The fact that both Netflix’sVirgin Riverand the CW’sSullivan’s Crossinghave become huge hits on streaming proves that Robyn Carr’s upcoming third TV show is almost guaranteed to succeed. Robyn Carr is no stranger to the world of romance fiction. She might not be as prolific as Nora Roberts, but she has penned plenty of hits.
Since she began publishing romance novels in 1980, Carr has written over 28 standalone romance novels, a trilogy ofGrace Valleybooks, the 22-bookVirgin Riverseries, the five-bookSullivan’s Crossingseries, and a non-fiction guide to writing. However, even with all these titles under her belt, she might be surprised by her TV success.
Carr’s first TV adaptation,Virgin River,has lasted seven seasonson Netflix, while her second adaptation,Sullivan’s Crossing, was recently renewed for a fourth season. As ifSullivan’s Crossingseason 4wasn’t enough evidence of her work’s popularity among audiences, the first two seasons of the CW series have also reached top 10 positions in Netflix’s most-watched streaming charts.
As such, it is perfect timing for another show by the iconic author. Carr would be a fool not to strike while the iron is hot, and that’s exactly what the author did by pairing up with showrunner Roma Roth to develop an adaptation of herThunder Pointbook series.
Thunder Point Comes From The Creators of Sullivan’s Crossing
The Romantic Drama Will Be Developed By Sullivan’s Crossing Showrunner Roma Roth
Fortunately for fans,Thunder Pointis set to bring together the best parts of bothVirgin RiverandSullivan’s Crossing. According toDeadline, the 9-bookThunder Pointbook series takes place in the titular town, much like theVirgin Rivernovels and theSullivan’s Crossingbooks. However, there are some changes to Carr’s usual formula.
For one thing,Thunder Pointfocuses on a male protagonist instead of a female one, which marks a departure from the setup that madeVirgin RiverandSullivan’s Crossingso successful. AsSullivan’s Crossing’s many love trianglesprove, the show is almost overburdened with male supporting characters. However, its protagonist is Morgan Kohan’s Maggie.
John Ralston
Jed Jones
Similarly, whileVirgin Rivercenters on both Mel and Jack in its later seasons, the show begins with Mel moving to the eponymous small town, and she is undeniably still the POV character for the series. This has worked out well for both shows, although one could argue thatSullivan’s Crossingwould benefit from spending less time with Maggie.
If the show spent more time working out what makes her love interest, Chad Michael Murray’s Cal, tick, then viewers might have an easier time believing in its central pairing. As is,Sullivan’s Crossingintroduced Cal’s late wifevia flashbacks, but the rest of his backstory is only thinly sketched, while every minor issue that Maggie faces earns an episode of focus.
When Hank Cooper visits Thunder Point for the funeral of a friend, he finds out he has inherited a property in the town that is central to a heated feud between the locals.
This won’t be the case withThunder Point, as Carr’s third show will squarely center a male lead in an intriguing change to her winning formula. When Hank Cooper visits Thunder Point for the funeral of a friend, he finds out he has inherited a property in the town that is central to a heated feud between the locals.
Sullivan’s Crossingwas renewed for season 4 in early June 2025.
Since this is a Carr book series, Cooper soon gives up his drifter persona to settle down in Thunder Point and help the community work on its issues. Carr fanatics will likely be unsurprised to learn that, of course, Hank also stumbles across a beautiful, troubled local woman and inevitably falls for her despite her complicated past.
Thunder Point Brings Together The Best Parts of Sullivan’s Crossing and Virgin River
The Story Is A Classic Robyn Carr Setup
As proven by that brief outline,Thunder Pointhas all the best parts of the Carr formula, but also has an opportunity to avoid the issues that both shows now face.Virgin Riverhas received criticism for its low-stakes story and lack of action, whileSullivan’s Crossingfaces the opposite problem as of season 3’s finale.
When Maggie’s secret husband appeared inSullivan’s Crossingseason 3’s ending, it became clear that the CW show was one step removed from becoming a full-blown soap opera. For viewers who tuned in to see a more grounded brand of small-town storytelling, the melodrama of this twist wasn’t entirely welcome.
Although the characters are new, this doesn’t mean that the upcoming series boasts no connection to Carr’s earlier shows.
Luckily,Thunder Pointcan revitalize the formula ofSullivan’s CrossingandVirgin Riverwith a fresh new story and a town populated by previously unseen characters. However, although the characters are new, this doesn’t mean that the upcoming series boasts no connection to Carr’s earlier shows.
What We Know About The Thunder Point Series So Far
The New Series Takes Place In The Netflix Hit’s Fictional Universe
Hank Cooper is first mentioned inVirgin Riverbook 17,Sunrise Point, meaningThunder Pointis technically part of the same fictional universe asVirgin River. Since this connection is so tenuous, viewers shouldn’t be shocked if the two shows never cross over. However,Virgin River’s success might make this more likely.
SinceSullivan’s Crossingtopped the Netflix charts,andVirgin Riverhas been a solid performer on the streaming service for years, it is very possible thatThunder Pointcould borrow some settings, stars, or other elements from earlier Carr shows to link the projects together. However, even if this doesn’t happen, viewers still have plenty to look forward to in the series.
A new Carr show was always going to be good news, but this one has all the ingredients to be a major hit.
After all,Thunder Pointrepresents a pretty perfect distillation of the Carr brand up until this point. It’s got the creator ofSullivan’s Crossing, the canon ofVirgin River, but also, in a twist on the usual formula, a male protagonist to keep things fresh. A new Carr show was always going to be good news, but this one has all the ingredients to be a major hit.
Virgin River’s success was unexpected, makingSullivan’s Crossinga more heavily hyped sophomore series for Carr. However, the first two seasons of Roth’s adaptation were met with fan adulation and, whileSullivan’s Crossingseason 3 had its issues, its success on Netflix is hard to argue with.
As such, the news that Thunder Pointwill reunite the creator ofSullivan’s Crossingwith the author of all three series is great for fans of Carr’s work. Whether viewers preferSullivan’s CrossingorVirgin River, the arrival ofThunder Pointwill be a majorly exciting TV moment in the near future.
