Virgin River Review

I am getting a little tired of dramas where protagonists decide to completely uproot their lives, almost shun their close friends and family and move to the middle of nowhere, because their internal peace definitely lies in some small, isolated town preferably with a heck of a lot of woods.

While the show may not offer a riveting or a novel plot-line, but strong performances and well-developed characters indeed come to its rescue. Mel (Alexandra Breckenri), who has recently suffered loss finds herself, for a change of pace, amidst very cliche characters of a small town that we are so used to seeing. A few of them include a know-it-all, adamant and self-proclaimed custodian of the town - Doc Mullins (played by Tim Matheson); a nosy mayor- Hope McCrea(played by Annette O'Toole); and a rugged, charming bar owner - Jack (played by Martin Henderson). I can’t blame the show for choosing a tried, tested and trite ensemble of characters, but it makes their actions quite predictable.

Despite the unoriginal plot (which can be excused, as the series is based on a book of the same title), the script is well written, and character have good arcs. The essence of the show is light, and actors do a great job at pulling the whole show together. There are corny one liners, but I am usually too distracted by the charming production design to complain.

My take: go for it. It’s a clean family show with romance, drama, and a feel good vibe.