12 Best Shows and Movies Like Virgin River - Netflix Tudum

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    If You Love Virgin River, Snuggle Up to These 12 Shows and Movies

    Streams to keep you company once you’ve devoured Season 7.

    By Tara Bitran
    March 12, 2026

Tuning in to Virgin River is like curling up on a chilly afternoon with a cup of hot cocoa — spiked with whiskey, if that’s your thing. The show’s stranger-comes-to-a-small-town vibe is a reminder of the life-affirming power of starting over, even if you wind up smack in the middle of a drama-filled love triangle. 

If you’re wondering what other shows (or movies) might offer similar feelings of warmth and chaos — and feature a main character with the strength of Alexandra Breckenridge’s nurse practitioner Mel — look no further than the following list to keep you sated while you wait for Season 8 to arrive.

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Along for the Ride

Based on the novel by Sarah Dessen, Along for the Ride starts with newly minted high school grad Auden (Emma Pasarow) driving into the seaside town of Colby, where, as her new “friend” Eli (Belmont Cameli) loves to put it, there are “no strangers.” The setting is very similar to Virgin River, except maybe Colby’s internet runs a little bit quicker. But both Auden and Mel learn to grow and heal thanks to their new surroundings, as Colby offers a similarly nurturing ambiance to Virgin River, and makes for an ideal environment to aid a life-changing journey.

Along for the Ride
1h 48m   13+   2022
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Bridgerton

Gossip on Bridgerton spreads like wildfire, due to the sharp quill of one Lady Whistledown — plus a society full of mamas eager to find husbands for their daughters during the London season. But there’s an argument to be made that rumors pass through Virgin River even more quickly — the perils of living in a small town, after all. Also akin to Bridgerton, Virgin River’s ensemble of characters experience plenty of pining and romance before cementing any true love matches.

Emily in Paris

Sure, Paris might be a little more cosmopolitan than Virgin River, but both series feature women who seek to use their skill sets in a new environment — Mel, with her medical prowess, and Emily (Lily Collins), with her marketing know-how. Not to mention, when they arrive in their new digs, these ladies also unknowingly become embroiled in love triangles with their new suitors. A chef? A bartender? These men sure know how to whip up the drama for these out-of-towners.

Firefly Lane

Firefly Lane has the same compelling combination of sugar and spice as Virgin River. Just as Mel is cautiously hopeful for her future following a painful past, Firefly Lane’s Kate (Sarah Chalke) and Tully (Katherine Heigl) are in the same boat, constantly seeking reinvention at the start of each new era of their time-hopping story.

Gilmore Girls

Where Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and Rory (Alexis Bledel) lead, we will follow. And Virgin River does, too. Gilmore Girls is primarily the story of a mother-daughter duo who are more like sisters, but it also follows the comings and goings of all sorts of people who populate the close-knit, small Connecticut town of Stars Hollow. One notable difference between the show is that Lorelai and Rory talk, oh, at least 10 times faster than Mel. But, the simmering romance between Lorelai and Luke (Scott Patterson) gives Mel and Jack’s dynamic a run for its money. Not to mention, both shows share love triangles galore.

Ginny & Georgia

Just like Virgin River’s Mel, Ginny & Georgia’s Georgia (Brianne Howey) starts off her series with a move to a small town. Each woman is looking for a fresh start and each feels a little out of their depth, but soon enough they both find ways to make a mark on their newfound homes. Also? Both shows feature love triangles, with both Georgia and daughter Ginny’s (Antonia Gentry) storylines boasting plenty of romantic drama, making this an ideal watch if you didn’t get enough of seeing Mel and Jack (Martin Henderson) make googly eyes at each other.

Outlander

Finding a way to be with the one you love against all odds? Check. Breathtaking landscapes that feel like an escape every time you click play? Double check. Outlander may primarily take place in the mid-1700s and feature the Scottish highlands instead of the California redwoods, but like Virgin River, this epic romance embodies the notion that real love stands the test of time. And, for a fun Easter egg on your next Virgin River rewatch, Doc and Mel make a joke about Outlander in Season 3, Episode 2.

Ransom Canyon

The emotional pull of Virgin River is just as prominent in this contemporary Western saga, which is set against the expansive backdrop of Texas Hill Country. Rural romance and buried family secrets are also at the heart of Ransom Canyon (plus plenty of cowboy hats, of course). Josh Duhamel and Minka Kelly lead the soapy series about the intersecting lives of three ranching families fighting for love, land, and legacy.

Sullivan's Crossing

Based on a novel by Virgin River author Robyn Carr and created by Virgin River executive producer Roma Roth, Sullivan’s Crossing shares the same small-town charm, sweeping scenery, and slow-burn romance we can’t get enough of. The cozy drama follows neurosurgeon Maggie Sullivan (Morgan Kohan), who leaves behind her troubled life in Boston and returns to her hometown of Sullivan’s Crossing, an idyllic seaside locale in eastern Canada. There, she reconnects with her father — and sparks a new connection with handsome local Cal (Chad Michael Murray).

Sweet Magnolias

If you swapped out northern California for South Carolina, Virgin River would look an awful lot like Sweet Magnolias. The central trio in Sweet Magnolias is focused on helping each other through all of life’s hardships, including diving into the dating pool again after losing a husband — the same thing Mel is experiencing. And Sweet Magnolias isn’t just about relationship drama; the pals also join forces professionally, something Mel does with Doc (Tim Matheson) in Virgin River.

Watch the Cast of Virgin River Read Nice Things About Themselves

Additional reporting by Meena Jang.

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All About Virgin River

  • There’s an ‘Emotional Elephant’ Lumbering Around in Ginny & Georgia Season 2
    Antonia Gentry, Brianne Howey, Felix Mallard and Sara Waisglass talk ‘picking up the pieces’ of last season’s mess.
  • The series returns with Josh Duhamel, Minka Kelly, and legend Patricia Clarkson.
  • The Western starring Minka Kelly and Josh Duhamel is back.
  • Three’s a crowd on the ranch, in the hospital, or while navigating high school.
  • The cast and creator April Blair walk us through the town’s tangled web.
  • The actors star as will-they, won’t-they love interests in the upcoming series.
  • Is roping cattle easier with a cell phone?
  • Love, land, and a mystery — let’s unpack the romantic Western drama.

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