Netflix renews Virgin River for a ninth season

Netflix has renewed Virgin River for a ninth season, making the romantic drama its longest-running original scripted series by number of seasons, according to the company. Season 9 will have 10 episodes. Season 8 is scheduled to premiere in 2027.

The renewal extends a series that began in 2019 and is based on Robyn Carr’s book series. Netflix said the first seven seasons have accumulated more than 500 million views. The figure is Netflix’s own measure; it defines a view as total viewing hours divided by a series’ runtime.

Netflix described the renewal as a season-count milestone for its scripted programming. Season 9 will bring the show to 94 episodes once Seasons 8 and 9 have aired, according to the announcement. The 94-episode total therefore includes the upcoming eighth season as well as the newly renewed ninth.

Patrick Sean Smith will return as showrunner and executive producer for Season 9. Smith said he was grateful for the opportunity to continue the series and credited its cast, crew, writers and viewers. Netflix executive Jinny Howe said the show’s audience and longevity made the renewal a milestone for the platform.

Alexandra Breckenridge and Martin Henderson, who play...