Are Hope and Doc Over on 'Virgin River'? Annette O'Toole Says Their Marriage May Not Survive (Exclusive)

Hope McCrea (Annette O’Toole) and Vernon “Doc” Mullins (Tim Matheson) have weathered plenty of storms on Virgin River. But Season 7 of the hit Netflix series put their marriage to the test once again, leaving us more than a bit worried about their future.

By season’s end, Doc has his license back and agrees to collaborate with Grace Valley Hospital after a medical emergency involving a pregnant patient, Marley. But he decides without telling Hope.

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“That’s been Hope’s driving force all season: Getting Doc’s license back and dealing with Dr. Hayes trying to take over the clinic,” O’Toole exclusively told Parade. “All he had to do was call her. Their whole issue about their prior problems and his long-ago infidelity was that he didn’t tell her. He wasn’t honest with her.”

For Hope, it’s not just the decision he made; it was the silence.

“She did all this work, and it could have been avoided with communication,” O’Toole said. “Their past issues, including his infidelity, came down to the same thing: He didn’t tell her. He wasn’t honest.”

Hope has long believed that when it came to her and Doc, it was “you and me against the world.” So, when Doc acts alone, it hits her hard.

“If he had said, ‘I have to do this, and here’s why,’ she wouldn’t have liked it, but she could have processed it,” O’Toole explained. “Instead, it just blew things to smithereens. Now she has to regroup.”

Adding to the tension? Hope’s ex-husband, Roland (John Ralston), who resurfaces as a source of support — and admits he’s still in love with her. Still, O’Toole downplays any romantic triangle.

Related: ‘Virgin River’ Star Tim Matheson Says Doc ‘Will Do Anything’ to Win Back Hope (Exclusive)

“I wouldn’t call it that,” she said. “He’s someone from her past; someone she knows deeply. She needed a friend, and he was there. It’s more about familiarity—and rethinking who he is to her now.”

At its heart, Virgin River remains an ensemble story that is centered on Mel (Alexandra Breckenridge) and Jack (Martin Henderson), Doc and Hope, and Lizzie and Denny, and their extended circle of family and friends. It represents three generations in the close-knit coastal town.

Looking ahead to Season 8, O’Toole hopes that Hope comes through stronger after weathering the storm of Doc’s betrayal. “My allegiance is to Hope becoming the best version of herself,” she said. “This season explored her relationship with her father—next season, it’s about letting go of old wounds.”

Growth is the goal. “I want to see her start fresh,” O’Toole added. “To move past guilt, old wounds, and obligation and really step into who she is. I think she needs to give up all that stuff. I just want to see her start afresh and see what happens.”

As for Hope and Doc’s future? After 25 years of ups and downs, O’Toole is keeping an open mind. “I feel like their therapist,” she said with a laugh. “I don’t need them to stay together or to split up — I just want to see how it plays out.”

Related: Martin Henderson Teases Heartbreaking and Shocking Surprises in ‘Virgin River’ Season 8 (Exclusive)

Season 8 is now in production in Vancouver, where O’Toole brings along her dog, Barry — and this time, her husband, Michael McKean — for part of the filming.

“It’s breathtaking where we film,” she said, noting the steady stream of fans who track down locations and are eager to say how much they enjoy the show. “They’re always so kind and generous.”

Another key storyline continues through Doc’s grandson Denny (Kai Bradbury), his wife Lizzie (Sarah Dugdale), and their baby, Coco, played by a rotation of twins under the careful eyes of their parents, a nurse, and a social worker.

“They’re precious,” O’Toole said. “You don’t get them all day—they’re carefully timed—but I do get to hold the baby early in season 8, and I’m very excited.”

“There are many babies on the set, because as they grow out of the role. So it’s usually two sets of twins who come every time they are needed, and they’re precious, really darling. I am enjoying them very much,” O’Toole said. “I think I get to hold the baby in the first or second episode of Season 8, and I am extremely excited about it.”

Related: ‘Virgin River’s Alexandra Breckenridge Drops Major Hint About Baby’s Fate After Devastating Season 7 Cliffhanger (Exclusive)

Season 7 also tackled Lizzie’s postpartum depression, including a powerful scene with Hope, Lizzie, and Mel supporting one another during a baby shower at Jack’s bar.

“It showed three generations, all feeling similar things,” O’Toole said. “That scene reminded me of the strength of women caring for one another, holding one another, while we were all sitting on the floor of this bathroom supporting her,” she said.  “I think touching on these issues is helpful to people.”

Off-camera, O’Toole enjoys quieter pursuits like reading and knitting, and values the close friendships she has built with her castmates.

“Now that I am older, having female friendships has become even more valuable to me. I can connect to the way that these women are there for one another,” she said. “There’s something special about women who know each other so well — flaws and all — and still show up with honesty and love.”

Seasons 1-7 of Virgin River are streaming on Netflix. Season 8 is currently in production.

Up next, ‘Virgin River’ Season 8 Shocker: Who’s Staying and Who’s Leaving?