Virgin River viewers were left divided after a key character was replaced in the latest season of the show – but the change was not addressed.

Netflix’s beloved series Virgin River has graced screens once again, and the latest instalment sees the much-anticipated marriage of Mel Monroe (portrayed by Alexandra Breckenridge) and Jack Sheridan (Martin Henderson), a celebration not without its share of pandemonium and last-minute chaos.

Amidst the festivities, viewers witnessed Charmaine Roberts (played by Lauren Hammersley) struggling with Calvin, her twins’ father, who was exerting pressure to spend more time with his children. Brie Sheridan (acted by Zibby Allen) finds herself embroiled in aiding Charmaine to secure a restraining order against him.

The tension escalates when Calvin discovers Jack and his family are obstructing his attempts to see his children, leading to a menacing encounter with Jack under cover of darkness. Calvin, although his appearance is brief and shrouded in rain, made an impression on fans who quickly noticed the recasting of the role; Josh Blacker, recognized for roles in Elysium and The Wall, stepped into the shoes previously filled by David Cubitt.

Josh Blacker now plays Calvin (Image: NETFLIX)

However, viewers have expressed their discontent with the switch-up, as a Reddit user by the handle loose-garlic-3461 lamented: “Anyone else bummed out that Calvin’s actor changed in season 6? I felt like the previous actor portrayed him perfectly.”

Echoing this sentiment, another fan, K_Click_D, commented: “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.”

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

Despite the recasting, Netflix has remained silent about the change neither before nor after the season was released.

It was only after some fans delved into IMDb profiles that they discovered the casting switch. ConversationTop1408 voiced their disappointment, remarking: “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..”

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

Wharevahappenedthere delivered their verdict saying: “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.”

While there is no official explanation for David Cubitt’s departure from the series, his IMDb profile confirms that 2023 marked the conclusion of his tenure on Virgin River.

Since leaving, Cubitt has appeared in works including Allegiance, Billy the Kid, and The Madness. He also looks forward to the release of two more projects – Field Sketches and Alone Together.

Considering these developments, it’s possible that the actor had conflicting schedules, making it difficult to continue with Virgin River.