No one likes when their favorite show could be in danger or, worse, gets outright canceled. But that’s the reality that fans of Netflix’s original romantic drama series Ransom Canyon and Sweet Magnolias have currently been living. Back-to-back, both of the beloved series were canceled following the summer releases of their most recent seasons, which resulted in lackluster returns.
But even with declining viewership, the series were still two shows that fans adored and wanted to see more from or, at the very least, hoped for closure. Since Netflix just canceled two romantic dramas that fans love, it’s only natural that our concerns would then turn to what’s at the moment the streaming service’s last remaining adult romantic drama, Virgin River.
As seasoned television viewers know, the longer a show runs, the nearer we get to the inevitable conclusion—unless it’s a seemingly indestructible, tenured procedural like Grey’s Anatomy or Chicago Fire. In the streaming age, a series reaching its eighth season, like Virgin River will next year, is entirely unheard of. Being so, the end could be closer than we would like to admit.
Should fans be worried about Virgin River’s future after the Ransom Canyon and Sweet Magnolias cancellations? Sure. Does this mean that the show is in the direct line of fire for Netflix now? Not necessarily. Obviously, it does not look good that Netflix canceled the two closest shows that Virgin River was related to, but it’s far more established and leaps and bounds ahead in viewership.
All three shows are based on long-running, easy-to-read book series that fans loved long before they were ever turned into television shows by Netflix. While the maturity varied between the trio (with Ransom Canyon being the raciest of the bunch with nudity and heightened language), each show scratched the itch that Hallmark Channel viewers were looking for in the streaming world.
We can’t be sure that Netflix is looking to change course and move away from this kind of programming, but canceling both Ransom Canyon and Sweet Magnolias before Virgin River season 8 premieres certainly doesn’t do much to fill fans with much faith. No matter how you slice it, it’s hard not to take a look at the situation on paper and assume Virgin River’s days are numbered.
Netflix has made no indication that season 8 will be the final season of Virgin River. In fact, this summer, casting news for the upcoming season suggested that preliminary talks about season 9 could be happening behind the scenes at the streamer. If anything, that’s a sign of hope that fans should hold onto until actual news about the show’s fate arrives.
Additionally, Netflix appears to be giving Virgin River a new friend in the romantic drama department. In the wake of the Sweet Magnolias cancellation, Netflix announced that showrunner Sheryl J. Anderson and star JoAnna Garcia Swisher are teaming up for a new page-to-screen series Ladies of the House. Perhaps the future isn’t looking as bleak as it might appear.
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