‘Reacher’ Season 3 Review

Prime Video has seemingly cornered the paperback thriller adaptation market since its inception. From Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan to Cross and then the surprisingly expansive Bosch universe, Amazon has been creating the number one domain for procedural crime shows that are unwavering in how much they appeal to action fans and Dads alike. Strong protagonists, both physically and intellectually, with a willingness to bend the law enough to enact justice, they’re fascinating characters that tend to hover around antiquated ideals of masculinity while being embedded in modern-day American society. Perhaps the greatest realization of this is Lee Child’s series of Reacher novels and its neo-Western drifter protagonist who finds himself embroiled in a new plight of injustice every time Child puts a pen to the page.

Now entering its third season after a wobbly second outing that expanded Jack Reacher’s (Alan Ritchson) backstory and network of confidants, Reacher has come back around to the simplistic charms of its first season in an adaptation of the seventh novel in the series, Persuader. More stripped back but still as explosive as ever, Nick Santora’s take on Child’s novel builds upon the sturdy foundations of its first two seasons and establishes itself a formula that doesn’t stretch itself too thin and focuses on Reacher as a fly in the ointment whose individual presence is enough to threaten anyone in his sights. While its third season is far more economical in its storytelling, with a heavier emphasis on twists as each episode plays out, it plays to Ritchson’s formidable presence and dry wit while slightly digging into the mindset of a man with nothing to lose and a brutally honest and straightforward approach to justice.

This time, Reacher goes undercover with the DEA as his solo pursuit crosses roads with a personal investigation conducted by agent Sarah Duffy (Sonya Cassidy). As someone else who recognizes the limits of the law but is still beholden to following it as much as she possibly can, Sarah is a strong supporting character in the ever-revolving door of acquaintances with whom Reacher forms alliances. Their sights become locked on Zachary Beck (Anthony Michael Hall)—a rug dealer whose operations might just be a little bit shadier than people suspect and whose strained relationship with his son, Richard (Johnny Berchtold), is put through its paces as Reacher and Sarah begin prying into his business. A myriad of henchmen form the backbone of Beck’s operation, including the massive-in-stature Paulie (portrayed by Olivier Richters, whose real-life bodybuilding career gives him a presence that immediately rivals Ritchson’s) and Beck’s right-hand man, Chapman Duke (Donald Sales).

However, the inclusion of Francis Xavier Quinn (Brian Tee)—a figure from Reacher’s past—provides the most compelling mystery within the show’s third season. With a mean streak and a penchant for violence, how Quinn fits within the criminal network under investigation is what keeps the momentum—and Reacher—going. Unfortunately, it’s also a case of this season biting off a little more than it can chew and falling into similar pitfalls as its sophomore effort. Quinn is underutilized for too long, forcing the show to focus more on its undercover operation for mystery and Reacher trying not to blow his cover before it’s too late for action beats. They’re not bad sequences, either, but Reacher has not proven itself capable of straying too far from its protagonist without the wheels starting to squeak and ultimately feels more pulpy than the potential of its initial set-up promises. The problems with the second season were primarily due to how many characters the show was juggling, but in this season, the issue is that the show wants to integrate Reacher’s past smoothly without losing focus on its central mystery.

Nowhere does this feel more palpable than in the inclusion of Neagley (Maria Sten), a member of Reacher’s old military crew: the 110th Special Investigations Unit. Her inclusion is a double-edged sword because it’s used sparingly to include her in the conversation and further flesh out the world of Reacher, but it’s also evidence of a franchise that wants to do more than what it’s good at. The second season’s focus on the 110th Special Investigations Unit served as an overt means of establishing the Reacher universe and attempting to show that as much as Reacher is a lone wolf, he’s also a team player who feels for those who earn his trust. However, a particular problem emerged: Reacher is at its best when it revolves around the titular character and not necessarily those around him. They work best as supporting characters, but putting them in the limelight means less time with the character that keeps the show entertaining.

These complaints are ultimately minor in the grand scheme of things, as season three of Reacher is still mainly about its protagonist and how he maneuvers within sticky situations. Twists and turns are ultimately derived from who Reacher is as a person, and it’s where the show finds something interesting to mine out of the sometimes inscrutable emotions of the character. His motivations are singular, but whether or not he’s enjoying the moment or calloused to the point of disaffection is difficult to tell without a wisecrack or stern glance to back it up. The third season doesn’t necessarily open the character fully up, but there’s a fascinating interrogation of his morality and how far he’s willing to follow the law before letting violence speak for him. However, it’s an element that wasn’t invisible in the first season and will likely pervade the show until it finally wears out its welcome—season three is just where that discussion gets a little more pointed.

There are rough spots throughout this season of Reacher, but the show continues to barrel forward with plenty of fuel in the tank. Ritchson continues to do wonders in holding the show up on his shoulders and brings a personability to a stone-faced drifter whose minimalism keeps him light on his feet. Without Ritchson, Reacher wouldn’t be the show it is today and every action scene benefits from his musclebound stature. There’s some particularly creative writing in the action department, but most of the attention goes to entangling Reacher in predicaments that force him against the wall. It happens in almost every episode of the six episodes provided for review coverage, which continues to perpetuate its lead character's unstoppable nature while providing some no-frills entertainment at every turn. It’s pulpier but also unsurprisingly satisfying throughout as Reacher fights through another network of criminals hiding in plain sight within the confines of America.