Most of the headlines regarding Prime Video have to deal with the Lord of the Ring series (The Rings of Power) premiering in September 2022.
While I am also very excited for this show, there’s a really great series on Amazon Prime Video RIGHT NOW that both action and crime show fans should check out.
That’s Reacher, starring Alan Ritchson. I know Ritchson mainly from DC Titans, where he plays Hank/Hawk. Many of you might know him from Blue Mountain State as Thad Castle.
Ritchson plays a rogue wanderer with a combat background like no other. The retired Military Police Officer, Jack Reacher, heads to the small Georgia town of Margrave. It’s about an hour outside of Atlanta and two hours away from any other good-sized town, but right now it’s full of dirty cops and corruption.
The main reason Reacher headed to Margrave was to find his brother. For a few episodes he just claims he’s there to learn history about one of his favorite blues artists, Blind Blake. In the show, he was buried in Margrave. From what I’ve read online, Blake was actually buried north of Milwaukee. But hey, this is a fictional show based on the bestselling novels by Lee Child, who actually made a cameo in the final episode of the first season.
Reacher, which is what even his mother called him from a young age, finds himself arrested for a murder he didn’t commit. He actually heads to prison alongside another man, Paul Hubble (Marc Bendavid) who admitted to the murders even though everyone knows he didn’t do it.
After a brief stint in jail, both Hubble and Reacher get released and head back to Margrave.
The police department realizes Reacher didn’t do it, but he’s got a somewhat unsettling knowledge of investigations and death that Chief Detective Oscar Finley (Malcolm Goodwin) decides to keep him around.
And this is where the story opens up. The little ole’ town is the center for an international counterfeit money ring. The town is practically owned by the Kliner family at this point. Reacher, Finlay, and Reacher’s somewhat love interest Roscoe Conklin (Willa Fitzgerald) lead an investigation into what’s really going on in this town.
Just a disclaimer, but the show is definitely not appropriate for most kids. There’s violence which can get pretty graphic, a little bit of nudity, and plenty of cussing to go around. Just something to keep in mind when deciding if the family wants to start a new show or not, maybe leave this one to the grown-ups.
All in all I was super impressed with Ritchson’s performance as Reacher and thought the story was very compelling. I love stories about small towns and the drama that ensues. I also like getting to see through the eyes of an extremely intelligent character who investigates crimes. I think it helps me see through another lense when it comes to doing an investigation in the journalism industry.
I’d give this show an 8.5/10. I think the character development was great, the acting was solid, and the action was awesome. I will say, while the end of the story was predictable, the “how we got there” was not. There are twists and turns you won’t expect from the get-go.
I was glad to hear Reacher has been renewed for season 2. The series was spun off the 2012 film starring Tom Cruise, ‘Jack Reacher.’
IMDB says Ritchson read all 24 Jack Reacher novels preparing for his role. That’s dedication right there!
Matt Sheehan Official 