnant with Mel. And did this relationship end then or continue in secret until Sarah’s death? Of course, this could all play out with younger Hope, Doc, etc., in the background.”

We’ll have to wait and see how the development of the series pans out – until then, be sure to check in for updates on Virgin River Season 6 here.