Why Some Virgin River Fans Hate Jack

Ever since "Virgin River" premiered on Netflix in 2019, the likable romantic drama has delivered satisfying love stories, memorable characters, and more than a few babies. Some viewers even think "Virgin River" goes a little overboard with the pregnancy storylines.

Of course, the show is based on a series of romance novels where pregnancies seem to happen all the time, but thankfully, the veteran cast of actors that star on "Virgin River" have more than enough charm to sell the show's more outlandish plotlines. Viewers have spent multiple seasons getting to know Mel (Alexandra Breckenridge) and Jack (Martin Henderson), and watching them develop feelings for one another has been a highlight of the show for many.

However, not every "Virgin River" fan thinks that Jack, a retired Marine and bar owner, always has everyone's best interests in mind. A vocal group of fans believes that Jack is a little bit shady and find him to be one of the more detestable characters on the show. Here is why some "Virgin River" fans hate Jack.

One of the main issues fans have had with Jack is how he treats Charmaine (Lauren Hammersley) — the woman he was involved with before he met Mel. When "Virgin River" began, Jack and Charmaine were in a "friends with benefits" relationship, and while some fans think that label might give Jack a pass, others do not.

One fan outlined the reason why they dislike Jack in a lengthy Reddit post. The fan notes that as soon as Mel arrives, Jack immediately treats Charmaine poorly while fawning over his new romantic interest. Beyond that, a significant plot point of Season 1 is Charmaine's sudden pregnancy with twins, which prompts Jack to announce that while he doesn't want to be in the children's lives, he will help support them.

In what seems like a fortunate turn of events, Charmaine ends up meeting Todd (Patrick Sabongui), and he generously offers to adopt the twins. However, u/Boogaloogaloogaloo writes, "Jack decides he needs to spend thousands of dollars on a lawyer to get custody of kids THAT HE NEVER WANTED out of some sense of honor." Beyond that, the post notes that Jack is often emotionally manipulative and ruins Lily's funeral for Mel.

While some noted complicating circumstances around many of those issues, others felt the post hit the nail on the head. One Redditor, u/accountingprincess, wrote, "I agree with all of this. The fact that he said no to Todd blows my mind. He's a mess." Jack is definitely a complicated fellow, and it's no wonder some "Virgin River" viewers take such an issue with him.