We Love Annette O'Toole, but Virgin River's Hope Became Insufferable
The character has become super annoying.
One of the rare premieres this fall, Virgin River's Season 5 debuted just a little over a week ago. Centered on the raging wildfires that engulf the titular Northern Californian town and neighboring forests, the season has been filled with poignant moments.
Nearly half of Virgin River faced devastation. Unsurprisingly, Hope McCrea, the town's spirited mayor, has stepped up to assist her community. While she has found some success in her efforts, season 5 has revealed a darker side of her character.
Utterly Insufferable
Played by the talented Annette O'Toole, whose career spans nearly seven decades, Virgin River's long-standing mayor has often been the show's most polarizing figure. On the one hand, Hope is vivacious and principled, always eager to aid others.
On the other hand, Mayor McCrea struggles with anger and a lack of personal boundaries. She's practically everywhere in the town, often involving herself in other people's affairs even when the people in question would rather she stayed out of their business. In season 5, the stress of the wildfires seems to have intensified these traits in Hope. She's become increasingly irritable and unpredictable. Her anger issues are more pronounced, as evidenced by the mud fight scene in the Never Gonna Be the Same episode.
'[The] only positive [thing] about Hope this season was that she actually treated her husband better than [in] all the previous seasons. That's it. Oh and her miraculous recovery that her TBI [traumatic brain injury] went away and she got her memory back and fully functioning,' a Redditor observed.
Spot-on Acting
Annette's portrayal of Mayor McCrea is arguably flawless, capturing Hope's personality, even if it can be off-putting at times. Some viewers believe Annette sometimes goes a bit overboard with her facial expressions. However, it's worth noting that these expressions align with Hope's typical behavior. She is an incredibly candid individual, wearing her heart on her sleeve and never hesitating to display everything from joy to exasperation.
The real question regarding Hope is whether she's doing a good job as Virgin River's mayor. Thus far, she's performed competently. As for her personality, it's a reminder that everyone is different.
Source: Reddit.