Reacher: 5 Things We Want To See Next After Season 2's Thrilling Finale
Contains spoilers for "Reacher" Season 2
And with that, the biggest henchman-crushing hero on television leaves another case in a bus' rearview. Season 2 of "Reacher" is well and truly done, with Alan Ritchson's titular hero going it alone once more, riding off into an already highly anticipated third season. Greenlit even before the second season aired on Prime Video, it's safe to say that Jack Reacher has some more fight left in him that we want to see, but there are a few essential elements that, if handled correctly, could see it surpass the immense dose of Dad TV we've just been blessed with.
Let's not speak out of turn, of course. Reacher's return was full of brilliant moments varying from breaking a man's arm with his own head to taking on a former Terminator and saving the day. That's the kind of dumb and equally brilliant fun we want via a weekly dose, just like we got here. However, if Season 3 really wants to raise the bar to a level that only Reacher could well, reach, checking some of these wants off the list would be great to see. We know you don't mess with the special investigators, but mixing things up a bit next time around would certainly be welcome, starting with whoever is the next big bad — and they really do need to be big.
Reacher needs to meet his match
There's no doubt that Robert Patrick did the job just fine as this season's nefarious ne'er-do-well, Shane Langston, but he had it pretty easy for the most part. After spending several episodes on the phone calling the shots, it took some time before Reacher finally came knocking and squared off with the head of the operations, and even then, it didn't take much to bring him down. What Season 3 needs is a bad guy who can really bring their A-game to rock Reacher's world a little, and it's Tom Cruise's time in the role that might be a great point of reference.
Alan Ritchson has proven Cruise was the worst Jack Reacher, but one thing to take away from the 2012 big-screen adaptation was the quality of the bad guys he was up against. Besides Werner Herzog as icy top dog, the Zec, incredibly Jai Courtney as Charlie was a henchman actually worth the time of Cruise's Reacher, leading to a pretty impressive fistfight (with a lot of elbows). That's the kind of competition that would be worth seeing in the third season of "Reacher." Sure, having an endless conveyor belt of henchmen to break is great to see, but seeing Reacher actually sweat, if even a little with some new competition, could add to the tension the show has already done a good job of building up. No breaks, no rules, and, more importantly, no backup.
Give Reacher more alone time
As great as it was to see Reacher reunited with the remaining members of his old squad, some of the coolest moments in both seasons so far have been watching the cogs turning in Reacher's head before he makes a move or launches a fist in someone's direction. In Season 2, Episode 1, "ATM," Reacher returns only to stop a carjacking on his own after seeing a victim at a cashpoint. It's quick and cool and exactly why newcomers fell in love with the big lug in his first season. This is the type of stuff we need to see more of with a lone hero who spends most of his time as a permanent party of one.
Even during their talk around the campfire, it's made clear that Reacher prefers to be alone so as not to get anyone else in danger. If that really is the case, that's what we should see more of in Season 3, which is something that Ritchson could certainly manage. The newly appointed Reacher has conquered the character to ensure that he fills any scene he's in, both in his performance and presence. It shouldn't be too demanding then for Ritchson to carry a little more of the weight and spend some more time saving the day solo. He's certainly got the shoulders for it.
Neagley needs to be a show-regular
Okay, so while we still back the idea of seeing more of Reacher working by himself, there is an exception, and it comes in the form of Frances Neagley (Maria Sten). Season 2 saw her stick with Jack from beginning to end and prove how smart she is on several occasions. Besides Serinda Swan as love interest Karla Dixon and Shaun Sipos as sarcastic former stockbroker David O'Donnell, Neagley is the rock that sticks with Reacher and is the last to part ways with our hero in their own particular way, but does it have to be that long of a goodbye?
While "Jack Reacher" author Lee Child has sent our hero on plenty of solo adventures through the book series, there's no reason why Prime Video can move things around and make sure that Neagley is permanently on hand to help out Jack when he needs it. Why can't Neagley find herself in another Reacher-related issue but from a distance? We've seen that she can hold her own and still be there for her pal when the time comes, and that's precisely what there should be more of. Doing so allows Sten to flesh out a character just as reserved and engaging as the walking tank she often finds herself trailing. Not only would it make a welcome addition to the show a permanent one, but it could also provide more time to learn about Neagley as well.
Give Neagley some space too
Neagley becoming a series regular on "Reacher" could also give us more time to get to know one of our hero's closest friends. From the 28 books the show is adapted from, she only appears in four of them, giving plenty of time and material for Ritchson's Reacher to make his way across the country solo, but that doesn't mean that we can't spend some time with Neagley as well. Given just how much of a staple to the show Sten's character is becoming, it would be great to see her work with Reacher via cryptic bank transfers or a good old-fashioned phone call before both setting off separately to work alone. Doing so could give us more time to learn about her history and the issue that has been hinted at but not highlighted as much.
Both in the final moments of Guy Russo's (Domenick Lombardozzi) passing and her goodbye to Reacher, quiet and quality moments are spent highlighting her haphephobia (the fear of being touched or touched by others). It'd be great to see how this came about and, more importantly, how Reacher became one of the closest people to her, making her feel so comfortable about it. This season spent plenty of time investing in flashbacks and getting to know Reacher's team before some of them were murdered; why not do the same, getting to know its real MVP?
Let's see more of the making of Reacher
So far, "Reacher" has taken some pretty wild stabs at the source material timeline. Season 1 was based on the very first "Jack Reacher" book, "The Killing Floor," and Season 2 ripped from the pages of the 11th in the series, "Bad Luck and Trouble." That leaves a lot of other work to yank from going forward, and some of it could be looking more into the past of what turned Jack Reacher into Reacher. We got a glimpse at his childhood in Season 1, and Season 2 gave us a long, hard look into his time in the military, but what about the gaps in between? What made him settle on buying from thrift stores when he needed new clothes, and when did he first cross paths with Neagley during their stint in the service?
If balanced with whatever story would be unfolding in Season 3, we could get some answers, making Alan Ritchson's Reacher more likable than he already is. We could learn what turned this wandering loner into a hero who doesn't like bullies or technology. Spending time in the past could fortify a greater future for Reacher that we can't wait to see more of. He could share some details with a stranger on a bus, and we'd pay attention. The road is long, after all.