Action TV fans might have noticed what sounds like a reference to Reacher's biggest rival in the first episode of the new season. Reacher season 4 has attracted rave reviews from critics, with fans awarding the show its best Rotten Tomatoes score since season 1. The series captured lightning in a bottle, highlighting Alan Ritchson's star power as an action hero, mostly being faithful to Lee Child's Reacher books, and running with a script full of witty quips and self-aware comedy that Ritchson can also use due to the show's biggest book change, which was making Jack Reacher slightly more talkative.
Reacher's stoic one-liners are some of the best in the series, but other characters' references to other iconic crime and action franchises have not gone unnoticed. These include The Sopranos, with a hitman wearing a Members Only jacket, and The Terminator, with Robert Patrick's character denying knowing the alias "Sarah Connor." Now, one line sounds like a little shade at its biggest rival. Reacher season 4 repeats and improves on The Night Agent's first scene, with the central characters facing a terror attack on the subway, but later in the same episode, Tamara's partner gives her some familiar-sounding instructions.
Shaun Docherty references Tamara being "f-ed sideways" by the machine, and tells her to "punch in, punch out and hope the phone doesn't ring in between." While not a direct quote from The Night Agent, this reflects Peter's position, being placed on a low-level assignment operating the emergency phone line for undercover agents. Docherty's line perfectly describes Peter's job, looking after a phone that never rings, except in dire circumstances. While it is very possible that the line was not an intentional Night Agent reference, fans of both shows may have noticed the similarity, especially after the opening scene.
The Night Agent Is Reacher's Biggest Rival
After the instant success of Reacher's first season, it was inevitable that other action TV shows like Reacher would attempt to replace Prime Video's flagship show, with other streaming platforms scrambling to find their own Reacher replacements, while even Prime Video commissioned more action shows. With plenty of stunts, mind-blowing twists, and main characters who find themselves at the center of far-reaching conspiracies, it is understandable that Netflix's The Night Agent emerged as the best chance for the platform to have an equivalent action series.
The Night Agent has an advantage over Reacher, as Reacher is limited by the source material. By design, most of Lee Child's Jack Reacher series can be read out of order, with each book telling a standalone story and the titular character undergoing very little change in between. On the other hand, Peter's relationship with Rose has been a major driving force throughout The Night Agent's three seasons, even when she is not a main character. This means that the character arcs in The Night Agent easily beat Reacher's, while giving gravity to many of the show's most harrowing scenes.
Action TV shows do not generally have a reputation for being realistic, and neither Reacher nor any of its rivals are true to life. However, Reacher does not always make sense, and can be truly ludicrous at times due to overreliance on the main character's size and strength. In novel canon, Jack Reacher's muscles have literally stopped bullets, and action scenes can end up being predictable due to his near-superhuman fighting strength, while the stakes feel higher in The Night Agent as Peter is still human despite his training. That said, Reacher is the clear winner when comparing the two.
Why The Night Agent Will Never Match Reacher
Reacher's relative predictability is not always a negative for the show. While the success of individual seasons can fluctuate, the series stands a better chance at long term success due to the fact that the core details will remain the same. With 30 novels in the book series, the show is unlikely to run out of source material, and there are still plenty of stories yet to be adapted, including Alan Ritchson's favorite Reacher novel, which is one of the most ambitious in the series. In addition, The Night Agent's best advantage over Reacher can also work against it.
| Comparing Reacher to The Night Agent | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Title | Year | Seasons released | Rotten Tomatoes critics' rating | Rotten Tomatoes audience rating |
| Reacher | 2022 | 4 | 95% | 81% |
| The Night Agent | 2023 | 3 | 82% | 67% |
Reacher's best supporting characters can make or break seasons, with fan favorites keeping the series compelling even when Ritchson is not onscreen. However, while The Night Agent's Chelsea is a worthy equivalent to Reacher's Neagley, Rose is less popular as a love interest. Reacher has a type, usually going for competent women who can help him in a fight, but Rose's damsel in distress persona has grated on reviewers. It is possible that Reacher has not and will not throw shade at The Night Agent, but it cannot be denied that the series has plenty of opportunity here.
Alan Ritchson Effectively Seals Reacher’s Long-Term Fate On Prime Video
A surprise move from Alan Ritchson effectively seals the long-term fate of Reacher on Prime Video. Following its successful debut in 2022, the action-adventure series immediately became a hit for the streamer. This is despite being burdened by the previous big-screen adaptation of Lee Child's novels. Tom Cruise's movie take on Jack Reacher had its fans, and it remain enjoyable upon rewatch now. That said, it's safe to say that Ritchson's portrayal as the former military-turned-wanderer is widely regarded as its definitive version, especially after three seasons of Reacher.
While its sophomore year wasn't able to be as universally beloved as its freshman year, it never really impacted the public's interest in the Prime Video series. Reacher season 3 posted the highest viewership for the show in its history and considering the hype surrounding what's next for the character, the wait for season 4 has been frustrating for some. Based on "Gone Tomorrow," the next installment of the Prime Video project has long finished production, with a release date supposedly sometime this year. Beyond that, however, Ritchson has effectively confirmed Reacher's long-term fate thanks to a new update.
Alan Ritchson's First-Look Deal With Prime Video Solidifies Reacher's Future
Proof of Prime Video's confidence in the series is the fact that it has already renewed for Reacher season 5 before it could even come back with new episodes this year. Admittedly, that's unsurprising, considering the show's popularity. Looking after that, however, the fate of the project is still uncertain. That said, Ritchson's new three-year first-look television deal with the studio via his production company, Dancing Skeleton (via Deadline), effectively solidifies Reacher's return throughout the terms of that new agreement.
This means that if the show maintains its yearly release, it can run for two to three more seasons after Reacher season 5. Obviously, that doesn't factor in the possibility that Prime Video and Ritchson will extend their current deal, or that the streamer will renew the show even after the first-look agreement is done. However, considering that there are about 30 books in Child's novels, Reacher can definitely stay on the air for more years to come.
Why Reacher Has Resonated With The Public
Reacher is arguably the biggest breakout hit of the last few years. Granted that it had built-in fans, thanks to Child's novels and Cruise's films, it would be hard-pressed to find anyone who could have predicted just how big it was going to be. Streaming and traditional broadcasters have their respective action-adventure book adaptation shows, but very few come close to the success of the Prime Video series. The project has been so popular, the streamer has started to expand the franchise via its very first offshoot, Neagley.
What sets Reacher apart from its peers is how it has been able to perfectly balance being faithful to its source material while also offering viewers something new. This way, fans of the books can still enjoy them without being able to predict every single twist that's coming their way. Beyond that, the fact that Reacher has also made sure to have a yearly release despite being on streaming somehow helps in keeping it relevant amid an influx of other shows in the genre.
Be the first to comment on this article!