Summary
Calvin is a problem in “Blindspots” and the story is finally acknowledging that his presence is felt in a chapter where all the characters seem tense.
This recap of Netflix’s Virgin River season 2, episode 8, “Blindspots” contains significant spoilers.
We recapped every episode — check out the archive.
The opening
“Blindspots” begins with Jack aggressively doing DIY to let all his anger out! Smashing things apart but overcompensating and injuring himself — he’s trying to create a nursery room. I think the opening scene is a reflection of how the characters feel at the moment. Jack shows Mel his injuries, and she advises stitches. He uses this opportunity to talk to her about her feelings after the anniversary of the death of Mark. He’s trying to understand her. The longer Season 2 moves on, the more complex their relationship becomes.
Alibi planning
Connie wants to implicate herself for the alibi. This plan does not convince Preacher, but Connie raises how she can be the best line of defence for him and Paige. This doesn’t feel like something that is going to end well.
An outbreak
With so many sick patients at the clinic, Mel and Doc suspect there is food poisoning from somewhere. It’s an outbreak. After Mel interviews all the patients, the common denominator seems to be Jack’s Bar. Doc starts treating Mel like his assistant again, and it’s annoying her. When Mel speaks to Preacher about the outbreak, he is freaking out while cleaning the kitchen. Doc and Mel argue about the outbreak. Mel believes he is being an ass. All the patients hear their arguments which makes it super awkward. Of course, as we learn later, the fact that it started at Jack’s bar is not a coincidence.
Young love
Ricky meets Lizzie, and she does not want to work as always. The pair run off together to near the lake. Ricky tells Lizzie that he wants to be a medic in the marines. Lizzie invites Ricky to her house in the evening so that they can be alone. Ricky is not getting the hint. Afterwards, Lizzie speaks to Mel about the birth control prescription again.
House hunting
Hope is helping Jack to look for a house. She’s a good negotiator and finds a 10% saving for Jack. He’s buying a house for the twins, and he is considering living with Charmaine. Hope gives him advice; to go after what he wants, even if it is a rougher road. Jack mentions how Mel isn’t ready for a relationship, and she may never be. “Blindspots” confirms that Jack is placing his entire future on the present, but it’s logically not going to work as he will always be conflicted.
Meeting Spencer in secret
Jack meets Spencer secretly in the woods. He’s worried that Calvin will find out that he’s snitching on him. Jack asks if Leo worked for Calvin and wonders if there are hard drugs involved with the lumber business.
Jack rings Mike afterwards; they need evidence that Calvin is running a drug enterprise. Mike tells Jack that Spencer is key to all this.
Hope finds out information she doesn’t want to know
At the hairdressers, Charmaine wants to tell her a secret, but Hope doesn’t want to know because of Jack. Charmaine’s aunt has offered her a place in Portland, and she’s considering living there. Hope walks out and pretends she didn’t hear it, but this is the worst thing that could happen to her — she loves gossip and getting involved in people’s lives.
It maybe not be food-related poisoning
Ricky tells Preacher and Jack that it may be his fault regarding the food poisoning as he didn’t double wash the lettuce. Mel walks in and doesn’t think it is food-related as patients are now showing shortness of breath. Jamie reckons a competitor has done this in a neighbouring town. The plot thickens as the episode moves forward.
Stop gossiping, Hope!
Hope is frustrated and tells Doc that Charmaine plans on moving. Doc is angry that Hope is gossiping about Jack again, but Hope insists she isn’t and it’s not her fault. Doc walks out, and he realises he doesn’t feel great. It’s ironic that on the one occasion Hope is not interested in getting involved, Charmaine forces her to be involved anyway. Feels slightly unfair on the character.
A nervous Ricky
Ricky heads to Lizzie’s house, and he’s nervous, needing water as soon as he arrives. When he heads to her room, he’s getting tenser and tenser. Ricky admits he’s never had sex before, but Lizzie wonders why he’s assuming they were having sex. Lizzie tells Ricky that she’s a virgin too. You can see the relief dissipate as soon as he hears that.
The ending
Mel asks Jack to head over to the clinic. Before he does, he rings up the estate agent to try and buy the house. Mel tells Jack that one of his servers named George came to her with similar symptoms, including a rash, but that it went away immediately. She’s suggesting that George brought the contamination. When Jack goes to see George, he’s already fled the clinic, and he gets into one of Calvin’s vehicles. It was a threat — a soft biological attack on Jack’s Bar.
Calvin tells Brady that he’s been disappointing. He doesn’t trust him. Brady is panicky and asks him to give him time. Calvin’s men bring Spencer to him injured — Calvin tells Brady he’s either on the team or not and hands him a rifle. Brady has a horrific choice to make.
Calvin is a problem in Virgin River season 2, episode 8 and the story is finally acknowledging that his presence is felt in a chapter where all the characters seem tense. As we reach closer to the end, the writers have kept the audience at bay. Twists and turns are still not obvious.
The Virgin River Diaries
- Muriel tells her friends that she doesn’t understand what men see in Hope.
