Virgin River’s Martin Henderson Weighs In On Mel And Jack’s Constant Suffering, Reveals One Storyline He ‘Did Not Support’

Let’s be honest, by the end of “Virgin River” Season 7, we were all thinking the same thing: Haven’t these two been through enough?!

After everything Mel and Jack have endured on their road to parenthood — including a stillbirth, multiple miscarriages, and a dramatic IVF process — they finally welcomed their adopted son into the world in the Season 7 finale… only for him to be born with a heart defect, requiring immediate surgery and ensuring a difficult life ahead.

Now, this isn’t our first TV rodeo. We understand that you can’t have a drama without, well, drama, but it feels like Mel and Jack have been stuck on a reproductive rollercoaster for years. Stop the ride, we want them to get off!

And we aren’t the only ones. Speaking with TVLine about Season 7, series star Martin Henderson says he’s “been very vocal” about wanting more happiness and less misery for Mel and Jack. In fact, if it were up to Henderson, his character would have become a father long before now.

“I wanted a pregnancy in Season 6,” Henderson tells TVLine. “The miscarriage was in Season 5, right? I was very angry, and I made it known that I did not support that idea creatively. But I’m not the writer, and I do give credit to [showrunner Patrick Sean Smith] because obviously the show continues to be successful. Part of that is luring people back every season, so there has to be something meaningful enough that leaves people with an ‘oh, s**t’ moment. I think he’s pretty clever at coming up with those.”

Martin Henderson was ‘incensed’ over Mel’s Season 5 miscarriage

After putting some space between himself and that particular storyline, Martin Henderson says he was able to somewhat understand the big picture vision for Mel and Jack.

“Having calmed down about how incensed I was that they lost their baby, I think what [showrunner Patrick Sean Smith] is doing really well is creating an example of a beloved couple where the audience can witness a love that’s not happy ever after,” Henderson tells TVLine. “It’s a little more realistic. We all know that the hallmark of a really good relationship is actually how you endure the adversity, right? Of course it’s easy to be in love when everything’s going well, but it creates another opportunity to witness these characters actually dig deep into their own traits.”

Virgin River showrunner defends putting Mel and Jack through the wringer

For what it’s worth, “Virgin River” showrunner Patrick Sean Smith is fully aware that he’s put a lot on Mel and Jack over the years. In a separate interview about the aftermath of Season 7, TVLine asked Smith why the show — after everything Mel and Jack have already been through — would finally give them a baby whose chances of survival are uncertain. Here’s what he said:

“With Mel being the nurse that she is, and Jack having the strength that he does, I always felt like a a baby that needed extra help was the perfect baby for them,” Smith told TVLine. “If it was too easy, I don’t think it would be as compelling or unique. We do throw a lot at them, but we also want to see their resilience and their perseverance. That’s what I hope inspires the audience to get through their own lives, because I’ve had plenty of moments where I’m just like, ‘Are you kidding me? Could you throw more at me?’ And then I get one or two more things thrown at me and you’ve just got to keep going. Mel and Jack have each other, and they can get through anything together.”

Where do you stand on Mel and Jack’s multi-season struggle? Have their personal trials given you a deeper appreciation for them as a couple, or are you tired of seeing them mired in misery? Drop a comment with your thoughts below.