Jack and Mel can’t win for losing!
Only these two lovebirds would attempt a simple outing together for a bit of romance and end up stuck in a plane with a pilot having a heart attack.
It wasn’t the only drama to happen on Virgin River Season 4 Episode 4, but it was the most shocking.
Mel knows Jack has a lot on his plate and probably needs a breather. Her plan to surprise him was sweet, even if it took a lot of work to get him where she needed in time.
Jack’s father is gone, but the things he said to him still linger and have their effect. As unbothered as he wanted to come across when his father was being critical of the bar, it’s apparent that it got under Jack’s skin.
At the end of the day, part of him probably still wants to make his father proud. One errant comment about the bar needing a paint job stuck with Jack.
And he was ready to spend the entire day outside power washing and repainting the place to keep it from looking “dingy.” If Preacher didn’t get some of the bar patrons to lend a hand, Jack would’ve been the rest of the day trying to give Jack’s Bar a facelift.
Preacher knows his friend well and called it when he said Jack wouldn’t start something and not finish it.
It’s something that applies in other aspects of his life, too.
So far, the season has blessedly had limited Charmaine. With a character like hers, if she continues to serve as such an antagonist, it’s best to have her in small doses to keep her from coming off as a cartoonish villain.
It was such a slap in the face when Charmaine let it slip that they’re having boys. She knew a whole week but thinks it’s acceptable for her and Todd to know everything while Jack gets excluded.
How awful is it that Jack isn’t one of the first to know about his own children?
Charmaine likes to act like she isn’t cutting Jack out, but she always implies that things would’ve been different if they had gotten married, making it seem like this is his punishment for not moving forward with her.
It’s disgusting how Charmaine treats Jack regarding his children, and we can only assume there’s been even more distance and tension between the two since they barely interact anymore.
Jack was bound to boil over and express his frustration with this situation and how it felt as if Charmaine was buying time until she and her husband could completely cut Jack off.
Charmaine: Jack, I apologized.I don’t know what else you want me to say.
Jack: I don’t want you to say anything, Charmaine, I want you to start acting like I’m the twins’ father.
It’s one of many ways where Jack probably feels like a bystander in his own life. The pregnancy with Mel is scary, too, because the reality of what she could face is starting to sink in a bit more for Mel, and she’s terrified of a repeat of before.
But we’re getting antsy over here about the paternity of this child. It’s like they’ve set it aside or pushed it down, not addressing it again because of all the other issues it could bring up if Jack finds out this child isn’t his.
Mel needed some distractions, too, after that stillborn delivery and the older gentleman she helped passing away. But it’s like everywhere she goes, she has to go into Nurse Mode.
Will Jack have to fly the plane now while she saves the pilot?
Doc is feeling a bit conflicted himself. He’s been the perfect doting husband to Hope as she continues to recover, but as is the case with caretakers, it’s taking a toll on him. He feels like he’s living with a stranger.
TBIs are a beast and hard on those battling them and their loved ones. Things change, and sometimes they never return to how they used to be.
Hope continues to isolate herself and barely wants to do anything. It’s like she’s afraid to be around other people because she doesn’t recognize herself either.
Both Doc and Hope are frustrated with her recovery process, and they’re trying to get through it together as best as they can.
I feel like I’m living with a stranger.
Doc
But when Hope saw Muriel and Doc playing backgammon and drinking wine together, it served as this reminder that she’s going through something and can’t be there how she’d like for Doc. All those insecurities are cropping up again, and it was heartbreaking.
And Doc wants to share Denny with her, get to know his grandson, and embrace him into their lives, but she’s resistant to it, and apparently, she has some reservations of her own.
Maybe if Denny moves in with Doc and Hope, we’ll get to know him better. He’s such a mystery.
It seemed like he was into Lizzie, something Ricky noticed and encouraged it. One can only assume that he sees this as another chance to make amends and because he cares about her enough to want her happy.
It takes a lot of guts to tell someone something they don’t want to hear.
Denny
Lizzie was out of her element hiking, but it was absolutely gorgeous around them.
But as she tried to get to know Denny better, it felt like he was shutting down on her. He’s hard to figure out. Some of the conversations they had felt a bit cryptic like he’s no stranger to making mistakes and deception or feeling bad about something.
It’s hard to place, but it’s all the reason that we need to spend more time with Denny and get to the bottom of why he’s still hanging around and what’s going on with him.
Interestingly, the hour hinted at Brie’s past trauma that drove her to Virgin River in the first place, and now there’s a piqued interest in how that’ll play into her storyline this season.
Mel checking in on Brie felt a bit random, but it was a great reminder that Brie is going through a lot. She had that terrible experience at her old firm, she miscarried when she got to Virgin River, and she still hasn’t talked to Jack about what happened to her, nor has she gone to therapy.
She’s insistent that she wants to forget and not focus on it, but that’s not how traumas work. They fester inside until they spill over and affect every facet of your life. They will lay you flat out without a second to breathe and realize that’s what happens.
The conversation felt like some foreshadowing to a Brie breakdown or someone from her past returning and rattling her.
Mel, better than anyone, knows what it’s like when unresolved issues take hold of you and how there’s no controlling when or how it will affect your life.
Brady: I’ve never been with someone like you.
Brie: What, like a control freak?
Brady: No, like a woman who doesn’t back down no matter the odds. It’s sexy.
The Sheridan siblings are such internalizers and conflict avoidant, and they’ll go to the ends of the earth to help everyone else but avoid dealing with their own issues.
At this point, it’s not a matter of if they’ll break, but when, and it’ll be painful to watch.
Brie does a similar thing as her brother. She’s run away from some past trauma and ran into this relationship with Brady, but it’s full of complications.
She’s ready to go to war for Brady, and it’s admirable. It’s something that he probably doesn’t feel like he’s ever had with a woman or anyone before. It means the world to him, and sometimes it feels like he’s in disbelief that this beautiful woman sees him as worthy.
But Brady is still a bonehead. The go-bag under the sink was ridiculous. He’s impulsive and doesn’t always think things through. He would’ve caused so many people pain and trouble if he skipped town, and it would only cause him more damage as he’d look guilty.
At least now, he has more incentive than ever to stay and deal with things after hearing that Calvin threatened Brie. It’s one thing if it were only him, but now that he knows she’s involved, he’s all-in on whatever plan she has that could save him and put Calvin away for good.
Of course, part of Brie’s plan was to ask Mike for help, and he seemed bitter when he realized that she didn’t meet up with him for a casual date.
Mike has seemed shady for a long time now, and at this rate, it wouldn’t be surprising if he’s thoroughly involved with the Emerald Lumber network.
Obviously, inside men are working in law enforcement, covering for Calvin and this operation. And there’s also a matter of who Calvin reports to here.
Maybe Vince ties into this as well? I don’t know, but if anyone can crack this case, it’s Brie. She and Brady’s lives depend on it.
Over to you, Virgin River Fanatics.
What’s your impression of Denny? How on earth will they get out of that plane? Do you think Mike is involved with the drug operation? Sound off below.
Jasmine Blu is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.