TheVirgin Rivershowrunner confirms that a key character will not be returning in season 7.Virgin Riveris a Netflix romantic drama that began in 2019. The series has been largely well-liked by viewers across its six seasons and has already been renewed for season 7.Virgin Riverfeatures a leading castincluding Alexandra Breckenridge, Martin Henderson, Colin Lawrence, Tim Matheson, Benjamin Hollingsworth, Mark Ghanimé, Sarah Dugdale, and Annette O’Toole. Season 6 was released on December 19.
Speaking withTVLine,Virgin Rivershowrunner Patrick Sean Smith reveals thatGhanimé will not return for season 7. The showrunner states plainly that he “won’t be a series regular for season 7.” The showrunner did not rule out the possibility that Ghanimé’s character, Cameron, could return to the franchise in the future, expressing his reverence for the character and actor. Check out the full quote from Smith below:
I love Mark, who plays Cameron, and I love the character of Cameron. He will always be a part of the world, and I would love to see his character back, but he won’t be a series regular in Season 7, unfortunately.
What This Means For Virgin River
Cameron Was Already Being Written Out
While this change might be disappointing for someVirgin Riverviewers, the news is not entirely unsurprising. Cameron entered the series duringVirgin Riverseason 4, and acted as a series regular for that season and the season after it. He was a potential love interest for Mel, before later transitioning to be the subject of Muriel’s attention. Despite his regular appearances in seasons 4 and 5, Cameron only appeared in three episodes ofVirgin Riverseason 6. As such, it seemed that Ghanimé’s character was already being written out of the show.
Virgin River Season 7: Cast, Story & Everything We Know
Netflix’s cozy romance series Virgin River returned for its sixth season in 2024, and the show has already been renewed for season 7.
This was also evidenced by how Cameron’s storyline was treated in the beginning ofVirgin Riverseason 6.Cameron and Muriel’s breakup occurs betweenVirgin Riverseason 5 and season 6, effectively writing the character off the show. The series also seemed to provide Cameron closure and an easy way to stay out of the season. He is back with his ex, Michelle, and returns to tell Muriel he is moving back to San Diego. This makes Cameron’s storyline effectively closed, even if Smith is open to bringing him back.
By making him not a series regular in season 6, the show helped ease the transition into Cameron being left out of the show. The way they structured the series made it such that the doctor did not just drop off the face of the Earth as some shows do with their actors if a contract agreement is lost or anything like that.Cameron’s storyline felt fairly complete,especially because they included him in theVirgin Riverseason 6 finale. At a time when multiple characters' season arcs were wrapping up, Cameron’s story was also concluded, making things smoother.
Our Take On Cameron’s Virgin River Departure
Cameron’s Storyline Feel Complete
While Cameron was an appealing character inVirgin River, it may be time for the series to focus on other key romances. The love triangles that Cameron once had with both Mel and Muriel have run their course. The only way to bring Cameron back permanently in any way that makes sense would be to create another romance plot or have him break up with Michelle again, which might seem tired for the show at this point. Even for a soap opera, where the love triangle trope is welcome, it might get exhausting to redo this point.
While Smith certainly had the tone of this being the end of an era, his mentioning that Cameron will “always be a part of the world” leaves the option open for him to return in a smaller capacity.
That said, Smith did not rule out the possibility of Ghanimé making a cameo inVirgin Riverseason 7. In fact, all that the showrunner said was that Ghanimé “won’t be a series regular” in season 7. While Smith certainly had the tone of this being the end of an era, his mentioning that Cameron will “always be a part of the world” leaves the option open for him to return in a smaller capacity. Even if it was just a single episode ofVirgin Riverseason 7,Cameron’s cameo or guest star appearance could be a highlight for viewers missing the character.
This might be the best way to give the character another shot without risking repeating past story arcs. While he has moved to San Diego, Cameron still has a base of friends in Northern California. This would give the character a reason to return to the area, even if he did not move back to work or start another relationship. This could giveVirgin Rivera reason to bring Cameron back for a brief period without forcing a plot that goes against the neat closure his character already had.
Virgin River
Cast
Virgin River is a romantic drama series released in 2019, centering on a recently divorced nurse who relocates from a big city to the redwood forests of California. There, she starts a new life and encounters an intriguing local man, setting the stage for a complex narrative of personal and community relationships.
