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Is Doc Mullins going to die on Virgin River?

What's up with Doc?

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Published on September 9, 2023 10:00AM EDT

Warning: This article contains spoilers about Virgin River season 5.

Doc Mullins (Tim Matheson) is tying up loose ends. So, is Virgin River setting us up to say goodbye to our favorite curmudgeon?

On season 5 of the Netflix series, Doc's macular degeneration rapidly accelerates, forcing him to hand over medical procedures to Cameron (Mark Ghanimé) in the midst of emergencies. Ultimately, he admits his diagnosis to Cameron, who eventually agrees to take over the clinic at Doc's request.

After some moving steps toward embracing his role as a grandfather, Doc accepts a quieter life without his work. He tells Hope (Annette O'Toole) that he's decided to enroll in a macular degeneration clinical trial, even though it comes with the risk of speeding up his blindness.

Losing your eyesight isn't a terminal diagnosis, but we're still concerned about Doc. In Robyn Carr's novels, which inspired the series, Doc does eventually die. The novel Temptation Ridge includes Doc's death and Virgin River's attempts to say goodbye to one of their most beloved residents.

With his clinic safely in Cameron and Mel's (Alexandra Breckenridge) hands and significant steps made toward making peace with his past, it certainly seems like Doc could be headed for the end.

Though we can at least expect it won't happen over the holidays (hopefully). Director Gail Harvey tells EW, "Hope and Doc get some joy in the holiday season. They really do. There's a surprise that I think people will really enjoy."

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Is Doc Mullins going to die on Virgin River?

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