Virgin River’s showrunner Patrick Sean Smith has announced a prequel series is in the works and will focus on the complicated romance of Mel’s parents, Everett and Sarah.

'Virgin River' season flashback photos show Mel's parents

Virgin River is set to get a brand new series, as showrunner Patrick Sean Smith has revealed plans for a prequel.

The upcoming series will delve into the complex love story of Mel’s parents, Everett and Sarah, a narrative that was briefly hinted at in Virgin River’s sixth season. Audiences were given a glimpse into their younger years through flashbacks set in the 1960s, which paved the way for the prequel.

According to Smith, the prequel will kick off in the 1960s, tracing the beginnings of Everett and Sarah’s romance while also exploring the social and cultural issues of the era.

“It was always the plan that this could potentially be a backdoor pilot, introducing this new timeline,” Patrick shared. The story of the prequel started when Mel embarked on a quest to find her biological father, Everett, only to discover he had been living in Virgin River all along.

Virgin River season six premieres on Thursday, December 19, on Netflix.
Fans are divided over the Virgin River news

While season 6 primarily revolved around Mel and Jack’s wedding preparations, it also delved into Mel’s relationship with her father, laying the groundwork for the upcoming prequel. “We wanted to dissect more of Everett and Sarah’s relationship, not just their romance but also the origins of Virgin River itself in the 1970s,” Patrick told Variety prior to the release of season 6.

News of Everett and Sarah’s spin-off series has sparked a debate among fans on Reddit, with mixed reactions to the concept. One user expressed skepticism about the need for an extended series, “I’m struggling to think of a need for an actual multi episode season, unless it’s like a 4 part mini series or something, or 6 episodes. I don’t know.”

Another fan doubted the show’s appeal given the couple’s rocky relationship history, “I don’t see how anyone is going to root for the couple since 1. they don’t end up together and 2. they frequently break up and get back together. That anticipation is gone.”

Interest in other characters was voiced by another Redditor, “Yeah I’d be more invested watching Hope and Vernon’s backstory in more details. We already saw a glimpse of a grumpy Connie so what about the rest of the sewing circle and others? Could be fun!”

Meanwhile, a fourth commenter criticized the decision for the spin-off, “I think the new showrunner is nuts. No one is going to watch a show about Everett and Mel’s Mom.”