When the first season of Reacher was released, I wasn’t impressed, mostly because I was miffed about the fact that after an amazing cinematic adaptation, directed by Christopher McQuarrie and starring Tom Cruise, one bad sequel ruined the chances of future installments. I understood the complaints from fans of the books, and Lee Child himself, that Cruise just wasn’t fit for the role because of his physique and stature. Yet, I couldn’t bring myself to agree with them because I thought Cruise’s take on the character had potential. That all changed when the second season of the show dropped and I witnessed Nick Santora and his crew absolutely hitting it out of the park, while Alan Ritchson proved that he was born to play the nomadic titan. Given how 2025 was turning out to be quite the bad year for a lot of returning TV series, I was a little worried about Season 3. However, I am really glad to report that it’s incredibly fun, sexy, and dramatic, with Ritchson cementing himself as one of the best action stars out there.
Based on Lee Child’s Persuader, Reacher Season 3 is centered around the titular character as he follows a familiar face, Lieutenant Francis Xavier Quinn, all the way to Maine because of some beef they had in the past involving the illegal trade of military intel with hostile countries. When Jack gets in touch with the 110th for some help with the number plate of Quinn’s car, DEA agents Susan Duffy, Guillermo Villanueva, and Steven Eliot show up at the doorstep of the motel he is staying at, asking for his help. Quinn, who’s been going by the alias Julius McCabe, is doing some kind of illicit business with Bizarre Bazaar (a rug manufacturing company) CEO Zachary Beck, who in turn is in touch with a L.A.-based drug dealer named Darien Prado. In an attempt to get some damning evidence about their operation, Duffy sent in Teresa as a confidential informant, but she went missing. After that debacle, Duffy and her team have been taken off the case and they’re trying to solve it without proper permission from her bosses. Since Jack’s sights are on someone who is connected to a high-profile target for Duffy, she thinks that they can help each other save a life, while busting a dangerous racket functioning out of Maine.
Disclaimer: This review of Reacher Season 3 is based on all episodes of the show that were provided to the press by Prime Video.
Season 1 of Reacher was pretty low-stakes, while trying to swing for the fences when it came to the spectacle. In comparison to that, Season 2 was sprawling, in terms of the scope, yet personal in terms of the stakes. Season 3 is kind of like the best of both worlds. Its story is really simple. Since people nowadays are so used to complicated plots in crime dramas, they might even call it predictable. But the thing is that the writers of the show absolutely know that and they use that straightforward framework to do some nice character-building, while setting the stage for the best brawl since The Mountain and the Viper episode. Every episode is full of these little moments between Jack, Duffy, Guillermo, Eliot, Zachary, and Richard (Zachary’s son) that are all kinds of sweet, hilarious, and heartfelt. There’s a scene between Jack, Duffy, and Teresa’s grandmother that actually got me crying. Hence, even though the use of unlawful activities and corrupt military officials to make some kind of political commentary on the state of America can sound repetitive, you become so engrossed in the journeys of these characters that that sameness doesn’t matter anymore. Especially when you know that it all leads to a fight between Ritchson and someone much, much bigger than him.
The balance between action and drama in Reacher Season 3 is exquisite. Like giving you your daily green veggies, Santora and his team of writers, directors, cinematographers, editors, and production designers craft these impactful character interactions where you slowly learn who these people are and see the line between good and evil become apparent so subtly. This kind of storytelling isn’t just reserved for Jack and the primary set of characters. Even when he is talking to a maid, a cook, or an elderly couple that runs a laundromat, you’re learning something new about him and the world he inhabits. It’s really beautiful. And then you get your meat, which has been double-fried and then simmered in the best hot sauce known to mankind; yes, I’m talking about the action sequences. There are real explosions. Do you know how rare those are in this era of explosions created with CGI? Very! But, as far as I know, every massive fiery blast in the show has been done practically. All the shootouts are amazing. The choreography, the stunts, and the editing in those set pieces are a huge improvement on the previous seasons. That said, the biggest upgrade is Ritchson and his commitment to giving his fans their money’s worth.
Alan Ritchson has always given it his all, but in Reacher Season 3, he goes above and beyond to show that he is doing a lot of his stunts himself; and that his physique is insane. I’ve always said that Hollywood actors who are much younger than Tom Cruise should aim for more, since Cruise is still pushing the boundaries of what a movie star can do for the sake of entertainment. I think Ritchson has fulfilled that wish of mine. Seeing him run through those forests is exhilarating. All his hand-to-hand combat and gun fights are great. But his battle with Olivier Richters is one for the history books. Without giving anything away, the best way to describe it is by calling it a gritty and realistic version of the Peter Griffin versus Ernie the Giant Chicken brawl from Family Guy. It’s long, exhausting, tense, and extremely enjoyable. Ritchson truly deserves all the applause for his work this season. The rest of the cast is brilliant as well. Sonya Cassidy is spirited, and she drops a “that’s what she said” that’d definitely make Michael Scott proud. Roberto Montesinos, Daniel David Stewart, Johnny Berchtold, and Anthony Michael Hall are fantastic. Brian Tee is scary and quite unnerving. Maria Sten enters the picture a little late into the game and yet, she makes her mark. The supporting cast–especially Caitlin McNerney, Helen Taylor, Donald Sales, Mariah Robinson, Nicky Guadagni, and Manuel Rodriguez-Saenz–is splendid. Big kudos to those in charge of the casting; they’ve outdone themselves.
Reacher Season 3 actually felt like a return to good old network television. Before watching even a single episode of the show, I found myself thinking a lot about Burn Notice, Dexter, Game of Thrones, Star Trek: The Next Generation, The X-Files–stuff that felt like a healthy dose of escapism, entertainment, and education. I don’t know if I should’ve been watching these series at such a young age, but I remember returning from school or finishing homework, switching on the telly, and immersing myself in these unique and diverse worlds. I haven’t always felt that pull with streaming-exclusive IPs. There’s no doubt about the fact that there are a lot of 5-star shows on OTT platforms, but with each new season, they are proving to be a case of diminishing returns. I can’t say the same about Reacher, because it keeps getting better with each season, while veering closer and closer to that old-school charm of shows made for network TV. The team involved here isn’t exactly reinventing the wheel, but they’re ensuring that it’s perfectly functional and is in service of the story, the action, and the one and only Alan Ritchson. If that sounds like a recommendation, please, give it a watch and let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.
