Alan Ritchson believes adaptations like Amazon’s Reacher need TV, not movies
The character of Jack Reacher is a perfect fit for episodic television, and fans of the books have obviously responded in kind. There’s plenty of room for the mysteries to unfold in a streaming show, when even a fully fleshed out feature can be forced to dial back the conspiracy aspects of Child’s novels in favor of more bone-splitting action. Reacher is impeccably timed in today’s media landscape and Ritchson points out that the series has the potential to stay true to the source material without losing key ingredients, telling BFTV:
“When there were movies, they were amazing, but we’re in a new era of storytelling right now. I think we benefit from that, and fans of the books will appreciate what they offer, and I think they’re faithful to the adaptation for them. Because it’s this format, we can make sense of it and round out these characters and the supporting characters/supporting actors in a way that those who haven’t read the books will enjoy it as much.
Rest assured, there will be plenty of intense fights and showdowns in random diners when Reacher Season 2 finally arrives. But with room to grow and expand, Prime Video’s hit series is able to keep the detective aspect of Jack Reacher’s character intact, offering the opportunity for some deeper storylines to unfold that could make future seasons of Reacher a little more substantial. For now, Reacher seems tailor-made for the age of streaming and binge-watching, which the younger generation has already fully embraced. Now it’s our parents who are finally getting used to a new form of entertainment that keeps them staying up well past their bedtimes.
