Viewers have complained that they are being turned off the show because of it focusing on few of its characters
Some Virgin River fans have slammed the show for being too different from the book and having exhausting storylines.
The Netflix romantic drama focusses on a nurse named Mel Munro and his relationship with Jack Sheridan in the idyllic town of Virgin River, California. For the most part, the show focuses on Jack, whereas the books have multiple storylines and look more at the lives of other characters. Some characters in the show are drastically different from their book counterparts, and some storylines from the are given to different characters in the show.
Some Reddit users say the book has ”strayed too far from the book’.’ They have also slammed its storylines which they describe as ”’exhaustive”.
Hitting out at the show for delving too much into Jack’s storyline, one person said: ”They strayed too far from the book concepts to keep it fresh and interesting, imo. The books worked, because we focused on one character, they found their Virgin River match and had their story, and then they became background characters. Then a new character came, they found their Virgin River match and had their story, and then they became background characters.”
They added: ”We’ve spent so many seasons on so little time and all on Mel’s story with unresolved stories in the background as a result. We could have had Preacher/Paige wrapped in season two if it focused on them, and then it wouldn’t have mattered as much if the Paige actress wasn’t available, she’d just be ‘in the background.’ Same for Brie, same for whatever they’re doing with Brady. It’s gone soooo far from cosy softporn novel to full-on soap opera, and while I’m still invested and here for it, it’s not with my Virgin River heart. It’s with my Riverdale heart.”
Another person fumed: ”Jack and Mel seem to be the main characters they choose to feature. The problem is, once a couple gets their happily ever after, it is challenging to keep interest up. I think most all of the characters are interesting but don’t see anyone else as carrying that main couple role. Preacher and Paige I would have liked to see work out.”
A third criticized the show for having too many storylines. They wrote: ”Still on Season 5 – the chaotic six-fold overlapping dramas and story lines are exhausting.”
A fourth agreed, saying: ”I don’t get why they strayed from the book so much. There are 20+ books in the series with endless amounts of ways to create stories and the books do it so well. There are so many plots in the series on TV that are from the books but are from different characters in the books and put into characters in the show and it makes the show so overly dramatic like a soap opera. Even some of the plot lines from the books were put in the show, but through different characters (like the Charmaine baby drama saga happened but with a completely different set of characters).”
A prequel to show is reportedly in development and is set to tell the story of main character Mel Monroe’s parents Everett and Sarah. Fans have already seen the characters teased on the original series in season six, and fans are now eagerly awaiting a spin-off.
Showrunner Patrick Sean Smith reassured fans that the prequel will stay true to the original series by being “romance-forward” and “character-based,” tackling Sarah and Everett’s saga along with touching upon the era’s cultural and social challenges.
As Patrick told Variety, “We wanted to dissect more of Everett and Sarah’s relationship, not just their romance but also the origins of Virgin River itself in the 1970s.”
Season six showed Mel attempting to connect with her biological father, Everett, after revelations about her mother’s affair, offering glimpses of a younger version of her parents through flashbacks set in the 60s.
