Paige had some emotionally intense moments throughout her time on Virgin River – but will she ever return to the show? Here’s what we know so far.
As one of the supporting characters in Virgin River, Paige Lassiter has been present since Season 1, being the mother of Christopher and the owner of a bakery truck “Paige’s Bakeaway”.
She’s also had an incredibly abusive marriage with Wes, prompting her move to Virgin River Christopher – even changing her name to avoid detection.
With the fallout from her marriage still unfolding, will fans see Paige return to Virgin River in Season 6 or beyond?
Paige is “unlikely” to return in Virgin River Season 6
Though nothing is officially confirmed, reports suggest that it is unlikely that Paige will return to Virgin River in Season 6. However, this could all hinge on Preacher’s upcoming trial.
According to an article from the Economic Times, showrunner Patrick Sean Smith has suggested Paige won’t be returning for any future episodes.
“Dispelling rumors of Paige’s return following the discovery of Wes’ body, Smith asserts that season six will not reintroduce Paige,” the report claims.
“Instead, the aftermath will test Preacher and Kaia’s relationship. With Preacher having moved on, the focus will shift to exploring the dynamics between him and Kaia, particularly with the revelation of a significant secret.”
In previous installments of Virgin River, Paige had asked Preacher to help her with her ex-husband’s dead body before fleeing town. Wes’ body has since been found – and Preacher has ended up taking the wrap for it – and Paige is nowhere to be seen… nor does it sound like she will be ever again.
Despite this, there are two reasons why this might not be accurate: the fact Virgin River Season 7 has now been greenlit, and Preacher might need her in his upcoming trial.
As we head into Virgin River Season 6, Preacher is currently waiting to find out if he’s going down for the murder of her abusive ex-husband – a crime he didn’t commit.
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If he’s legally bound, there’s a chance Paige might need to make a surprise appearance to clear his name as a witness.
No information for Season 7 has yet been revealed, meaning anything is possible.
Fans aren’t bothered if Paige doesn’t come back
While this raises the question of how the unfolding storyline will continue, some fans don’t think that Paige will be missed.
“Does anyone else think Paige kinda sucked?” user sugarbearrrr posted on Reddit. “I know… controversial. I understand she went through some really traumatic stuff but preacher is such a good guy!!! Paige just left her kid with him and disappeared then comes back and says they can give it a shot so he breaks it off with the woman he was finally happy with and then she’s like actually syke I’m leaving town! Just makes me upset for him.”
“Yes she annoyed me I’m sorry downvote me all you want people but I’m just being honest. Something ab her just really annoyed me! Can’t exactly put my finger on it but yeah. I think she kinda sucked as well,” a second commented, with a third adding “She was super cool in the books it sucks how far they are changing everything.”
However, some fans think Paige’s up-and-down popularity in Virgin River isn’t actually down to her character at all.
“This whole storyline was very weird,” one fan explained. “I’d really to know how many of these decisions were down to the actor’s availability. I get the feeling that the actress playing Paige was not really committed to the show, which may have contributed to her character’s departure and limited presence since the start of S2.
“Not sure why they decided to break it off with Julia ( who’s actually Preacher’s wife IRL ). Maybe it felt weird for them? I sort of enjoyed Preacher’s story with Paige in S1, it felt more organic – his other romances seem forced. I don’t really like him in romantic scenes, he comes across as more natural interacting with Jack or Hannah at the bar.”
“or me it is down to the writers … I agree that there was tons of potential, but the moment they decided she was a plot point in Preacher’s story rather than an actual character it was over,” a second summed up.
Virgin River Season 6 drops on December 19. In the meantime, revisit where Virgin River takes place, how to read the original books, and catch up with more TV shows streaming.