Martin Henderson is opening up on one storyline on Virgin River that he was absolutely not on board for, but it eventually worked out, thanks to Patrick Sean Smith.
The actor, who plays Jack on the hit Netflix drama, has revealed that he was furious when the show decided to put Mel through a miscarriage in Season 5. So furious, in fact, that he made his feelings known to the people in charge. He wanted Mel and Jack to have a baby in Season 6, and when that didn’t happen either, he wasn’t exactly quiet about his frustration.
Speaking to TVLine, the actor said,
“I wanted a pregnancy in Season 6. The miscarriage was in Season 5, right? I was very angry, and I made it known that I did not support that idea creatively. But I’m not the writer, and I do give credit to [showrunner Patrick Sean Smith] because obviously the show continues to be successful. Part of that is luring people back every season, so there has to be something meaningful enough that leaves people with an ‘oh, s**t’ moment. I think he’s pretty clever at coming up with those.”
Season 7 finally brought some resolution though, with Mel and Jack welcoming an adopted son in the finale. But in true Virgin River fashion, the show couldn’t let them have a straightforward happy ending. The baby was born with a heart defect, setting up what is sure to be another emotionally gruelling storyline heading into Season 8.
More details about Virgin River Season 8
If you’ve already burned through Season 7 fof Virgin River and you’re wondering what comes next, then there’s good news. The show is coming back for another season as Netflix confirmed Season 8 back in July 2025 while the cast was still filming. It has been running since 2019 and is now officially Netflix’s longest-running English-language scripted series.
Talking about the renewal, Patrick Sean Smith told Tudum,
“On behalf of myself and the whole Virgin River family, we’re eternally grateful to Netflix and to the fans for allowing us to continue on this journey with these beloved characters,”
Season 8 will be set four months after that cliffhanger, and showrunner Patrick Sean Smith has already talked about what we can expect next. The focus will be on what it actually feels like to bring home a baby with serious health challenges, and what that does to a couple, even one as solid as Mel and Jack.
Virgin River is available to stream on Netflix.
Edited by Nibir Konwar