6 Unanswered Questions From Part 1 of ‘Virgin River’ Season 5

One of the biggest surprises in the season finale is the return of Calvin (David Cubitt). Although he was assumed dead after the boat explosion in season four, he rises from the ashes (literally) and reveals that he was hiding from Melissa (Barbara Pollard). Now that she’s in police custody, Calvin is ready to resume his life. But wait, there’s more.

Calvin proceeds to answer a question that has been plaguing us since last season: *He* is the father of Charmaine’s (Lauren Hammersley) twins. This revelation brings about a million more questions. For example, will he turn his life around to be a loving father? Or will he continue his dangerous ways?  

In the season five finale, Lizzie (Sarah Dugdale) drops a bombshell on her new beau, Denny (Kai Bradbury). Throughout the episode, Lizzie hints that she has something to tell Denny. And right when he says that he’s thinking of leaving Virgin River, she blurts out a gamechanger: “I think I’m pregnant.”

The key word is “think.” She doesn’t know if she’s pregnant, but there’s a possibility. We won’t get answers until the show returns, but we can speculate how Denny will handle the news. Regardless of the pregnancy test result, we believe this news will force Denny into a decision. Will it scare him away? Or will it push him to commit to Lizzie (and Virgin River)?

Vernon “Doc” Mullins (Tim Matheson) is pleased to learn that a spot has opened up in a months-long clinical trial. However, he will need to leave Virgin River for the entirety of the treatment. It seems the actor may have less screentime in the second half of season five. It would explain why he’s training Muriel (Teryl Rothery) and Cameron (Mark Ghanimé) to run the clinic alongside Mel (Alexandra Breckenridge), who has big plans for the facility’s future. Of course, there’s always an opportunity for him to come back, but we expect less appearances from him and Hope (Annette O’Toole).

In the beginning of season five, Brie (Zibby Allen) is Team Brady (Benjamin Hollingsworth). But after a few close calls, she starts to pursue a relationship with Mike (Marco Grazzini). In the part one finale, Brie finally chooses Mike after he’s shot during a police operation gone awry. But there’s a touch of hesitancy when Mike asks where she stands with Brady, who risked his life for Brie. Although Brie promises to stand by Mike’s side, there’s too much history with Brady to let her reaction slide.

Remember when Preacher (Colin Lawrence) buries Wes’s (Steve Bacic) body after Paige (Lexa Doig) leaves town? Well, he could be in trouble in the upcoming episodes. In the season five finale, firefighters discover the body while doing cleanup after the wildfire. So, it’s only a matter of time before the evidence leads straight back to Preacher. We can only hope Mike is involved in the investigation enough to arrange a coverup.

The part one finale of season five ends with a flash-forward to Jack (Martin Henderson) and Mel preparing for the holidays. Mel is on the phone with her sister, Joey (Jenny Cooper), who drops a major bombshell on the nurse practitioner. Joey explains that she found love letters while digging through a box of their mother’s belongings. Not only are the letters addressed to/from Virgin River, but they also imply that Mel’s mom had a secret lover in the small town—and he might be her father.

As the screen fades to black, it’s clear this story line will be further explored in the second half of season five. But in the meantime, let’s chat through some possibilities. Perhaps the writers will introduce a new character that fits the bill. Or maybe the answer is right in front of our faces. (Looking at you, Doc.) Either way, it seems Mel has a deeper connection to Virgin River than she ever realized.

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