Virgin River – Season 2 Episode 2 Recap & Review

Taken By Surprise

Episode 2 of Virgin River Season 2 picks up right where we left off. The man at the clinic crazily asks for Oxy as Jack rocks up outside just in time.

A smashed glass sends Jack racing inside to Mel’s aid and helping to thwart the threat as this man hurries away. Jack is obviously worried and takes Mel back home to help patch up her twisted ankle from falling awkwardly. It’s obvious that there’s sexual tension between them but for now, Jack leaves before anything can manifest.

Back home, a bruised and battered Paige walks away from Wes as he asks her to pack up ready to head back home. He tells her not to do anything stupid as if she does, next time he won’t be so nice. Paige stands up for herself though and tells him they’re not going to leave.

As Wes grabs her round the throat and threatens the girl, she pushes back and he falls down the stairs, twisting his neck awkwardly. It seems like he’s dead.

Charmaine and Jack show up at the clinic where Mel reveals that they’ll be moving into Hope’s place. They’re obviously not happy but are forced into this as it’s “the best option.”

Hope certainly doesn’t think so though, especially when she finds out Jack still hasn’t exactly forgiven her for what happened last season. Their conversation is frosty when they meet again but he admits that he actually forgave her several weeks ago.

The reason he’s so standoffish is because he doesn’t really want to connect right now given he doesn’t trust her. This situation is less than ideal, made worse when Hope continues to make Charmaine’s life a living hell while she’s bed-bound. Mel shows up though and tries to save the day, handing over a thermos of soup and a stack of magazines to ease Charmaine’s headache and sickness.

Muriel asks Doc over for dinner that evening, giving him her phone number for good measure.

Preacher receives a phone call from a distraught Paige asking for help following what happened to Wes. In true soapy fashion, Paige moves the body from where it originally was on the stairs, worried that the cops will believe Wes because of the restraining order he had against her (a restraining order he himself breached by showing up at Paige’s residence).

Unsure what else to do, she asks Preacher to look after Christopher for the time being. Instead, he decides to “take care of this” and tells Paige to leave Virgin River for good.

Jack phones Mike and asks for intel on the addict with a knife. He believes someone called Calvin could be involved but he’s not 100% sure right now. With the bar undermanned, Jack heads off to give Charmaine her medicine. Only, when he passes Mel at the doorway their reaction to one another is awkward, to say the least.

Charmaine senses it too and quizzes Jack on what’s going on between the pair. For now, he brushes it off as nothing but she’s obviously not a fool and knows there’s something happening.

While Muriel and Doc get cozy during their date, Mel shows up at Jack’s bar and asks Jack to stop being angry at her. She wants to get everything out in the open, and after a couple of shots they talk about how they really feel. Eventually that leads to the inevitable – Jack and Mel making love at Mel’s place after he drives her home.

The Episode Review

And the contrived drama continues. The entire situation between Paige and Preacher is so incredulous it’s difficult to know where to begin. First of all, Wes showed up at Paige’s house and beat her (the bruises prove as much and would hold up in court) The wrestle at the top of the stairs and Wes holding her round the throat would constitute as self defence if Wes died.

Instead, she and Preacher do the most contrived thing imaginable. Preacher’s going to cover up the death, convinces Paige to skip town and basically cover the whole thing up. What could have been a simple self-defence act now looks like murder.

The rest of the drama is pretty predictable too – with Doc obviously getting closer to Muriel and potentially romantically involved. Who allows their partner to intentionally go on dates with another woman? The behaviour seems bizarre to me but that’s Virgin River for you!

Jack, Charmaine and Mel will continue their love triangle too and everything looks set to spill over in the most dramatic and messy way possible. On to the next!