As popular romance Virgin River starts filming season 6 in British Columbia, news broke of a potential Netflix prequel series about Mel’s parents via Deadline: Hollywood.
Before Mel (Alexandra Breckenridge) and Jack (Martin Henderson)’s sweeping Virgin River romance, Mel’s late mother Sarah too fell in love with a man from the picturesque Northern California town, Everett, who was revealed in the recent Virgin River Christmas special as Mel’s biological father.
Season 5 started with Mel and Jack in a good place — engaged and expecting a baby. But after helping the town fight a wildfire, .Mel suffered a miscarriage. It took time to recover but by the end of the season Mel and Jack are back in a good place and planning to build a new home on the ashes of Lily’s farm. They spent Christmas looking for and finding her biological father Everett Reid (John Allen Nelson).
“You look so much like your mom. Seeing you just broke my heart all over again. I didn’t know what to say . . . I am your father. And I’m here now.”
Season 5 ended with an Everett cliffhanger: “I’ve got something important I need to tell you.”
It’s “definitely a bit of a bombshell [and it’s] something that informs a lot of what’s happening in Season 6.” — showrunner Patrick Sean Smith to Decider.
Season 6 will tease the origin story of Mel’s parents, with flashbacks’ of the young Sarah and Everett. Casting is underway to play the young duo as guest stars and then as leads if the potential spinoff series goes forward, reports Deadline: Hollywood.
Virgin River Season 6:
Episodes: 10.
Working title: Sea to Sea.
BC filming dates: February 21 2024 – May 30 2024. (See Production List).
Series developed by Sue Tenney.
Showrunner: Patrick Sean Smith.
Cast:: Alexandra Breckenridge, Martin Henderson, Tim Matheson, Annette O’Toole, Colin Lawrence, Benjamin Hollingsworth, Zibby Allen, Sarah Dugdale, Marco Grazzini, Mark Ghanime ,Lauren Hammersley, Kai Bradbury, Kandyse McClure.
Others: Teryl Rothery, Nicola Cavendish, Gwynyth Walsh, Christina Jastrzembska, Jenny Cooper, Lucia Walters, Steve Bacic, Libby Osler, Keith MacKechnie, Barbara Pollard, Trevor Lerner, Ellie Harvie, Darcy Laurie, Sandy Robson, Lexa Doig, Chase Petriw, Emma Oliver, Michelle Addison, Miranda Edwards, David Cubitt, Dan Payne, Tom Butler, Gabrielle Rose, John Allen Nelson.
Regular BC filming locations:
Jack’s Bar is played by The Watershed Grill in Brackendale near Squamish, with interiors filmed in studio.
Mel’s cabin is played by the 70-year-old McCrea cabin in North Vancouver’s Murdo Frazer Park, with interiors filmed in studio.
Mel and Jack plan to build a new home on Lilly’s farm in season 6. Will there be a new regular set?
Vernon’s Clinc is played by a 134-year-old Queen Anne house at 122 First Street in New Westminster, with interiors filmed in studio.
Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos visited the clinic set in studio in the Fall of 2022.
