8 Netflix Shows to Watch If You Loved “Virgin River”
Netflix's Virgin Rivercaptivated hearts with its dramatic romance and high drama.
If you've finished watching the show but are looking for others to fill the gap that its dreamy escapism fit, here are seven other Netflix dramas that are sure to give you all the beautiful scenery and emotionally unavailable men you need in your life, without all the traveling and heartache.
1. Sweet Magnolias
Virgin River is about a woman picking up the pieces of her life and starting over, and so is Sweet Magnolias. This series stars Joanna Garcia Swisher as Maddie, a soon-to-be-divorced mom grappling with her cheating husband and her gossipy small town. Fortunately, in swoops Maddie's son's new baseball coach (Justin Bruening) to save the day. Romance, small town gossip — the tea is hot and the romance is hotter.
2. Dead to Me
Netflix's Dead to Me stars Christina Applegate as a housewife struggling with the loss of her husband. In comes a new best friend named Judy, also suffering from loss. The two women wind up meaning a lot more to each other than they originally thought they would, and they both have a few more secrets than either ever imagined. For plenty of complex female friendship dynamics and more than a few twists, this is definitely a great pick for those missing Virgin River's intrigue.
3. Anne with an E
For another great adaption of a book, Netflix's Anne with an E is a three-season story of an orphan who finds a new home and grows up. It's a portrait of a young woman coming into her own that has resonated strongly with viewers.
4. Hart of Dixie
While much more comedic than Netflix's Virgin River, Hart of Dixie does have a lot in common in terms of storyline. It stars a New York City doctor named Zoe Hart (played by Rachel Bilson) who goes to Bluebell, Alabama to work at a new medical practice. She has to deal with an unpleasant new partner and a bunch of other iconic small-town characters; and, of course, there's more than a spice of romance.
5. Bridgerton
Alright, so Bridgerton is an obvious pick here. But for anyone who hasn't seen it, this romance has all the drama and intrigue that Virgin River did, with even more flowery ballgowns and many threads of tangled illicit romances.
6. Jane the Virgin
Jane the Virgin tells the story of Gina Rodriguez's Jane, a young woman who is accidentally artificially inseminated. The show is five seasons of insane drama that includes kidnapping schemes, faked deaths, and much more. There's also a central love story that keeps the fire burning.
7. Heartland
Netflix's Heartland is about a teenager growing up on a horse ranch, dealing with her mother's death, and a lot of other small town drama. This is an 11-season long show with over 200 episodes, so it'll satiate your appetite for quite a long time.
8. Gilmore Girls
For mother-daughter bonding, small town gossip, romance and intrigue, visit Stars Hollow to hang out with Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel, the mother-daughter duo who won a million hearts with their fast-talking dialogue and their various escapades and romances.