Virgin River fans hail 'gem' TV series as best replacement and it's currently streaming for free

Virgin River enthusiasts have been compiling lists of their favourite comparable programmes during the ongoing break, and the number one choice may come as a shock.

Netflix's popular romantic drama follows nurse practitioner Mel Monroe (portrayed by Alexandra Breckenridge) as she relocates to a quiet Northern California town after experiencing a personal tragedy.

She rapidly develops a connection with local pub proprietor and ex-Marine Jack Sheridan (Martin Henderson), and together they've navigated numerous personal obstacles across six series to date.

Adapted from Robyn Carr's cherished book collection, the show has established itself as Netflix's most enduring English-language programme since launching in 2019, with an additional two seasons currently being developed.

With the eagerly awaited seventh instalment expected to arrive either towards the end of this year or in early 2026, supporters have flocked to Reddit to identify the finest programmes offering a comparable small-town atmosphere, reports the Mirror US.

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One member shared a compilation of nine programmes and commented: "Finished Season 6 and damn I'm seriously mourning right now.

"I made a list, so please help me rank the top 3 shows that exactly give Virgin River vibes. Thanks!"

Their selection featured Chesapeake Shores, Sullivan's Crossing, Ransom Canyon, Sweet Magnolias, Hart of Dixie, Heartland, Gilmore Girls, Cedar Cove and Everwood.

Whilst the majority of programmes mentioned garnered appreciation from at least one supporter in the responses, a somewhat unexpected selection received the greatest backing.

One Reddit user simply declared: "hart of dixie!!!" A second chimed in: "Hart of Dixie!! Best show ever. Dare I say better than VR? (I love vr so this is saying a lot)."

Another fan confessed: "I was absolutely obsessed with this show, I wish I bought the series on dvd back then!"

"Hart of Dixie! It's a gem," one enthusiast remarked, adding: "And Doc is still the Doc!"

Echoing the themes of Virgin River, the CW series Hart of Dixie centres around the driven Zoe Hart (Rachel Bilson), who relocates to the quaint town of Bluebell, Alabama to work as a general practitioner after her aspirations to be a heart surgeon fall through.

Her arrival and subsequent crush on local lawyer George Tucker (Scott Porter) stirs up trouble, especially with his betrothed, Lemon Breeland (Jaime King), who concocts schemes to oust Zoe from their tight-knit community.

As if the plot wasn't enticing enough, the show also stars Virgin River's Tim Matheson, who plays another medic, Brick Breeland, father to Lemon.

For fans across the pond, there's good news – all four seasons of Hart of Dixie are ready for binge-watching free of charge on ITVX.

Are you set to dive into the ideal Virgin River alternative this week?

Virgin River is available to stream on Netflix. Hart of Dixie is available on ITVX.