Speaking with Deadline, Smith revealed Virgin River season 6 will start after a months-long time jump. The showrunner said he isn’t sure how much it will push the show forward in time, but did confirm the story’s start isn’t directly after season 5 part 2. Check out what Smith had to say below:

Hopefully. But we do intend to do another time jump from the holidays to when Season 6 starts so we can anticipate a bit of a time jump. I don’t know exactly how many months but it won’t be a direct pickup from the holidays.

How Big Will Virgin River Season 6’s Time Jump Be?

Since only six months have passed in Virgin River by the end of season 5, it makes sense for the next season to have a significant time jump. This can be used to set the characters up in ways that emphasize the importance of the show’s latest plot developments. Not only does this mean seeing Charmaine a few months into motherhood, but also learning more about what Everett Reid told Mel after season 5 part 2’s cliffhanger ending.

With a multitude of engaging stories now set up by Virgin River‘s Christmas special, it appears a jump forward will be justified by how season 6 plays out. It’s clear Smith has a plan for what direction the series will go, highlighting the importance of letting some time pass so it can come to fruition. It appears the next season of the drama will involve a new sense of beginning for all its characters and stories.