For Virgin River Fans, Here Are 7 Ways That Sullivan’s Crossing Is Just Like It

For Virgin River followers searching for one thing to tide them over earlier than season 7, the CW present Sullivan’s Crossing is extremely much like it in a number of methods. Virgin River season 6 was launched in December of final 12 months, and, with Virgin River season 7 not dropping on Netflix till someday in 2026, it is a very very long time to attend between seasons. Followers are possible searching for one thing to sink their enamel – and their hearts – into whereas ready on the romantic drama to return.

Fortunately, the perfect Virgin River replacement is at present airing to fill the Mel and Jack-shaped gap in followers’ hearts. Sullivan’s Crossing season 3, at present airing on the CW, is the proper companion present to the Netflix hit. So excellent, in actual fact, that I’ve put collectively an inventory touching upon the methods by which Sullivan’s Crossing overlaps with Virgin River, whether or not it’s in tone or character backstories – and, in fact, romance. Heaps and plenty of romance.

1

Each Sullivan’s Crossing & Virgin River Are Primarily based On Books Written By Robyn Carr

She Has One Different Guide Sequence In Improvement

Virgin River followers know it is based mostly on a e-book by Robyn Carr, however will not be conscious that, like Virgin River, Sullivan’s Crossing is also based on a Robyn Carr book series, the second of her e-book sequence to obtain an adaptation. One other shared connection is Roma Roth, the creator and govt producer of Virgin River, who additionally serves because the EP on Sullivan’s Crossing, guaranteeing continuity throughout each sequence.

Roth can be at present creating Carr’s third e-book sequence, Thunder Level, as a tv sequence.

With Carr’s novels being bestsellers, she’s confirmed to be a go-to author for TV variations, as her romantic dramas simply make the soar to the episodic format of tv – or streaming, as is the case with Netflix’s Virgin River. With that present being such an enormous hit for Netflix, it was solely a matter of time earlier than Carr’s subsequent e-book sequence received greenlit and certainly, Sullivan’s Crossing premiered a couple of years later and is now on season 3. Roth and Carr make an important staff, and so they’re constructing a robust fanbase throughout the rising Robyn Carr e-book adaptation universe.

2

The Central Protagonists Of Each Exhibits Have Very Related Backstories

Maggie & Mel Have A Lot In Frequent

It is no secret that Robyn Carr recycles plotlines and characters in her books, however that is what makes them consolation reads. To that finish, the feminine protagonist of Sullivan’s Crossing, Maggie (Morgan Kohan) is similar to Virgin River’s Mel (Alexandra Breckinridge) in a number of methods. Each girls come from medical backgrounds and large cities; in Mel’s case, she’s a nurse working in Los Angeles, and in Maggie’s case, she’s a neurosurgeon working in Boston.

Jack Sheridan and Melinda Monroe in Virgin River

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Virgin River & Sullivan’s Crossing Aren’t Enough, We’re Already Predicting The Next Big Show Based On Robyn Carr’s Books

Sullivan’s Crossing and Virgin River is likely to be profitable already, however the subsequent Robyn Carr sequence might be the creator’s greatest TV adaptation to this point.

Each girls flee their big-city lives for small, rural cities, Maggie to Timberlake in Nova Scotia, Canada (although within the books, it is Colorado), and Mel to Virgin River in Northern California, after tragedy of their lives. For Mel, it is after her husband, Mark, dies in a automobile accident. For Maggie, it is after she will get pulled right into a medical fraud investigation after which sued for malpractice after a affected person dies. Whereas in Mel’s case, it is a fish out of water scenario and in Maggie’s case, it is a return dwelling, their backstories share shut DNA.

3

The Male Love Pursuits Additionally Have Similarities

They Are Rugged However Have Tragic Backstories

After all, it would not be a romantic drama with out romance and drama, and so each girls finally discover love once more of their new properties. In Virgin River, Mel is grieving the dying of her husband. In Maggie’s case, in Sullivan’s Crossing, she’s in a relationship with fellow physician, Andrew (Allan Hawco). It should not be stunning that the lads they fall in love with additionally share some similarities. Each Virgin River‘s Jack (Martin Henderson) and Sullivan’s Crossing‘s Cal (Chad Michael Murray) are down-to-earth, rugged males.

Their love pursuits even have work to do, and it results in every present’s scrumptious slow-burn central romance.

Nonetheless, each of them are carrying round a load of grief and ache themselves that’s slowly revealed all through every present. With out giving something away, each Cal and Jack have numerous guilt about their previous that they should overcome. Whereas Maggie and Mel even have their very own emotional harm to type by means of earlier than they’re able to love, their love pursuits even have work to do, and it results in every present’s scrumptious slow-burn central romance.

4

Each Exhibits Deal With Themes Of Therapeutic From The Previous

Progress Is not At all times A Straight Line

Jed talking to Cal in Sullivan's Crossing

To that finish, each Sullivan’s Crossing and Virgin River are as a lot about therapeutic and transferring on as they’re about love. To be frank, there are only a few healed and comfortable folks in both present – in any other case, they would not be dramas. If most characters are steady and content material, there’s not numerous drama to go round. Thus, the characters on every present have numerous rising to do, and that progress does not all the time occur in a straight line.

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Sullivan’s Crossing Season 3 Is Handling Its Mental Health Storyline In A Way I’ve Rarely Seen On TV

Sullivan’s Crossing season 3 is dealing with its psychological well being storyline in a delicate, nuanced method that I’ve hardly ever seen on TV earlier than.

There are irritating moments of backsliding, when a personality appears to neglect a lesson they beforehand realized, and loads of occasions when their flaws are clear to the viewers. The character progress they expertise is earned because it does not come simply or shortly for anybody, which makes it all of the extra satisfying when the characters of Sullivan’s Crossing and Virgin River have a breakthrough. Central to that’s studying to let go of the previous with a purpose to heal, and it is a journey that’s repeated for a number of characters in every sequence.

5

They Additionally Each Deal With Themes Of Discovery & Rediscovery

One Is Discovering Dwelling, One Is Rediscovering Dwelling

In an fascinating distinction, although, the themes that intertwine with Maggie and Mel relocating to small cities differ. Mel has to regulate to dwelling in a rural city surrounded by wilderness, and it takes her some time. As an enormous metropolis woman who’s used to Los Angeles, her transfer to Virgin River is a real fish out of water story for fairly some time within the present. It is a troublesome transition for her, and it isn’t instantly clear if she’ll keep in Virgin River or if she’ll ever study to like the city.

In an fascinating distinction, the themes that intertwine with Maggie and Mel relocating to small cities differ.

Maggie, then again, is returning dwelling in Sullivan’s Crossing. Timberlake – extra particularly, her father’s campground, Sullivan’s Crossing – was her dwelling as a toddler, so for her, it is a homecoming that helps her return to her roots. Slightly than the problem for her stemming from not becoming in, like Mel, it stems from Maggie having to simply accept what her coronary heart advised her from the beginning: she now not belongs in Boston or with Andrew, and as an alternative, Timberlake is the true dwelling of her coronary heart.

6

Sullivan’s Crossing & Virgin River Each Make the most of Their Rural Small City Settings

It is All About The Restorative Energy Of Nature

These small-town settings are utilized to nice impact in each Sullivan’s Crossing and Virgin River. Pure magnificence abounds in every sequence, with each reveals making nice work of the dramatic pure backdrops of their filming areas. Whereas Virgin River is ready in Northern California, the same panorama of Vancouver, Canada serves because the filming location. In the meantime, Sullivan’s Crossing is each set and filmed in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Every present makes a case for the restorative energy of nature and the need of permitting that nature to reconnect with one’s soul.

7

The Romantic & Dramatic Storylines Of Everybody Intertwine

The Small Cities Have Many Secrets and techniques

Lastly, it isn’t simply Maggie and Cal in Sullivan’s Crossing or Mel and Jack in Virgin River round whom storylines revolve. Sullivan’s Crossing and Virgin River each have ensemble casts which have their very own dramatic arcs and love tales. One of many good issues a few small-town setting is that the proximity of the residents of a city creates alternatives for romantic entanglements and the intertwining of dramatic storylines. And there’s no scarcity of romantic entanglements in these reveals, making them an ideal complement to one another. When you’re lacking Virgin River and ready for season 7, you can do worse than take a look at Sullivan’s Crossing when you wait.

New episodes of Sullivan’s Crossing season 3 are launched Wednesdays on the CW.

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