Virgin River fans pointed out a story in the series that no longer makes sense, and are rooting for the character to disappear.
Since Virgin River debuted on Netflix in late 2019, the series has quickly established itself as a romantic drama that has opened
doors for many series on the platform. However, the series, based on a popular book franchise by Robyn Carr, has proven to be a
reliable hit for the streaming service. And like any good romantic drama, it inspired some strong opinions among fans about its main and supporting characters.
This is a type of series that delves deeply into the past of the protagonist Mel (Alexandra Breckenridge). She is trying to escape hurt by moving to a remote Northern California town. Therefore, characters don’t even necessarily need to be alive to appear in the Virgin River timeline. But, even dead, they are there to inspire strong feelings.
But there is one character who is “working overtime”, according to fans
A perfect example of a dead character that appears is Mark (Daniel Gillies), Mel’s deceased husband, whose tragic death led to her relocation in the first place. Although Mark’s death is established very early in the series, he frequently appeared in flashbacks during Season 1. And, in addition, he also appeared sporadically in the 2nd and 3rd seasons.
However, as the series moves away from the trauma that led Mel to find her new home in the city, Virgin River focuses on her growing relationship with Jack (Martin Henderson). So, fans began to wonder if the series still needs to continue bringing Mark back for these scenes? Here’s why some fans hope actor Daniel Gillies doesn’t return to Virgin River as Mark next season.
Many fans feel that flashbacks with Mark don’t add to the story of Virgin River
Speculation about whether Daniel Gillies would return to Virgin River in season 4 began after the actor suggested his character could appear in future flashbacks. The speech took place during an interview with Warburton magazine. When asked if Mark would return, Gillies said: “Here’s what I’m going to say, somewhat cryptically: The good news about being the dead husband is that you can show up at any time. I’ll leave it at that.”
But it seems Virgin River fans on the Reddit forum weren’t necessarily excited about the prospect of Gillies reprising the role. The most voted comment in the thread that has been discussing this topic said: “I have nothing against him, but enough with the flashbacks of the dead husband. They contribute absolutely nothing to the story.”
Other fans also praised Gillies as an actor, but felt that his character’s purpose had been served by his appearances earlier in the series. One fan wrote: “As a huge ‘Vampire Diaries’/’Originals’ fan, I love his acting. But his scenes beyond the first season contribute nothing to the plot.”
On the other hand, Gillies’ character Mark had some defenders. The person who originally opened the discussion thread on the Reddit forum responded to fans who felt that Mark’s appearances had run their course. He highlighted: “For me, the flashbacks make perfect sense. It’s been a year since he died, not 10, it’s clear Mel hasn’t forgotten him.” This is a good point, since time passes more slowly in the series than in real life.
Now, Virgin River will officially return for fourth and fifth seasons. So, fans will have a little time to speculate until the new episodes premiere.
So, would you like Mark to return?
