#Virgin River Season 3 Episode 4 Review: Take My Breath Away

Hope lives!

Fortunately for us and all of Virgin River, we got our first Hope sighting via video call after nearly half the season of radio silence.

And Virgin River Season 3 Episode 4 also updated us on the investigation into Jack’s shooting, gave us more insight into why Brie is hiding out, addressed the issue between Preacher and Jack, and we haven’t even begun to discuss the bomb Mel dropped on Jack by the end of the hour.

Thank goodness that Doc got in touch with Hope. He was losing his mind without her, and it was especially upsetting because of his AMD.

He’s trying to keep his diagnosis under wraps, but it’s Virgin River. People will find out sooner rather than later, and it’s not doing him or any of the others good by keeping the truth from them.

He’s their most beloved doctor, so the idea of someone coming in to take over will be a shock to this small-town, and it’s not something they’ll adapt to with ease. Isn’t it best if he rips the band-aid off now?

It makes sense if he didn’t want to share with anyone until he spoke to Hope, but he’s beating around the bush with Mel, not telling her directly what’s happening, and that’s unfair to her.

Hope responded to the news exactly as you’d expect, and I wonder if she’ll make her way back to Virgin River or if we’ll only see her via video call or something.

COVID made filming difficult for many series, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if O’Toole’s limited presence this season thus far is due to that.

Hope also gave Doc some busywork by ensuring that he was getting out the newsletter so everyone’s prepared for the Lumberjack Games. Doc is fortunate that he’s been able to lean on the Sewing Circle.

But Muriel has been the most devoted to him throughout Hope’s absence, and given her history, Lilly was well within reason to express her concerns on the issue.

Muriel has a history of going after and showing interest in Doc, and it was easy to assume that part of her was making moves on him in Hope’s absence. But I loved the conversation she had with Lilly.

For so long, it was easy to write her off as the flirtatious, man-obsessed woman, but she made it clear that she’s not some homewrecker. She knows how the others view her, but that’s not who she is.

And her friendship with Doc is a genuine one since they have so much in common. Muriel has friends, who more often than not feel more like frenemies, but Doc is different.

Hope: Oh, I miss you, too, Vernon.

Doc: Oh, I am just so glad that you’re’ in one piece.

They have common interests, and he respects her. While she’ll likely always harbor some less than platonic feelings for him, she does appear genuine in wanting to maintain that friendship.

But Lilly was right to remind her that this friendship can only work if Muriel can keep her feelings under control, but that she should want more and better than that for herself. Muriel is a good person, and she deserves to be happy and find real love.

Interestingly, Doc and Lilly are alike in how they’re choosing to keep things from those who care about them concerning their health.

Tara knows that something is wrong with her mother, and she wasted no time talking things over with Doc.

When it comes to keeping secrets in Virgin River, Mel is a vault.

Doc doesn’t even know about Lilly, but it’s only a matter of time before her diagnosis comes out with Tara and Doc’s growing concerns and pressure. Sadly, it may be learning about Lilly that eventually pushes Doc to share things with the rest of the town.

It’s a wonder Connie hasn’t picked up on any of these health issues with the way she always seems to know what’s happening. We should’ve known the news of Lizzie and Ricky’s motel rendezvous would get back to her.

Connie has her hands full with running a business, micromanaging everything Izzie does, and trying to help Preacher with Christopher. You’d think she’d learn to relinquish control on some of that.

Naturally, that should be Lizzie. The girl is 19 years old. It’s not much Connie can do anymore there, and the more she imposes and pushes, the worst it is.

Lizzie is still a handful, but she’s settled down because of Ricky. Now, much of the trouble she gets into and the boundaries she pushes are all because Connie refuses to loosen the reins.

Something has to give here with Connie. At the moment, the only thing that’s keeping Lizzie in Virgin River is Ricky. And that’s why she packed her bags and went to stay with him and his grandmother.

Connie will not handle that well at all.

But things are already complicated with Ricky and Lizzie. He didn’t hide his jealousy and frustration with Parker’s arrival, and he doesn’t even know about what Parker offered Lizzie.

Ricky is a smart boy; he knew there was something else between Lizzie and Parker. He also knows the latter intends to win Lizzie back.

While Lizzie thought Ricky’s jealousy was endearing, she also hasn’t indicated where she stands with this LA move. Her spontaneously going to stay with Ricky and his grandmother gets her further to that appealing offer.

It’s doubtful that Ricky’s grandmother will approve of this or not risk Connie’s wrath if she does. And if it’s too much for Ricky, too, that could strain their relationship.

We also don’t know whether or not Ricky signed up for the Marines or not.

Speaking of Marines, thank goodness the series addressed the tense vibes between Preach and Jack before his shooting.

It took all this time before Jack realized that Preacher was on his way out of the door. Christopher and Jack’s shooting are what kept him from taking that job elsewhere.

Jack look stunned by this news, and he was damn near speechless, sputtering through his assumption that the only reason Preacher wanted to be a partner was to help Jack in some way instead of for himself.

Jack: Sorry, man. I didn’t mean anything by that.

Preacher: Actually, she offered me a chef position in San Francisco. He offered me a job. I accepted.

Jack: You took another job?

Preacher: Yeah, yeah, I did. But then Christopher came into the picture, you got shot, so then I bowed out. Jack: I didn’t know you were unhappy, man.

Preacher: Well, I wasn’t, but after you turned down the partnership offer, I decided to keep my options open. Jack: Preach, I didn’t know that being partners was so important to you.

Preacher: I’m the one that brought it up.

Jack: I thought you were just trying to help me out, you know?

Preacher: Don’t worry about it, Jack. It’s your bar, your business.

I love Jack to death. He’s a devoted boyfriend, and he’s good to most of the people around him, but when it comes to his friendship with Preacher, he takes him for granted. It’s one of Jack’s worst and most loathsome traits.

Jack always drops everything to leave the bar for one reason or another, sticking Preacher with all of the work. Hell, Preacher is at the bar more than Jack ever is. Preacher is the entire reason the bar even functions, and the majority of Virgin River has edible meals.

It’s mindboggling that it never crossed Jack’s mind that Preacher would want more or at least the respect and title that he’s more than earned.

Perhaps that conversation will serve as a reality check for Jack, and he’ll start treating this man who is supposed to be his best friend and brother better.

It was notable that their conversation likely started because of Jack’s plans to leave the bar early and requesting Preacher cover for him. Well, Preacher beat him to it, rushing out to pick up Christopher, and Jack, for a change, was left holding things down.

You couldn’t help but feel awful for Preacher when he wrongfully assumed that Christopher pretended to be sick to get out of camp and didn’t take him seriously.

Had he not gotten Christopher to the clinic in time, heaven knows what would’ve happened to the boy.

Preacher was beating himself up about it, but he needs to realize that there is no “better person” for Christopher to be around.

Parenthood doesn’t come with a playbook, and his experiences with Christopher are no different than what other biological parents have endured with their children.

Preacher: Maybe he should be with someone else. Someone better at this.

Mel: Christopher loves you. He trusts you. That’s what matters.

Doc: Mel’s right. Don’t beat yourself up, you’re doing a great job, Preach.

Preacher is doing everything right. Fortunately, both Mel and Doc reassured him of that. And thankfully, Christopher will be fine.

But Preach does need to look into this camp situation since Christopher’s issue isn’t a matter of the kid exaggerating. He’s having a hard time, which is only made worse with him remaining in the dark about his mother.

Preacher and Connie are going to need to tell the kid something soon.

And both Brady and Brie will need to open up about the issues they’re facing at some point, too.

The lumber company is tanking every which way, and Brady is on the hook for everything. Brady’s latest issue — following an inability to pay the workers — is a series of infected trees that aren’t viable. The company also doesn’t have any insurance.

Brady has to regret ever stepping foot anywhere near Calvin, yes? A fat lot of good all that money-chasing did him now.

But despite his work woes, he’s smitten with Brie. Brady agrees with her about the casual, no-strings-attached state of their relationship.

But the boy has caught some feelings. He got it something serious, you guys.

Brady and Brie’s chemistry is captivating. The two have such a fun, flirty vibe, and when they spend time together, it’s like a stress reliever.

Brie can throw a few drinks back with the best of them, has a down-to-earth, easygoing vibe, and a bit of an edge. She matches Brady’s energy well, and this pairing works well for him.

It was cute when they were throwing darts, and there’s no denying the slow grinding to Rag’n’Bone Man’s Human was hot as hell. They probably would’ve had another hot and sexy night together if not for that interruption.

Brie bolted, leaving her former colleague and Brady hanging before Stella could so much as finish her sentence. And my interest is piqued.

Brady: I don’t sweat the small stuff.

Brie: What about the big stuff?

Brady: Let’s just say I won’t start the fight, but I’m not afraid to finish it

. Brie: I like it.

As previously speculated, Brie did become disillusioned with practicing law, based on her conversation with Jack. But her, specifically, stating that she’s tired of working for a firm that doesn’t protect her speaks to something sinister, and, surprisingly, Jack didn’t pick up on it.

It sounded as if Stella was going to say that Brie was right about some powerful man at the firm, and if we include Brie’s reaction when that stranger bumped into her, the pieces are falling into place.

She must’ve had a bad experience with sexual harassment at the firm, likely by a superior, and instead of believing and protecting her, they swept it under the rug.

It would explain why Brie needed this fresh start, and she sought the comfort and safety of the small-town where her big brother resides.

We just need Brie to stop running so much and actually talk about what happened.

It was nice to see her share some quality time with he brother. We haven’t had enough of these two siblings interacting, and so those moments are cherishable ones.

Brie loves Mel, and she’s practically a card-carrying member and captain of this ship. She knows that Mel is good for Jack, and he needs someone close to him to make sure he doesn’t get stuck in his head and overthink things regarding this new relationship.

But Brie also is someone reliable for Jack to have in his corner regarding this situation with Charmaine and Todd. She’s an attorney, and while it’s awesome that Jack is researching on his own, he can rely on his sister’s expertise and referrals.

Jack: How’s the job search going?

Brie: You want the truth?

Jack: Uh, yeah, that would be good.

Brie: I’m not looking.

Jack: Why not?

Brie: I don’t know if I want to go back to practicing law.

Jack: What are you talking about? You wanted to be a lawyer since you were a kid.

Brie: Yeah, I didn’t know what I signed up for.

Jack: Which is?

Brie: Working for a firm who doesn’t care about you just as long as you win your cases and earn your clients a crapload of money.

Even though anyone with sense knows that Charmaine and Todd are doing the most, even implying that Jack shouldn’t have rights to his child, there was this fear that he could get steamrolled anyway.

Thank goodness Brie is around, and she can get him in contact with someone who can fight for his interest. If it’s going to get ugly, Jack needs to have an army of his own.

Of course, one hopes that his growing frustration with the lack of progress in the investigation of his shooting doesn’t take him down a dark path.

Most of the time, Jack puts up a decent front. If not for those phone calls with Mike, you wouldn’t even notice how much he’s determined to find his shooter.

He couldn’t restrain himself from heading to the station and confronting Jimmy the second he learned about the arrest. Jack hasn’t simmered down once regarding Calvin, his operation, and everything related to it.

I can’t decipher if it makes him brave and admirable or downright stupid and reckless.

What sucks is that Jack isn’t thinking about how his impulsivity and emotions can affect the investigation and the process of charging someone if and when they find the correct person.

He was out of line with his actions at the station; although, you could understand why he wanted to face Jimmy. But he did all of that, only to learn that Jimmy wasn’t the one who shot him.

Jimmy: Hey, G. I. Joe.

Jack: Yeah?

Jimmy: You know Calvin knows you’re responsible for that raid, don’t ya?

Jack: Good.

Jimmy: Yeah. When Calvin finally takes you out, then, uh, I’ll be more than happy to take care of your girlfriend.

And Jimmy managed to goad Jack and get under his skin by threatening Mel. He could keep his cool for anything else, but once Jimmy said something about Mel, it was on and cracking, and they physically had to pull him off of Jimmy.

We’re no closer to finding out who shot Jack, and it sounds like Calvin still has it out for Jack, too.

With the state of Calvin’s businesses, both illegal and otherwise, you know Jimmy isn’t the only henchman unemployed, angry, and bitter.

With everything else in his world stressing him out, it’s no wonder Mel has become his solace. He pours all of the best of him into his relationship with her and being the best boyfriend.

But you can sense that for Jack, even his relationship with Mel almost feels like it’s too good to be true.

I was anxious for him when he woke up in the middle of the night to an empty bed, cabin, and Mel’s dead phone. Then he discovered her asleep in the car. After everything they’ve gone through in that small town, you’d think she would know better than to disappear and not leave a note or something.

Mel suddenly having an issue with Jack’s snoring is unusual. The two of them spending the night together isn’t new. They did it a few times, even when they were only friends.

We know Jack often had nightmares and things of that nature, so does that mean that he’s so comfortable with Mel now that he gets a full, restful night’s sleep, snoring and all?

It speaks to how deep into it Jack is with Mel. The man is gone for her, and he shows it time and again. But he has to let go of this notion that he’s somehow a burden on her or encroaching.

Perhaps part of him is still waiting for Mel to pull back and decide she can’t do all of this or something, but he needs to believe that she loves him enough to do anything for him the same way that does with her.

And my goodness, the man does a lot. How could you not SWOON when he ran her a hot, candlelit bath? Although, the two of them stepping away from burning candles for a moonlit boat ride was stressful since Jack’s cabin burned down and all.

He made her dinner, and thanks to Brie, he had the lake covered in tealights, waiting for their sweet, romantic boat ride. And he did all of this because he knew Mel pulled a long shift and was tired.

Jack: After the fire, you were totally there for me. This was my way of saying ” I love you, and I appreciate you.”

Mel: You make me so happy.

Despite everything that has gone on with him, he poured his all into being a certified Prince Charming. If not for how damaged and flawed Jack is, he would be too good to be true.

All of these moments, seeing this couple so deeply in love — it is so worth it. It’s everything that we’ve craved, and they’ve been living up to the hype, but of course, it’s not without obstacles.

Thankfully, we’re getting as much romance as we are challenges.

Their night couldn’t have been more perfect, and Mel took it upon herself to share her feelings with Jack. It’s what they agreed to do, but it’s doubtful Jack was prepared to hear what she had to say.

Mel: You know this morning when we were talking about being real with each other?

Jack: Mmm-hmm.

Mel: How would you feel about me having a baby?

Under the cloak of moonlight, wrapped in his arms, she asked him what he’d think about her having a baby, and it rendered Jack speechless.

What is he supposed to say here? The way she presented the question is the equivalent of opening a can of worms.

It could mean many things. Does Mel mean freezing eggs, or adopting, or invitro?

Does she mean that she wants to pursue this alone, or is she suggesting that they start a family of their own together? It’s a hell of a thing to propose to a man already having twins with someone else.

Her former sister-in-law’s news sent her on a tailspin, so it was bound to stir this up again. Mel probably feels like she’s in a good enough space to consider the option of children again.

The problem is I’m not sure Jack is there with her.

Over to you, Virgin River Fanatics! What are your thoughts on Mel considering children again? Who do you think shot Jack? Hit the comments below!

Jasmine Blu is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.