Reacher Meets His Match in a Stealthy and Thrilling Third Season

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After two seasons of intense action, brutal fight sequences, and compelling investigative storytelling, viewers are likely to have certain expectations for the third season of the Prime Video series Reacher.

In season one, Reacher (Alan Ritchson) took down a group of counterfeiters in Georgia with the help of his old Army buddy Neagley (Maria Sten). In season two, Reacher buried a bunch of law breaking former New York City cops with the help of several old Army buddies, including Neagley. It would be safe to assume that this latest season (based on Persuader (2003), the seventh book in the Jack Reacher series written by Lee Child) follows similar beats—and you’d be mostly correct.

But much like the titular hero who knows to never make an assumption about an investigation, viewers should do the same when it comes to the third season of the action crime series. Reacher still hits hard, relies on Neagley in a pinch, and has yet another crime to solve, but this time around the mountain-sized man meets his match in more ways than one. And the fun all begins in thrilling fashion.

When season three starts we find Reacher in the fictional town of Abbottsville, Maine, hanging out in the Pine Tree State because he “wanted good lobster.” The first 20 minutes of episode one is surprising in the best ways possible; I won’t spoil it but what you’ll experience is the most gripping opener we’ve gotten from the series so far.

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Viewers soon learn that Reacher is about to do something unexpected: go undercover. He makes an uneasy alliance with DEA Agent Susan Duffy (Sonya Cassidy) and her two teammates Villanueva (Roberto Montesinos) and Elliot (Daniel David Stewart). Duffy is suspicious of wealthy local businessman Zachary Beck (Anthony Michael Hall). She believes Beck’s rug merchant business is a front for a major drug operation and wants Reacher’s help. Not the type to answer to others, Reacher agrees because he has his own motivations.

While in Maine, Reacher spots a man from his past, former Military Intelligence officer Francis Xavier Quinn (Brian Tee), who was in his crosshairs 10 years prior for selling military secrets to hostile nations. A murderous sociopath that Reacher says is “the single worst person I’ve ever known,” Quinn was presumed dead. But now he’s seen in Maine working with Beck, so Reacher agrees to help the DEA as long as he gets to finish the job he started a decade ago.

The third season of Reacher is unexpectedly stealthy. We see Reacher making secret phone calls, snooping for clues, having clandestine meetings with Duffy, searching for an abducted DEA informant, and, when necessary, murdering Beck’s henchmen to keep his cover or torturing them for information. While that last part sounds par for the course, Reacher has plenty of atypical relationships that add to this season’s unique feel.

Hyper-analytical and unemotional, at times Reacher can be a bit cold. But that’s not how he appears when interacting with Beck’s college-aged son Richie (Johnny Berchtold), who I referred to in my notes as “Serious Michael Cera.” With Richie, Reacher is a surrogate dad. He gives him life advice and teaches him about forgiveness. Reacher has always been a leader but there’s a sweetness to their father/son dynamic that’s touching in a way we haven’t seen before.

Another unusual, yet enjoyable, relationship Reacher has is with Duffy. A New Englander with a wicked accent and a love of off-color colloquialisms, Duffy is serious about her mission and good at her job but it’s her brash sense of humor that makes her compelling. She shoots off witticisms like “a mouse’s asshole is a gray area, this is barely legal” and challenges Reacher with lines like “you’re a pain in the ass and answer questions like an asshole.” The banter between the two is terrific, with Duffy’s presence allowing Reacher’s deadpan delivery to hit even harder than usual.

Viewers will also get more insight into Reacher’s past through a series of flashbacks. The character of Gen. Leon Garber (Andreas Apergis) has appeared in several of the Jack Reacher books, serving as a mentor and father figure. You get a sense of his influence in season three. We also meet the first person to team up with Reacher at the 110th, SFC Dominique Kohl (Mariah Robinson), who predates the Special Investigators from season two. These flashbacks are brief but add layers to the Reacher mythos.

As teased in the season three official trailer, Reacher finally meets his match physically. Few actors can make the 6’3” Ritchson look small but the 7’2” Olivier Richters, who plays a Beck henchman named Paulie, does just that. The two can’t stand each other and press each other’s buttons several times, including a jaw dropping moment when Reacher gets his bell rung from a Paulie slap. After seeing Reacher dispatch bad guys with ease, it’s stunning to see him struggle physically. Their season finale fight is suitably epic.

Pretty much every new character in the third season of Reacher shines, except for one glaring exception: Zachary Beck. He’s supposed to be a successful businessman and intimidating criminal but Anthony Michael Hall doesn’t make either facet of Beck believable. Hall’s been great in so many other roles but this one is a distractingly bad fit.

You’d think a lead villain completely failing to resonate would be a fatal flaw, but somehow this latest season of Reacher overcomes that problem. Season three is a thrilling joy ride, from the fight scenes to the spycraft to the relationship dynamics. And Alan Ritchson has really hit his stride as Reacher, who gets more dynamic as a character with each iteration. His evolution across these first three seasons has served as a steady foundation for Reacher’s excellent action, and the show’s continued growth has been a blast to witness.

The first three episodes of the third season of Reacher premiere on Prime Video on Thursday, Feb. 20. Subsequent episodes release weekly on Thursdays through March 27.

Terry Terrones is a Television Critics Association and Critics Choice Association member, licensed drone pilot, and aspiring hand model. When he’s not solving the problems on reality TV relationship shows, you can find him hiking in the mountains of Colorado. You can follow him on Twitter @terryterrones.

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