Virgin River Season 5 Episode 6 Review: Heroes Rise
Jasmine Blu
at
.
I have chills.
The series managed to capture the heart and soul of this drama, with this community having to go through such a traumatic and terrifying ordeal. It was a tough one, but Virgin River Season 5 Episode 6 was one of the series' strongest hours to date.
At five seasons, one of the best aspects of having a series going this long is seeing how much characters have evolved from when we first met them.
And to highlight that even further, we saw that with so many characters put to the test during this natural disaster.
As far as the Dan Brady Redemption Arc, it has been seasons in the making, and while he still has some ways to free himself from Melissa's clutches, it was gratifying as a Brady fan to see him step up and continue to be heroic throughout this ordeal.
It's terrible that the other characters often cling to the past and never bother to see the changes he's made or how things have turned around for him since they've been close to him.
What's a relief is knowing that Jack has come around to this. He had reservations and was hesitant about embracing Brady, even during that dinner during Virgin River Season 5 Episode 2, but he's seen Brady in action now.
He's been able to see what Brie sees in Brady when Brady stepped up and took control, proving that he's a good man in a storm.
And Brady wasn't trying to play hero or even expecting credit or praise for what he did; he simply did them because that's what someone should do.
He's a decent person, and it's about time that others recognize that truth.
Brady slipped in and out of Jack's, serving others and helping everyone in need as if he had been working there the whole time.
It wasn't beneath him to be that person, and in those moments, he felt so reminiscent of Jack that it was enough to make you proud of him, given their turbulent fraternal bond.
It's why it was so agitating that a usual level-headed, gentle giant like Preacher got so worked up and wouldn't stop nitpicking at Brady.
He didn't even have the excuse of learning that the woman he'd been sharing a bed with was married. Even I didn't see that Kaia/Jay twist coming.
It fell entirely on ole' Preacher, who came across as immature when he was too busy lobbing insults at Brady and reminding him that he didn't trust him in the middle of a crisis instead of focusing.
I don't need your gratitude, Preach. I need you to understand I'm not the man that I used to be.
Brady
I loved that Jack was willing to put petty grudges aside and could assess the situation and run command. Regardless of how Preacher felt about Brady, he knew his stuff about making rerouting the fire because of his time spent doing that work in prison.
Because, again, Brady has served time for some of his lousy decisions and misdeeds. At what point does one forgive, move on, and give this man a chance?
It's the Virgin River way, yet it isn't applying to Brady when he's been trying to do right.
What was so powerful about Brady's time during this installment is that he went from this man who resented this small town and what it stood for and thought it was beneath him to risking his life for it and its people.
Maybe the community doesn't readily embrace Brady the way they should, and he's forever on the outskirts, but it's unmistakable that Brady has finally chosen Virgin River.
It's finally his home.
This turnaround is so significant for his characterization and a game changer for many of his dynamics with other characters in this series.
It would be refreshing to see Benjamin Hollingsworth mix it up a bit with some of the other stars on this series just to see what type of dynamics would crop up.
The timing of this can't be better since we're clearly edging forward into this Brady/Brie/Mike love triangle.
While Brady is back in Virgin River, saving the town and currying great favor from those who would've still been hesitant about him, Brie is getting the support she needs from Mike.
Mike is a great guy, though transparent as glass. While he's a decent enough person not to have ulterior motives for being so great with Brie, it doesn't change the fact that he still wants her.
Amelia is thrilled by this. Mike Valenzuela is a parent's dream for their kid. She wouldn't shut up about it either, pushing for something more between the two.
Amelia: Jack has always been the strong one in the family. The one we can always lean on.
Mike: You know you're also sitting next to an incredibly strong person. What your daughter did in court today took an incredible amount of strength.
But Amelia could've just been picking up on the energy in the room because Brie and Mike have a connection and some sparks. You can sense them no matter how much they try to keep things platonic between them.
It was nice that Mike could mediate between Brie and her mother, reminding her that Amelia loves her and may struggle, showing that in her way and that she does respect her daughter and thinks she's strong.
And he was there to offer that emotional support she needed after that trial, and she apparently confided in him about everything.
Again, this season is heavy with the theme of motherhood and relationships between mothers and daughters.
It was enjoyable that we got to see Brie and Amelia make some progress. Amid their worry, they got to cut to the heart of the tension between them, and Amelia could be honest in how one respects their child as an adult rather than a kid.
She's always been jealous of how close Brie was to her father and just Brie's particular brand of strength in general. Amelia sees Brie as the things she isn't; you can sense how it makes her feel a bit small.
And Brie Sheridan was none the wiser, only feeling that her mother judged her and favored her brother the way moms tend to do with their sons.
It's such a significant step for them, and they couldn't do it at a better time as they sat on pins and needles waiting for news from Virgin River.
The tensions were running high in the city, and it was such a suspenseful hour. We had to wait with bated breath to see if help would come and salvage what was left of this beautiful city and community.
The fear that someone would succumb to the wildfire was real, and there were so many personal conflicts along the way.
The tension kept building the whole hour, and I loved the lighting, cinematography, and directorial choices throughout the hour for heightening the mood and the suspense.
Jack managed to rescue Ava, Chloe, and Mel from Lilly's barn and freed all the animals before the whole farm went up in flames.
We're going to get through this together, Vernon.
Hope
And Doc, Cameron, and Ms. Muriel had a harrowing time trying to save Jay. It was upsetting when Doc's vision started affecting him, and then he proceeded to doubt himself as he faced Cameron's scathing judgment upon learning about Doc's condition.
They should indeed told Cameron the truth about Doc long ago. But it also wasn't the time to barely contain one's anger, and Doc could at least make the proper calls and know when he couldn't handle something and seek help.
The secret also caused issues for Cameron and Muriel, but then it seemed he let it go and forgave her since she's basically his only friend in Virgin River at the moment.
And yes, I'm still riding the Muriel and Cameron Hayek train and cannot wait for them to give into this crackling chemistry between them and kiss. Just do it!! Like, literally.
The Hope and Doc scene at the end with her reminding him that they would face things together was so touching, and their love makes you believe in love for the ages. It's the timeless type.
Even when he told Denny everything he needed to tell Hope in case he didn't make it out, it was hard not to get emotional.
Denny Cutler is such a special guy, and my heart hurt for him when he freaked out about freezing up. It was a relief that Bert was there to help them get free. Otherwise, they would've been casualties.
But wise Denny realized that he does fear death after all. And there's nothing wrong with that. He's spent so long trying to convince himself that he's okay about dying that the prospect of losing his life in a way he didn't anticipate shook him up.
Denny knows that he's dying, and he's made peace with how it would happen; it doesn't mean that it wouldn't terrify him if he had to lose his life sooner than he envisioned in a horrid way he didn't imagine.
And it certainly would've hurt him if he lost Lizzie. He's happy with her and loves her. Their love confession was the sweetest scene in an hour chocked full of them.
If those two aren't bound for backpacking worldwide by the end of the season, it will be a travesty!
But Denny needed to show himself more grace. When all the commotion was going on, he emerged as a hero like many others in Virgin River. He's only been there briefly, but that's his home; those people are his family. And whenever he calls Doc "Grandpa," it gives you the warm fuzzies.
Denny: I'm in love with you, Lizzie, and I don't want to use you, but you deserve to know exactly what type of man I am.
Lizzie: I know exactly what kind of man you are, Denny. And I love you too.
Hope is the woman you need in a crisis, and I'm grateful she regrouped after her mishap with the teenagers and worked with Nick rather than against him.
Together, they made things happen, and with Jack's assistance, they made the biggest save of all by having Charlie and his crop duster friends fly their planes over the city to put all the fire out.
Hope didn't do anything that she would have done whether she was mayor or not, but it's a relief that she'll get reinstated. Maybe she should be mayor, maybe not.
At the very least, she deserves to have say in what's happening because she's smart enough to know how things function, and Virgin River needs her in some form of authority.
Jack Sheridan could barely come down from his heroic moment before he had to face the reality of Mel and what she went through.
That final scene was utterly heartbreaking. Mel held it together that whole day, tending to Ava and baby Chloe, fighting fires and smoke, and managing Doc and Cameron.
But as things quieted down, she had to face what happened to her. And with neither her nor Jack busy with everything else, the truth had to come out that she miscarried.
It was heart-shattering when she couldn't even get the words out; all she could manage was apologizing. The silence and her grief spoke for itself.
I don't think there's an easy way to break someone's heart.
Mel
And Jack clung to her as if he were keeping her together and maybe even himself. It is such a devastating loss, likely something he wasn't prepared for in the least, and it will be hard to watch this couple navigate this.
It may not be a new thing for Mel, but it's no less heartbreaking, and she deserves time to heal and reconcile with what she lost. Honestly, I have no words.
And the needle drop of "How to Save A Life" made that moment all the harder to watch. You wanted to reach through the screen and hug them both.
It feels strangely poetic that fires destroy and also cleanse. They can represent the worst of something but also a chance to start anew.
And that wildfire feels representative of Mel's miscarriage. What she holds dear is destroyed, and now she has to regroup and rebuild.
The question is, can she after yet another devastating blow? How much more can this poor woman endure?
The best of Virgin River and what it offers was perfectly represented in this hour, and it makes for a solid turning point in the season.
Over to you, Virgin River Fanatics.
Did the wildfire have you on the edge of your seat? What do you think about the sparks flying between Brie and Mike? How devastated are you for Mel and Jack? Sound off below!
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.
