Virgin River fans spot key detail they're 'amazed' Mel and Jack have never brought up

A Virgin River enthusiast has been left scratching their head over a glaring omission in the setting of Mel Monroe (played by Alexandra Breckenridge) and Jack Sheridan's (Martin Henderson) .

Netflix's hit series Virgin River, a fan-favourite for its heartwarming portrayal of small-town life, is gearing up for its sixth season this December, with viewership numbers expected to soar.

The show chronicles the life of nurse practitioner Mel who, after facing a personal loss, relocates to a quaint Northern California town and finds herself falling for local bar owner and ex-Marine Jack.

Recently securing its spot as Netflix's longest-running English-language series with a seventh season renewal, the drama hasn't escaped the watchful eyes of fans who've spotted a few inconsistencies over time.

One recent gripe shared on Reddit concerns the absence of wildlife in the series, despite being filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, an area known for its rich animal presence, reports .

"Having lived in BC for a few months (where VR is filmed) this summer I'm on a rewatch and I'm amazed at how bears don't even get a mention in the show," a viewer remarked.

"I went to 'Jack's Bar' in Squamish and there was fresh bear scat right outside it. Everywhere I hiked, never solo, we carried bear spray and local friends said that they'd even carry a firearm for protection in the back country.

"Meanwhile Mel, Brie (Zibby Allen), Cameron (Mark Ghanime), Jack and Denny (Kai Bradbury) are all out there running and fishing on the trails without so much as a bottle of water between them."

One fan pointed out that Mel is oblivious to potential dangers while jogging through the woods, wearing earbuds and assuming any noise is just a squirrel. However, the books by Robyn Carr do mention bears, with Jack's Bar featuring hunting trophies and a scene where Jack recounts having to shoot a charging mother bear while fishing.

The fan quoted a line from the book: "'You don't take a minute to load your rifle if a bear is charging you. Bear fish in the same rivers we do.'" In reality, California, where Virgin River is set, is home to 25,000 to 35,000 black bears, which can pose a nuisance to humans.

However, some viewers disagreed, arguing that bears are not commonly seen in the area and are generally not aggressive. One commented: "Because it's set in Humboldt County, CA. We have bears here too, but they don't roam that freely and aren't seen that often."

Another added: "Never been a bear attack here ever. Bears are smart and have manners and know how to cohabitate peacefully with the humans that are squatting on their land."

Despite this, some fans may still find it strange that the show has overlooked this detail, especially when Mel is shown running alone in the wilderness without protection.

Virgin River season 6 will be released Thursday, December 19 on Netflix.