Amazon Prime Video confirms Reacher season 2 in less than a week

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Amazon orders more of its super-sized action hero

Alan Ritchson (as Jack Reacher), Martin Roach (as Picard) in a diner in an episode of Prime Video's Reacher
(Image credit: Courtesy of Prime Video)

Update: a Blade Runner TV series is being made by Amazon.

Prime Video's Reacher is our first huge renewed TV show of 2022, and we're not just saying "huge" because it stars an absolute unit of a man in Alan Ritchson. Yes, while the Tom Cruise-led adaptations of the Jack Reacher book series were only seen as moderate successes, Amazon Prime's quick renewal is one of a couple of signs that Reacher is a huge hit. 

Amazon also notes that Reacher is "among its highest-rated original series, with subscribers giving it an average rating of 4.7 out of 5."

The folks behind Reacher won't be shy on material for the next season (or any after that, either). Lee Child's best-selling Jack Reacher series spans 26 books, and Reacher season 1 only tackled the first of them.

Analysis: What went right with Amazon's Reacher?

Well, let's start with the obvious: the 5-foot-7-inch Tom Cruise wasn't a good body double for the fictional titular character, a 6'5" mountain of a man. The brawny Alan Ritchson (who is credited on Wikipedia as 6'2") fits the part much more appropriately, and likely made fans of the books a lot more excited than Cruise did. 

CNN refers to the storyline of Reacher season 1 as "scrawny," and acknowledges that the series is clever in not asking too much of Ritchson, who "isn't exactly pressed to exhibit much range in the role, but he's physically imposing and just fine at mixing glowering menace with smart-alecky comebacks."

And these days, that might just be enough. TV Guide complimented Reacher on its "sly humor" and emphasized that the show does its most important job right, as "a big dude kicking butt is always fun." That same review ends by noting "Reacher ... is a perfectly fine dad show but not a must-see," and "doesn't have aspirations to go much further beyond that."

Henry T. Casey
Henry T. Casey

Henry was a managing editor at Tom’s Guide covering streaming media, laptops and all things Apple, reviewing devices and services for the past seven years. Prior to joining Tom's Guide, he reviewed software and hardware for TechRadar Pro, and interviewed artists for Patek Philippe International Magazine. He's also covered the wild world of professional wrestling for Cageside Seats, interviewing athletes and other industry veterans.