Netflix’s Virgin River returned for season 6 and fans were left disappointed by a major change to the popular romance series

Mel and Jack got married in Virgin River season 6 (Image: NETFLIX)

Virgin River has made its highly anticipated return on Netflix, with the show’s beloved characters Mel Monroe (portrayed by Alexandra Breckenridge) and Jack Sheridan (Martin Henderson) finally saying “I do”. However, as is typical for Virgin River, the journey to the altar was fraught with dramatic twists and last-minute obstacles.

Meanwhile, simmering in the narrative backdrop, Charmaine Roberts (played by Lauren Hammersley) faced conflicts with Calvin, the father of her twins who insisted on more involvement in their lives. Brie Sheridan (Zibby Allen), allied with Charmaine, worked on securing a restraining order against him.

But trouble ensued when Calvin, played for only a brief moment this season by actor Josh Blacker, recognized from Elysium and The Wall, discovered Jack and relatives were guiding Charmaine in keeping him at bay. Despite his face being partially veiled by the pouring rain during his ominous encounter with Jack, fans quickly picked up on the fact that David Cubitts role had been recast.

This casting switch didn’t sit well with many fans. On Reddit, user loose-garlic-3461 commented: “Anyone else bummed out that Calvin’s actor changed in season 6? I felt like the previous actor portrayed him perfectly.”

Adding to the dissatisfaction, K_Click_D noted: “Yep. This new fella just isn’t the same, he’s not threatening and intimidating enough. This was a disappointing point of season 6. I hope the original actor returns for S7.”

Josh Blacker now plays Calvin (Image: NETFLIX)

Mean_Swimming_4414 expressed frustration, saying: “Yes, annoyed they changed him.”

Despite the casting switch, Netflix remained silent on the matter before and after the season dropped.

Fans had to scour IMDb profiles to identify the new actor taking over the role. ConversationTop1408 voiced their disappointment: “I’m disappointed, I like the original actor. I’m only on episode 3 at the court house where we see him for the 1st time. I was like wait .. this is not right..”

Wharevahappenedthere chimed in with nostalgia for the original portrayal: “Loved the original Calvin. Not sure why David Cubbit didn’t return but he was awesome. The new guy might turn out to be alright but we’ll need to see more of him.”

Tim Matheson as Doc Mullins and Lauren Hammersley as Charmaine (Image: NETFLIX)

David Cubitt’s departure from the series remains unexplained, though his IMDb profile indicates that 2023 was his final year on the show.

Since leaving, Cubitt has been busy with roles in Allegiance, Billy the Kid, and The Madness, and is set to appear in two forthcoming projects – Field Sketches and Alone Together.

Considering these developments, it’s possible that conflicting schedules prevented him from committing to another season of Virgin River.