"A Second Chance" is the first episode of the fifth season of Virgin River, and the forty-third episode overall.
Synopsis[]
Mel makes a tough decision; Jack draws a potential business investor; Preacher and Paige wonder if they're on the same page; a council meeting stuns Hope.
Plot[]
Paige is hysterical while Preacher tries to figure out what to do next. Mike shows up and arrests Vince who’s incredulous over Preacher admitting to killing his brother. As he’s taken away, Mike admits that there’s no reason to follow up on the lead. More importantly, it means Paige and Preacher no longer need to run.
Jack starts chopping wood outside after learning the truth about the twins. Mel is annoyed about Charmaine lying and bemoans her own feelings on the matter. Jack shrugs it off and tells her that he can handle it – and he has nothing more to say to Charmaine.
With Mel now retiring from the clinic, she contemplates what to do next with her life. She speaks to her sister on the phone and decides to carry on her mum’s tradition of sewing. Before that, she needs to collect her stuff and say goodbye to Doc.
Vernon is busy with Hope, who continues to fuss over Denny. In the middle of this, Lizzie shows up to see Hope, and agrees to be the home aide that Hope needs. Hope is all for it, and admits while they’re alone that she only brought her onboard because she’s rebellious and doesn’t do what’s told. This means Hope doesn’t need to be looked after properly.
Hope shoos Lizzie away from questioning further as she busies herself prepping for the upcoming town counsel meeting. Lizzie sits down and starts looking on Wikipedia about Huntington’s Disease.
Brady wakes up to 4 missed calls from M, desperate to get hold of him. He ignores that for now as Brie enters the room. She’s decided to press charges against Don Shepherd. There’s actually a case against him already on sexual assault allegations, and she’s encouraged to go and testify in court.
Mel returns to the clinic and Doc pleads with her to stay. However, her mind is already made up. She’s not moving town or anything so they can go fishing sometime. He smiles weakly and agrees. Furthermore, Cameron is allowed to stay on as well.
Melissa confronts Brady and brings up his backstory, including his troubled childhood. She uses this as a hook to keep him working for her. He’s been delivering fentanyl to Melissa, and she’s pretty annoyed that he’s been ignoring her calls.
She’s expanding her business and wants Brady to be front and center of this. She needs people she can trust and believes Brady is the perfect fit. The drug shipments are being kept stuffed inside tyres. And in fact, Jeb decides to jump in and get involved. Brady is not happy but Melissa points out that this isn’t a suggestion. It’s going to happen.
Melissa however, also shows up to see Jack and gives him some advice about expanding his business. Although he is grateful for her offer, he declines, just as she hands over two baby gift baskets. Jack decides he doesn’t want to get into it and suggests donating it when he talks to Mel later that evening.
Mel shows up at Hope’s place and explains her choice of leaving the clinic, minus the pregnancy. Hope is annoyed that she’s already made her mind up and isn’t particularly sympathetic.
Preacher makes his choice and heads back home to eat with Paige. When he mentions that they make a good team, she becomes flustered and points out that she just wants some freedom away from everything that reminds her of Wes. She just wants a home where she can’t see him everywhere and unfortunately, that means she can’t stay anymore. She’s going to have to leave with Christopher. She offers Preacher to come as well but he can’t leave Virgin River.
Meanwhile, Lizzie grabs the computer when Hope is having issues and suggests she takes a look and help. There’s spelling errors, the obligatory “I hate everything” and lots of random notes.
Apparently Hope had everything written out and it just magically spat out a bunch of gibberish. Lizzie smiles and shrugs it off, knowing deep down what this really means. When Denny heads home, things are awkward between them. He apologies for keeping his diagnosis from her and tells Lizzie he wants to be friends. In reply, Lizzie rushes over and kisses him. She’s thought about him not having a future and wants to focus on the here and now instead.
Meanwhile, Bert tests positive for Fentanyl. Having earlier been rushed in the clinic, Doc explains to him that he may have been exposed to it somewhere. He is unaware that he touched that car by the side of the road at the start of the episode and cut his hand open. This explains the exposure.
At the town counsel, Hope is in for a rude awakening as she learns that Muriel and the others are on-course to discuss replacing her as Mayor. While this is going on, Jack arrives to see Charmaine with a murderous look on his face, and Mel speaks to Ava at the bar. As they start talking though, Ava drops her wine glass on the floor. Simultaneously, someone throws a rock through Brie’s window at her new place.
Cast and characters[]
Main Cast[]
- Alexandra Breckenridge as Melinda Monroe
- Martin Henderson as Jack Sheridan
- Colin Lawrence as John "Preacher" Middleton
- Benjamin Hollingsworth as Dan Brady
- Sarah Dugdale as Lizzie
- Zibby Allen as Brie Sheridan
- Marco Grazzini as Mike Valenzuela
- Mark Ghanimé as Dr. Cameron Hayek
- Kai Bradbury as Denny Cutler
- Annette O'Toole as Hope McCrea
- Tim Matheson as Vernon Mullins
Guest Cast[]
- Lauren Hammersley as Charmaine Roberts
- Jenny Cooper as Joey Barnes
- Teryl Rothery as Muriel
- Nicola Cavendish as Connie
- Gwynyth Walsh as Jo Ellen
- Stacey Farber as Tara Anderson
- Lucia Walters as Julia
- Steve Bacic as Vince
- Lexa Doig as Paige Lassiter
- Barbara Pollard as Melissa Montgomery
- Libby Osler as Ava Anderson
- Darcy Laurie as Gene Sackheim
- Christina Jastrzembska as Lydie
- Keith MacKechnie as Nick
- Trevor Lerner as Bert Gordon
- Chase Petriw as Christopher
- Ellie Harvie as Shirley
- Sandy Robson as Jeb
- Emma Oliver as Young Mel
- Miranda Edwards as D.A. Ivy Callahan
- Gabrielle Jacinto as Nurse Jill