Virgin River likes to pack in as much as possible into every season and episode, and this one is NO DIFFERENT. We’re going full force into two MAIN storylines—the backstory of Everett and Sarah’s (Mel’s Mum) meeting and Preacher’s trial. Get your cup of tea, buckle yourselves in, and let go!
EVERETT AND SARAH
In Season 6, Episode 2, “The Broken Places,” we’ve mastered time travel and returned to the 70’s! Insert an Austin Powers groovy cutaway scene! Anyway, I digress. Everett is driving along in his classic Volkswagen Camper Van, and a disturbing message is heard on the radio.
America has reportedly attacked a College in Vietnam with 100 bombs and many rockets…
Everett switches the radio station to some good old-fashioned ’70s music and begins happily singing away until his whole world turns into slow motion as he sees a beautiful hippie-hitchhiker on the side of the road. Welcome to the backstory of Everett and Sarah (even though we’re more interested in what happened with him and Doc, never mind Virgin River!).
Mel wants to know what her mum was like back then, but as the story of their meet continues, it becomes unmistakable to Mel how little she knew about her mum’s life — peace activist yet a bit of a scoundrel with men, ironic?
Everett welcomes Sarah into his beautiful VW and offers to drop her off at the Peace Rally while he’s on his way to watch The Stones perform live! They grow very close as they spend time together—a beautiful love-at-first-sight story. Fate would have it that Everett’s VW breaks down in Virgin River, causing them both to spend the night next to the gracious river and calming crackling fire-pit.
Everett and Sarah part as he drops her off at the peace rally, but he runs after her (classic) to find out how to see her again. She says fate will bring them back together. Everett explains that this has happened many times.
What’s supposed to be beautiful is that by the end of the story, Mel regains her belief in fate and destiny. How could it be that back in the ’70s, Everett and Sarah happened to break down in the VW and, therefore, had to spend the night in the Virgin River? And then many, many, many moons later — a job offer takes Mel to Virgin River for her new start. She meets the love of her life, Jack, and reconnects with her long-lost father.
Jack says it was a coincidence, but he can’t fight her on this subject.
PREACHER’S TRIAL
It’s day two of Preacher’s trial! In Season 6, Episode 1, we left the trial with the prosecutor wanting to put Jack on the stand for some unknown reason—the gang suspects it’ll be to ask him about their time in Iraq and Afghanistan, to point the finger at Preacher’s history of violent behavior.
This was NOT what they had planned for ole’ Jacky Boy.
The District Attorney asks Jack whether Preacher would lie to him (it’s a trap, obviously), but Jack states that Preacher would never lie to him (hook, line, and sinker.) The DA plays a voicemail in which Preacher IS telling Jack a lie! Brie is FURIOUS that she didn’t have this evidence in her discovery — basically, the court ends up on recess to gather their information.
Following Brie having a panic attack in the bathroom, it becomes clear that this trial is just as much Brie’s story as it is Preacher’s. Not only will she hope to clear Preacher’s name, she hopes to heal her trauma.
At the end of Trial Day Two, Preacher is offered a deal. Two years in prison with potential release after 1 year with good behavior. Brie has a nice moment here; she gives Preacher her two cents by saying that as his attorney, she advises that it’s a good deal — but more importantly, that as his friend, she will be right by his side to clear his name.
PREACHER CHOOSES NO DEAL – He’s gambling on the box he chose (I hope you understand the reference).
ALL THE SMALL THINGS
While every episode of Virgin River has many small things, I want to focus on two main plot points.
One serious thing. And one just plain wholesome.
Let’s start with the serious stuff. The ladies of Virgin River are (rightfully) worried about Muriel’s heartache over Cameron despite her saying she’s over it. She’s not. Anyway, her friends get her onto THE DATING APPS and set her up with a very nice-looking gentleman – Muriel is excited! It’s rather sweet to see. But let’s not forget, we’re in Virgin River, where every episode has more twists and bends than The Smiler Rollercoaster!
Excited, getting hyped up, and ready for her date, Muriel finds a lump on her breast. Thus begins the storyline of “Does Muriel Have Breast Cancer?” It is a sad story for a character who has grown so loveably. I’m not crying. You are.
For the sweet and light in this episode, Mel comforts Jack after a rough day at trial. She immediately knows that he has had enough stress from the day and needs his woman to help him decompress. Mel shows up as this amazing, soft, gentle, loving wife-to-be, and their chemistry is unmatched. I don’t know if many other TV couples can portray a love like these two. It’s so natural and believable.
Read More: Virgin River Season 6, Episode 3 Recap
