HOME / ENTERTAINMENT / TV

'Virgin River' Season 6 brings back a fan-favorite but its not the comeback we hoped for

'Virgin River' Season 6 marks the return of a character who was missing from Season 5

Contains spoilers for 'Virgin River' Season 6

'Virgin River' has arrived with Season 6, bringing some good and some bad news. The focus remains on Mel and Jack's much-awaited wedding while the sub-plots of other characters are also given the required push. What makes this season more special is the return of a fan-favorite character.

Remember Ricky? - The young boy who worked at Jack's bar before he enlisted with the Marines after high school. This character, played by Grayson Gurnsey, was absent in Season 5 and fans wondered if he'll ever return to the beloved fictional town. Guess what, he finally makes a comeback in Season 6. And be prepared to be amazed as he looks more dashing than ever in his uniform, flaunting an even more impressive physique.

Ricky's return doesn't meet up expectations of fans

Before Season 6 released, fans were hoping that Ricky and Lizzie (Sarah Dugdale) would finally be back together. Sorry for the spoiler, but that doesn't happen. Lizzie is happy with Denny (Kai Bradbury) and is excited to have their baby. Even when she meets Ricky, the conversation doesn't end well because Ricky says that he didn't take Lizzie as someone who would want to be a mother so soon. This offends Lizzie and she walks away.

The season makes it clear that Ricky and Lizzie's love story has ended and there's no chance of seeing them together again. A fan wrote on X, "I don't know if I'm psychologically prepared to not see Lizzie with Ricky... I started watching Virgin River the other day, and I basically got attached to them, just like I got attached to Jackmel. I want Lizzie and Ricky endgame so much."

Another fan had tweeted before the show's release, "I hope so, because I really want Lizzie with Ricky (I haven't even gotten to the part where he leaves yet, and the part where Doc's grandson arrives lol)."

This makes it clear that many hearts will be broken once people finish watching 'Virgin River' Season 6.

Ricky's character arc in 'Virgin River' Season 6 doesn't quite hit the mark

Ricky visits Virgin River after learning that he is being deployed to the Middle East. It would be his first mission as a soldier and he isn't exactly ready for it. We witness him grappling with doubt, second-guessing his life choices, and fearing he may never have the chance to experience the love and joy that Lizzie and Denny share.

It appears the training hasn't toughened him enough, and harboring fears and doubts is never a good sign for soldiers in the field. His behavior even makes Jack (Martin Henderson) think that he made a wrong choice supporting Ricky's decision to join the Marines.

For now, we hope that Ricky is able to get a grip over his scattered thoughts and focus on what lies ahead of him.

'Virgin River' Season 6 is now streaming on Netflix