There's something really old-school about Reacher. It doesn't try to tell a super complex or grand narrative, it's just a solid action thriller with a simple plot, likable characters, and fun action scenes. It's not anything ground-breaking, but it made for a very light and fun watch.
Season 1 of Reacher starts with the titular character, Jack Reacher, arriving in a town called Margrove only to be falsely arrested for a murder that happened just as he arrived. While he's able to quickly clear his name, when the murderer's next victim ends up being his brother, he (reluctantly) teams up with two police officers to find the murderer, discovering a much larger conspiracy in the process. It's not a super complicated plot by any means, and the answer to the underlying mystery is actually incredibly predictable, but what keeps Reacher fun is the surprisingly light and breezy tone. Like I was expecting an intense and fairly serious crime drama but Reacher turned out to be a pretty silly show that doesn't take itself too seriously, more focused on being pure dumb fun over being actually logical (I can take a lot but do you really expect me to believe wandering nomad Reacher came into town the day his brother happened to die?). It also helps that the main cast has a really charming dynamic, their banter keeps the show feeling light and fun, especially between Reacher and Finlay.
Now I need to touch on the elephant in the room: Reacher himself. This isn't the first time he's been adapted for film, as Tom Cruise played him in two movies a few years ago. I think most people can agree Cruise doesn't necessarily fit the character, being way too small by comparison, but I still thought his natural charisma and action star chops made for a good lead even if he wasn't necessarily a good Reacher. In the show, Alan Ritchson plays Reacher, and I kind of have the opposite opinion in this case. Ritchson nails the physique perfectly, and the show points out how tall and strong he is a lot, it's actually kinda funny. However, he feels a bit wooden in the role and doesn't work as a leading man like Cruise did. The show does do a pretty good job at writing around him, portraying Reacher as blunt and antisocial, but there's only so much the writers can do. Still, Ritchson nails the physical side of things, meaning he absolutely kills it during the great action scenes. It's rare to get good fight scenes in a TV show, but the ones in Reacher are brutal, shot well, and often times utilize the full extent of the environments in which they take place. The action scenes are easily some of the highlights of the show, at least outside of the slightly lackluster ones in the last two episodes.
Highlights:
Papier: Reacher and Finlay's dynamic was one of my favorite parts of Reacher's first season so an entire episode focused on them going on a stakeout together made for a really fun time. Papier also had one of the show's best action scenes in a chase that culminates in, to quote Reacher himself, a game of Hangman.
Pie: While the action is a bit hit-or-miss, I still found Pie to be a pretty satisfying finale on a plot level. KJ being the murderer may not be the most surprising twist out there, but it does make a lot of sense which is way more important. Reacher killing pretty much everyone involved in the conspiracy is a pretty hilariously gratuitous way to end off the season, and Roscoe and Finlay both get pretty great sendoffs.
Overall, Season 1 of Reacher is a pretty fun time. While it's not anything amazing, the banter between the characters, strong action, and breezy tone made for a solidly entertaining few hours.
3/5 Stars
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