Fun fact: I don’t remember reviewing the last season of Reacher. I thought it was a show I wanted to take in freely rather than overanalyze. That same feeling came when I received screeners for Reacher Season 4. The show is best taken in for pure enjoyment, rather than something to pick apart. It is, after all, about a man who seems virtually undefeatable, and you need to take that with a grain of salt in order to enjoy it.
With that in mind, Reacher Season 4 really raises the stakes in terms of Reacher’s questionable moral compass, with a season far more bloody, shocking and stressful than we have seen so far. The book this season is based on is called Gone Tomorrow, and it follows Reacher after he encounters a very distraught woman on a subway. This season is filled with some trigger-warning-worthy moments, which the show does warn about, in case anyone has any issues with that.
From there, Reacher is dragged into a world of chaos multiple levels deep within the police force and government, and he is never quite sure who to trust. Eventually, he finds his group, as is common in the series, with Detective Tamara Green and small-town cop Jacob Merrick, who is the brother of the woman on the subway. Another fun fact: Canada’s own Jay Baruchel was originally supposed to play Merrick. Though I love Baruchel, I am so very glad this casting decision was changed.
“Chris Marquette did an excellent job of portraying Merrick, who has a really complicated character arc throughout Reacher Season 4.”
Actor Chris Marquette did an excellent job of portraying Merrick, who has a really complicated character arc throughout Reacher Season 4. I try my best to avoid spoilers, but this season really hangs on his character, and Marquette’s ability to transform as his character faces some of the toughest challenges imaginable is outstanding.
Alan Ritchson is back as Reacher and still makes far more sense in this role than Tom Cruise ever could. As I mentioned last season, I have not read the books that Reacher is based on, but Ritchson’s dry, aloof delivery is my favourite part of the series at any given moment. With Ritchson now posting on TikTok, seeing the bubbly, goofy personality he has in real life makes his tough-guy, dull on-screen persona that much more impressive.
I have to give it to the writing on Reacher Season 4, as well. I was never quite sure where the story was going or who the real bad guys were. (Spoiler: Everyone is a little bad sometimes—well, almost everyone) I pride myself on usually getting an inkling of what the big twist is, and this season got me, even though it is revealed pretty early. It was also the most thorough display of different kinds of government/police “types” out there, from small-town to high-level, good to evil, and more.
I really could do with one or two fewer returns from characters you thought were dealt with. Reacher Season 4 also had one too many action tropes for my liking, and considering that is kind of what the show thrives on, that is saying something. When I can call who is going to pop up, get shot, etc., every time, it isn’t as fun anymore. This season’s villains were not my favourite of the series so far, but there was so much going on at any given moment that I didn’t really care.
“Reacher Season 4 went above and beyond in character depth, action and gore, and I can’t wait to see where Season 5 takes us.”
I also have to mention that Reacher Season 4 is the first season where there have been moments that I was genuinely squirming from the gore—and that isn’t a bad thing. The blood budget on Reacher this season must have been outrageous. Ears, hands, heads, skin, stabbing, shooting, exploding—you name it, Reacher Season 4 had it.
It is nice to see that after four seasons, they can still surprise us. This is perhaps the roughest shape we have seen Reacher in to date, and Ritchson really nails the exhaustion, determination and defeat he needs to explore at times.
Though Reacher’s character is knowingly a bit awkward, this year’s one-liners are just as good as ever. There is something to be said for a show that plays into the same formula season after season, but does so without getting stale. I also appreciated a few of Ritchson’s more serious moments, still delivering the moment with power, yet not losing that touch of stiffness the character is known for.
I found myself on the edge of my seat this season, and enjoyed the misdirects this season brought. Though I didn’t think the—main—villains were as strong as they could be this season, Reacher Season 4 went above and beyond in character depth, action and gore, and I can’t wait to see where Season 5 takes us.
Oh, and don’t forget about Reacher spin-off Neagley, airing on Prime Video on September 16th!
