Time moves slowly in the pastoral Northern California town of Virgin River. However, despite its easy, small-town pace of life, the plot of the series is anything but. With five seasons behind it, Virgin River has plenty of standout episodes, from Mel and Jack’s relationship unfolding in the early seasons to major plot twists that have become synonymous with the series. The best of them highlight the strengths which have made the show such a hit.
10. “Talk to Me”
Season 4, Episode 8
In “Talk to Me,” Mel (Alexandra Breckenrdige) met with Nate (Dan Payne) and apologized for getting involved in his relationship with Joey (Jenny Cooper), and Mel decided to surprise Joey by planning a wedding for her and Nate. At the same time, Mel was concerned about Jack’s (Martin Henderson) drinking and confronted him about it, and he promised to stop, a promise he ultimately didn’t keep. Meanwhile, Denny (Kai Bradbury) finds various documents in Doc’s (Tim Matheson) room, including tax returns, and snaps photos of them.
9. “Blown Away”
Season 2, Episode 10
Mel seeks more information about Spencer’s (Chad Rook) death from Brady (Ben Hollingsworth) in the season two finale “Blown Away,” while she and Jack confess their love for each other and decide to officially be in a relationship. Doc and Hope (Annette O’Toole) decide to renew their vows, and Preacher (Colin Lawrence) decides to stay in Virgin River after being offered a job in San Francisco and initially accepting it. The episode also addressed the aftermath of Paige’s (Michelle Logan) departure.
8. “Unexpected Endings”
Season 1, Episode 10
In the Season 1 finale, “Unexpected Endings,” Charmaine (Lauren Hammersley) and Jack had a conversation about her pregnancy, and Hope accidentally shared the news with more than one person, most notably Mel before Jack was able to tell her himself. Mel also discovered that Doc had added her name to the practice. Meanwhile, Paige opened up to Preacher about her past and revealed she and her son had moved to Virgin River after fleeing her abusive ex.
“Unexpected Endings” was a solid ending to Virgin River’s first season and a great setup for what came next. The episode was a good look at Jack’s integrity, as he promised to support Charmaine, but her pregnancy still complicated his new — and seemingly inevitable — relationship with Mel. And while Hope continued to cause trouble for Virgin River, especially Mel, Jack and Charmaine, even if it was accidental, Mel and Doc’s relationship improved as she was officially welcomed into his practice.
7. “Everybody Has a Secret”
Season 1, Episode 9
As season one built towards its conclusion, things only got more dramatic, from relationships to harrowing medical scenarios to characters’ pasts catching up with them. Mel and Doc had a much-needed conversation about their working relationship, and despite their differences and conflicts, they proved they could work well together for the sake of their patients. Meanwhile, Hope, already with a reputation for meddling, only made it worse as she ended up in the middle of Jack and Charmaine’s relationship.
6. “Father Christmas”
Season 5, Episode 12
“Father Christmas” was a fitting holiday episode, with equal parts small-town holiday charm and surprising twists. Mel and Jack’s first Christmas together was a memorable one, in a way only possible in Virgin River. One of the episode’s sweetest moments came as Mel asked Doc to walk her down the aisle when she and Jack eventually get married, a sweet reminder of how far they had come since Mel’s tumultuous early days working with him.
5. “Trial by Fire”
Season 5, Episode 5
In “Trial by Fire,” the situation became more dire as wildfires crept closer and threatened Virgin River, and its citizens banded together to do whatever they could to protect the town, all while tensions ran high. Meanwhile, Brie (Zibby Allen) had a difficult day in court as she pressed charges against an ex for raping her, and Mel, suspicious that something was wrong, gave herself a sonogram and discovered she was experiencing a miscarriage.
4. “Heroes Rise”
Season 5, Episode 6
The wildfires move closer in “Heroes Rise,” and the town gathers at Jack’s bar to seek shelter and wait for updates. Hope proposed a bold plan to protect the town using water planes, then later organized an evacuation when the fire jumped the river. Mel and Jack rescue Ava (Libby Osler) and baby Chloe from a burning home, and after struggling to perform a procedure, Doc admits to Cameron that he was slowly losing his eyesight because of macular degeneration.
“Heroes Rise” was one of the best episodes of Season 5, as well as Virgin River as a whole, especially for the series’ numerous characters. The wildfire plot gave almost every character their chance to stand out, making the episode’s title an especially fitting one, and many of them made selfless decisions which put their own lives in danger in order to save someone else. And great moments from the show’s characters also meant impressive performances from its cast.
3. “Into the Light”
Season 1, Episode 8
“Into the Light” was a great episode about community, with everyone coming together to pass the time without power but also take care of each other. It was also a powerful episode about Mel’s past and her grief. The scenes depicting her husband’s injuries and death were heartbreaking, and it was understandable that the storm dredged up painful memories and that she was hesitant to pursue a relationship with Jack.
2. “…and Found”
Season 1, Episode 3
“…and Found” picked up immediately where the previous episode left off, with Chloe discovering that Lilly (Lynda Boyd) was the mother of baby Chloe, who had been abandoned at Doc’s practice in the series premiere. Mel considered serving as Chloe’s foster mother while struggling with her grief at the same time. Flashbacks showed her experience with stillbirth, and she ultimately opened to Lily about the experience and her grief. Meanwhile, Jack tries to convince Mel to stay in town.
Tension between Doc and Mel only increased in “…and Found,” with him frustrated with her for notifying social services of Chloe’s abandonment and determined to continue to do things his way, and by extension, Hope was frustrated with Doc for being so difficult. Despite their fighting, Doc and Hope were entertaining to watch. But the most compelling parts of the episode were those dealing with Mel’s past, finally revealing the extent of her loss.
1. “The Long Goodbye”
Season 4, Episode 12
Mel accepted Jack’s proposal in season four finale “The Long Goodbye,” and they got the results of their paternity test, confirming Jack was the father of Mel’s baby. Meanwhile, Lizzie organized a sendoff for Ricky (Grayson Gurnsey) and spoke to Denny about his secret. Cameron (Mark Ghanime) resigns and Doc pressures Hope into hiring an aide to help her at home. Charmaine admitted Jack wasn’t the father of the twins she was pregnant with.
