Netflix’s slew of cancelled shows deserve Virgin River’s fate (Picture: Netflix)
After nearly all my favourite TV shows have been cancelled one after the other, Netflix’s renewal of the uninspired, run-of-the-mill drama Virgin River was like a slap in the face.
The series has risen from the ashes of all those who have come before, becoming the Netflix English-language drama series with the most number of seasons. On top of the existing five, it’s now been renewed early for a seventh season.
That’s right, it’s beaten The Crown, House of Cards and Stranger Things to secure its place in Netflix history – likely with the aim of running for many, many more.
Orange is the New Black’s first two seasons count as a comedy but even if the full show is considered, Virgin River is on track to overtake it imminently.
Only Spanish drama series Elite has the show beaten in seasons for now (at eight), although Virgin River still exceeds it in number of episodes.
For the uninitiated (allegedly not that many, given its popularity), the newly-crowned Virgin River is based on the book series by Robyn Carr.
I tried to give the show a try myself a few years ago (Picture: Netflix/Everett/REX/Shutterstock)
The show follows nurse practitioner Melinda Monroe (Alexandra Breckenridge) who swaps out her Los Angeles life for a fresh start in a remote town in North California where she soon meets the rugged and charming Jack Sheridan (Martin Henderson).
As Mel entrenches herself in the local community, we soon get caught up in the dramatic comings and goings of the neighbourhood – from shock pregnancies to gun crime to drug smuggling and everything in between.
At the beating heart is Mel and Jack’s love for one another, as they try to navigate a romance burdened by past trauma and fears for the future. Essentially, all the ingredients for your stereotypical US drama that centres on a straight white couple and their woes.
I tried to give the show a try myself a few years ago and didn’t really get the appeal. The plots, characters and tropes all felt surface-layer and well-worn so I ended up clicking off after a few episodes.
Although I could see myself returning to the show in the mid-winter when I am looking for some cheesy, mid-stakes TV to watch.
Whatever they have put into this adaptation, it is clearly working because the show continues to produce astonishing viewing numbers.
There’s no denying its wholesome appeal but should that be enough? (Picture: Netflix/Everett/REX/Shutterstock)
In a Netflix report tracking viewing numbers from July to December 2023, they confirmed season five of the show notched up an incredible 331million viewing hours with a total of 35.8million viewers. And they’ll be anticipating similar – if not better – results for their sixth season in December.
I have no doubt that shows like this have a valuable space in the streaming ecosystem and the dramatic, but ultimately feel-good nature of the series is likely an important form of escapism for millions.
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Source:: Metro
