Denny and Lizzie look at each other smiling while a close-up cutout of Denny's face looks at them.

Denny’s odd behavior in Virgin River season 4 is explained when he reveals he has Huntington’s Disease, a degenerative illness.
Denny’s father also had the same diagnosis, and Denny uses his father’s prescription pills to manage his symptoms.
This health revelation will impact Denny’s storyline in Virgin River season 5, part 2, especially now that Lizzie is pregnant with his child.

The season 4 finale of Virgin River answers what’s wrong with Denny, a reveal that has lasting impact in season 5. Netflix’s Virgin River follows the residents of the titular Californian town as they navigate their lives and relationships with one another. Based on the eponymous novels by Robyn Carr, this TV series has gained a large following, holding a critic score of 82% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Virgin River‘s cast of characters includes a number of interesting personalities, many of whom have secrets and mysterious backgrounds. Denny is a newer addition to the town, and he becomes central to the story in Virgin River season 4 and season 5 part 1. When he first shows up, he’s introduced as Doc Mullin’s secret grandson; however, people start suspecting he’s a con artist due to his odd behavior. Virgin River season 4 reveals what’s really going on with Denny, and it’s far from what the other townspeople expect.

Virgin River Season 4 Confirmed Denny Has Huntington’s Disease

Denny talks to a woman in Virgin River.

It’s clear Denny is keeping secrets throughout Virgin River season 4. At one point, he tries to break into the clinic’s medication cabinet. He also uses someone else’s prescription of Clonazepam and goes back and forth between getting close to Lizzie and pulling away. Despite Denny’s questionable behavior, he isn’t a con artist. In the season 5 finale of Virgin River, Denny reveals that he has Huntington’s Disease, a degenerative condition that breaks down an individual’s physical and cognitive abilities.

In the show, Denny uses his father’s prescription pills to manage his worsening condition. While it isn’t directly confirmed, it seems that his father had the same diagnosis. Additionally, Denny tries to break into the medication cabinet at Doc’s clinic to get more pills to treat his symptoms. Denny’s disorder falls into the minority of Huntington’s Disease cases — approximately 5 to 10% — that start before the age of 20 (via Neurotherapeutics). This detail is crucial to Denny’s storyline in Virgin River season 5 part 2.

How Denny’s Big Health Revelation Can Impact Virgin River Season 5 Part

Denny gives Lizzie flowers while they're dressed in renaissance clothes.

Though the show never backs away from drama or heavy topics, Virgin River could have a more somber tone in season 5, part 2 due to Denny’s health revelation. In the Virgin River season 5 part 1 finale, Lizzie tells Denny that she thinks she’s pregnant. Huntington’s Disease is already heavily genetic. However, the specific subtype Denny has makes it even more likely that his child will develop the same disease. According to Neurotherapeutics, most juvenile cases of Huntington’s Disease come from paternal genes, not maternal genes. Virgin River season 5, part 2 may include an internal conflict from Denny about having a child who will most likely inherit his disease. Denny’s already shown that he’s willing to pull away when he believes his condition will burden someone else, even though season 5, part 1 proves that others don’t think this way about it. Still, Denny may not feel any differently when it comes to a future child. Additionally, this storyline could drive a wedge between Lizzie and Denny in Virgin River, especially if one of them wants to keep the pregnancy and the other doesn’t.