Virgin River fans slam 'worst storyline' as characters' 'selfish' decision causes outrage
Virgin River season six has been confirmed by Netflix but fans of the show are still reeling from the events of season five, which saw Denny and Lizzie go through with their surprise pregnancy
by Lucas Hill-Paul · The MirrorVirgin River enthusiasts have been firing off criticisms at the show's latest instalment on Netflix, which has taken its beloved characters down some unexpected paths.
The love story of Mel Monroe (played by Alexandra Breckenridge) and Jack Sheridan (Martin Henderson) is set to unfold further in the eagerly awaited season six of the quaint drama series.
In the meantime, fans are dissecting the narrative thus far, including a particularly controversial choice made by young couple Denny Cutler (Kai Bradbury) and Lizzie (Sarah Dugdale).
During the fourth season, newcomer Denny, revealed as Vernon 'Doc' Mullins' (Tim Matheson) long-lost grandson, gets caught pilfering pills from Doc's office and moving a hefty sum of money.
Initially pegged as a potential scammer, the plot takes a sombre turn when it's disclosed that Denny requires the medication to manage his Huntington's disease, a fatal ailment that leads to the degeneration of brain cells, reports the Daily Record.
Yet, Denny's romance with Lizzie has stirred up controversy among viewers after the pair chose to proceed with an unplanned pregnancy, despite the high risk of passing Denny's genetic disorder onto their child.
A recent Reddit thread brought to light one viewer's indignation, citing the ordeal of another user with Huntington's whose parents concealed the diagnosis, as a cautionary tale for what might befall Denny and Lizzie.
"OP in this post found out they have Huntington's Disease and their parents kept it from them," was shared in the discussion.
"The comments from others who had a similar situation happen is heartbreaking. I'm so mad at Denny and Lizzie for how reckless they were getting pregnant."
They further condemned the series, saying, "This is the worst VR storyline imo."
Many other Virgin River fans concurred with this assessment in the comments section. One fan wrote, "I HATE that they made this storyline the way they did."
"Huntington's has a 50/50 chance of being passed down and Lizzie is just all whatever! about it."
A different fan was incensed, saying, "I don't care if Denny is the healthiest weirdo in 100 miles VR writers should be fired and blacklisted for the pregnant Lizzie storyline. They might as well have just killed off the character."
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Someone else replied: "I draw the line at Huntingtons, super selfish to put that on a kid," They added, "And a terrible way to die, not only for you but your loved ones."
A healthcare professional and fan of the show found the storyline implausible, stating, "I'm in healthcare and thought it was f***ing weird. Honestly to me they didn't have to make him sick. It didn't really add much to the storyline for me."
With stills from the new season confirming Lizzie's pregnancy, it remains to be seen how Virgin River will navigate the next chapter of this contentious storyline.
Virgin River season 6 premieres Thursday, December 19 on Netflix.