Virgin River's Mike & Brie Biggest Problem? Zero Chemistry Despite Book Canon
Brie has more options to choose from.
When Virgin River premiered on Netflix in 2019, it was obvious that it would become the streaming service's flagship drama. Since then, the show has spanned five seasons and has become equally beloved by audiences, with several more in production. Now, it's been a few days since the release of the show's fifth installment.
Season 5 of Virgin River continues to follow Mel Monroe in her new life in the titular town, where she moved after her husband's untimely death. Melinda's arc isn't the only one the show focuses on, however, as there are many more characters to fall in love with. Some of them, however, prove to be more problematic.
Brie and Mike are a canonical but boring couple
Introduced to Virgin River in Season 3, both Brie and Mike were central to the plot. The sister of Mel's love interest, Jack Sheridan, and his old friend from the Marines/Virgin River detective – the trope seems classic, yet it doesn't work on the show for a very simple reason. The actors playing the two don't seem to have any chemistry at all.
While Brie and Mike are one of the sweetest couples in Robyn Carr's books, on which the show is based, and have a very touching love story, they don't seem to be meant to be together in the Netflix adaptation. Their interactions are far-fetched and cringe-worthy at times, not to mention completely unromantic.
Brie Has A Better Relationship With Another Character
To add insult to injury, Brie's relationship with Jack's other friend, Dan, is far more satisfying to follow. Virgin River's recurring character since season one, Dan Brady has won over a lot of fans, even though he was a not-so-pleasant figure in the earlier seasons. Moreover, it's his relationship with Brie that has caused him to change for the better.
In that light, Brie and Dan's romance has a lot more potential. After all, the bad boy meets the good girl is another classic trope that works with audiences most of the time. In other words, if the writers were to be inconsistent with the canon in this regard, it would be completely forgivable.
Hopefully, things will work out for Brie no matter who she ends up with.