Virgin River Season 5 Episode 7 Review: From the Ashes
Jasmine Blu
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Yes, the aftermath of Jack and Mel recovering from their loss is heartbreaking.
And there is so much space for that during Virgin River Season 5 Episode 7, as the two exercise how much they've grown as individuals and as a couple while they openly communicate their needs and lean on those around them.
But dammit, the Brady and Brie development is a different kind of gut punch!
It's difficult to see how much Brady is working to improve himself, all because of how much he loves Brie, and it can feel like it's all for naught at every conceivable turn.
What is the meaning of this?
As far as the romance department goes, Brie and Brady were doing so well for a bit, and now it's as if they can't reconcile things for anything in the world.
And it's a challenging situation all around as you understand their perspectives on this.
Brie is in a vulnerable place where she needs to feel safe and stable, and Brady can't prove that for her, no matter how much he tries.
Because the things he's wrapped up in are chaotic and bring destruction to her life no matter how much he tries to protect her from it.
And he can't be honest with her about what he's doing to make things right because Mike told him he can't. Of course, this makes the situation with him, Mike, and Brie even more complex as a result.
Mike is a decent guy, no doubt, and his feelings for Brie are pure, and his intentions are probably sound, but come on.
Mike: Brie I care about you, and I want what's best for you.
Brie: I know, and I want that too. That's why I think what almost happened almost happened.
Mike: But it didn't, and I'm glad that we're friends.
It's not that he's pushing Brie to break up with Brady, but he's helping the case along by leaving Brady in the lurch, unable to tell Brie what's happening and how he's working with him to bust up a drug ring.
If he wanted to, he could let Brie know the truth without it impacting anything. Brie's an attorney, for goodness sake. She knows about keeping confidentiality.
Instead, Brady is forced to keep this secret, which festers and comes between him and Brie. And Mike Valenzuela is just there to pick up the pieces and be the alternative or anti-Brady for Brie.
It sucks how this is playing out, It's totally unfair, but at least they've created a case for how Mike actually gets ahead or has a chance in this love triangle that used to feel unbaked.
But why does it have to be like this? Brady can't win for losing here. And it must feel awful for him that no matter what he does, everyone judges him or assumes the worst anyway.
His reaction to Mike at the town gathering was aggressive. He shouldn't have grabbed Mike at all and should've kept his cool. Credit where it's due; he recognized that almost instantly and calmed himself.
But he also wasn't wrong for getting angry. Brie told him she didn't want him to go with her. He wanted to be there for her during the trial, as regardless of what happens between them, no one can deny that Brady always shows up for Brie and wants to be there.
She told him not to come, and he respected her wishes and gave her his dog tags instead. And then she realized she needed support and turned to Mike, who was conveniently there.
Brady: I wish I could've been there for you.
Brie: But you weren't.
Brady: You told me not to come.
Brie: Because I can't trust you. Because I don't feel safe with you, and I need that right now, after everything. I need to feel safe.
Not only does Brady learn this, but he sees the two chatting and making plans together, and it's evident that Mike has become the person that Brie turns to discuss things that she can't bring herself to share with Brady right now.
Brady cannot dictate who Brie Sheridan talks to and turns to, of course. She has to do what's best for her. But he's not wrong for feeling the sting of that, especially since he knows that Mike has feelings for Brie.
Mike has repeatedly told Brady that he doesn't deserve Brie and implied that Brady is a stan on Brie's life.
It's hard to get past those things. And now Mike knows the efforts that Brady makes for Brie; she's the first person he brings up anytime they talk, yet the one thing that would allow Brie to show Brady more grace, Mike keeps under wraps.
It's excruciating!
And now everything is falling apart for Brady as his worst things are coming true. He's lost his apartment and stays at the bar where Preacher doesn't want him.
He's worried about Melissa's next big plan that involves money laundering through Jack's new business, and he wants to protect his friend before it gets to that.
And Brie has broken up with him because she's in a vulnerable place, and Brady doesn't make her feel safe. Mike does.
Brie, if you can't talk to me, just tell me you'll find someone you can talk to.
Brady
Dan Brady has nothing left. All he had was Brie, and now she's ended things. How he reacts to this news will be an actual test of his growth.
But knowing what we know, he'll likely be more determined than ever to take Melissa down, break up this criminal ring so that he can be free of all of this, prove to Brie that he's doing right by her, and he can spare all the people he cares about the harm that Melissa is bringing their way.
Although it was hard for him and Mike to work together before, it will be more challenging than ever.
It isn't easy to watch either, that's for damn sure.
What was the purpose of Mike going all the way to Brie's house just to tell her that he wants to be friends with her after their awkwardness during Virgin River Season 5 Episode 6?
It feels like he went there to tell her about Brady and the investigation, and then he listened to her open up about how she felt and redirected.
And again, I say, Justice for Brady.
At least darling Denny and Lizzie are in the best possible place. They've never been closer than they are now, and the fire and that talk brought them together.
They're utterly devoted to each other, and the young love angle is such a breath of fresh air. It's also nice that Denny and Lizzie feel so different than her and Ricky Sudder .
She and Rick had something special. It felt like first love and puppy love wrapped in one.
But with her and Denny, it feels like we're at a different stage in Lizzie's life, and there's something more seasoned and mature about it as a result.
Lizzie boldly told her mother the truth about staying in Virgin River and not going to college. And she had the support of the Sewing circle the whole way through.
Hearing her credit these women for being strong and inspiring her was so beautiful. Again, this intergenerational friendship is one of the most endearing aspects of the season, let alone the series.
If anyone can stitch this town back together, it's us.
Lydie
And they could return the favor by truthfully telling Lizzie that she's inspired them too. They've learned from her as well.
Lizzie has more than earned her position as Hope's aide in the mayor's office. She's shown how talented she is at community outreach and organization.
She's excellent at speeches, mediating, and so much more. She's truly carved out her own place in Virgin River and become this invaluable person in their community, and it's such a far cry from when she first arrived.
Virgin River has been so good for her.
But I also feel that she deserves some time to explore things away from Virgin River at some point. Denny Cutler has agreed to stay there, find a job, and settle in because he loves Lizzie, but he also loves Doc and Hope, which feels like home for him.
But at some point, one would hope he'd get to pursue his dream of traveling, too.
Preacher's love life is complicated, to say the least. Kaia opened up to him about her separation from Jay, and she went forward with divorce papers when she realized how much she fell for Preacher.
It's still hard to believe that Kaia feels as deeply for Preacher as he does her. We haven't gotten to know her too well, and for the most part, she feels very one-dimensional as a character.
After everything that happened yesterday, I know what's important to me, it's you. So I want to be wherever you are.
Denny
I'm still not convinced that she didn't see Preacher as more than a cute guy she could have sex with when she wanted.
But we've glossed past how indifferent she's seemed about Preacher all season and eased right into her husband taunting Preacher about Kaia choosing the job and subsequently him over Preacher anytime.
Well, this should be fun and messy.
In the meantime, I'm going to some fun sequences of Muriel actually sharing a home with Dr. Cameron. The setup for it was perfect.
I could watch an entire sideshow of their blossoming relationship, and it will be so satisfying when they finally pull the trigger on this relationship.
I'm not entirely unconvinced that part of the reason Cameron accepted the gig to take over the clinic is because of Muriel. It's through her that he's feeling like he has a place in Virgin River.
And he was able to set things aside with Doc Mullins. It was also one of the first times he seemed to truly realize that Doc thinks the world of him and that it speaks volumes that Doc always planned to entrust Cameron with the clinic.
My heart aches for Jack and Mel, but they're doing a fabulous job of touching on the grieving process and giving them both the space to do that.
Mel has been through this before, and it doesn't get any easier. It's heartbreaking to hear her account of the last time she had a miscarriage.
The conversations surrounding the D&C were so raw, and once again, this show does well at really diving into issues surrounding women's health and not pulling any punches while doing so.
Mel's sister time with both Brie and Joey hit the spot, but it was especially difficult to hear her express how afraid she was of slipping into the same dark place she did last time.
Fortunately, she recognized that she has a community of people who love her, and it's best to lean into that, then hide away and get sucked into the darkness.
Reaching out to Hope so she could use the phone tree was a great way to avoid all the awkwardness and pain of reiterating the same story, and I love this town for having something like that in place.
It allowed Jack and Mel to have the support they needed while not being overwhelmed by the pain of their loss.
And Jack Sheridan was the consummate supportive partner, ensuring she didn't blame herself and letting her know she did nothing wrong.
It's also evident how far he's come that he could openly discuss with Preacher about his loss and how he feels about it instead of pretending everything is fine.
That monologue about mourning someone he didn't get to know yet, who didn't fully exist yet, was powerful. And I appreciated how they could tie it back to his compounded grief and loss since learning the twins weren't his, too.
I also loved that Preacher reminded him that this was real to him, his daughter, and everything he envisioned for her was real, and his feelings in all of this matter as well.
He isn't exempt from grieving and loss, something that's refreshing to explore with this particular tale because, understandably, the focus is often on the person carrying the child.
He didn't exactly plan for a family, but once he knew he was having one, it meant everything to him.
Jack: It's funny. I didn't even know I wanted this .. to be a father, but you picture it, you now? Father-daughter dance, little league games, school plays. You see their little eyes looking at you. Preach, it's real hard to say goodbye to someone you never met.
Preach: She existed for you.
Jack: Yeah, she did. I even came up with names. It's just so unfair. When Charmaine took the twins away from me, I had someone I could be angry with; I could blame someone, but this?
Preach: You two will have a family one day. You focus on that.
To lose it, the idea of what that was for him is tough.
He and Mel will get through this, and this loss is tragic, yes, but it's making them a stronger couple, too. At this rate, they can endure anything together.
They've both worked to reach this point of stability in their relationship, and it's beautiful to see. Now, if only they could be happy and have their heart's desire.
I believe Jack and Mel Monroe can have their family even if it doesn't play out the way they want.
Over to you, Virgin River Fanatics.
Are you upset about Brie and Brady? What are your thoughts on Brie and Mike? Do you feel the heat brewing between Cameron and Muriel? Sound off.
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.
