Details may be scarce regarding Virgin River Season 7, but a few small nuggets have been confirmed about the series thus far.
Netflix's hit romance has been delighting fans on the platform since its 2019 debut, following the ups and downs of a rural American town and it's the people who live within it.
After the exciting ending of Season 6, there are still some enticing narrative threads to tug upon going forward, including things like Lizzie's ongoing pregnancy.
Everything We Know About Virgin River Season 7
Virgin River Season 7 Is Officially Renewed
Fans nervous Virgin River Season 7 may never see the light of day have nothing to worry about, as the show has already been confirmed for more episodes.
Ahead of Season 6's December 2024 debut, Season 7 was officially greenlit (via Deadline), making the series the longest-running Netflix original scripted series to date.
Given the continued success of the series, it would not be surprising if Season 8 was on the horizon as well.
Filming Will Begin This Spring: When Will Season 7 Release?
No release timing for Season 7 has been disclosed; however, some hints are going around pointing to when it may hit the streamer.
As of December 2024, writing was ongoing on the new episodes. According to Deadline, scripts are expected to be ready for Season 7 sometime in January with filming set to begin in the spring.
Filming on Season 4 ended roughly seven months before its eventual debut (ending December 2021 before releasing in July 2022). Season 5 took about 10 months, and six took seven yet again.
Given a similar production timeline a debut as early as later this year could be possible, perhaps coming around December (just like Season 6 did).
Sixteen Cast Members Are Confirmed To Return
Much of the regular Virgin River cast will be back in Season 7.
Fans got a taste of the returning cast by way of a video posted on the show's official Instagram account, featuring 16 stars from the show announcing it is coming back for more episodes.
The video featured series mainstays like Alexandra Breckenridge (Mel) and Martin Henderson (Jack), as well as smaller fan-favorite actors including Teryl Rothery (Muriel) and Elise Gatien (Lark).
Below is a full list of confirmed returning cast members for Virgin River Season 7:
- Alexandra Breckenridge as Mel
- Martin Henderson as Jack
- Kai Bradbury as Denny
- Kandyse McClure as Kaia
- Sarah Dugdale as Lizzie
- Tim Matheson as Doc
- Colin Lawrence as Preacher
- Annette O'Toole as Hope
- John Allen Nelson as Everett
- Benjamin Hollingsworth as Dan
- Zibby Allen as Brie
- Marco Grazzini as Mike
- Lauren Hammersley as Charmaine
- Teryl Rothery as Muriel
- Jenny Cooper as Joey
- Elise Gatien as Lark
Mark Ghanimé Is Leaving the Show
One name that will not be coming back for Season 7 is Mark Ghanimé as Cameron.
Ghanimé's Dr. Cameron Hayek was first introduced in Season 4 as a new doctor arriving to work at the local Virgin River clinic, but it seems as though his time on the series has come to an end.
Speaking with Deadline in December, showrunner Patrick Sean Smith confirmed the character would "[not] be a series regular in Season 7," but made sure to add he would "love to have him back" at some point down the line:
"Cameron will always be part of our world, and I would love to see his character come back again. He unfortunately won’t be a series regular in Season 7, but I love Mark, and I love the character, so when opportunity presents itself, I’d love to have him back."
The last fans saw of Ghanimé's character he was heading off to San Diego with his ex-fiancee Michelle at the end of Season 5. However, despite this, fans still had hope he would come back in some form for Season 6.
This news though confirms the character is gone for good, and his Season 6 absence was not just a one-season break, but a more permanent move for the former Virgin River physician (read more about Cameron's Virgin River exit here).
Season 7 Picks Up Right Where Season 6 Left Off
Story details for Virgin River Season 7 have not been disclosed as of yet, but it has been revealed the series will pick up mere moments from where fans last saw it.
In his conversation with Deadline recapping the events of Season 6, showrunner Patrick Sean Smith let slip that "the next season picks up like two hours" after the events of Virgin River's sixth season:
"Currently, the next season picks up like two hours later, there is not a time jump this time."
Hinting at where he sees this next batch of episodes going, the Netflix creative remarked, "I can’t promise any more weddings," following the wedding-packed Season 6:
"I can’t promise any more weddings. We are a little weddinged-out after Season 6, but it felt like, at weddings, sometimes the idea finds its way into couples, so exploring it felt like even more of a way of bringing our supporting characters into the event itself by them evaluating or reevaluating their own individual or couple relationship to marriage."
He also divulged that the next season will get further into the revelation that Brie and Jack's parents are sleeping together and that investigating by Mike will be something that comes back in Season 7:
"We will unpack all of that in Season 7, for sure. We dropped hints In the earlier episodes, specifically in 608 when Mike has the theory that Brie and Jack’s parents are sleeping together, and at one point he says, 'I’m a detective, I detect things.' So the idea was that we felt like by profession, let’s make him a really good cop, and let’s have him pick up on these breadcrumbs and clues along the way. At the fire with the men, it’s off Jack knowing that Brady and Brie slept together when it’s referenced that Brady could be a family man in this relationship with Lark, Jack shoots a look to Brady that’s somewhat accusatory, so it was super super subtle. But again, it’s something that we will unpack more in Season 7."
As for whether fans will get the curtain pulled back on some more characters' back stories going forward, Smith admitted, "We are exploring a little bit more of Mel’s origins," heading into the new episodes:
"We are exploring a little bit more of Mel’s origins as a midwife, which we understand led to her choice of becoming a nurse, and a bit of her calling came from the emotional experience she had with her mother’s illness and passing. It’s getting to understand in a deeper way Mel’s relationships with babies, her relationships with birth mothers, and digging into that part of her calling as well."
Season 7 Isn't the Last Season (For Now)
Since its debut Virgin River has been a tour de force on Netflix, cementing itself as one of the most successful dramatic series in the history of the platform. Because of this, it would make sense that there are currently no plans to end the show.
Showrunner Patrick Sean Smith said as such, telling Deadline that there are "no plans to wrap up the series anytime soon:"
"No plans to wrap up the series anytime soon, and as long as people keep coming back for it, we’re proud and happy to keep telling these stories."
Seeing as the novel series the show is based on spans over 50 books, there is plenty of stories to pull from, should Netflix want to keep the show going well into the future.
Virgin River is now streaming on Netflix.
