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.
5 Action Thriller Shows Better Than Reacher
Reacher is one of the most addictive action thrillers on TV right now, but there are a handful of shows that edge it out in terms of quality. The trailer for Reacher season four, which adapts the novel Gone Tomorrow, has only confirmed that Prime Video has another hit season on its hands. Since it debuted in 2022, the show has only grown in popularity.
That's also why it's first spinoff, Neagley, will be arriving right after season 4 wraps up. Prime's adaptation of the Lee Child Jack Reacher books has practically become a byword for the action thriller genre, where rival shows are typically dubbed as "It's Reacher meets Jason Bourne!" and so on. The show itself is compulsive viewing, with its unique blend of procedural thriller and '80s action movie, where there are few problems Alan Ritchson's title avenger can't overcome by punching.
That said, Reacher isn't flawless either. The second season, in particular, suffered from wobbly plotting, lame villains and action sequences that felt overedited. While "better" is obviously subjective, fans of Reacher are advised to check out the shows below if they need a new action thriller fix in between seasons. All of them combine great characters and writing with intense action, and there's a good reason they all ran so long.
24
There is a solid case that this real-time show is the best action thriller series ever made. It followed CTU agent Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland), who races against time to prevent various terror threats from being carried out. The central gimmick that powered 24 is that each episode represented an hour in a single day, which added a constant, ticking clock element.
The show also excelled at genuinely shocking twists and deaths, and it always felt that - outside of Jack himself - nobody was safe. Each season of 24 is an intense ride, with the pacing rarely letting up. As it grew more popular, the stakes and action sequences got much bigger too. The series had its issues, though; it sometimes struggled to pad out entire episodes, resulting in flimsy storylines, such as Kim Bauer (Elisha Cuthbert's) infamous encounter with a hungry cougar in season two.
At its best though, 24 is unbeatable. Putting the suspense and action to one side, it was always grounded by a strong cast, including Sutherland, Dennis Haysbert, Jean Smart and Mary-Lynn Rajskub. It wrapped up after eight seasons in 2010, though it was followed by sequel miniseries Live Another Day and the spinoff Legacy, which only lasted a single season.
Strike Back
This action series had a strange history, beginning life as an adaptation of former SAS sergeant Chris Ryan's novel, and it was fronted by Richard Armitage. This season was funded by Sky in the UK, before season two onwards became a co-production with Cinemax. From then on, it became a globe-hopping thriller punctuated with lots of action and other spiciness.
The setpieces are Strike Back's big selling point, as each episode features a bevy of fistfights, shootouts or chases, with the show having an impressive commitment to practical stunt work. Of the show's three distinct eras, the Scott/Stonebridge years tend to be fan favorites, thanks to the breezy chemistry between stars Philip Winchester and Sullivan Stapleton.
Like any long-running program, there are a couple of seasons where the energy dipped (2017's Retribution, for instance), but even then, Strike Back is never less than good fun. It wrapped up in 2020 after eight seasons, and while there was once talk of a movie spinoff, this has yet to come together.
Miami Vice
Whilst many shows have been labeled groundbreaking, Miami Vice is one of the few truly deserving of that title. This Michael Mann-produced procedural brought a slick, cinematic sheen to television that had never been attempted before, and set a new standard.
All five seasons followed vice cops Crockett (Don Johnson) and Tubbs (Philip Michael Thomas) as they navigated Miami's seamy underbelly. While certain aspects of Miami Vice have definitely aged (though the fashion remains timeless), even 40 years on, it's a gripping thriller.
The line between right and wrong often blurs for its protagonists, and Miami Vice usually has a gunfight or chase sequence to break up the casework. It also has an incredible, retro soundtrack, with the show being renowned for its innovative use of music and editing.
Alias
Before Lost or his reboot of Star Trek, Alias was the spy show that put J.J. Abrams on the map; in fact, it was Tom Cruise binge-watching episodes that convinced him to hire Abrams for Mission: Impossible III. The show cast Jennifer Garner as CIA agent Sydney Bristow, who joins a Black Ops unit to avenge her fiancé's death.
Alias is really a showcase for Garner, who got to don a whole host of cool disguises and personas, in addition to performing lots of action. Later seasons would get tangled up in bizarre plotlines and twists, but Garner and her co-stars (Victor Garber, Bradley Cooper, etc) always kept the emotional stakes feeling real.
Alias also suffered somewhat from Abrams' "Mystery Box" formula, sometimes resulting in cliffhangers or plotlines that went nowhere. It still remains one of the best espionage thrillers of the 2000s, and it's easy to see why Garner became a star in the aftermath.
Justified
Maybe Justified doesn't fulfill the "action" side of the action thriller label like other outings on this list, but it has enough punch-ups and shootouts to justify (heh) the label. This Neo-Western gave Timothy Olyphant his greatest character in Marshal Raylan Givens, who is forced to return to his Kentucky hometown and deal with all manner of drug runners and gangsters.
Outside of Olyphant's wildly charismatic leading turn, Justified works so well because of the stellar writing. Every episode is filled with quotable dialogue, and even the supporting players get a chance to shine. It also must be said that Walton Goggins' Boyd Crowder is one of the great TV villains of the 2010s.
While not overloaded with setpieces like Strike Back, when the action hits in Justified, it tends to hit hard. The show itself lasted for six seasons, and returned for a miniseries sequel dubbed City Primeval in 2023.
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