Virgin River's Mel Faces Backlash for Being Too Much of a Goody Two-Shoes
Being a kind and caring person is always considered a good quality.
This (along with patience) is a particularly important quality for healthcare workers. Yet even this trait seems to get on some people's nerves. Especially if you're the protagonist of a romantic drama.
Virgin River is a Netflix series based on Robyn Carr's novels. It follows the life of LA nurse Mel (portrayed by Alexandra Breckenridge), who moves to work in a town called Virgin River. However, instead of a typical medical drama show, we get a love story sprinkled with a bit of personal drama.
Of course, with a plot like this, it is imperative that the characters are well written. Otherwise, the audience will not only refuse to believe in what is happening, but also won't be able to sympathize with the characters (which is the central aspect of such a show). And it seems that people did not really appreciate the flawlessness of the protagonist.
According to those who watched the show, it was the unconditional kindness and helpfulness that made Mel unbearable.
“But Mel doesn't have any realistic faults. She's the kind of person who would say "my greatest flaw is that I'm too good at what I do" at a job interview,” Reddit user Mindless-Average2275 explains.
While all the other characters have their flaws, which allow them to be perceived as living people, Mel seems too perfect and willing to take any insult just to be a good role model for the viewer.
The part where Mel has to be Charmaine's (Lauren Hammersley) midwife is particularly infuriating to redditors. Charmaine was a friend with benefits to Jack. Jack, on the other hand, had romantic feelings for Mel. Charmaine despises Mel. While Mel tolerates everything instead of setting her boundaries. In other words, people simply did not believe that anyone would behave that way in real life.
However, as some have pointed out, Mel is a professional and it is her duty to help people regardless of her subjective feelings:
“I mean demanding respect from an employer is one thing. Yelling at a pregnant, sick patient who is with the guy you have serious feelings for and has a valid reason to dislike you is something else entirely,” Reddit user Ta-veren- says justifying Mel.
Empathy is one of the essential qualities of a healthcare worker. So, hopefully viewers will see Mel as a believable character in the upcoming season 5!