Virgin River. (L to R) Martin Henderson as Jack Sheridan, Alexandra Breckenridge as Mel Monroe in episode 503 of Virgin River. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2023
We’re just weeks away from returning to Virgin River for the final two episodes that will make up season 5. One of the big storylines teased for those two episodes will be Mel looking for her father. Who are the candidates, and who do fans think Mel’s father is?
We posted a Facebook post asking who our audience thought Mel’s father was. There were many answers, but the overwhelming majority predicted it would be Doc. Other common suggestions included Nick, Charlie, and Bert.
To help us figure out who Mel’s father is, we’ve enlisted the help of The Viewers Perspective, a site that covers many Netflix shows and movies but has a strong focus on Virgin River. They are our go-to experts on all things VR, and they graciously agreed to help us figure out who Mel’s father could be.
The Viewer’s Perspective on Who Mel’s Father Is
Note: The below was written by the editor-in-chief of The Viewers Perspective.
As November 30th approaches and the release of Virgin River Part 2 draws closer, we are left wondering who Me’s father could be.
Executive producer and showrunner Patrick Sean Smith told Glamour Magazine:
“I had an idea where it just felt like a good opportunity to connect Mel more to the history of the town because your main character can only be a fish out of water for so long. Getting into hinting at how Mel came to Virgin River, was there some preexisting knowledge that she wasn’t aware of when she was young that planted the name of this place?”
Mel’s mother not only began an affair with someone she knew in Virgin River, but it was possible she visited the small town. Mel could have already heard about the small community set in North California from her mom and forgotten about it. Perhaps seeing Hope’s ad, who was looking for a nurse, triggered something that Mel didn’t even realize at the time. If that’s the case, fate did lead Mel to Virgin River and Jack.
Viewers have only two clues to try to guess the father: Champ, the name signed on letters to Mel’s mother, Sarah, and the fact that, as you can see from the trailer, Mel finds out he is still in Virgin River.
Why Doc is unlikely to be Mel’s father
We are not even contemplating Doc. Although Mel and Doc’s relationship resembles that of a father and daughter, it would be too obvious and repetitive, especially since Doc discovers in Season 4 that he had an unknown son who passed away.
For the upcoming season 6, if Mel’s biological father is alive, we are contemplating whether it would be better to have him portrayed by a character the audience is already familiar with or to introduce a new actor, considering that their relationship and his role would be crucial to the plot of the upcoming season 6.
Choice 1: Nick
Nick, the owner of Fitches’ B&B, seems suitable for the role. He and Jo Ellen do not have children, and in Season 5 Episode 9, Jo Ellen mentions to Hope and Lydie that she and Nick have always wondered how their lives would have turned out if they had been able to have children. Nick has a consistent presence in the previous seasons, especially in Season 5, where he takes on the role of Mayor Pro Tem for a few episodes and invested in Jack’s glamping business.
Upon further investigation, we noticed that Champ had included some flowers in the love letters he wrote to Sarah, Mel’s mother. One of the letters stated, “Thought you’d get a smile from these flowers. I grew them in my garden and dried the prettiest ones.” It is worth noting that the B&B has a beautiful flower garden, as we have seen in previous seasons.
Virgin River. (L to R) Keith MacKechnie as Nick, Barbara Pollard as Melissa Montgomery in episode 501 of Virgin River. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2023
Choice 2: Buck
Buck Anderson was Lilly’s late husband. Buck had passed away six months before Mel arrived in Virgin River. Buck and Lilly had five children, but Tara, Chloe, and Ava are the only ones we’ve met so far. While we know that Mel’s father is still in Virgin River, it has not been specified whether he is alive or not. Buck and Lilly are buried at the family cemetery on the farm. According to Smith’s interview with Glamour Magazine, it seems that Mel’s connection with the town is more important than finding out who her biological father is. In this case, Buck would be a perfect candidate.
The farm and the Andersons had a significant presence in every season of the show. Mel has been drawn to them since the beginning, even more so this season. Throughout the seasons, Mel formed strong bonds with Lilly, Tara, and Eva. She even took care of Chloe while Lilly struggled with postpartum depression. After Lilly passed away, Mel created a trust for Tara and Chloe to help them keep the farm. Chloe held a special place in Mel’s heart, as she named her after her deceased little sister. When wildfires destroyed the farm, the Ander-son sisters decided to sell the land. However, when Mel discovered that the swing she always loved was still standing, she took it as a sign. She convinced Jack to purchase the property from Eva, and they plan to build their home on this cherished land together.
Picture: Netflix
Choice 3: Charlie
Our third choice is Charlie, who has been part of the show since Season 1. Due to his limited appearance, we don’t have much information about him.
There are only a few things that we know about him. Charlie, who is adopted, holds a license as an AG pilot. He has also tried to court Hope but without any success. Charlie is one of the few individuals who supports Mel’s decision to contact social services when they are unable to locate Chloe’s mother, unaware, at that time, that it was Lilly.
Can Charlie, an established character, be a canvas for the writers to craft an intriguing story? Would the character’s adoption story open up a parallel plot for Mel and Jack to explore alternative ways of starting a family?
Now it’s over to you. Who do you think Mel’s father is? Let us know in the comments below.
