20 Best Shows Like Netflix’s Virgin River

Virgin River, the Netflix series based on the romance novels of the same name by Robyn Carr, continues to delight audiences with a blend of high-stakes drama and small town sweetness. Virgin River first aired on the streaming service in 2019, with five seasons currently available to stream, and a sixth on the way. The show follows nurse Mel (Alexandra Breckenridge), who moves to Virgin River after a personal tragedy, as she finds love with the ruggedly handsome Jack (Martin Henderson) and becomes embroiled in the small town drama of this seemingly sleepy place.

The show is beloved by fans for the dramatic moments and cliffhanger endings that give it a soap-opera feel (including surprise pregnancies, a helicopter pilot having a heart attack, and a local drug camp), but also for the small-town charm and the personal stories of the Virgin River inhabitants. For those looking for other series that will hit the same spots, there are plenty of options, from pure small-town heartwarmers to sweeping period dramas.

Sweet Magnolias

(2020-Present)

Netflix is certainly capitalizing on the popularity of a good small-town drama. Both Virgin River and Sweet Magnolias show viewers just how wild things can get in a sleepy little town, and both shows are based on a series of popular books. Sweet Magnolias follows three friends, all going through varying challenges in life as they try to start anew by opening a joint spa. Like Virgin River, Sweet Magnolias keeps things light yet still finds a way to give fans major cliffhangers to chew on as they await the release of the next season.

Unlike Virgin River, however, Sweet Magnolias does not use the fish-out-of-water scenario to kick it off. Instead, the three friends have known each other for years and already know the ins and outs of their shared hometown. The relationship dramas, the coming-of-age stories of the younger generation, and the family dynamics, however, are very similar.

Hart Of Dixie

(2011-2015)

Hart of Dixie is a great show to get into while waiting for a potential new season of Virgin River. There are so many similarities between these shows it is nearly impossible to enjoy one and not the other. Like Virgin River, Hart of Dixie showcases a pretty medical professional as the main character who moves to a small town only to find the doctor there seems to have no great need for her.

Furthermore, the actor who plays the doctor in Hart of Dixie (Tim Matheson) is the same person who plays Doc in Virgin River, further connecting the two series. Even the love triangles and romances mirror those in Virgin River, with many plotlines thereof feeling eerily familiar to fans of both shows. Heart of Dixie did not have as long of a run as Virgin River, and it’s an even lighter series than the latter.

Chesapeake Shores

(2016-2022)

In 2016, the Hallmark Channel rolled out a series called Chesapeake Shores, which also revolves around a series of books by the same name. The main character, another beautiful and capable woman, moves back to her small town to help her sister out. She came with the sole intention of saving the family inn, but a surprise romance catches her off-guard.

Because the series is produced for Hallmark rather than Netflix, the series is even more family-friendly than
Virgin River
.

This romance series will definitely remind certain Virgin River fans of Mel, who sets out to throw herself into medical work, only to get caught up with Jack, igniting a romance that closely mirrors that depicted in Chesapeake Shores. Because the series is produced for Hallmark rather than Netflix, the series is even more family-friendly than Virgin River. It also does not go for quite as much darker drama, like the crime storylines in Virgin River. Fans of the cozy romances, however, will certainly love the Hallmark drama.

Schitt’s Creek

(2015-2020)

Schitt’s Creek lacks the dramatic element that Virgin River and many of the other shows of a similar category have, but it is still a great option for lovers of the hit Netflix series. The six-season sitcom satirizes a wealthy family that comes to a small town after losing everything. It was so well-received that it made history at the Emmys after its final season.

Schitt’s Creek
won nine of the 19 Emmys for which it was nominated.

Characters in both shows find themselves living life in a small, almost foreign town. The main characters in Schitt’s Creek, much like Mel, had every intention of returning to big city life following their small-town hiatus. But both the Rose family and Mel find that their feelings change, and they become attached to the small-town life, the people, and all that it has to offer, making their home there.

Northern Rescue

(2019)

Northern Rescue stars actor Billy Baldwin as a family man who packs his family up and relocates them from busy Boston to his hometown of Turtle Island Bay. The family, which has been impacted by the mother’s traumatic death, finds much more in the small town than peace and serenity as they adjust to their new surroundings and new friends. Each member of the family deals with their grief in different ways, which is also a common theme in Virgin River.

In Virgin River, the main character, Mel Monroe, also moves to the country in hopes of escaping the earth-shattering losses of her baby and husband before moving to the eponymous town. Both series have incredible emotional weight, pulling on fans’ heartstrings every step of the way.

Unfortunately for Northern Exposure, the series never moved beyond the first season. It was impacted by filming shutdowns as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many shows were put on an indefinite hiatus as production studios and television networks tried to figure out how to change filming practices to keep crews safe. Some came back, but others were left in indefinite limbo, like Northern Exposure.

Everwood

(2002-2006)

Everwood ran on the channel that would later become the CW network for four seasons in the earlier part of the 2000s. The show revolves around a prominent New York surgeon who loses his wife. Finding a major life change necessary, Dr. Andy Brown packs his teenage son and younger daughter up and moves them to the small town of Everwood in the hopes of being a better and more present parent.

There, the doctor lends his expertise to the small-town residents, helping to solve the medical problems of the small town while his kids become embroiled in their own conflicts, and he learns to love again. The family gradually becomes closer than ever. The show is charming, dramatic, and at times, a real tear-jerker, putting it right in line with Virgin River.

Heartland

(2007-Present)

If these types of small-town, family-friendly dramas are your thing, then you will love Heartland. There are currently 18 seasons of this Canadian drama to enjoy while fans wait for more Virgin River to air, most of which are currently available on Peacock and Netflix. In Heartland, the main character, Amy, finds meaning in life by healing horses following the loss of her mother.

There are less medical storylines in this series as many of the characters belong to families who have grown with their ranches instead. Horses are the major throughline that tends to connect the different characters. Much like Virgin River, Heartland features a large ensemble of characters that gradually expand as the story continues. This is yet another great show that focuses on loss and the healing that a small town and a loving family can bring.

Dawson’s Creek

(1998-2003)

Dawson’s Creek is an older series but is still entertaining and relevant after its many years off-air. In this drama, the main characters go through all different types of life-altering events as they come of age in their small town. Back in its heyday, Dawson’s Creek was considered to be a groundbreaking series, as it took on some heavily controversial and weighty topics, like mental illness, addiction, love, loss, and more, never backing down from tough conversations like many other streamlined television series.

While it’s focused on a younger group of characters than Virgin River, the characters still go through a lot of the same issues. Dealing with loss and learning to love are major themes of the series, much like in Virgin River. The story moves from the small town of Capeside to Boston, Massachusetts, and back again, keeping the same small-town charm that Virgin River has.

Gilmore Girls

(2000-2007)

Gilmore Girls is a classic that is still watched over and over to this day, and it is easy to see why people everywhere enjoy the series. It centers around a mother and her daughter who navigate life in a small town full of interesting residents. With its female lead characters and a cast full of sleepy town busybodies, Gilmore Girls has many of the same themes and quirks that Virgin River encompasses.

While Virgin River begins with a firm focus on Mel and her own struggles, Gilmore Girls makes both Rory and Lorelai dual protagonists of the show. Just as Virgin River allows Mel to deal with past traumas, Gilmore Girls sees Lorelai reconciling with her own past and Rory growing up. Both shows are heavy on romantic relationship dynamics, though Gilmore Girls is still arguably the lighter of the two.

When Calls The Heart

(2014-Present)

This Hallmark Channel series currently has 12 seasons up and running – plenty to keep viewers busy between Virgin River installments. In When Calls the Heart, schoolteacher Elizabeth Thatcher leaves her high society life in New York behind to start anew in a small, Canadian coal town. There, she meets a bevy of strong women, all working and living in rural Canada following their husbands’ deaths. This series will pull VR fans in, for sure, with its similar premise, though coupled with the trappings of a period drama.

When Calls The Heart begins its story in 1910 instead of the modern day, but that’s certainly part of its charm. It takes place during a time when technology is advancing and the small town is on the verge of big change. The show gradually builds its cast over its long run with a lot of actors fans will recognize from other Hallmark dramas.

This Is Us

(2016-2022)

This is Us is one of the biggest dramas in recent years, telling the story of the Pearson family across decades, exploring loss, love, and lethargy in a world that is growing increasingly difficult to navigate. This is Us tells a remarkably touching story and is full of emotional plot twists over the course of its six seasons, finding plenty of similarities with Netflix’s Virgin River.

Every moment in each series seems laden with deeper meaning, making both perfect series to watch over and over again, even when it gets incredibly emotional.

The series has a nonlinear format, so those Virgin River fans who appreciate the flashbacks fleshing out character backstories will enjoy that aspect of the show. Much like Virgin River, grief and paths to love are heavily explored. In This Is Us, however, most of the grief is familial rather than romantic. Every moment in each series seems laden with deeper meaning, making both perfect series to watch over and over again, even when it gets incredibly emotional.

Emily In Paris

(2020-Present)

Emily in Paris is a recent Netflix series that has found its way into the cultural zeitgeist, finding either intense love or intense hate from its many viewers. Starring Lilly Collins, the series explores the life of a young American woman who pursues her career in France, finding love and loss abroad. Emily in Paris has certainly found its audience over the course of its three seasons, with fans debating the merits of the show’s protagonist and her actions throughout the series.

Though the Netflix original clings to its comedic aspects more than Virgin River, both series focus on similar themes that unite their fanbases. Emily in Paris is also more glitzy than Virgin River since so much of its action takes place in the high-fashion world of Paris. It does, however, have a similar fish-out-of-water aspect to the early episodes of the show as Emily has to adjust to a world where she does not quite fit but desperately wants to.

Bridgerton

(2020-Present)

Set in the early 1800s, Bridgerton is one of the most popular period dramas in recent years. Starring a large cast of characters played by lovable actors, the series has become a phenomenon in recent years, with many of its collaborators finding fame through the show’s success.

Bridgerton aims to be the definitive romantic drama of its day, exploring themes of class tensions, romantic taboos, and mysterious endeavors in a way that few shows can so masterfully combine. For its part, Bridgerton is very much a heightened version of Virgin River‘s best qualities, albeit set in 19th-century London.

Interestingly, if Virgin River had stayed closer to its source material, the two shows would have even more in common. Though Bridgerton features the same ensemble of characters each season, centered on the titular family, the leads of the show change each season. A different romance story plays out each time around. That is how the books on which the show is based are structured, and that’s how the books on which Virgin River are structured as well.

A Million Little Things

(2018-2023)

A Million Little Things is a drama series following a group of friends after one of their closest companions commits suicide. Each member of this friend group deals with their grief in their own way as they simultaneously attempt to discover what led their friend to take the actions that he did. Coasting on the success of similar dramas such as This is Us, A Million Little Things has connected with audiences thanks to its heartfelt themes and poignant emotional moments.

The series explores both the darkest and brightest sides of life, much in the same way that shows like Virgin River have become known for. It is able to meld the worlds of love, loss, and mystery, which Virgin River also tries to do. Though this is a tight-knit group of friends instead of the residents of a small town, the themes are similar.

Jane The Virgin

(2014-2019)

Jane the Virgin is a romantic comedy framed like a soap opera, and was, in fact, inspired by a Spanish-language telenovela. Starring Gina Rodriguez, the series ran for five seasons on the CW, receiving widespread acclaim during its 100-episode tenure on the air. The show has as much heart as Virgin River, but the style in which the two series deal with the tropes of love, loss, and found family, are very different, with Jane the Virgin providing as many laughs as tears.

Whereas Virgin River and other similar shows play many of the “soap opera” tropes straight, Jane the Virgin instead satirizes the genre in a truly hilarious fashion. Fans looking for a break from the ceaseless drama can instead laugh at this comedy’s obscene and bizarre twists, finding solace in the terrific writing and performances throughout.

Call The Midwife

(2012-Present)

Call The Midwife is a long-running British series focusing on a group of Midwives in the East End of London. Set in the ’50s and ’60s, the time period is very different to that of Virgin River, but the two shows have a lot in common, especially the profession of the main characters.

Both feature female leads in the medical profession, and medical drama is often the center of an episode. The show also manages the same blend of dramatic moments and sweet interactions, as the Midwives deal with life-or-death situations alongside their own hopes and dreams on a regular basis. There is less focus on romance in Call the Midwife and there is more of a rotating ensemble cast than a focus on two specific people, but both have the same charm.

Younger

(2015-2021)

Younger is set in a big city, rather than a small town, but Virgin River fans will still find plenty to love about it. Younger follows Liza Miller (Sutton Foster), as she attempts to get back into the publishing industry following her divorce – but when she discovers that her age is going to be an impediment, she lies to make herself seem younger and gains a whole new set of younger co-workers and friends.

Like Virgin River, Younger focuses on a protagonist who is recovering from her life being upended and also has romance front and center (although there are more love interests for Liza than for Mel). It doesn’t have the same soap-opera drama, but it has the same sweetness, and more comedy, as well. It’s a much lighter approach to the drama.

Ginny & Georgia

(2021-Present)

Another show that begins with an attempt at a fresh start, Ginny & Georgia follows the titular characters as they move to the affluent Wellsbury after the death of Georgia’s (Brianne Howey) husband. Her daughter Ginny (Antonia Gentry) is 15 and struggles to both fit in at her new school and manage her often irresponsible mother. While Mel might be the main protagonist of Virgin River, Ginny and Georgia share in that role.

Much like
Virgin River
, there is a layered female lead, love stories, plenty of drama, including secrets kept from outsiders, and even a murder!

Much like Virgin River, there is a layered female lead, love stories, plenty of drama, including secrets kept from outsiders, and even a murder! The drama keeps the show moving, but like Virgin River, it’s the relationships that give it heart. Ginny & Georgia themselves are navigating their own mother/daughter dynamic, but each has their own love interests, friendships, and secrets.

All Creatures Great And Small

(2020-Present)

Based on the books of the same name by James Herriot (the pen name of James Alfred Wight), All Creatures Great And Small is a heartwarming series set in a small town in Yorkshire, England. It takes place in the 1930s, and the books continue for several decades, although it is unclear if the new series will follow the same time period or not.

All Creatures Great And Small
has a 99% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

James Herriot (Nicholas Ralph) is a veterinarian who takes a job in this small rural town despite being from the city, and there he (like Mel in Virgin River) has to find a way to live and work with a grumpy senior vet in the practice while falling in love with a local woman. The episode-to-episode drama is much lower stakes, but the Second World War is looming.

Land Girls

(2009-2011)

A rural drama set in the Second World War, Land Girls follows a group of women in the Women’s Land Army, taking over previously ‘male’ jobs in farming while the men are away at war. The rotating ensemble cast features women who are city girls struggling to find their way in the country, women with personal tragedy, sweethearts at war, and all with their own secrets.

Like Virgin River, the characters are dealing with difficult situations, and the war gives the show plenty of drama. It is, however, the personal relationships that truly shine in the series, just as the relationships often outshine all of the drama in Virgin River. There is a good balance of small-town connection and bigger dramatic moments that will make any Virgin River fan happy.