Remaining Lifelines

Fun facts about Virgin River

Author's Choice for Netflix:

• The "Virgin River" show is based on the successful book series by Robyn Carr, which has sold over 13 million copies.
• Despite interest from various platforms, Carr chose Netflix for its slightly edgier tone, believing it to be a "perfect fit" for her story.

Fictional Town with a Real River:

• While Virgin River is a fictional town, the river itself is real. The actual Virgin River is a tributary of the Colorado River, flowing through Utah, Nevada, and Arizona.
• The inspiration for the setting might come from Carr's upbringing, having lived in states like California, Utah, Arizona, and Nevada.

Filming Location:

• Although the series is set in Northern California, it's filmed in Vancouver, Canada, due to high filming costs in Los Angeles.
• Specific filming locations include British Columbia's Snug Cove in Bowen Island, Burnaby, and Port Coquitlam.

Jack's Bar:

• The exterior of the iconic Jack's Bar is The Watershed Grill in Brackendale, British Columbia.
• Some scenes were also filmed inside The Watershed Grill, allowing fans to experience the views showcased in the series.

Mel's Cabin:

• Mel's cabin is a former park caretaker's home located on the North Shore of Vancouver, specifically in Murdo Frazer Park.
• This cabin has been used in other popular TV shows like The Flash, Psych, Supernatural, and Once Upon A Time.

Character Development:

• The showrunner, Sue Tenney, chose to delay intimate moments between Mel and Jack to create more tension and longing.
• Their first kiss was in episode 8 of season 1, and they didn't sleep together until season 2.

Audiobook Narrator's Appearance:

• Thérèse Plummer, the award-winning audiobook narrator for some of the "Virgin River" series, also acts in the show.

Executive Producer's Vision:

• Roma Roth, the show's Executive Producer, wanted a show that stood out from the dark thrillers dominating television. She saw "Virgin River" as a community-focused, feel-good series.

Cast Chemistry:

• Alexandra Breckenridge (Mel) and Martin Henderson (Jack) share a good off-screen friendship, which likely contributes to their on-screen chemistry.

Martin Henderson's Favorite Season:

• Martin Henderson, who plays Jack, has mentioned that season 5 is his favorite and considers it the best season yet.

On-Set Accident:

• During the filming of season 4, Martin Henderson attempted a backflip over a bale of hay and ended up injuring himself.

The show isn't filmed in California

Throughout the series, Virgin River alludes to the fact that the town is based in northern California. With the consistent scenes of undulating mountain terrain, log cabins, and lakes, it's easy to understand why viewers would think it's California.

Here's the thing. The show is actually filmed in various remote areas around Vancouver and British Columbia. The Virgin River location scout wanted an area that mimicked the show's romance and drama, so where better to set up shop than in the striking and remote regions of Canada?

While most of the show was filmed on the outskirts of Vancouver, places like Snug Cove in Bowen Island, Burnaby, and Port Coquitlam also made an appearance. The bad news? The warm and homey Jack's Bar is not a functioning bar but rather Brackendale's very own Watershed Grill. The restaurant's interiors are set up by the studio, so the real-life restaurant actually looks quite different.

Mel's ambient log cabin with stellar views does exist. It's actually located in North Vancouver's Murdo Frazer Park and is the caretaker's cabin.

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