Virgin River season 1, episode 4 recap: A Wounded Heart

Mel and Jack argue over Jack’s relationship with Charmaine while Hope adjusts to life after suffering a heart attack on Virgin River.

Mel and Doc bring Hope home from the hospital after she suffered a mild heart attack on this episode of Virgin River. Both of them try to impress upon her the importance of certain lifestyle changes, like exercise and a heart-healthy diet, but she’s a pretty stubborn lady.

Jack comes by with a welcome home treat, a heart-healthy soy-based quiche that Hope finds disgusting. Mel is a little frosty toward Jack after finding out about Charmaine, so Hope gets to scheming to help them work it out. She makes Mel and Jack work together to bring her upstairs mattress to the downstairs guest bedroom.

Jack insists that he and Charmaine are casual, despite the fact that Charmaine introduced herself as Jack’s girlfriend. The last time he and Charmaine talked about what they wanted in a relationship was back when they first got together and Jack takes it for granted that nothing has changed between them in the last two years. Mel knows better and thinks that Jack and Charmaine probably need to talk.

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Jack has a back spasm as they move the mattress. While Mel is getting some muscle cream, Jack takes a drink from his secret flask. He’s got some pretty nasty scars from some old war wounds and a lot of personal trauma.

Later on, Charmaine comes by and things get a little awkward. Hope doesn’t like her much for some reason, not to mention the Jack love triangle. Charmaine makes it even more awkward when she pushes Mel for information on her husband. All Mel wants to say is that he won’t be joining her and Charmaine still asks why.

Hope’s heart attack has given her some time to think and she’s decided it’s time for her and Doc to sign their divorce papers. That’s right, Hope and Doc have been married this whole time but have been living separately for the last twenty years. He cheated on her back then and she’s never been able to get past it.

Paige runs into someone who “mistakes” her for an old college classmate. Of course, it’s pretty clear that Paige and her son are in hiding, so Paige makes it clear to her old classmate that she’s made a mistake.

The next day Jack takes Mel out to Myrtle Farms to pick up some organic produce for Hope, but they get a flat tire along the way and get stranded. While they wait for Bert with the tow truck they have a heart to heart about Charmaine. Jack doesn’t think his father treated his mother with the respect she deserved and he’s afraid he’ll do the same thing if he gets into a serious relationship.

But he is in a relationship, whether he wants to be or not. Despite keeping his intentions clear with Charmaine, it’s obvious that her feelings for Jack are more serious. Mel says that sometimes you can’t separate your head from your heart and Jack looks at her pointedly, saying that he’s starting to understand that. It’s the first real admission of his developing feelings for Mel, but Mel says that she doesn’t want to be in the middle of anything. She’s not going to get into anything with him as long as he’s with Charmaine.

Not long later, another vehicle comes by and a guy asks them what they’re doing on that road. He finds out that Mel is a nurse practitioner and demands that she go with him, threatening them both at gunpoint.

What did you think of this episode of Virgin River? Be sure to tell us in the comment section below!