Why Virgin River Recast Calvin in Season 6 — Explained!
In Season 6 of Virgin River, longtime character Calvin (head of the town’s cannabis ring, and Charmaine’s twins’ father) suddenly looked different. Actor David Cubitt, who’d played Calvin for four seasons, was replaced by Josh Blacker in two episodes en.wikipedia.org+12thedirect.com+12soapcentral.com+12. The reason? While Netflix and the series have stayed silent, widespread sources indicate the change stemmed from scheduling conflicts — Cubitt’s commitments to other projects like Allegiance and Billy the Kid, both also filmed in Vancouver, interfered with Virgin River production the-express.com+2thedirect.com+2soapcentral.com+2.
📅 Timeline of Calvin’s Recurring Role
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Seasons 1–5: Calvin is introduced as a formidable local gang leader, entwined deeply in Jack Sheridan’s world thedirect.com+1soapcentral.com+1.
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Season 4: His boat blows up—though viewers later learn he survived soapcentral.com+1soapcentral.com+1.
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Season 5: Calvin reemerges alive, enters a custody battle over his twins with Charmaine facebook.com+11soapcentral.com+11soapcentral.com+11.
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Season 6 (Episodes 1–2): Calvin appears again—but now portrayed by Josh Blacker, catching audiences off-guard en.wikipedia.org+4thedirect.com+4soapcentral.com+4.
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Post-Episode 2: Blacker stops appearing, hinting the recast was a short-term solution soapcentral.com+2thedirect.com+2the-express.com+2.
🛠 Why the Recast Happened
Neither Netflix nor creators confirmed the change, but multiple outlets and fan forums concluded:
1. Scheduling Conflicts
David Cubitt maintained a busy schedule—starring in Allegiance, Billy the Kid, and The Madness—with filming often overlapping Virgin River’s Vancouver schedule m.facebook.com+10thedirect.com+10the-express.com+10.
2. Quick-Fill Recasting
Showrunners likely opted for Josh Blacker—a seasoned actor—to ensure story continuity, rather than write Calvin out abruptly. Blacker’s credits (Elysium, The Wall, Reacher Season 2) made him an ideal choice the-express.com+2thedirect.com+2soapcentral.com+2.
3. Fan Backlash
Reddit users immediately voiced dissatisfaction:
“Anyone else bummed out that Calvin’s actor changed in season 6? I felt like the previous actor portrayed him perfectly.” the-express.comsportskeeda.com+7reddit.com+7the-express.com+7
“Yep… just isn’t the same, he’s not threatening and intimidating enough.” reddit.com+1the-express.com+1
This disappointment was echoed across platforms, though many acknowledged the change likely wasn’t intentional .
🤔 Impact on Story & Fans
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Continuity Concerns: A villain recast mid-arc can disrupt the character’s credibility—some viewers felt Blacker lacked Cubitt’s menacing edge sportskeeda.com+12the-express.com+12soapcentral.com+12.
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Character Stakes: Calvin’s role in Charmaine’s legal troubles and possible disappearance is central to Season 6’s plot reddit.com+6soapcentral.com+6soapcentral.com+6. Any disruption to his portrayal could affect narrative tension.
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Future Casting: Reports suggest Cubitt remains unavailable. Therefore, Blacker may continue portraying Calvin in Season 7, though that too depends on scheduling thedirect.com.
🔮 What’s Next for Calvin & the Recast?
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Season 7 Renewal: With Netflix confirming Season 7, Calvin’s story—especially around Charmaine’s disappearance—will continue soapcentral.com.
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Blacker’s Future: If Blacker’s portrayal resonates, producers may keep him in role long-term.
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Cubitt’s Status: Unless Cubitt adjusts his availability, a return seems unlikely.
🔚 Summary Table
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Original Calvin | David Cubitt (Seasons 1–5) |
| Recast Calvin | Josh Blacker (Season 6, Episodes 1–2) |
| Reason | Likely scheduling conflicts en.wikipedia.org+1soapcentral.com+1the-express.com |
| Fan Reaction | Disappointment over loss of menace |
| Next Steps | Calvin returns in Season 7; Blacker may continue role, Cubitt’s return unclear |
💬 What Fans Are Saying
On Reddit, commenters summarized the general sentiment:
“That new fella just isn’t the same… not threatening enough.” reddit.com+1the-express.com+1
Meanwhile, outlets like The Direct, SoapCentral, Sportskeeda, and Daily Express all pointed to scheduling conflicts as the likely reason behind the switch .
✅ Final Take
The recast of Calvin in Virgin River Season 6 is a clear example of behind-the-scenes logistics clashing with audience expectations. With David Cubitt’s rising workload, producers turned to capable veteran Josh Blacker to maintain storyline integrity. While fans noted the shift, understanding the complexity may soften the blow. As Season 7 approaches, all eyes are on how Calvin’s character—and actor—unfold next.
