Life is dealing the folks of Virgin River with heartwarming and heartbreaking cards.

And frankly, we wouldn't have it any other way, as Virgin River Season 5 Episode 4 served as a bit of calm before the storm, or in this case, before the wildfire.

The hour served as a reminder that we must take the bad with the good in life and can't take anything for granted.

It made it a perfect precursor for what's to come when the wildfires ravage through this small town we know and love.

Do you know what's winsome? A collection of women in their 60s and older reflecting on life and figuring out what their new normal is.

There is often so much discourse surrounding women and aging, and the ladies of Virgin River welcome the concept of aging and the discussions surrounding it and show how beautiful it is.

It also hits you how rare it is to see a series feature so many beautiful women over the age of 50.

Lydie: You know, I always felt pressure to hold tightly to my youth, but then one day I woke up, and I thought, "Why am I torturing myself?" Everyone gets to be young, but not everyone is lucky enough to grow old.
Hope: You know, Lydie, you're right. I wish Lilly was here with us right now.

• Permalink: You know, Lydie, you're right. I wish Lilly was here with us right now.

Honestly, think about how often you actually see that in television when, more often than not, the industry acts as if they have to put women to pasture by 35 or the second a wrinkle appears.

It's why the buzz around reality series like The Golden Bachelor has been so well received. Finally, we're showing appreciation for aging and respecting and acknowledging that seniors are still lively, amazing, interesting people.

Sometimes, it's notably odd that someone like Lizzie doesn't have too many people to spend time with her own age. It's especially glaring when you consider the persona she came into the town with as the popular socialite type.

But instances like this installment are where you can truly appreciate the depiction of intergenerational friendships and how meaningful and fun they can be to play around with, as it's rare that a series bothers to make that attempt.

You wouldn't think that Lizzie would want to go on a spa day with a bunch of senior-aged ladies, just as chaining her to Hope initially seemed unusual.

But she got time spent with women who have the wisdom of those who have been in this world for multiple decades with the reminder that they can be just as immature, petty, ridiculous, hilarious, and more than anyone else.

When you get older, you don't stop being you. Connie's assertion that she doesn't even remember how she got here and still thinks of her 20s as being yesterday feels so realistic.

The idea that there's an age limit on women raising such a ruckus that they get kicked out of a joint is preposterous. Yet, it was hilarious to see these women bicker, argue, literally mudslinging, and then get shown the door for their behavior.

The Spa Day was such a lovely homage to womanhood and aging, and it felt especially special because a youthful Lizzie was there for it.

The more time she spends with these women, the less of a divide there is between her and them because of their age. In many ways, they feel more like peers than elders, and it feels like something a girl her age probably needs to experience early.

Knowing we never age out of identity crises is refreshing and comforting. It's never too late to start over or figure out what to do when life deals you a card where you're forced to do so.

Friendships are still everything and matter; they don't lose meaning as the calendar years tick on and you've had more trips around the sun.

And growing old is such a precious gift not to be taken for granted. Lyndie's words were especially poignant, mainly coming from the loss of Lilly during Virgin River Season 3 Episode 9.

There's not a lot of space for women to have these discussions so openly, and at a spa day, their taking care of tuning to their bodies serves as a perfect backdrop for these discussions.

The hour choosing to make it such a prominent plot was genuinely refreshing. Plus, it quietly pays tribute to what we've learned are the hub, the backbones of Virgin River.

Sure, Virgin River has its share of heroes like Preacher and Jack Sheridan and Dark Knights like Brady, but the very glue of the town is the sewing circle; it's all of these women who look out for one another and the entire community by taking care of other people's children, burying secrets, running the town and damn near every hub in it.

Virgin River's strength is in these senior-aged women who hold everything together in such a way that it's never overtly apparent to the naked eye.

It's something that Lizzie has been entangled in and has come to learn and see what Ava and maybe someday Deidre can come to realize.

Yes, there is much to be desired in how they choose to explore storylines or paint women who are typecast, modern, and career-oriented. Still, the series also has a way of flipping the concept and idealogy of a more traditional or small-town woman rather than shaming or denigrating it.

And it also worked to explore the tension between Hope and Jo Ellen.

Their petty bickering, mainly through Hope's shit-stirring, was entertaining in the usual way. Hope McCrae is stubborn, petty, opinionated, and a grudge-holder.

Nevertheless, things came to the necessary head when Jo Ellen gave Hope the reality check of the situation. It wasn't about her picking her husband over Hope or questioning her capabilities.

Jo Ellen wasn't trying to plot against Hope or wanted to see her suffer. She was genuinely afraid of the prospect of losing another friend.

They're at the age where their social circles start shrinking, and the idea that Hope's bullheadedness could put her into a grave is terrifying.

Once Jo Ellen shared that truth, it seemed to hit Hope like a sledgehammer, and she saw past her own feelings on the matter. She considered that maybe people weren't plotting against her; perhaps they loved her too much to let her ruin herself.

And Hope could even admit that she wasn't so much mad at Jo Ellen but angry at the situation and just aging in general. It's like her body is betraying her.

Doc felt similar, which is again what made his scenes with Denny Cutler so enriching.

His left eye is deteriorating, and it terrifies him that he could lose his vision completely, stop practicing, and not see his wife or those he loves again.

His identity has been tied to being a doctor who serves the community in such a specific way for so long that he doesn't know who he is without that.

It was emotional when Denny reminded him that he'd be his grandpa.

One can appreciate that Denny lets everyone know that he didn't easily get to this place of acceptance and maturity regarding his diagnosis.

It took him a while to reach this point, so he shows such grace to, ironically, all his elders, who are in the early stages of their respective journeys and processing things about themselves.

Denny has a way of not invalidating the feelings of fear, worry, uncertainty, anger, and whatever else others are going through while also providing them with an example of hope for where they can be.

I know it's not easy what you're going through, and you have done it with more dignity and grace than any folks I've known in my life, and I just want you to know that.

Doc

• Permalink: I know it's not easy what you're going through, and you have done it with more dignity and...

He's inspiring. The series does well with addressing the struggles through disabilities, mental illness, or other illnesses and processing and making peace with them versus treating them like the worst things in the world or disrespecting those journeys.

As lovely as Kai Bradbury's addition has been here, this season definitely needs to conclude with Denny and Lizzie choosing to explore the world together.

Denny lives in the moment because that's all he has for sure, and Lizzie came off a day where she realized she can't take life or aging for granted.

I need those two sending postcards from all over the place for as long as they possibly can. They're so good together, and their steamy end-of-the-day reunion made a girl smile.

Doc: I've been taking care of people for almost 40 years. Everyone in this town, they call me "Doc" for goodness sake. If I'm not Doc anymore, who the hell am I?
Denny: Grandpa. You're my grandpa.

• Permalink: If I'm not Doc anymore, who the hell am I?

Preacher's love life isn't looking as he anticipated, but it's probably good for him. He spends so much time playing the hero and the traditional male in his interactions with women that this is something different and may do him so good.

Preacher wants something serious. He desires a wife and kids and a happy life in Virgin River, so in that sense, it doesn't look like he's any closer to that with Kaia.

She's a spitfire who doesn't want any strings and lives for the adventure and thrill. Nevertheless, at least temporarily, it's probably good for Preacher to have this fun, flirty thing with her taking the lead.

He deserves a break from always being that guy.

Brady and Brie's romance is still facing some rough patches because of Brady's involvement with Melissa.

Brie Sheridan is a strong woman, and I have no doubt she can handle this trial alone, but I still wish she had someone there to support her anyway.

Brady's dog tags were a nice gesture, and you can tell they have a much deeper meaning than he could unpack with her there.

But she's still pissed at him and needs him to get things in order. And this may be the turning point for Brady's character in that regard because he's terrified of losing Brie.

He could swallow his pride and turn to Mike Valenzuela, of all people, for help, so it's apparent how much he's willing to do to free himself from all of this and keep Brie in his life.

The issue is that he's seeking help from a man who also has feelings for Brie and would probably be happy to see her and Brady break up for good.

It's tough as a viewer to see all the goodwill Brady has and his progress when the other characters continue to see the worst in him even when he tries.

Brady could barely get out everything that was happening without Mike commenting on Brady getting himself into this type of trouble again or making digs about arresting him.

Mel: Jack, what's in that direction?
Jack: that's Virgin River.

• Permalink: that's Virgin River.

If no one can see the difference between how Brady initially got involved in all of this versus how he got stuck with it now, what else is there to say?

But could Brady be digging another hole with Brie if he has to be Mike's informant in order to take down Melissa without telling her?

It seems like something that could end their relationship if she learns the truth simply because she's tired of more lies. And if that happens, in what way does Mike benefit from it?

From his interaction with Brie before she left, you can tell he still has feelings for her, and with the tensions between her and Dan Brady, the series hints at Mike as a viable option for her.

Is that what people would want to see? Inquiring minds want to know.

Campfire Chats:

• Jack really will be a great dad; he was absolutely adorable with the kids. 

• It makes perfect sense why he leans toward being the fun parent and doesn't want to be the type of dad that his was. But it was nice that he and Mel got to talk about their parenting roles a bit after this babysitting experience.

• We have confirmation that Cameron Hayek has had a thing for older women before. I'll captain the Cameron/Muriel ship all by myself if I have to do it. How cute was their morning routine?

• Mel and Jack really are in a happy and healthy place, and I love that for them. It also stresses me out because I keep waiting for another shoe to drop.

• The wildfire has hit Virgin River!

Over to you, Virgin River Fanatics!

How much did you enjoy the focus on the women of Virgin River at a spa day? Should Denny whisk Lizzie away?

Do you think Jack and Mel have their parenting skills down?

Hit the comments below and stay tuned for more Virgin River Reviews!

Jasmine Blu is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. She is an insomniac who spends late nights and early mornings binge-watching way too many shows and binge-drinking way too much tea. Her eclectic taste makes her an unpredictable viewer with an appreciation for complex characters, diverse representation, dynamic duos, compelling stories, and guilty pleasures. You'll definitely find her obsessively live-tweeting, waxing poetic, and chatting up fellow Fanatics and readers. Follow her on X.