Since she began publishing romance novels in 1980, Carr has written over 28 standalone romance novels, a trilogy of Grace Valley books, the 22-book Virgin River series, the five-book Sullivan’s Crossing series, and a non-fiction guide to writing. However, even with all these titles under her belt, she might be surprised by her TV success.
Carr’s first TV adaptation, Virgin River, has lasted seven seasons on Netflix, while her second adaptation, Sullivan’s Crossing, was recently renewed for a fourth season. As if Sullivan’s Crossing season 4 wasn’t enough evidence of her work’s popularity among audiences, the first two seasons of the CW series have also reached top 10 positions in Netflix’s most-watched streaming charts.
As such, it is perfect timing for another show by the iconic author. Carr would be a fool not to strike while the iron is hot, and that’s exactly what the author did by pairing up with showrunner Roma Roth to develop an adaptation of her Thunder Point book series.
Thunder Point Comes From The Creators of Sullivan’s Crossing
The Romantic Drama Will Be Developed By Sullivan’s Crossing Showrunner Roma Roth
For one thing, Thunder Point focuses on a male protagonist instead of a female one, which marks a departure from the setup that made Virgin River and Sullivan’s Crossing so successful. As Sullivan’s Crossing’s many love triangles prove, the show is almost overburdened with male supporting characters. However, its protagonist is Morgan Kohan’s Maggie.
Similarly, while Virgin River centers on both Mel and Jack in its later seasons, the show begins with Mel moving to the eponymous small town, and she is undeniably still the POV character for the series. This has worked out well for both shows, although one could argue that Sullivan’s Crossing would benefit from spending less time with Maggie.
If the show spent more time working out what makes her love interest, Chad Michael Murray’s Cal, tick, then viewers might have an easier time believing in its central pairing. As is, Sullivan’s Crossing introduced Cal’s late wife via flashbacks, but the rest of his backstory is only thinly sketched, while every minor issue that Maggie faces earns an episode of focus.
When Hank Cooper visits Thunder Point for the funeral of a friend, he finds out he has inherited a property in the town that is central to a heated feud between the locals.
This won’t be the case with Thunder Point, as Carr’s third show will squarely center a male lead in an intriguing change to her winning formula. When Hank Cooper visits Thunder Point for the funeral of a friend, he finds out he has inherited a property in the town that is central to a heated feud between the locals.
Thunder Point Brings Together The Best Parts of Sullivan’s Crossing and Virgin River
The Story Is A Classic Robyn Carr Setup
As proven by that brief outline, Thunder Point has all the best parts of the Carr formula, but also has an opportunity to avoid the issues that both shows now face. Virgin River has received criticism for its low-stakes story and lack of action, while Sullivan’s Crossing faces the opposite problem as of season 3’s finale.
When Maggie’s secret husband appeared in Sullivan’s Crossing season 3’s ending, it became clear that the CW show was one step removed from becoming a full-blown soap opera. For viewers who tuned in to see a more grounded brand of small-town storytelling, the melodrama of this twist wasn’t entirely welcome.
Although the characters are new, this doesn’t mean that the upcoming series boasts no connection to Carr’s earlier shows.
What We Know About The Thunder Point Series So Far
The New Series Takes Place In The Netflix Hit’s Fictional Universe
Hank Cooper is first mentioned in Virgin River book 17, Sunrise Point, meaning Thunder Point is technically part of the same fictional universe as Virgin River. Since this connection is so tenuous, viewers shouldn’t be shocked if the two shows never cross over. However, Virgin River’s success might make this more likely.
Since Sullivan’s Crossing topped the Netflix charts, and Virgin River has been a solid performer on the streaming service for years, it is very possible that Thunder Point could borrow some settings, stars, or other elements from earlier Carr shows to link the projects together. However, even if this doesn’t happen, viewers still have plenty to look forward to in the series.
A new Carr show was always going to be good news, but this one has all the ingredients to be a major hit.
Virgin River’s success was unexpected, making Sullivan’s Crossing a more heavily hyped sophomore series for Carr. However, the first two seasons of Roth’s adaptation were met with fan adulation and, while Sullivan’s Crossing season 3 had its issues, its success on Netflix is hard to argue with.
As such, the news that Thunder Point will reunite the creator of Sullivan’s Crossing with the author of all three series is great for fans of Carr’s work. Whether viewers prefer Sullivan’s Crossing or Virgin River, the arrival of Thunder Point will be a majorly exciting TV moment in the near future.
