Reflection about Virgin River

by Rachel Ann Jimenez, BSN II-C

The show chiefly follows the story of Melinda “Mel” Monroe, a nurse practitioner and
midwife who uproots her big city existence after the death of her husband and chooses to start
over by taking a job in the small, very remote California town of Virgin River. Of course, her
arrival isn’t met with widespread enthusiasm; local family physician Vernon “Doc” Mullins
hardly welcomes her with open arms, the epitome of the elderly curmudgeon set in his own
ways (up to and including his refusal to get with the times on a technological level). Even the
cabin she’s been promised by town mayor Hope McCrea is more of a ramshackle hunting lodge
instead of the picturesque living situation that was advertised. Understandably, Mel’s ready to
pack it in and leave — and even the handsome Jack Sheridan, former U.S. Marine and owner of
the town’s local watering hole (simply called “Jack’s Bar”) isn’t necessarily enough of a
temptation to stay. But when someone anonymously abandons a newborn baby on Doc’s front
porch, Mel finds herself torn between her desire to put Virgin River in her rearview and her
duties as a nurse — and slowly but surely, begins to carve out a home for herself in the last
place she ever expected.

It’s not just romance fans and readers who are hungry to see some of their favorite
books successfully brought to screen, though; there really seems to be a demand for happy
endings, or at least the assurance of a story that provides a sense of relaxation and escapism.
Although Virgin River isn’t a perfect show (the casting could stand to be more inclusive,
something that has gradually shifted in the right direction between seasons), its appeal lies in
its sincere, non-flippant presentation of small-town living and the sense of community among
the people who live there. In an early Season 1 episode, Jack shares with Mel the sentiment
that “people have learned to rely on each other more than the outside world,” and it’s one that
rings differently now upon watching in a post-COVID landscape. But it also encapsulates what
makes this show so reassuring whether you’re a lover of romance or not. A town far removed
from worldwide troubles, built on the foundation of decent, kind-hearted locals who mostly
just want to look out for each other? Virgin River is a series that practically begs you to slough
off your worries and wander off the beaten path for a little while — or, at least, for the span of
about 50 minutes.