Spoiler Free Review of Reacher Season 2
After Reacher became one of Amazon Prime’s biggest hits ever last year, it was quickly renewed for a Season 2, and fans have been eagerly anticipating its return. Besides being a physical marvel, Alan Ritchson truly embodies the titular character Reacher in every sense, in a way few actors do for characters adapted from novels to the screen. This new season is based on the eleventh novel of Lee Child’s book series, Bad Luck and Trouble, and even with a riveting story, the success of the show rests firmly on Ritchson’s broad shoulders.
Any returning show has to find a way to top what it did before, while still maintaining what was originally connecting with audiences. Trust that everything is bigger this time around, including Reacher (believe it or not). We previously saw the calm and vast Reacher deal with corruption that claimed his brother’s life in small town Margrave, so it makes sense to now thrust our drifter into larger settings and bigger stakes. Things are once again personal to Reacher, as he learns from Neagley (Maria Stern, Swamp Thing) that members of his former MP Special Investigators unit are being targeted. Working with her and the surviving members of his team, O’Donnell (Shaun Sipos, Texas Chainsaw) and Dixon (Serinda Swan, Coroner), they must figure out who’s behind it and why… before one of them is next.
Ritchson truly can’t be complimented enough for his work as Reacher. Physically imposing, which even great actors and camera angles can’t fake, he delivers lines with a perfect blend of stoicism and sincerity. Reacher is a character that was brought up with integrity, always wanting to do the right thing and stick up for those that can’t help themselves. While the character may seem void of emotion, he cares deeply, which Ritchson portrays in subtle ways: the camera capturing a quick glance away or him squinting with resolve. In quiet moments alone, he doesn’t have to mask his affect, but still portrays his strength until the job is done.
Some might be disappointed to not see Reacher surrounded again by the characters from Margrove, but that emphasizes his life as a wanderer. Any good show, however, knows to bring back favorites, and Neagley appears continuing as Reacher’s equal in many respects and the closest thing he has left to family. Swan and Sipos as Dixon and O’Donnell, respectively, are also fantastic new additions to the cast. Dixon, gifted with numbers and more than capable in a fight, serves as an unrequited lust interest, with some “unfinished business” from their time together as Special Investigators. O’Donnell is a “laugh-a-minute,” as the member of the team that nobody would expect to ever grow up – though he did, he never lost his sense of humor.
It’s exciting to see Reacher operate this season as part of a team, full of friends that he can trust to hold their own. It’s also interesting to see him dissect himself a bit at times to see why people who are seemingly like himself are able to live their lives more traditionally; putting down roots and engaging with the world rather than just continuously passing through it.
Additionally, holding his own as a character is NYPD officer Russo (Domenick Lombardozzi, The Family). Lombardozzi is an actor that elevates everything he’s a part of and has perfected the “tough guy” persona to the point that when he says he could “throw down” with Reacher, you actually believe him. As much as Reacher and his team are a pain in the ass, Russo can’t ignore facts and is forced to work with them, much like Finlay (Malcolm Goodwin, iZombie) learned to in Season 1. Lombardozzi has been a part of some terrific projects in his career, though his role in this show truly sticks with you.
It’s engaging to watch the team connect the dots, and while the big picture isn’t immediately clear, the show wastes no time showcasing two of their antagonists: Langston (Robert Patrick, Terminator 2: Judgment Day), and A.M. (Ferdinand Kingsley, The Sandman). Patrick has carved out quite a career as one of the best television and film villains, bringing that experience here with the perfect voice and charisma as Langston to sound menacing on the phone as he sends disposable henchmen to eliminate loose ends. Kingsley’s A.M. is something entirely different: delivering a chilling performance as a man who seems to operate without conscience or consequence; the serial killer type who can be charming and polite right up until the moment he kills you, yet he’s motivated by greed or “just business.”
Showrunner Nick Santora, and the rest of the creative team behind this show, know how to inject fun, without crossing a line and still respect serious moments. The funny quips, self-referential call backs, and lighthearted sequences feel authentic when stressful situations often provoke humor to cope. Whether through flashbacks or in the present day, the banter between Reacher and his unit perfectly captures the kind of shorthand insults and playful jabs you would expect to see between people that have bonded so tightly. If nothing else, you have to appreciate the fight the writers must have had to see who got the honor of writing the last bit of dialogue before the end of each episode’s cliffhanger – they are seriously great.
Reacher is such a massive hit for Amazon Prime; a series that should continue to build on its success, having already been renewed for a third season. If shows with a frenetic pace through each of its eight episodes, perfectly timed one-liners, and chock full of the best kind of loud, violent action you can ask for is your thing, then catch the first three episodes streaming now, and then tune in weekly. Make sure you remember that it airs on Fridays, because like the Special Investigators say, “details matter.”
