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Spoiler alert! Do not proceed if you have not watched season 4 of Netflix’s Virgin River.
“Virgin River” was all about the baby drama in season 4, ending the latest chapter with answers to the paternity of Mel’s baby, but less so with regards to Charmaine’s twins. In the end, it was Jack who was revealed to be the father of Mel’s baby following a paternity test, but the couple had already committed to each other with an engagement before finding out the results. The season ended in classic “Virgin River” fashion with Charmaine revealing that Jack wasn’t the father of her twins. So, who is?
When ET’s Rachel Smith spoke with series stars Alexandra Breckenridge and Martin Henderson earlier this week, they shared that the season originally had a different ending. And both expressed relief that the writers chose to go this route instead.
“At the beginning of the season, Charmaine’s babies were still Jack’s. This was the outline. Charmaine’s babies would always be Jack’s and Mel’s baby was going to be Mark’s and then really close to the end, it completely changed,” Breckenridge revealed. “The writers came back and they were like, ‘So Charmaine’s babies are not Jack’s and Mel’s baby is Jack’s,’ and I was like, ‘Oh my god, thank you!’”
“When we talked about the beginning of the season before we started season 4, I really I was like, ‘Ugh, it feels heartbreaking to me if Mel is pregnant with Mark’s baby. It just feels like a letdown,” she admitted, “so I am really glad that they decided to go in the other direction.”
Henderson said he “was similarly relieved” that Mel and Jack wouldn’t have any more baby drama.
“I felt that at this juncture, season 4, we’re many seasons in. We’ve watched these guys with their mutual troubled pasts come together and there’s this promise of love and their connection and their attraction is undeniable. So the potential can only be for good,” the actor noted.
“But like all the dramas, we didn’t have to watch them navigate through all of the conflict and where they’re incompatible and they try to figure that out, which keeps you compelled,” Henderson added. “I think it’s a perfect time to give the audience something to really celebrate. Obviously there’s people who are going to want the wedding and I don’t know if that’s going to happen but there’s certain things that you want to give the audience.”
And no rest for the “Virgin River” gang. The cast is already back at work on the forthcoming fifth season.
“What I’m looking forward to this season, I think Mel’s journey from her childhood becomes more in focus throughout the season so that we can understand where she’s coming from and how that informs how she behaves now,” Breckenridge teased. “But you know, I think that there’s going to be some similar twists and turns along the way. I know what happens up until episode 6 — I was just given the outlines. They’re not even scripts yet — and I’m very happy. I don’t know if fans are going to be happy. We’ll have to wait and see.”
Henderson chimed in, “What’s interesting about this point in the show, there’s a lot of closure with Charmaine. It’s like, that’s been put to bed so to speak. Like, okay, and there’s a release from that… I feel like now Mel and Jack have an opportunity to just focus on them and their baby and their life and there’s so much hope in that. There’s a lot of possibility.”
“For Jack it’s about starting over, starting new and he’s getting help. He’s really committed to healing his stuff and I think he feels that he wants to put all that stuff behind him so he can show up for this woman and for this family,” he added. “There’s a lot of hope and I think the audience hopefully will feel the buoyancy of that. Of course, being a TV show there’s going to be some obstacles.”
“Virgin River” is now streaming on Netflix.
MORE FROM ET:
‘Virgin River’ Season 4 Trailer Sets Up Pregnancy Drama for Mel & Jack
‘Virgin River’ Trailer: Mel Wants to Have a Baby — But Does Jack?
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