Updated January 12, 2023: New character details have been added following the release of Virgin River Season 5’s two holiday episodes (511 and 512) on November 30.
The first five seasons of Virgin River have revolved around a heartbroken nurse named Melinda Monroe who starts fresh in a town in Northern California.
Every Actor & Character in Virgin River Season 5
Virgin River explores Mel Monroe’s new beginning after losing her husband and baby. The character is portrayed by Alexandra Breckenridge.
Mel is a nurse and midwife who starts fresh in the titular town to start working at the local clinic. She eventually falls in love with a bar owner named Jake Sheridan.
After a series of ups and downs throughout the first four seasons, the latest batch of episodes explores Mel and Jake’s journey to parenthood.
In September 2022, Breckenridge told New Beauty that Season 5 will have “pretty heavy” and “really intense” episodes:
“I think this season has started out well, and we’re getting into a few episodes soon that are pretty heavy. They’re really intense and I think that they’re some of the best episodes we’ve ever done.”Breckenridge previously played Jessie Anderson in The Walking Dead and Sophie in This Is Us.
Martin Henderson – Jack Sheridan
Playing Mel Monroe’s romantic interest in Virgin River is Martin Henderson as Jack Sheridan.
The character is a former U.S. Marine who now owns a bar. Despite suffering from post-traumatic stress during his service, Sheridan tries his best to help out his fellow residents while also becoming a good fiancé to Mel.
Speaking during Netflix’s TUDUM on set in 2022, Henderson teased that Mel and Jake’s relationship has “never really been that easy,” though their “love deepens” as they grow together:
“There’s always been an element of drama around these two. Even though it’s a very sweet love story, it’s never really been that easy. But as time progresses… I think their love deepens because they share more with one another.”
