Virgin River's Showrunner Thinks Preacher Is One Of A Kind

On the long list of surprising Netflix hits, "Virgin River" may well be the most low-key of the bunch. Despite its relatively low profile, the romantic drama has outlasted many a series deemed "better" by the streaming masses and is now gearing up to air its fifth run of episodes on the platform. Some think the series might even manage a sixth.

That is purely conjecture at this point, of course, as "Virgin River" fans still have no idea how things will play out in Season 5. They do, however, know that the new season will feature the return of most of the series' primary cast members. That includes Colin Lawrence, who's portrayed John "Preacher" Middleton since "Virgin River" made its 2019 debut. And few behind-the-scenes players on the show are happier about that than current showrunner Patrick Sean Smith.

The "Virgin River" big boss admitted as much during a Season 4 recap with TV Line, naming Preacher as a particularly beloved character they couldn't wait to explore further because they're such an anomaly in the small screen realm. "I love his character so much, because he's so unique to television," Smith said, going on to add, "You don't see a lot of men with such a sense of honor and purpose and truth."

As Patrick Sean Smith goes on to say, the sense of virtue that has guided John "Preacher" Middleton through every episode of "Virgin River" has very clearly defined every relationship he's become embroiled in through four seasons. And that will no doubt remain the case moving forward. In fact, Smith told TV Line during the same interview that two particular relationships will indeed come into sharper focus in the coming season, saying, "How Paige and Christopher fit into [Preacher's] life will be addressed in Season 5." Paige and Christopher are the Lassiters, a mother and son duo who've complicated Preacher's life in extraordinary ways since Season 1. And it seems their story will again take center stage in the new season.

Smith went on to detail that Preacher and Paige may not resume their romance, noting, "Then he [Preacher] also has Julia, who's kind of waiting in the wings. He has a lot of ladies that are waiting for him to see which way he's going to go." Outside of his potential romantic endeavors, Smith noted the new season will also give viewers a closer look into other facets of Preacher's world. "We're also going deeper into his non-romantic life," Smith said, adding, "We don't know a lot about him." 

That last fact will surely please "Virgin River" fans as many have come to adore Preacher despite the general lack of knowledge about him. And it should be interesting to see what the series' creative team has been hiding underneath that narrative veil.