It’s about time that we finally have a Jack Reacher show where the actor playing Reacher is the right size. It’s sad to say that, but the character is 6’5″and played by an actor who is actually that tall. Sorry, Tom Cruise! Nothing, against the Tom Cruise movies, they’re entertaining and all, but I’ve always felt that a good Jack Reacher story should be told in multiple episodes. Now, we finally have it and it’s great! I can go on and on about how much I enjoyed the Reacher series on Amazon. I feel like this is the way it was meant to be when telling a Jack Reacher story. And even better to start at the beginning because the first season is based off the first Jack Reacher book that came out in 1997. Sure, anytime you adapt a book into a movie or TV series, it’s never going to be perfect. I mean, the Jack Ryan Series on Amazon proved that, it borrowed many elements from different books to tell the first two seasons, but it takes more than a 2-hour movie to really flush out a good story and the best thing they did with this series is to tell Jack Reacher’s first story over 8 episodes. We don’t need 20 episodes to tell the story or a 3 – 4 hour movie, a streaming series is perfect. Honestly, that was one of my first impressions. When I sat down to watch it, I couldn’t stop and finish washed it all the way through over 8 hours. Now the other thing that producers got right was finding an actor who not only had the physicality to play Jack Reacher, but the charisma as well. I can honestly say that Alan Ritchson is perfect casting. Many actors had been mentioned to play Jack Reacher in a TV series. Even Idris Elba was mentioned at one time, but after watching the first season, I don’t think there’s anybody better than Alan Ritchson who could have played Jack Reacher while not only embodying the physicality, but Reacher’s sarcastic sense of humor that you get in the books. Of course, I can end this review by telling you that the series is awesome, but let me tell you why!
For those that are not familiar with the first Jack Reacher book, The Killing Floor, Jack Reacher is 6 months out of the army and ends up in Georgia looking for his brother. It’s the first time we are introduced to this character, especially his family and upbringing through flashbacks, and what makes him such a great investigator. Also, let’s not forget his own moral code about always doing what’s right no matter the outcome or the adversity. I admit that I have not read all 25 Jack Reacher books, but I read the first one when I was in the Army 20 years ago and very much enjoyed it. Yes, I was entertained by the Tom Cruise movies, but in those stories, you meet Jack Reacher halfway through the novel series. As a storyteller, I feel like it’s important to be more linear when telling a story so of course, you should start at the beginning.
Why is Jack Reacher out of the army and why is he a drifter or a ghost living off the grid? It’s great to see Jack Reacher solve the major crime in this story and find out what happened to his brother, but I feel like it’s also more important that we get the backstory of who Jack Reacher really is through the flashbacks of his childhood. The character is basically a military brat, it’s all he’s ever known. He’s never lived a civilian life until he gets out of the army because he graduated high school on a military base and then went straight to West Point. Also important is in this first story you also get more of Jack Reacher’s background when it comes to some of the characters that he’s connected with that will help drive this story such as a former lieutenant under his command that’s basically a computer hacker and sniper. The pacing is done well and besides flushing out the story over 8 episodes, there’s great chemistry with the cast, especially that of Alan Richardson and Willa Fitzgerald who plays the female sheriff’s deputy and love interest of sorts. You really get to know all of these characters over 8 episodes that you wouldn’t be able to do in a 2-hour movie. That’s something I hated about the second Tom Cruise check Reacher movie, Never Going Back because you get a bit of a backstory with Jack Reacher and the fact that he might have a daughter, but because there’s so much action in the movie, the audience never has time to breathe, and you only really get to know the characters in small moments. That isn’t the case with a TV series. There’s plenty of action because Jack Reacher kicks ass, but they spend a great deal of time getting to know all of the characters and what brings them to the center of the story. The first season based on the first book is a great jumping-off point when getting to know the character of Jack Reacher, something I can’t really say about the Tom Cruise movies.
So, the series is absolutely perfect, but I only have minor critiques. And honestly, those complaints just have to do with some of the casting choices. I first want to say that Malcolm Godwin is a great actor, but I just couldn’t buy him as the character of Finlay. It might have been miscasting. It also doesn’t help that he’s not the most interesting character in the story. He’s a bit annoying and it shows in the series. But again, Malcolm Godwin is a great actor and we’ve seen him in movies like American Gangster and seen him in series like iZombie. The other miscasting has to do with Bruce McGill. Now don’t get me wrong, I love him as an actor, and he was a fun interview years ago for the 40th anniversary of Animal House. But it’s not believable that he is a bumbling fool masquerading as a southern mayor and henchmen. He’s played great bad guys in the past. He also does comedy well. But I feel like it’s kind of a waste of his talents and the role of the southern mayor… It’s not a character we should care about and anybody can play that kind of bumbling fool. But I’m the one hand I always enjoy anything with t Bruce McGill because he can make any scene better so maybe it’s not a total waste. I also have to commend Kristen Kreuk from Smallville fame, she did a great job and she’s turned out to be a better actress than she used to be when she was young, experience has a way of doing that and better writing. Anyway, Not every episode of Smallville with her was that great. Kristen Kreuk is great in this series. As I said, my complaints are only minor.
Overall, Reacher is a winner for Amazon Prime. And if you’re looking for a good cop show to replace Bosch now that its finally over, then Reacher is definitely for you. We need another cop show where the main protagonist has his own moral code… Jack Reacher is the perfect character for that. And more importantly, it helps to have the perfect actor who embodies the true character of Jack Reacher. Alan Ritchson is superb! Season 1 of Reacher proves that 8 to 10 episodes is perfect when adapting a Jack Reacher book so the story can be properly fleshed out! The first season of Reacher is a high-octane thrill ride that not only gives the perfect introduction to the character, but gives the audience a more believable Jack Reacher than Tom Cruise playing the character. I love the character of Jack Reacher and feel like Amazon is giving us the perfect adaptation. I’m already “jonesing” for season 2 and I’m pretty sure you will be as well when you finish season 1. There’s a lot to like and anything you hate about the first season, you’ll quickly forget about it by the time you get to the end. I highly recommend Reacher on Amazon and Alan Ritchson does not disappoint. In fact, after watching his performance you’ll be asking yourself, “Tom who?” Season 1 of Richard is so good that you’ll probably start over and watch it again!
