The more I learn about Virgin River season 6’s plan, the more I fear that a popular fan theory might be true. The Virgin River season 6 theory involves Everett Reid (John Allen Nelson), Mel Monroe’s (Alexandra Breckenridge) biological father. The two-part fifth season finale saw Mel and Jack (Martin Henderson) tracking down the former’s estranged father — a man who, coincidentally, Mel’s mother met in the town of Virgin River. After solving Mel’s biggest Virgin River mystery, the Netflix series spun up some new drama, with Everett seemingly unwilling to pursue a father-daughter relationship with Mel.
A Christmas miracle came in the form of Everett’s change of heart. Like other viewers, I’ve been wondering what Everett’s big reveal, which is teased in Virgin River season 5, part 2’s ending, will mean for the sixth outing. While there have been several theories, the one that seems most plausible to me is that Everett will reveal that Mel has a half-sibling — perhaps someone in Virgin River’s cast of characters that we’ve already gotten to know. If the half-sibling plot happens, I really hope showrunner Patrick Sean Smith creates a brand-new character for that role.
This Virgin River Season 6 Theory Would Make Charmaine & Mel’s Sisters
The fan theory that’s steadily gaining steam is that Charmaine Roberts (Lauren Hammersley) will be revealed as Mel’s half-sibling in Virgin River season 6 — and I really hope that isn’t the case. Introduced as Jack’s friend with benefits in the show’s first season, Charmaine was a romantic rival of sorts, seemingly creating an obstacle for Jack and Mel’s relationship in Virgin River’s earliest episodes. Despite being just a recurring character in the show’s fifth season, Charmaine has a big moment in the two-part finale, which makes me even more concerned about the half-sibling theory holding weight.
Until the fifth-season finale, Charmaine was at the center of Virgin River’s most absurd storyline: a five-season-long pregnancy. It was becoming increasingly difficult for me to ignore just how bizarre Virgin River’s timeline felt given Charmaine’s wildly long gestation period. Thankfully, season 5’s finale resolves that plot point, with Charmaine giving birth to twins. The crucial moment also allows Charmaine and Mel a chance to reconcile after all the Jack-related awkwardness, as Mel helps deliver Charmaine’s babies. To me, this seems like the perfect lead-in to the reveal that Charmaine and Mel are biological sisters.
I Hope The Netflix Series Doesn’t Draw A Deeper Connection Between These 2 Characters
Although the “rivalry” between Mel and Charmaine provided some texture to the story of Mel and Jack’s budding relationship, I don’t think it’s a dynamic worth complicating with the half-sibling twist. Instead of setting up a renewed soon-to-be-sisterly relationship between the two women, season 5’s finale moment could simply serve as a nice reconciliation between the two characters. There’s no denying that the Virgin River season 6 theory would change everything — for Mel and the show’s trajectory. Given Mel and Jack’s impending nuptials, a Charmaine twist isn’t really something I need dragged into the picture.
Virgin River Season 6 Needs Less Of Charmaine, Not More
If anything, Virgin River season 6 needs to cut down on Charmaine’s screen time — not increase it. Charmaine is easily one of Virgin River’s least interesting characters, in part because her arc has been dominated by the seemingly unending pregnancy storyline. While I think it could be fun to see Mel in an aunt role, she doesn’t need to be Charmaine’s biological half-sibling to make that dynamic work. With Virgin River’s prequel series waiting in the wings, I think the half-sibling twist in general seems highly plausible, and even welcome — I just don’t want Charmaine involved.
