Why Virgin River Is A Huge Hit But This 3-Season Show Isn’t As Big – Even Though They’re Adaptations Of The Same Author

Virgin River is Netflix’s longest-running original show and an enormous hit for the streamer, having developed a devoted following over six seasons (and with Virgin River season 7 currently in production). Part of that dedicated fanbase is thanks to the fact that so many were fans of Robyn Carr’s original book series of the same name. That’s exactly why it’s so surprising that the second series adapted from Robyn Carr’s books, Sullivan’s Crossing, doesn’t appear to have the same buzz as Virgin River, even though they have incredibly similar premises.

Both shows feature female protagonists (Maggie in Sullivan’s Crossing and Mel in Virgin River) who leave their intense jobs in the medical profession and move to rural small towns, where they each meet a rugged love interest with his own tragic background (Cal in Sullivan’s Crossing and Jack in Virgin River). While there are definitely differences between the two shows, Carr is known for recycling the same plots and characters in her books, so one might expect Sullivan’s Crossing to be the same runaway success as Virgin River. Thus far, though, it’s not quite achieved those heights, and there are a few reasons why that might be.

Sullivan’s Crossing Is Still Considered A Success – But It’s Less Stable Than Virgin River
Its Season 3 Ratings Have Dropped

I don’t want to paint an inaccurate picture, so I have to be clear that Sullivan’s Crossing has been a success. As a joint production between the Canadian CTV and the U.S. CW, it’s been a bona fide hit for CTV and a slightly more modest success for CW. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been renewed for season 3. It also helps that, as a joint production, neither CTV nor CW has to cover the full production cost of a TV series that is already budget-friendly, thanks to a cast whose biggest star is Chad Michael Murray and not requiring any elaborate set pieces for its on-location shoots. Virgin River is similar in that regard, making it a more cost-effective show for Netflix.

Yet, Sullivan’s Crossing hasn’t yet hit the heights of Virgin River, which, for a while in its fifth season, topped Netflix as its #1 show, a feat Sullivan’s Crossing has yet to achieve for CW. While Virgin River is going strong into season 7, there are signs of trouble for the currently airing Sullivan’s Crossing season 3, leading fans to question whether we’ll see a Sullivan’s Crossing season 4.

Of course, we can’t accurately say that Sullivan’s Crossing’s third season will be less successful until it’s finished, analytics and ratings site TV Series Finale shows that, thus far, Sullivan’s Crossing season 3 is averaging an .043 rating in the coveted 18-45 demographic and .419 million viewers, a drop of -19.75% and -4.98% since last season, respectively. Comparing Netflix’s in-house “just trust us, it’s accurate” data to CW’s Nielsen ratings is comparing apples to oranges, but Netflix doesn’t factor into that season 3 drop. While there’s still plenty of time for Sullivan’s Crossing to turn it around, it’s not trending in the right direction.

Netflix’s Binge Model & The CW’s Weekly Release Model Are Very Different
Modern Audiences Are Accustomed To The Binge

There’s something to be said about the fact that, by virtue of being a Netflix show, seasons of Virgin River drop all at once, and that, being a CW show, seasons of Sullivan’s Crossing are spread out on a weekly basis. That’s not to say that one model is better than another, but it’s hard to argue that, in our content-consuming, fast-paced modern era, many viewers have grown accustomed to the instant gratification of the binge model pioneered by Netflix. It requires a lot less commitment (and remembering to tune in) to watch a show over the course of a weekend than it does to remember to make time for and watch a series every week.

It’s hard to argue that, in our content-consuming, fast-paced modern era, many viewers have grown accustomed to the instant gratification of the binge model pioneered by Netflix.

There’s also something to be said for the fact that streaming platforms largely dominate the romance show space. There are very, very few romantic dramas on network, and even cable TV these days, and the flagship in that genre, Starz’ Outlander, is set to come to an end this year with season 8. After being so dominated and defined by supernatural and superhero shows and interconnected universes for so long, the CW may not be someone’s first thought when wondering where to find a romantic drama.

That Maggie & Cal Lack Chemistry Is A Common Complaint From Sullivan’s Crossing Viewers
Their Slow-Burn Storyline Grew Repetitive

Unfortunately, when audiences don’t buy into the central romance of a romantic drama, it’s a problem. Part of the drop for Sullivan’s Crossing season 3 could be attributed to exactly that. While it’s certainly not a universal sentiment among Sullivan’s Crossing viewers, there’s no denying that a vocal part of the base feels Maggie Sullivan (Morgan Kohan) and Cal Jones (Chad Michael Murray), the central couple of the series, lack believable chemistry.

Some of that is down to the central complaint that, for the first two seasons, many found Maggie annoying as a character; closed-off, emotionally immature, and wishy-washy when it came to her feelings. It also didn’t help that Maggie going back to her ex, Andrew (Allan Hawco), despite him so clearly being wrong for her, was a repetitive cycle that played out for far too long.

Maggie finally stopped being so self-centered and indecisive, and she and Cal finally got together at the very end of Sullivan’s Crossing season 2. Now that that romantic tension is gone, it could be why viewers have dipped this season; anyone watching simply until they got together now has no compelling reason to continue. That’s the risk of a romantic storyline, after all. A romance can’t stay in a holding pattern forever, but once the will-they/won’t-they dynamic is gone, some viewers will bounce.

Virgin River Offers More Characters For Audiences To Care About Than Sullivan’s Crossing
No One Story Or Couple Has To Carry The Show

It’s that singular focus that may have set Sullivan’s Crossing season 3 up to fail. Virgin River has more storylines and characters than Sullivan’s Crossing, while the focal couple is still Mel (Alexandra Breckinridge) and Jack (Martin Henderson). Not all characters in Virgin River are equally loved, though – it definitely includes its own characters that audiences hate, chief among them Lizzie (Sarah Dugdale). However, the benefit of having a show with its focus and storylines more spread out is that if there’s a character or storyline that audiences don’t care for, the entire show won’t live or die by how they’re perceived.

Conversely, Sullivan’s Crossing focused so much on Maggie and Cal’s romance in the first two seasons that the other characters and potential romantic pairings weren’t given much development. Now that Maggie and Cal are officially a couple, Sullivan’s Crossing season 3 has tried to shift its focus to other relationships and new romantic interests, and audiences just aren’t as interested – at least, not if social media comments and Reddit posts are anything to go by. Unlike some other genres, audiences absolutely must care about the characters in a romantic drama for it to succeed.

Unlike some other genres, audiences absolutely must care about the characters in a romantic drama for it to succeed.

That’s not to say there isn’t time to turn it around for Sullivan’s Crossing so it can become the same smash hit as Virgin River. The season is only halfway through on CTV, and in the U.S. we’re only up to Sullivan’s Crossing season 3, episode 3 on the CW, and all the ingredients are there. If the other characters have more time to breathe, audiences can find new storylines to get reinvested in, and ones they might care about even more than Maggie and Cal. Still, if Sullivan’s Crossing season 4 does happen, it may want to look at its fellow Robyn Carr adaptation for tips on longevity.