Virgin River Season 5 is Definitive Proof the Show's Going Downhill
Fans are disappointed with the new episodes.
For five years now, Virgin River has been delighting audiences with new storylines revolving around protagonists Mel Monroe and Jack Sheridan, as well as other residents of the idyllic Northern California town.
However, the new fifth season, which landed on Netflix yesterday, has disappointed many viewers and caused them to reflect on the decline in the show's quality. While the earlier seasons were cozy and heartwarming, albeit cheesy at times, the latest episodes have barely maintained the same vibe.
'I am truly disappointed. My favorite series continues going downhill. There is not much left except the beautiful BC scenery,' a saddened fan commented on the new season. 'I doubt I will be able to rewatch S5.'
Why Season 5 is hard to watch
Fans in the discussion pointed out that it was mainly the writing that made the new season unwatchable. With too many storylines and characters, and limited screen time, Virgin River has become nothing more than a weird collection of random scenes, dialogue, and plotlines that at times feel pathetic.
Instead of comfortably following Mel and Jack's story, viewers are forced to focus on numerous storylines that often make no sense for the main plot or the characters involved.
'There's definitely a lot of random scenes, and there's becoming a ton of subplots and people to know and care about at the expense of the main characters,' a fan explained.
Fans are confused by Mel's dad storyline
On top of that, the format of the show seems to force the writers to throw in some twists and cliffhangers just for the sake of shock value. The most obvious example is the plot twist in Episode 10, which revealed that someone living in Virgin River was Mel's biological father.
The storyline threw many viewers off balance by being too out of sync with the main plot and the show's early seasons. It was previously assumed that Mel chose Virgin River at random, and now it is revealed that her mother just happened to have had an affair with someone in the exact same small town over 30 years earlier?
'I'm trying to figure out who decided that would be a good storyline… What a reach!' a fan commented on the twist, echoing the opinion of many.