There’s something about a remote, picturesque small town that makes for absolutely gripping telly. Right now, two massive comfort-watch dramas are making waves, delivering fresh storylines for their dedicated fans. Whether you’re hanging out for the next chapter of an American favourite or keeping up with a German daily staple, there’s plenty of rural medical drama to get stuck into.
Returning to the Rivers Word is officially out that Netflix’s hit drama Virgin River is set to grace our screens again on Thursday, March 12. We’ve managed to get a bit of a rundown from showrunner Patrick Sean Smith, along with main stars Alexandra Breckenridge and Martin Henderson, so we have a fairly solid idea of what’s coming. Naturally, there are heaps of questions hanging over from the last season finale. We’re looking at heavy storylines, like Muriel tackling a cancer battle, and whether Mike was actually ready to tie the knot with Brie even after knowing she’d slept with Brady. Plus, we’ll find out who’s officially packed their bags for good and who might be showing up in town again.
A Growing Family and Fresh Faces The biggest yarn, though, is that Mel and Jack are finally looking at a baby of their own. After what feels like years of absolutely gutting setbacks, it seems Mel Monroe Sheridan is stepping up to be a mum. The end of season six saw Marley offering her unborn baby up for adoption to the couple, and it sounds like a done deal. Breckenridge reckons she’s properly stoked to explore this new side of Mel, showing all those pent-up emotions as she steps into the role she’s wanted basically her whole life.
It’s not just the regulars bringing the drama, either. A couple of new faces are turning up. Steph Ebbers, who you might remember as Moose Mason from Riverdale, is stepping in to play Clay. He’s a fairly rugged rodeo worker who has spent donkey’s years trying to track down his younger foster sister. Seeing as they haven’t caught up since he was a teenager, there’s a fair chance she’s already someone knocking about town. On top of that, former Vampire Diaries actress Sara Canning joins the cast as Victoria. She’s a former cop who caught a bullet on the job and now works as an investigator for the state medical board. She’s rocked up to look into Doc’s suspension, but the official character brief suggests she’s also keen to reconnect with an old mate, or maybe spark up something a bit more romantic.
Charmaine’s Luck Runs Out? And then there’s Charmaine. Smith wouldn’t completely spill the beans on what Jack was staring at in the final shot of season six, but he’s confirmed it’s definitely bad news. He reckons Charmaine has managed to find herself stuck right in the middle of a massive mess again, which is pretty much par for the course with her. What happens to her is anyone’s guess at this stage. Mind you, a recent Instagram post from actress Lauren Hammersley has fans wondering if her character might actually be carking it soon.
Swapping Berlin for the Bavarian Backblocks While Virgin River thrives on its seasonal drops, Germany’s own small-town medical hit Die Landarztpraxis keeps the drama rolling on a daily basis. If you like the idea of a doctor ditching the rat race for the backblocks, this one is spot on. Dr. Sarah König, played by Caroline Frier, trades her hectic Berlin lifestyle for the quiet pace of the Bavarian provinces, dragging her daughter Leo along for the ride to take over the local country practice.
The series has been an absolute winner for the private broadcaster Sat.1 since it first kicked off. Just looking at the broadcast history shows how much of a staple it’s become. They ran the first season from October 16, 2023, right through to January 10, 2024. Season two aired from May 7 to August 28 of the same year, and the third wrapped up on June 27, 2025, after starting in early January. Now, as of January 5, 2026, the fourth season is already in full swing, airing every weeknight at 7 PM sharp.
Stunning Views at Schliersee While Sarah König’s new clinic is located in the made-up village of Wiesenkirchen, the actual filming location is completely real and properly stunning. The crew shoots around Schliersee, a lake tucked away in the Miesbach district of the Bavarian Alps, about fifty clicks out of Munich. It’s a hugely popular holiday spot where folks go tramping in the summer and skiing in the winter. The producers clearly know they’re onto a good thing with the scenery, as the episodes are absolutely packed with gorgeous landscape shots of the lake, the surrounding forests, and the mountains to break up the ongoing medical drama.
