Virgin River Season 6, Episode 2 Review: ‘The Broken Places’

Virgin River Season 6, Episode 2 ‘The Broken Places’ is about love stories, and how sometimes it feels like life is a series of small choices that leads you to a big one, or to the person you are meant to be with. For Mel, that’s what Jack feels like—fate. He, however, sees it another way. For Jack, Mel is a choice.

Both ways of seeing it are perfectly okay, and both are romantic in their own way. You can believe the person you are with was always the choice for you, or you can believe the person you are with is the choice because you decided they were the choice. The important part is the choice that you make and that you keep on making every day, together.

MORE: What did Kandyse McClure have to say about Virgin River Season 6?

FLASHBACKS

Of course, Virgin River Season 6, Episode 2 ‘The Broken Places’ is also an episode about Mel’s parents, how they met, how they fell in love, and why they work. And I gotta admit, it’s kinda charming. It truly is. There’s a very easy chemistry between Jessica Rothe and Callum Kerr and they are believable as two people who find an easy connection and yet can never seem to find their time.

However, it’s the last part that doesn’t quite work for me. I’m not watching Virgin River to get attached to a story that I know is going to hurt me, and no matter what, I know if I get attached, this one is. So, my solution is simple, I won’t get attached. They’re there, and I know Mel cares, so they’re just nice backstories to have because they create Mel, but that’s about it. I won’t let myself care more, sorry not sorry. And if there’s truly a prequel coming, I’m not sure if I can put myself through that pain.

Not unless Netflix has another thing up their sleeve to hook me.

MORE: Read our interview with Benjamin Hollingsworth as he talks about Brady

THE END OF ONE LOVE STORY

In many ways, Mel and Everett have a lot in common, it’s just that Everett never moved on, and the show wants us to see that as some kind of romantic thing. Mel moved on because, what, she didn’t love Mark enough? I don’t really like that, though. I feel like if you love someone, really love them, then you would want them to move on. Especially if you happen to pass away young. Would you want them to spend the rest of their life mourning you and doing nothing but that? I know I wouldn’t. That’s not love.

For me, the message of “the end of one love story can be the beginning of another,” is a more hopeful and realistic one, and one that speaks of true love, too. Because love is selfless. Love wants the best for the other person. And I have to believe that if Mark loved Mel, he would want her to be happy now, he would want her to be with Jack, and he would want her to have the family they could never have. That, to me, is the real meaning of the word.

MORE: What did we think of Virgin River Season 5? Here’s our review!

PREACHER’S TRIAL

This hour truly cements not just how good Preacher is, in general, but how good Kaia and Preacher are together. Because I don’t know that, in her place, I wouldn’t be asking him to put himself first. But Kaia has always seen Preacher clearly. She sees the kind of man he is, and she understands that he could never do that, he could never betray Paige like that. And the fact that he is that man is one of the reasons she loves him.

And the fact that she sees all of him and accepts him for who he is ends up being one of the reasons Preacher can love her. Sometimes that’s what we need, someone who will see past the broken pieces and accept us for what we are, even when we don’t really accept ourselves. Kaia and Preacher seemed, at first, like the kind of couple Virgin River was just throwing together to see if it worked—certainly no Mel and Jack, but they’ve quickly become, perhaps, my second favorite couple on this show. Who would have thought?

MORE: Talking to Annette O’Toole is a joy, trust us.

Things I think I think:

Oh, flashbacks. Joy?
What’s wrong with Sugar?!
I mean, fine, get Muriel a date, I guess.
Man’s got a Purple Heart! A Purple Heart!
What’s Vernon gonna do for the horse, pray tell?
Brady kinda sticking up for Kaia was good.
The flashbacks are…okay? Messy? I don’t know how you make a show out of them, though.
I already know it ends badly, so I’m not invested.
Suuure, fate.
Okay, but “every romance is a tragedy in the end” is NOT THE SENTIMENT to tell your daughter who’s about to get married.
That was a cheap trick by the DA. Game respects game.
Hope missing Lily gave me feels.
Lark can go to hell, okay?
The Denny and Doc of it all gives me warm, fuzzy feelings.
Oh, no Muriel. Please tell someone.
Mel and Jack are killing me, I love them, Your Honor. And this season has been good for them so far. Let someone else have the drama!
Don’t take it, Preacher. Don’t.
I love Kaia too. Like truly love her.
And so does Preacher.
It’s fine, I’M FINE.

Agree? Disagree? What did you think of Virgin River Season 6, Episode 2 ‘The Broken Places’? Share with us in the comments below!

Virgin River Season 6 is now available to stream on Netflix.

Our Virgin River Season 6 episode reviews:

Lissete Lanuza Sáenz

Lawyer. Writer. Editor. Former Senior Editor in charge of Features, Lists, and News at CBR. Freelancer at TV Guide & Remezcla. Eternal optimist. Fangirl since the dawn of time. Hates the color yellow, olives and cigarettes. Has a recurring nightmare where she’s forced to choose between sports and books. Falls in love with fictional characters.