Reacher
Based on Jack Reacher Novel Series by Lee Child
Developed by Nick Santora
Starring Alan Ritchson, Malcolm Goodwin, Willa Fitzgerald, Chris Webster, Bruce McGill. Maria Sten
Composer Tony Morales
No. of episodes 8
Executive producers Lee Child, Nick Santora, Scott Sullivan, Don Granger, Christopher McQuarrie, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Marcy Ross
Cinematography Ronald Plante
Production companies Skydance Television, Paramount Television Studios, Blackjack Films, Amazon Studios
“You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive.” The famous first words uttered by Sherlock Holmes upon meeting Doctor Watson immediately established the most remarkable facet of the Detective; the ability to glean multitudinous amounts of information about someone from a single glance and a handful of subtle elements in their dress, appearance, and fingernails.
Lee Child, author of the Jack Reacher series, uses the same literary device to establish that his titular character is more than just a muscle-bound oaf with huge fists and a willingness to wreak mayhem on evil-doers. Forty years before, Arnold Schwarzenegger demolished the stereotype that big muscular guys were dumb, and now Child and Reacher portrayer Alan Ritchson are following in the footsteps of both Sherlock and Arnie.
Now, it’s not as derivative as I’ve made it sound. Alan Ritchson brings a fresh approach to the behemoth genius he portrays, combining both a willingness to unleash savagery with an introspective humor—traits Arnie displayed in various roles but never both in the same role. He brings Sherlock’s powers of deduction and forensic recreation to the role without the accompanying Asperger’s Syndrome. His credo is “details matter” and the story is careful to honestly present the details in a way that when Reacher notices the discrepancies, the viewer is likely to recognize them, as well. While there is some plot spackling along the way, as a murder mystery it’s refreshingly integral and coherent.
Reacher can interact with people quite well when he chooses to, and displays empathy and kindness—provided, of course, that you don’t cross him. Then he might just pull you apart like a barbecued chicken.
It’s a tribute to Ritchson’s acting skills that he manages to make someone as cheerfully capable of extreme violence a sympathetic character. But he has solid backing from the two other main characters, Oscar Findley (Malcolm Goodwin), lead detective and the only male character willing to challenge Reacher intellectually, and Roscoe Conklin (Willa Fitzgerald), a police officer who is both the love interest of Reacher and a sort of mother figure. Their acting skills complement the implacable force that is Reacher perfectly, humanizing him and making him reach out and let the audience know the inner workings of his mind.
It’s a fun series, and four days after its release, Amazon realized they had a winner and authorized a second season.