Reviews

Virgin River

Recently, I finished the latest season of the show Virgin River on Netflix. This tv show follows the story of Mel Monroe, a nurse practitioner and midwife who moves to a small town from a big city. Now at first you might think that this sounds like every Hallmark movie you have ever seen. But I assure you that there is so much more to this than its Hallmark qualities.

I have to be honest, when I first started watching this show, it was tough for me to get into it. I had to get at least 4 episodes in before I got into the story line. But to me, that happens with a lot of shows. The series needs time to develop the characters and plot.

Virgin River is a small fictional town in Northern California. I did a quick Google search and this show was actually filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia. First off, this scenery looks beautiful. The mountains accompanied by beautiful forests makes it look like an amazing travel destination. The characters are shown doing outdoor activities like camping, four wheeling, hiking and much more.

Second, I love the feel of the small community there. Everybody knows everybody in Virgin River. Most people are portrayed as kind hearted in this town. They are always willing to help those in need. Whether it is someone needing medical attention or volunteers putting out fires, there are always plenty of people willing to help. 

Now, there are exceptions to this which include some of the evil individuals in this story. I won’t say too much because I don’t want to spoil the show, but some of these folks seem irredeemable, while others have layers to them. But you’ll have to watch the show to find out what I mean by that.

This series is filled with a combination of drama, crime, romance, and trauma. Most of these characters are kind but it doesn’t mean that they haven’t been through a lot in their lives. Between going to war, medical issues, aging, experiencing loss and everything in between. I think this is something that a lot of people can relate to.

The only aspects that I will say are unrealistic would be the amount of crazy life changing events that happen in this one small town. I get that this is part of the storyline that moves the show forward but to think that all this crime and other events (again don’t want to give too much away) happening in one town in just a few months is insane. But I find it interesting nonetheless.

Now, back to the Hallmark-like qualities of this show. I’m not much of a Hallmark movie fan. As much as I love the characters of Virgin River and their relationships on the show, sometimes it is just a little too lovey dovey for my taste. But hey, to each their own. It is still fun to see these will they -won’t they romances. 

All and all, this series is a great comfort show for me. If you are looking for a show that encompasses romance, family, drama, crime and small town vibes all in one series, then this one’s for you. 

Becca’s Rating: 9/10

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Loudermilk

I was scrolling through Netflix one night when I stumbled upon a show that I’d never heard of, Loudermilk. This show, which takes place in Seattle, is about a man named Sam Loudermilk who runs a substance abuse group.

Sam is kind of a jerk in this show. He gets in many verbal altercations throughout the show because he complains or says something offensive to most of the people he sees in public. But as the show moves forward you really start to enjoy these public confrontations. He is never afraid to state his opinion, which is something many of us fear doing on a day to day basis. This personality trait makes sense when you find out that Sam is a former music critic.

Although Loudermilk seems like a jerk in many aspects, as the show progresses, you notice his unwavering devotion to leading the substance abuse group. You can tell that he really cares about these people. He also understands their struggles as a former addict himself.

This show really dives into the struggles of sobriety within the members of this group. While some shows may depict those recovering from addictions as getting clean and never turning back, this show depicts a different story-that of occasional slip ups. It shows how these people move forward after a slip up and the real life implications of that. Even though it is a fictional show, it gets real and raw about what addiction really means to this group. And it truly shows that even when sober, you are always battling this addiction.

This show also has plot twists that keep you on your toes. Other characters like Ben and Claire have interesting side stories that occur throughout the three seasons along with other members of the group. This series is funny with emotional story lines encompassed throughout. 

Becca’s Rating: 8.5/10
If you have watched or are currently watching Loudermilk, let me know your thoughts on the show below.