Next season, Mel and Jack will continue their dramatic quest to become parents.
The release date for the long-awaited sixth season of Virgin River remains unknown,
but it clearly won’t be anytime soon, despite the fact that filming has already wrapped.
Nevertheless, fan interest in Netflix’s flagship cozy drama has not waned, fueled in large part by the cast and showrunner Patrick Sean Smith, who continues to share intriguing details.
But just as much a source of intrigue are the fans themselves, who regularly share theories, speculation, and leaks. Particularly valuable is the information provided by the residents of Vancouver. Last month, for example, a fan managed to capture an interesting moment from the set of Virgin River that says a lot about what to expect in the upcoming season. Apparently, the new fan clip suggests that Mel and Jack may be using surrogacy services.
While Virgin River Season 5 provided no small amount of cozy atmosphere, it also provided no small number of dramatic twists and cliffhangers. For example, we learned that Mel had suffered a miscarriage, which not only complicated her relationship with Jack, but also presented her with new challenges as a nurse who somehow has to deliver babies for others.
Back in January 2024, showrunner Patrick Sean Smith shared information about what storylines might be coming in season 6. According to him, Mel and Jack have no intention of giving up the idea of parenthood and will continue to work towards it in Season 6.
A Leaked Clip May Allude to Mel’s Surrogacy
Of course, it remains to be seen what choices they will make to keep their family together. But a new fan clip, shot during the filming of the last episodes in Vancouver, might give us a hint.
In the leaked video, we see Mel’s Alexandra Breckenridge in the company of an unnamed pregnant woman. The video’s caption suggests that it could be Rachel Drance, who plays a new character named Marley Thurston. Fans immediately speculated that Marley could be a surrogate for Mel and Jack’s baby. It’s also possible that it’s not about surrogacy at all, and that Mel is talking to a pregnant woman whose baby the couple will adopt.
There Are Other Interpretations, However
At this point, however, all of this is just speculation, which may turn out to be far more exaggerated than what we’ll actually see on our small screens. After all, while we certainly want to follow the new challenges in Mel and Jack’s lives, Virgin River skillfully balances drama and comfort. So the mystery may turn out to be much less dramatic in reality.
Some fans have speculated that it could be Mel’s friend from Los Angeles, Tara and Ava’s sister, or even another daughter of Everett Reid, Mel’s biological father, who has a secret to tell her. Or it could just be one of Mel’s patients, as she has been trying to establish a safe environment for expectant mothers since last season.
When Can We Expect Virgin River Season 6?
Filming wrapped in early June, and post-production takes about 7-10 months. Based on this information, we can assume that the release of Virgin River Season 6 on Netflix won’t happen before January 2025, although a more realistic prediction would be Q2 or Q3 2025 at the earliest.
There is also speculation that Season 6 will be the final one — while there are still many Robyn Carr novels to adapt, the show’s ratings are slowly declining, so it’s possible that Netflix wants to end Virgin River on a wave of popularity.
