Virgin River Season 4 ended with Jack and Mel deliriously happy to learn they were expecting a baby girl. But with Mel’s history with miscarriages and stillbirth — plus her pregnancy falling under the high-risk category — fans couldn’t help but worry about the safety of her and the baby going forward.
The first 10 episodes of Virgin River Season 5 premiered on Netflix on September 7, and to say the fifth installment of the series — based on Robyn Carr’s books — is dramatic would be a serious understatement. Between medical issues, wildfires, an emotional trial, and a major crime operation, Season 5, Part 1 has its fair share of stressors. But do Jack and Mel welcome their newborn to town? Does Mel carry to term? Or does she lose the baby?
If you’ve watched Virgin River Season 5, Part 1 and want to break down the show’s emotional scenes, or you simply want to mentally prepare for what’s to come, we’ve recapped Mel’s Season 5 pregnancy journey below. Just be mindful that major Virgin River spoilers lie ahead.
Virgin River Season 5 picks up with Mel and Jack still expecting and Mel making some big life changes to prioritize her pregnancy, like leaving her job at the clinic. As the season progresses, however, it’s clear she can’t avoid certain stressors or her true passion, caring for people in need. As local wildfires rage, threatening Virgin River in Episode 5, Mel finds herself back at the clinic caring for patients alongside Cameron (Mark Ghanimé). Amidst the surge of activity at the clinic, Mel excuses herself to use the restroom and learns she’s been bleeding. She races to an exam room to give herself an ultrasound and realizes she lost the baby in a tear-jerking scene.
In less capable hands, on-screen miscarriages could be downplayed or quickly forgotten by characters, but Mel’s heartbreaking Season 5 scenes served as a reminder, not only that Virgin River thoughtfully portrays pregnancy loss, but that the serious storylines help deepen the drama.
Virgin River has tackled fertility struggles, postpartum depression, and even miscarriage in past seasons, with Brie waking up in pain covered in blood at the top of Season 3, Episode 9 — later learning she lost a baby she didn’t know she was having. Though Brie wasn’t aware she was pregnant when she miscarried, the series still showed the toll that losing a child — no matter how early in development — can take on people. Mel told Brie she had multiple miscarriages in the past to let her know she wasn’t alone. And though Brie had a strong support system to lean on, Mel still suggested she see a therapist, responsibly stressing the importance of prioritizing mental health in times of tragedy.
Though delicately approached, Season 5’s miscarriage scene was an utterly heartbreaking show of a person’s worst fears being realized. At the first sight of blood, a flood of emotions washed over Mel’s face. In a trance, her fight or flight response activated, and she beelined to the exam room, closing the door and grabbing the ultrasound machine, then stopping to put on her bravest face when Doc walked in. In one of the darkest moments in her life, she took time to ask if Doc was OK and even agreed to take lead at the clinic in his absence. After he left, she let out a heavy sigh, turned on the ultrasound machine, and had a momentary breakdown when no fetal heart rate appeared. After a stunning display of emotion from Breckenridge, Mel quickly pulled herself together and resumed seeing patients until reuniting with Jack at the end of the next episode, hugging him, and apologizing.
Despite past conversations and flashbacks, Mel wasn’t incredibly vocal about her pregnancy loss fears in Season 5 episodes. Yet Jack, and viewers, knew that while she was capable of letting her fears lie dormant, they never dissipated. Virgin River has always excelled at establishing Mel’s pregnancy loss as an immovable part of her character. Her experiences creep up every time she discusses fertility issues with a friend, treats a pregnant patient, marvels over a mother-daugther relationship, recalls her own mom’s miscarriage, or delivers a baby. And after her Season 5 miscarriage, the show does the grieving and healing processes justice by showing intimate moments between Mel and Jack, acknowledging the emotional labor that follows a miscarriage, stressing the importance of supportive loved ones, and reminding Mel to be gentle with herself.
We watch Mel pull herself out of the dark days that follow with a Lizzo dance party, a fishing trip with Doc, a cathartic sewing circle meetup, dinner with Brie, and a number of other attempts at distraction. But the show firmly acknowledges that pain doesn’t just go away by showing her break down days later over her inability to get over the loss and fear of trying again. She tells Jack she thinks she’s done pursuing pregnancy and can’t fathom the pain of another miscarriage, but after taking time to heal, she presents Doc with plans for a birthing clinic and considers alternative methods of starting a family.
Seeing Virgin River regularly and accurately bring different pregnancy stories and experiences to screen — both positive and negative — helps move, educate, and connect to viewers. The show doesn’t shy away from exploring the ugly realities of miscarriage, but it also shows the hope that families can find in resilience. If the show’s past portrayals are any indication of what’s to come, we’ll hopefully see a thoughtful next chapter in Mel and Jack’s parenting pursuit.
Virgin River Season 5, Part 1 is now streaming on Netflix.