'Virgin River' renewed for Season 9, becomes longest-running Netflix original
What's the story
Netflix's popular romantic drama Virgin River has been renewed for a ninth season, months ahead of its Season 8 premiere in 2027. The upcoming season will consist of 10 episodes, bringing the show's total to 94 episodes. Patrick Sean Smith will continue as showrunner and executive producer. With this renewal, Virgin River has officially become Netflix's longest-running original scripted series by number of seasons.
Series record
'Virgin River' surpasses 'Elite's record
The renewal of Virgin River has allowed it to surpass Spanish teen drama Elite, which ran for eight seasons.
In terms of episodes, Virgin River's 94 episodes tie with the current Netflix record holder, the comedy Grace and Frankie.
However, Virgin River's overall runtime is significantly longer than Grace and Frankie's, as it is an hour-long show compared to the latter's half-hour format.
Viewer milestone
'Virgin River' has been viewed over 500 million times
Netflix also announced that the adaptation of Robyn Carr's popular novels, Virgin River, has surpassed the 500 million views mark this year.
The show has been a consistent performer for Netflix, releasing a new season every 11-13 months.
Although no release date has been announced for Season 8 yet, a late spring premiere is likely.
Cast changes
Cast changes in upcoming season
The upcoming eighth season of Virgin River will see the exit of two longtime cast members, Marco Grazzini (Mike) and Lauren Hammersley (Charmaine).
However, Natasha Calis has been added to the cast in a recurring role as Dr Astrid.
The series follows nurse practitioner Melinda Monroe (Alexandra Breckenridge) and local bartender Jack (Martin Henderson), who is haunted by his past.
Cast response
Cast reacts to renewal
The renewal of Virgin River comes after Peter Rice's appointment as Netflix's new Chief Content Officer. Jinny Howe, Head of UCAN Scripted Series, oversaw the renewal process.
"Mel, Jack, and the whole town of Virgin River have become a place that feels like coming home for viewers around the world," said Howe.
Breckenridge and Henderson also expressed their excitement for continuing into Season 9.