Netflix's ‘Virgin River’ Alternative Returns as a Streaming Hit Amid Season 4 Anticipation

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Alexandra Breckenridge and Martin Henderson in 'Virgin River' Season 7.

Published Feb 3, 2026, 6:58 PM EST

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Virgin River, starring Alexandra Breckenridge, won't be back for another season until March, marking almost two years since it last aired — all 10 episodes of Season 6 premiered on December 19, 2024. Based on Robyn Carr's Virgin River novels, the series tells a heartfelt story about Melinda "Mel" Monroe (Breckenridge), a nurse practitioner and midwife who moves from Los Angeles to the remote Northern California town of Virgin River for a fresh start after personal tragedy. With the romantic drama not returning yet, fans have kept busy with several similar TV shows, including a Canadian substitute that airs on The CW.

Titled Sullivan's Crossing, the Canadian show is also based on Carr's novel series of the same name and stars Morgan Kohan. Similar to Virgin River, it follows Maggie Sullivan (Kohan), a neurosurgeon who moves from the city (Boston), fleeing a professional scandal, to take refuge in her hometown in rural Nova Scotia. The romantic series takes viewers on Maggie's journey as she navigates a complicated present, confronts her painful past, and finds romance. Created by Roma Roth, Sullivan's Crossing originally premiered on March 19, 2023, on CTV and on October 4 of the same year on The CW.

Fans will recall that the latest season of Sullivan's Crossing, Season 3, premiered on The CW last May, and the show was renewed for a fourth season two months later. A US premiere date for the new season has yet to be announced, but fans have been flocking to the medical drama in international territories on a popular streaming service. Reports confirm that the series is currently the third most-watched TV show on Netflix, right behind His & Hers and the chart-topper Bridgerton. For the past 48 hours, Sullivan's Crossing has been trending in the likes of Argentina, Chile, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Jamaica, and South Africa, among others.

Who Stars in Season 4 of Netflix's 'Virgin River' Replacement?

In addition to Kohan, series regulars Chad Michael Murray and Scott Patterson return in Sullivan's Crossing Season 4. Previous reports also revealed that We Were Liars' Emerson MacNeil joined the new season as Tracy, who, like most preteens, "feels like the world around her is in constant upheaval." Also tapped were Fuad Ahmed (Late Bloomer), Jonathan Silverman (Good Girls), and Colby Frost (The Oval Portrait). The additions join Marcus Rosner, who was earlier confirmed as a series regular for the upcoming season following his appearance in the Season 3 finale.