TV-MA | 8 episodes | Drama, Action, Mystery, Thriller | 2025
As of 2025, there have been five adaptations of the 28 “Reacher” books, written by Jim Grant (under the pen name Lee Child). Two of these were feature films starring Tom Cruise and now, three seasons on Amazon Prime.
These adaptations are interesting in that they follow no rhyme or reason, and I mean that in a good way. Unlike other productions (both in movies and TV), the “Reacher” adaptations don’t require viewers to know what has already come before as all are standalone, not sequels.
The first Cruise movie (“Jack Reacher,” 2012) was based on “One Shot,” the ninth book in the series. The second Cruise film (“Never Go Back,” 2016) was based on 18th book in the series. Neither of these movies was very good, mostly because Cruise bears no physical resemblance to the title character in the books.
No disrespect intended to (the 5-foot-7 inch, 170 pound) Cruise, but the Reacher in the books is a 6-foot-5-inch shredded, and thoroughly ripped, 250 pound, metaphoric granite sculpture. In the series, Reacher is portrayed by lantern-jawed former model Alan Ritchson, a man who is just as good an actor as Cruise. Although neither has much range, Ritchson is the perfect embodiment of the guy suggested by Grant/Child in the books.
The Beauty of Standalone
The first season of “Reacher” was based on the first book in the series, the second season on the 11th book, and this third one is on the seventh book. All of the “Reacher” books are standalone affairs; you don’t have to know what has come before. This comes in handy if you’re new to the series as you’re provided most of Reacher’s backstory in the first 10 minutes of the third season.
As with the first two, the third season of “Reacher” brings with it an entirely new cast, save for Ritchson and former Danish beauty queen contestant Maria Sten (as security consultant Neagley, pronounced “NEE-lee”). Reacher and Neagley were part of the Army’s 110th Special Investigations Unit, not dissimilar to the characters in any one of the 87 incarnations of “NCIS.”
Season 3 is set in and near Portland, Maine where hugely successful rug importer Zachary Beck (Anthony Michael Hall) is a suspect in an ongoing Drug Enforcement Administration investigation led by Agent Susan Duffy (Sonya Cassidy).
The first episode opens with the attempted kidnapping of Zachary’s son Richard (Johnny Berchtold), which is thwarted by Reacher. This is the second time Richard has been the target of a kidnapping. The first ended in his partial disfigurement when Zachary delayed in paying the ransom.
It’s also during this brilliantly executed pre-opening title sequence that Reacher catches a glimpse of Frank Quinn (Brian Tee), a man he thought he'd executed years earlier while still in the Army. Why this supposed killing took place is revealed in the overlong and convoluted fourth episode. Quinn doesn’t physically show up again until the last half of the season. It’s only then that his level of evil and disregard for human life is fully exposed.
Just One Gripe
The one big gripe I have with the third season is the same as the first two seasons. Simply too much of the narrative is repetitive, making the relatively short 45–55 minute episodes feel longer than they actually are. The really important stuff in the fourth episode could have easily been addressed to far greater effect in less than 15 minutes. The entire series is in desperate need of tighter story editing.The good news is that all else in the third season delivers everything the dedicated fan base has come to expect. The Reacher character is a man most women want, and most men want to be. He’s a no-nonsense, old school, alpha male who isn’t afraid of questioning authority and practicing his own version of “frontier justice” where it’s needed—which is most of the time.
The fight sequences are brilliantly choreographed and executed and there are (thankfully) very few car chases. In their stead, there are many more, pulse-racing, on-foot set pieces.
In keeping with what’s come before, show runner Nick Santora and his writers and directors include a smoldering romantic subplot involving Reacher and Duffy, which is drenched in dramatic tension and is in no hurry to deliver a payoff. The two-word, under-her-breath remark uttered by Duffy upon seeing Reacher in only his underwear in the moonlight might just be the funniest and best-timed quip of the entire series.
Before the third season had even finished principal photography, a fourth season was announced by Amazon Prime. Given there are still 23 more books and a collection of short stories left to mine, “Reacher” could last for decades. In that event, finding an adequate replacement for Ritchson, which would likely be inevitable due to Father Time, could prove to be difficult. He’s that perfect in the role.
“Reacher” could conceivably become the American TV version of the “James Bond” franchise.
