Virgin River season 5 won’t have a time jump (according to new showrunner)

After binge-watching Virgin River season 4, fans are now looking ahead to Virgin River season 5, and there’s so much good news already for the fifth season. Not only has the season started filming, but there’s a new boss behind the scenes who’s spilling teases.

Greek and Chasing Life creator Patrick Sean Smith will take over showrunner duties for Sue Tenney for Virgin River season 5. Smith was also a writer and executive producer on Dolly Parton’s Emmy-nominated Netflix limited series Heartstrings.

In the fallout of season 4 and on the precipice of Virgin River season 5, Smith caught up with TV Line about his intentions for the characters moving forward and whether the slow-paced romantic drama would jump ahead in time. Here’s what he had to say!

Spoilers ahead from Virgin River season 4.

Will Virgin River season 5 have a time jump?

If you’re wondering if Virgin River season 5 will hit fast forward after Charmaine’s jaw-dropping admission that Jack isn’t the father of her twins in the season 4 finale, don’t worry. We’re getting right back into the thick of it when the hit Netflix series returns with new episodes.

Smith tells TV Line that season 4 will pick up where season 4 left off, ensuring that there won’t be a time jump between the season 4 finale and the season 5 premiere. However, he didn’t mention anything about a potential time jump later on the 12-episode season, which could potentially speed up Mel’s pregnancy.

Currently, Smith has shut down the possibility of speeding up time between the seasons, but skipping a head a few weeks (or months) could be beneficial for the series. As much as fans adore the characters and plotting, the series has only taken place within a few months across four seasons. A time jump could breathe new life into certain storylines.

But we have to trust that the new showrunne knows what’s best, and we have all the faith in him. Even though Patrick Sean Smith is new to Virgin River and inherited a series with lots of characters and loose ends, we’re definitely in good hands. He knows a thing or two about large casts, love triangles, and plotting addictive stories. (Right, Greek fans?!)

Do you think there should be a time jump in Virgin River season 5? Sound off in the comments!