'Reacher' Spin-Off Confirms It Will Follow Show's Most Criticized Trope

1 week ago 13

Reacher's Alan Ritchson with his hands behind his head

Published 56 minutes ago

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Prime Video’s Reacher franchise is officially expanding, and on paper, the upcoming Neagley spin-off feels like a genuine evolution. The series will put Maria Sten front and center as Frances Neagley, stepping out of Alan Ritchson’s long shadow and telling a mostly original story not tied directly to Lee Child’s novels. But, based on the series description, it looks like it's going to be following one of the tropes that fans haven't loved from the very beginning.

So far, every season of Reacher has been powered by revenge. Season 1 was driven by Jack Reacher avenging his brother’s murder. Season 2 doubled down with the deaths of his former military team. Season 3 followed suit by centering on vengeance for Dominique Kohl. Now, the Neagley spin-off is doing something eerily similar. The show reportedly follows Neagley as she investigates the suspicious death of a close friend — once again anchoring the story in personal loss and retribution.

It’s understandable. Reacher is a massive hit, and Prime Video clearly doesn’t want to mess with a winning formula. But if Neagley is going to stand on its own, repeating the same emotional engine risks making it feel like Reacher Season 3.5 instead of a true spin-off. Fortunately, Season 4 of Reacher will be following a new case — and it doesn't involve personal stakes for Reacher.

Is 'Reacher' Worth Watching?

Collider’s review stated that the Reacher Season 3 finale delivered exactly what fans signed up for: an over-the-top, bone-crunching spectacle that leaned fully into the show’s love of excess. The episode capped the season with a brutally operatic showdown between Jack Reacher and the seemingly indestructible Paulie, staging one of the most absurdly violent fights the series has ever attempted — and somehow making it work. While the body count piled up and the action escalated into near-cartoon territory, the finale still found room for emotional closure, particularly in Reacher’s long-awaited reckoning with Quinn. It reinforced what makes the series tick: righteous vengeance, clear moral lines, and a hero who exists to hunt bullies, not settle down.

Neagley finally figures Reacher out. It’s not that he loves the little guy. He hates the big ones. The bullies. And he’ll never stop hunting them. Teresa reunites with her grandmother. Richard hits the road. Reacher mounts Beck’s motorcycle and vanishes into the distance. Another case closed. Another monster buried. And Reacher? Already onto the next one.

All three seasons of Reacher are streaming now on Prime Video. Neagley premieres this year.