Warning: This article includes MAJOR SPOILERS for Virgin River season 7!
Four seasons into their relationship, Virgin River finally redeems its most hated couple in season 7 with a fantastic storyline. Netflix has released many successful original shows, but few are as surprising as the cheesy but lovable show Virgin River.
Based on the books by Robyn Carr, the story follows the citizens of the titular small California town as they navigate romantic relationships and dramatic situations. The show became Netflix’s longest-running English-language scripted TV series with the early renewal of Virgin River season 8 before the release of season 7.
After almost a year and a half break, Netflix’s cozy romantic drama has finally returned for season 7, bringing with it tons of new drama. The show finally provides us with some answers to the questions set up at the end of Virgin River season 6. It also sets up a few new killer storylines, including one that redeems the show’s most hated couple.
Denny & Lizzie Are The Most Hated Couple In Virgin River
In the Virgin River fandom, it’s impossible to get fans to agree on who should be together, aside from Mel and Jack. Everyone has their favorite couple, and they frequently conflict with one another. Nobody can agree whether Preacher and Kaia should stay together. Some people hate Hope and think Doc was better with Muriel. The Brie-Brady-Mike love triangle is a subject of debate.
However, there’s an almost universal agreement on the one couple who should not be together: Denny and Lizzie. The pairing is so hated that viewers skip their scenes, and there are countless Reddit threads commiserating about how terrible Denny and Lizzie are.
One frequent complaint is that neither Kai Bradbury nor Sarah Dugdale can act. I happen to disagree with that, but it comes up often enough to mention. Many people think that Denny is creepy. Fans also dislike that Lizzie suddenly became good at everything, despite being a wild child when she arrived in the town. Most say that Denny and Lizzie have no chemistry.
Lizzie’s Postpartum Anxiety Storyline Redeems The Couple
To recap, the couple got together at the end of Virgin River season 4 after Lizzie and Ricky broke up. Based on the Virgin River timeline, they were only together for about a month and a half before Lizzie got pregnant with Denny’s baby. They fight about whether to test their baby for Huntington’s. Eventually, Denny convinces Lizzie to do so after the baby’s born.
That brings us to Virgin River season 7, which starts with Lizzie giving birth to their daughter, Fumiko, nicknamed Koko. The storylineteased in Virgin River season 7’s trailer finally redeems the most hated couple in the series. After giving birth, Lizzie is protective of her daughter, but this slowly spirals out of control.
Lizzie becomes paranoid about Koko getting sick and won’t allow others to hold her. Even after her mom washes her hands two times, she doesn’t want to hand her over. She panics about something bad happening to Koko the first time she leaves the house and overpacks to a ridiculous degree. This hits a breaking point when she’s at Jack’s Bar, where she locks herself in the bathroom
Out of Virgin River’s cast, Alexandra Breckenridge is usually the best actor on any given season, but credit where credit’s due, Sarah Dugdale gets that title for Virgin River season 7. Dugdale captures Lizzie’s growing anxiety in her body language and the subtle changes in her facial expressions. These mannerisms get bigger over time, and her eventual breakdown is heartwrenching.
Throughout the storyline, Denny tries to help Lizzie and becomes increasingly concerned. This is the most expressive Kai Bradbury has been throughout his time on Virgin River, and that actor is actually convincing, especially in his vocal inflection. What’s more, this storyline finally gives Denny a storyline that isn’t tragic or creepy. He’s actually an active parent and a really caring partner.
On top of that, Lizzie and Denny actually have tension in the first half of the season and affection in the second half. It’s the best chemistry they’ve ever had. By the end of Virgin River season 7, they work a little better together. He’s giving her patience, and she’s celebrating his accomplishments. The two actually seem to like each other, rather than just tolerate each other.
Denny and Lizzie still won’t rank among the best couples; I doubt they ever will. One great season-long storyline isn’t enough to fix everything. However, Virgin River’s most hated couple finally makes a little bit of sense.
- Release Date
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March 12, 2026
- Network
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Netflix
- Episodes
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1