On Virgin River Season 2 Episode 2, the drama starts at the very beginning.
We saw Virgin River Season 2 Episode 1 end with Mel being startled by a knife-wielding, drug-seeking intruder at Doc’s.
Luckily for Mel, Jack was on his way over to talk to her anyway, when he heard her scream.
Our knight in shining armor of course fought off the bad guy, but the guy got away. Mel’s ankle was sprained, so gentlemanly Jack drove her home.
While the books had Jack shooting and killing the guy on site, the show’s adaptation of this encounter was appreciated, as it leaves a little bit more mystery to explore. The guy is gone, but does he work for someone? And will he be back?
Jack has already reached out to his LAPD Detective friend, Mike Valenzuela, to look into it for him. This issue will likely be a mystery for the upcoming episodes of Virgin River Season 2.
Jack took Mel home, where they had a good laugh at Hope.
Somehow, Hope had hidden all of the frozen vegetables Doc bought her at Mel’s so she doesn’t have to eat them.
Hope really is a hoot.
Jack wasn’t all that entertained with her, though, as he was still upset with her for blowing up his relationship with Mel.
Mel and Doc told Jack and Charmaine that Hope would let Charmaine stay with her and neither of them are thrilled about the possibility.
Mel: You’ll see. They’ll all get along.
Doc: Oh, I know you don’t believe that.
Charmaine states Hope doesn’t like her, and she would be correct.
Hope has been holding Doc’s affair with Charmaine’s mother against the daughter for years. She also just finds the poor girl annoying. But honestly, who doesn’t?
You would think Hope would at least TRY to be a good host to a sickly pregnant woman, but nope. She can’t help herself.
In the words of the late Benjamin Franklin, guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days.
Hope
She immediately made Charmaine feel unwelcome as soon as she opened the door. Not only that, but it seemed like she was trying to make Charmaine’s condition worse.
Turning on the vaccuum (while not using it) and turning up the TV loud? Come on, Hope. It’s a bit excessive.
Hope’s behavior, while unnecessary, is out of line, but also a bit understandable.
First that morning, Mel told Hope to just give Jack some space. Shortly after, Jack gtold Hope he actually has forgiven her. He did so weeks ago, but it doesn’t mean he wants her involved in his life anymore.
Hope obviously doesn’t like hearing it, and even Mel says he’s being a little harsh, which Jack found hypocritical, given Mel’s treatment of him.
Trying to keep [Hope] out of my life is like pushing water uphill.
Jack
To make matters worse, Hope found out Mel switched the tables on her.
In a callout to the pilot, Hope found out Mel told Charmaine Hope wanted company since she’s “old and lonely.”
Hope: Charmaine told me you said I wanted company because I’m old and lonely.
Mel: No, I never said old.
Hope: Exactly what game are you playing here, missy?
Mel: I simply took a page from the Hope McCrea playbook. You used it to lure me here to Virgin River, and I used it to get Charmaine to stay with you. I believe you’ve been “Hoped.”
This was exactly the tactic Hope used to get Mel to move to town and take the job in the first place, so it was quite entertaining to see Mel turn around and get a little bit of revenge on Hope.
It might not be the only time Hope’s shenanigans could come back to bite her.
Hope insisted on keeping her relationship with Doc a secret. She even encouraged him to go on a date with Muriel.
It was their first date, and Muriel invited Doc over to cook him dinner. Doc even seemed to enjoy himself.
If Hope isn’t careful, Doc might find he actually enjoys Muriel’s company, and his reunion with Hope might be over before it even really begins.
Speaking of reunions ending as soon as they began, Wes is in town and Paige is in danger.
By the way, don’t even think about doing something stupid, because the next time I find you, I’m not gonna be so nice.
Wes
The morning after his return, Paige was already bruised and beaten.
Wes demanded she pack their belongings, as she and Christopher were leaving with him. Maybe it’s the time spent in Virgin River. Maybe it’s finally having confided in Preacher. Paige, though, decided to stand up for herself and tell Wes no, she wasn’t leaving.
This fight ended quickly, though, as she pushed him away, and he fell down the stairs, assumedly breaking his neck.
He’s definitely dead, though.
Paige panicked and called Preacher, asking him to take care of Christopher so he doesn’t go into the system.
Paige was convinced she is going to jail since Christopher is a cop, and they’ve always believed him over her.
You may not know this about me, but I believe there is nothing more righteous than defending those who can’t defend themselves.
Preacher
So they do the stupid thing.
Preacher convinced Paige to run away and leave the cleanup to him. It is always so annoying when TV characters do this.
Paige’s fear is completely understandable, considering Wes had a restraining order against her before she left town. But this was self-defense.
Wes sought her out and came to Virgin River. If she’d called the police, all they had to do was take one look at her face to know she wasn’t the aggressor.
This is a classic case of TV characters making their situations worse. You would think Preacher would be the one thinking clearly, but instead, he encouraged her to run away.
Love makes you loopy, though, they say.
Mel and Jack could relate.
Charmaine picked up on some tension between the two earlier, when Jack refused to even look at Mel at Hope’s. Things were getting so awkward, even Doc chimed in.
In my experience, when you let something simmer too long, eventually it’ll boil over and extinguish your pilot light.
Doc
Finally, Mel went to Jack’s to apologize for both leaving Virgin River with no word and returning without telling him. Mel thought that was good enough so that she and Jack could be friends again
I’m not sure what la la land Mel is living in, but Jack is so completely uninterested in being her friend.
Mel: Jack, you belong with someone else.
Jack: Don’t. I don’t want someone else. I want you.
Jack loves her, and that is frightening to Mel.
Mel lost her baby and her husband. Then, when she thought she might experience some happiness with Jack, she found out he had a baby on the way with a woman who wanted to be with him.
This situation is overwhelming for Mel as she wants him, sure, but what she wants more than anything is a family. She still has this idea that she’s getting in the way of that for Jack, and she doesn’t want that for him.
What Mel won’t admit, though, is that she feels threatened. She doesn’t want to allow herself to get fully involved with Jack only to lose him. She fears that is a true possibility, especially once he has a child.
Mel: Letting myself love you means that I risk losing one more person I can’t live without, and I can’t—
Jack: Mel, I’m not going anywhere, okay?
Mel: You can’t promise that.
Mel’s breakdown in the car after her fight with Jack was heartbreaking.
Jack came to her rescue (again), and you could see Mel mentally decide she just can’t fight it anymore.
FINALLY, the two stopped fighting all that sexual tension and gave into their desires. All Mel and Jack shippers are rejoicing.
So, how will they be able to move forward with their relationship and the complication that is Charmaine’s baby? Only time will tell, but we know Charmaine won’t make it easy on them.
Over to you, Fanatics! What did you think of Preacher and Paige’s actions? Are you happy Mel gave into her feelings for Jack finally? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
Berea Orange is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.