When a show is so steeped in romance like Virgin River,

there’s a passionate fandom of shippers who have strong opinions.

If you love one particular couple, another fan probably won’t be able to stand them.

There are the universally loved couples and the universally hated couples. But how do the pairings in Virgin River stack up against the rest?

Since we have already ranked the five most disliked Virgin River characters (and there’s a hot take that fans might not like), let’s dive into five of the couples in the series that have earned the most conversation among fans. Some of these couples just got together in season 5, while others have either come and gone or have been linked in seasons past.

But don’t worry: Mel and Jack aren’t on this list, and neither are Doc and Hope or Brie and Brady. Those couples are too well-liked to actually be deemed dislike, though there are likely dissenters of each pairing. While those three Virgin River couples have been marked safe this time around, others weren’t so lucky. It’s time to get things started with Brie and Mike.

5. Brie and Mike

For some reason, a lot of Virgin River fans don’t like Brie with Mike, and that might have more to do with the fact that the relationship is getting in the way of Brie and Brady ending up together. Brady has shooters out there who ride hard for him and want to see him and Brie make it work. Whether with Brady or Mike, Brie would be lucky to end up with either because they’re both handsome and care about her a lot. What more could she ask for?

However, I have to disagree with those who dislike Brie and Mike as a couple, and that’s why they have been ranked in fifth place. They don’t deserve to be disliked! Again, the main reason they seem to have any haters has to do with Brady. But Mike treats Brie well and doesn’t have any nefarious secrets that can put her in danger, even as a police officer. They have just as much chemistry as Brie and Brady, which makes the coupling work. They wouldn’t be hated if they weren’t a threat.

4. Preacher and Kaia

Over the course of five seasons, Preacher has had a few love interests. He had a close relationship with Paige and then dated Julia for a bit before hitting things off with Kaia in season 5. Preacher and Paige’s relationship wasn’t really anything to root for (see: the mess surrounding the murder), and Julia deserved better than how Preacher treated her. The way he ended things? Yeah, that wasn’t fair to her and came out of absolutely nowhere. Justice for Julia!

Now that he’s with Kaia, Preacher has found his closest chance at an endgame relationship. But… there’s still something that’s a little off. Maybe it’s that he’s lying to her about burying that body, maybe it’s that he was so weirdly jealous of her ex-husband, maybe it’s that their relationship moved faster than we had a chance to really care. (And moving too fast is saying something for this show.) They’re not the show’s worst couple, but they’re not a fan-favorite either. Let’s hope season 6 changes that!

3. Lizzie and Ricky

These days, fans seem to be lukewarm on Lizzie’s relationship with Denny. But compared to her relationship with Ricky, she and Denny are practically Mel and Jack. Say what you will about Lizzie, but Ricky was the weak link in their relationship and the one that made them hard to like. There was so much insecurity and back and forth and push and pull, which is emblematic of a teenage relationship. But it was tiring and ultimately saw them — and us! — going around in circles.

According to the showrunner, bringing Ricky back in season 5 after his departure in the previous season was on the table, but never came to fruition for the Christmas episodes. At this stage of the game, it’s unnecessary to bring Ricky back for any reason regarding Lizzie. She’s with Denny and starting a family with him, in spite of his illness. Their relationship is so much less toxic than Lizzie’s was with Ricky, and you can tell in her happiness.

2. Cameron and Muriel

In one of the most unexpected twists of season 5, Cameron and Muriel got together. I don’t think anyone would have seen their relationship coming, not when his crush on Mel caused so much commotion in season 4. Like, he inserted himself into Mel and Jack’s relationship for selfish reasons when it was none of his business. He was down bad, and in that sense, it was probably for the best that he moved on with Muriel. Still, that doesn’t mean fans have to like it.

Look, they aren’t the most outlandish relationship we have ever seen on  TV or even in this show, but it’s the random nature of it that might be tripping some viewers up. Also, after clearing the Christmastime hurtle of Cameron’s ex coming back to town and wanting to get back together and start a family, there’s not much else for them to do. Either they stay together and Cameron keeps his word that he doesn’t want kids, or he decides that he does want kids. It’s a dynamic that a lot of fans don’t seem entirely interested in.

1. Brady and Lark

Were you scared Brie and Brady would take the top spot? Never! There’s far too many fans of the couple out there for them to ever be on a list of disliked Virgin River couples… though they surely have their haters. But when it comes to Brady, his growing relationship with Lark will surely be a sore subject in season 6, even more so than it was in season 5. Their connection started naturally and seemed super innocent as he bonded with her and her daughter. But of course, that took a turn.

In the final moments of the season, it’s revealed that Lark’s somehow playing Brady and working with Jimmy. Could he even be the father of her daughter? You never know in Virgin River! As cute as they started out, by the time the other shoe dropped, rooting for them was out of the question. How can you cheer on something that seems to be a no-win situation for Brady? He’s constantly in the middle of mess and deserves peace. He thought that’s what he was getting with Lark, but perhaps his story with Brie won’t be over after all.