Mullins, too, is the type of endearingly crusty small-town doc to be found in romance narratives Tim Matheson gives the role some color, just as Annette O'Toole finds warmth and irony in her role as Virgin River's can-do mayor. Alexandra Breckenridge's Mel is suitably twinkly and charming, her apricot-colored beachy waves always perfect, tending to an endless procession of telegenic mommies in Doc Mullins' ob-gyn practice (which might make more cynical viewers wonder why a town tiny enough to lack a coffee shop seems to have so many pregnant women), when she's not weeping over the Tragic Secret in her past (trust that it'll get doled out to power plot twists over the first season). Gilmore Girls fans will instantly connect Virgin River (the town) to Stars Hollow, another television town full of twee residents with adorable problems if that's a good association for you, Virgin River (the show) is definitely worth a look. As comforting as a hug, this gentle series has the warm, easygoing vibe of a Hallmark Christmas movie, where all characters are quirky are lovable and all problems can be solved with a good talk.
