Where is Hope in Virgin River? Character absence in season 3 explained
Virgin River mayor Hope isn't seen as much in season 3 as fans would have hoped – here's why.
Netflix's hit romantic drama Virgin River launched its third season on Friday (9th July) as fans settled in to find out just who shot Jack, who dies in Virgin River and what exactly Doc's medical diagnosis is after the second season's major cliffhanger.
However, those who've already made a start on the new episodes have been drawn to something else completely – the noticeable absence of Virgin River mayor Hope McCrea, played by Smallville's Annette O'Toole.
While Hope is referred to each episode and makes a physical appearance when she's chatting to Doc over Zoom, we never see her share a scene with any of the other characters and many fans are wondering why exactly that is.
Here's everything we know about Hope's whereabouts in season three and whether Annette O'Toole is quitting the show.
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Where is Hope in Virgin River season 3?
At the end of season two, we watched Doc propose to Hope after spending the past few decades married but separated, and while she said yes, we were soon delivered the news that Doc had been dealt some bad news in regards to his health.
In season three, it's revealed that Doc may be losing his sight – however, Hope isn't there to support him as she's visiting an elderly aunt in another state and as the season progresses, we learn that the location she's in has been hit by a hurricane, forcing her to stay there a lot longer. It then isn't until episode four that we finally see Hope via webcam as she speaks to Doc over video call – but why isn't Hope featured in the season in person?
The unsurprising answer is COVID-19 – with showrunner Sue Tenney revealing that Annette O'Toole, who plays Hope, was unable to travel for filming during the pandemic.
"That was a pandemic pivot," Tenney told Entertainment Weekly. "We've worked very hard to make sure she was still very much in the show."
She added that O'Toole being unable to travel and return to set meant her storyline was majorly altered, with plans for Doc and Hope's vow renewal ceremony being cut from season three.
"We had a very lovely, two long episodes about that," she said. "Two episodes of plot on that. When we get to that point, which is a re-commitment ceremony, we definitely are going to want to see that. But we have some drama going on with both of those characters that puts that on the back-burner, but also heightens their commitment to one another."
Speaking to TVLine, Tenney said: "Keeping her present on the show, even though she's only actually in a couple of episodes, was paramount. She's talked about, I keep her in the forefront."
Has Annette O'Toole left Virgin River?
For those worried that Hope's absence from the show is hinting at O'Toole's exit, that thankfully doesn't look like the case.
Tenney told Entertainment Weekly: "If we have a fourth season, everyone is now vaccinated and the pandemic is not what it was. So, I would hope that we would have Annette back."
O'Toole has not publicly discussed her reduced role in season three, however a representative for O'Toole exclusively revealed to RadioTimes.com that "she will return for season four".
Virgin River seasons 1-3 are available to stream on Netflix. Check out our lists of the best series on Netflix and the best movies on Netflix – or see what else is on with our TV Guide.
