Summary
The characters are unsure about themselves after a recent tragedy, making it an appealing leg up for the season finale.
This recap of Netflix’s Virgin River season 3, episode 9, “The Sun Also Rises,” contains spoilers.
Read the recap of the previous chapter.
It’s tragedy after tragedy in the third season of Virgin River — there appears to be no rest for the wicked in this close-knit town.
In episode 9, Brie wakes up with bloody hands. She rings Jack and asks him to come over — she’s upset and distressed. Jack sees the blood and rings Mel so she can be taken to the clinic. It was a miscarriage. Mel does a series of checks, including an ultrasound — she tells Doc that she is recommending a therapist for her. Meanwhile, Doc raises how Hope is not happy with him for not telling her about Lilly’s cancer.
Vince returns
Connie warns Preacher that she’s seen Vince. Preacher then raises that Sally, who brought Christopher to Virgin River, also wants to talk to him. He feels it is connected.
Surprisingly, Preacher saw no warning signs here.
Mel wants time to think, but Jack is not having it
Before the funeral, Jack asks Mel why she’s shutting him out after they made up and slept together. Mel tells him she needs time to think. She feels like Jack was saying everything she wanted to hear. Jack disputes that and states his feelings outweigh everything else. Mel is worried that he’ll end up resentful when things get hard — she knows when the babies come, he’ll change. Jack is insistent that will not happen and wants to prove himself.
Maybe he shouldn’t have broken up with her ey!
An overwhelmed Mel
Before the funeral, Mel feels a little overwhelmed. Memories return of her and Mark enjoying a jog together. Mel is struggling with her pace. Mark reassures her that she can finish the run. In the present, Mel tells Jack the funeral is tougher than she thought it would be.
A fitting funeral
And the funeral begins with loved ones giving their condolences and offering warm words for Lilly. Tara finds the courage to deliver a speech about her mother, and the emotions run deep in the episode. She struggles, so Mel gets up to help her and reads her speech for her.
Brady is in love with Brie
Brady visits Brie with flowers after hearing she was sick. He offers her company and she accepts. He reiterates that he didn’t shoot Jack and he isn’t a dealer. And then he explains that when he was younger he didn’t have anything, which is why when Calvin offered him something, he leaped for it. Brie raises how she struggles to believe people can change as she’s a public defender. Brady apologizes and calls her different from any other woman he has met. He asks for another chance and tells her he’s in love with her.
Mel is still unsure
Mel tells Jack that she doesn’t want him to be unhappy. Jack gets whimsical about prevailing love and states he will not give up on them, ever (even though he did before). However, Mel is still unsure, and she wants to return to the funeral reception. Jack gives a toast to Lilly, but the strange tension between Mel and him remains. Meanwhile, Doc is still in choppy waters. Hope couldn’t make it to the funeral in time, so she texts him, asking him to sleep at the clinic. He’s in the doghouse!
Ricky comes clean
Lizzie tells Ricky about a friend’s wedding during the funeral reception and wants Ricky to be her plus one. Ricky comes clean about the marines and that he’s not going to college. Lizzie in shock that he did all this behind her back. She’s upset and calls him a liar. Ricky tells Preacher that Lizzie is mad at him for enlisting in the marines. Preacher tells Ricky that he can’t join the marines on a whim, but Ricky insists it isn’t. Preacher feels Ricky is the one with doubts.
This story is oddly ironic because Lizzie was the city girl for a long time, despising the easiness of Virgin River. Ricky, on the other hand, enjoyed being the town boy and was a hopeless romantic. In the end, they switched, and Ricky could lose out on the woman he loves.
Wise advice from Jack to Charmaine
Charmaine tells Jack about Todd wanting to move to Eureka without consulting her. Jack tries to act diplomatically and tells her that relationships are tough and just wants her to be happy. He tells her to speak to Todd, and if he’s not willing to compromise, she will find someone who will. Charmaine and Todd are bad vibes people. Jack is not going to have a good time with this!
The ending of Virgin River season 3, episode 9
Mel tells Jack that breaking up was the safe thing to do, but her heart tells her to stay with him. The pair reconcile with a kiss. Meanwhile, Doc hears a knock in the middle of the night at the clinic. It’s the Sheriff — he delivers him bad news; there’s been an accident. Well, we can only assume it is about Hope. Damn this series; it’s breaking our hearts.
The characters are unsure about themselves after a recent tragedy, making it an appealing leg up for the season finale.
Additional points
- Brie didn’t know she was pregnant after Mel tells her she can relate. Mel tells her she’s strong and she will get back up.
- Ricky learns he scored a 97 in his marines exam — he’s enlisted. He just needs to sign a contract. Will he sign it?
