I’m not sure how it happened, but Reacher Thursdays have become something in my life. While I sit down after dinner, ready for Doomscroll in peace, my husband will attract my attention and grin when the prime video logo appears ominously on our TV.
But may not try what is happening on the screen, I can’t help it, but in the end I let my phone drop in favor of the insane action … and maybe that’s the secret of its success.
It is currently collecting huge numbers on the Prime Video streaming platform of Amazon, and it is not a real mystery why. The new series of Lee Child about the former military police of the army, Major DraFter, Jack Reacher, has consistently flown bookshelves (perhaps quite a few of those in bookshops in the airport), while all three of the TV adjustment seasons went directly to number one.
But it’s not because Reacher is a pioneering TV. This series is as an endless bucket fast food that you want to go as quickly as possible. Addictive and greasy, it offers immediate satisfaction, but leaves a persistent aftertaste of unanswered questions – and sometimes regret.
Reacher is for the Action Henre what Bridgerton is for historical romance but instead of steaming scenes drawn in horses, the base is a bunch of guys who hit each other in a warehouse or something.
From my passive watch-throughthough there are three important things that I have noticed that make this series just as stupid as it is important. I consulted my Resident Reacher expert for additional information to help my analysis.
Big men are equal to great success
My partner informs me that every story of Lee Child (or at least, that with are BYLINE – Many are written by his brother) can be landed into a spicy ‘what if …’ starting point. In the sixth book, without failure, it is: “What if Reacher has to protect the vice president?” For the last title, too deep, it is: “What if Reacher had memory loss?”
Season three of the show, based on the book Persuader, has a very simple starting point: “What if Reacher had to fight against someone who is even bigger than he?” Although that is certain, that may sound stupid, it has been a treat in this household.
Jasper Savage/Prime
Alan Ritchson, the actor who portrays Reacher, is an absolute tank. He is six feet three centimeters unchanging, cartilage muscle, which is inexplicable, given that his character claims to have never done a bankruptcy in his life … and let’s be reasonable, nobody could achieve such a profit without a gym membership.
Sometimes you just want to see a big man fight against an even bigger man
So what do you make this man look small? Simple. You rent an actor in the seven -foot two (yes, sevenNot six) and weighs 160 kg/350LBS. That would be Olivier Richters, also known as the Dutch Giant – a former bodybuilder who became an actor, now that Paul Masserella played, lovingly known for his cute nickname, Paulie.
Every time Paulie appears on the screen, my husband will exclaim: “Look how big he is!”. The cameras make no effort to try to hide his height difference from the other artists. Instead, they use techniques to overdo it – including photos of him who stand next to someone else with his head and neck comically cut as almost Headless Nick.
Season 3 is very clearly building in the direction of a WWE-like confrontation between Paulie and Reacher, who constantly reminds us of the colossal form of the opponent-hey hardly shrinks from a blow from our boy Jack. And I hate to admit it … but I have been invested. I have to know How our hero will take this guy with them with more than just his characteristic brutal power.
Sometimes you just want to see a big man fight against an even bigger man. It is simple but effective. The show runners know what people want.
The stereotypes are non-stop
Think of every action film you can do. What just comes to mind, it probably appeared in Reacher.
Take the end of delivery three as an example. He sets a house on fire to destroy evidence, then runs away while it explodes – it is not in the roof to take a second to look back while he sprints in Slow Motion. He jumps in his escape car and the credits rolls to ‘Firestarter’ through the prodigy.
At the time I turned to my internal Reacher fan to complain about the rather on-the-nose song choice, and he just replied: “But he is a firestarter”, and that is about the far that the debate was going.
Christos Kalhoridis/Prime
There are numerous shootouts, interrogations and a love interest that cannot decide whether she wants to hit him or kiss him … so she goes for both. Reacher is the classic ‘men want to be him, and women want his character with him.
Of course it would not be an action series without a number of smart comments from the man himself. The current striking one-liner of this season-which I think you agree that it is as subtle if it is smart must be: “She said that your mother’s cream came. Probably because she is a big cow.”
Ironically, this Sass is one of my husband’s biggest complaints, because the TV view of Jack ‘Talks Talk’, in his words. In the books, much of the plot is supplied via an internal monologue, which otherwise cannot be translated for the screen. No matter how much we love a strong, quiet type, we must know what is the hell is going on in Reacher’s Spier-Suffgocated brain.
But I cannot accuse the dedication of Ritchson to the role – he was born to play a man so blunt, naughty and extensive (but don’t forget, not, not As extensive as Paulie).
Realism? Forget it
After much consultation with my roommate, there are several things I learned about Reacher and how he works. They have stunned me to say the least.
First, and the most crucial, he only has what he is wearing at the time. That means one set of clothing that he is again several days until they are dirty and/or ruined. He will then throw it away and get new ones. Talk about waste. This man must be ashamed on a large scale for his major contribution to global warming.
Reddit has also noticed this specific story element, whereby one user points out how smelly this man should be, since he only wears a toothbrush (without reporting toothpaste or deodorant). Would he possibly throw women towards him and give his distinctive aroma of sweat, blood and waste? It would be a no mine, Dawg.
He also hides a burner telephone in his shoe, with apparently no outlet for entertainment. He does not even have a watch to check whether he is on time for his latest warehouse brawl, because he apparently can calculate it in his head until the exact second. Is this man okay?
Thanks to Prime
Because he is a drifter, he does not have a passport. But that Reacher prevents Reacher to cross international waters in the books? Hell no. It will always be a private military aircraft that brings him there, whether he sneaks along the TSA in one way or another under a fake name, because neither the plot has neither Reacher time to be delayed by the security of the airport.
But none of these illogical elements is important at the end of the day. What people want to see is Reacher dead bad guys. That’s it.
And despite the fact that I first roll my eyes, I myself was sucked on this insane hype train. Reacher does not apologize for what it is. It leans in the madness … which is twice as large this season (pun is very intended – I am sure Reacher would appreciate it).
Reacher is now being rolled out on Prime Video. The last episode of season 3 falls on Thursday 27 March at 3 am et/12 pm PT in the US and 8 am GMT in the UK. You can view it by registering for Amazon Prime.