In praise of Alan Ritchson, the big beefcake boy who makes Reacher work
Oh, beefy beef! Oh, my big beefy boy! Come, let us celebrate you
TV Features Alan Ritchson
When Alan Ritchson was initially cast as the star of Prime Video’s recently launched Reacher, most of the discussion focused on how an adaptation of Lee Child’s long-running series of crime thriller novels had finally cast an actor big and burly enough to match Childs’ descriptions of 6-foot-5 ex-military behemoth Jack Reacher. Tom Cruise, who played Reacher in two movies, is neither big nor burly, though he will endure a beating meant for a much larger man.
What was not fully appreciated when Ritchson’s casting was announced was what a secret weapon Reacher had acquired. This charming beefcake bruiser is a superlative comic performer—and while almost no one seems to understand that, it’s precisely because of that rarely tapped talent that Reacher works.
Yes, Ritchson is a very big boy—sorry, man—and his frame is impressive. But it’s the engine running under that smooth-purring, beefy chassis that makes a champ, and Ritchson’s engine runs on pure, unleaded wily comic chops. (That metaphor worked, right?)
On one hand, it’s understandable why Ritchson’s talents for comedy have largely gone unnoticed. Most of us have an unfortunate tendency to judge books by their covers, and the man has one heck of a cover. He stands proudly alongside Jason Momoa, John Cena, and Dwayne “The Cuddliest Rock You Ever Did See” Johnson in the pantheon of chiseled talent who waited patiently for an opportunity to flex their goofball muscles. And even then, wrestlers like Cena and Johnson presumably had an easier time of it, given their entire performing careers were built on a foundation of campy excess.
But on the other, it’s not like there haven’t been signs of the sharp-eyed sensibility hiding under those bulging biceps since the very beginning. After a national TV debut stripping for Paula Abdul in the third-season premiere of American Idol (yes, really), Ritchson’s first onscreen role was on Smallville, playing none other than Aquaman himself, Arthur Curry.
Admittedly, the so-so WB series didn’t exactly give him a lot to play with, making the character a stock example of the “earnest dim bulb” type, but already, Ritchson was leaning into the comic elements, making even his first greeting just over-the-top enough (a breathy, “heyyy”) to seem like something else was going on beyond the usual himbo routine.
For anyone paying attention to this sentient two tons of fun with fries on the side, Ritchson’s gifts as a comic actor came to the fore in Blue Mountain State. The raunchy sitcom spent three seasons riding a fine line between delightfully campy irony and repellant sexism, and while reaction to the provocative show varied, Ritchson dove headfirst into the first half of that equation in the role of lunkheaded team captain Thad Castle.
Blue Mountain State was his proving ground for demonstrating just how funny he could be. As in the below clip, where he recounts a drug bust, the actor pushed the material so far past over-the-top that it became like something out of a John Waters film, with Ritchson the bug-eyed muse.
In between Blue Mountain State’s cancellation and the arrival of its crowd-funded film sequel, The Rise Of Thadland (which Ritchson co-wrote alongside series creators Eric Falconer and Chris Romano), Hollywood didn’t seem to know what to do with the lovable lug, often sticking the actor in low-responsibility, blink-and-you’ll-miss-him tough guy roles in things like The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, or underneath mounds of motion-capture technology in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Even when he got a chance to play around in a ridiculous sandbox, as he did on Syfy’s absurdist grindhouse-homage action series Blood Drive, the show mostly wasted its star in the thankless position of straight man, a noble Boy Scout having to underplay nearly every reaction shot.
But throughout this period, Ritchson was steadily racking up guest appearances on TV comedies from New Girl to Workaholics to Brooklyn Nine-Nine, refining different facets of his oddball comics chops. (To say nothing of his perfectly on-point appearance in the social-media satire episode of Black Mirror.) And he was simultaneously working out the secret to harnessing his buffoonish charms even when not in character, most notably on the short-lived NBC variety show I Can Do That. It’s been an unusual trajectory, career-wise, to say the least.
But all of that helps explain why he’s so damn excellent as Jack Reacher. Here’s a role that could have easily gone to some jacked-up meathead better at throwing punches than thinking fast—in other words, a Schwarzenegger type. But the creative team at Amazon knew what they were doing by casting Ritchson.
Reacher is essentially a hulking Sherlock Holmes, someone equally comfortable deducing whodunit from the tiniest of clues and poking out a criminal’s eyes. And the first half of Reacher’s premiere does exactly that—lets Ritchson sit, without talking. And sit. And sit. Yet, you never begin to worry he’s just the trophy-wife equivalent of a lead character, because that mischievous twinkle behind his stoic expression makes it look as though he’s constantly thinking of a hilarious joke, albeit one he doesn’t want to have to take the time to explain.
It’s that ace understanding of what makes a character in a mystery compelling—the sense that they’re always a step ahead of the conversation, that there’s something weirder and funnier hiding behind the calm outward demeanor, that makes Alan Ritchson’s performance so good. It elevates the solidly B-movie material into the realm of pleasing pulp. He gives the audience permission to have fun with all the bloodshed and cruelty, which is essential for the show to succeed.
Reacher has already been renewed for a second season and is by all accounts a big hit for the streaming service, meaning we’re going to hopefully get a lot more of Ritchson’s superb performance. So let me make a plea: Emmy nominee, Alan Ritchson.
These sorts of roles are usually so thankless and underappreciated: Act like a big strong, silent man and hit people while saving the day. But if you’ve ever seen a bad version of that (and who hasn’t), you know how difficult it is to make it soulful—or better yet, funny.
Ritchson does both, and by embodying a character in such a sly, underplayed manner that nonetheless speaks volumes with just his expressions, he’s proving what those of us who have followed his career have known all along: This big beefy boy is ready for stardom, because he’s smart enough to know how silly it all is.
116 Comments
Didn’t mention Titans, which he was very good in as Hawk. He even got to sing on the show, which surprised me since he’s very good.
Ritchson was one of the best things in the very uneven Titans.
Came here to say this. Not an especially strong cast overall, but he was a major stand-out either way.
I still get upset over what that show could’ve been. The only other actor who really embodies their character is Conor Leslie as Donna/Wonder Girl.
I think the main problem with Titans is the show runners and scripts, not the casting. I agree that Alan Ritchson and Conor Leslie were the strongest performances. But the only person i thought was seriously miscast was Raven.
I actually agree with you 100%. It’s the scripts and overall showrunning that’s really made the show stink. It kills me because it could’ve been an amazing show (I’m a Titans megafan… particularly the Perez era).That said, I do feel Ritchson and Leslie are the only two actors who really embody their character. Diop *tries* as Kory/Starfire but the writing for her is probably the most different from the comics version.The acting for the rest of the team varies from competent (Nightwing & Beast Boy) to occasionally strong (Jason Todd/Robin II & Superboy) to outright baffling (Raven).
Agree on every point, including Diop, though she is sexy, regal and fierce like Kory should be (she would be excellent casting for Storm). The show made Raven a typical goth girl and troubled teen, when she should be withdrawn, austere, and in some ways more mature than her years because she is trying to contain the monster inside her. And she is definitely not the kid of the group. Nothing against the actor they cast, I just don’t like the direction they chose for the character.
Diop would be incredible as Storm. And it’s funny, now that you said that – that’s what was bothering me about how they have written Kory. They are writing her as a Storm analogue, where Kory needs to be somewhat naive and trusting but with a fiery temper triggered when she feels wronged or feels her friends are imperiled.I completely agree with you about Raven. Raven needed to be written as tightly wound, but in a way that makes her seem overly mature (as you perfectly said: austere) compared to everyone else.The narrative choices they’ve made with her such as the overconfidence and bravado was more applicable to Gar/Beast Boy.
where Kory needs to be somewhat naive and trusting but with a fiery temper triggered when she feels wronged or feels her friends are imperiled.That’s more the 2003 cartoon version than the comics.
The show does a good job with its supporting cast too IMO. Iain Glen was a good choice to play an older Bruce Wayne, Esai Morales was solid as Deathstroke, and Vincent Kartheiser did a good job with Crane’s craziness. Also really liked Savannah Welch as Barbara Gordon.
Completely agreed. To be honest I almost got the sense that the showrunner of Doom Patrol decided early on that, despite premiering as a backdoor pilot on Titans, they no longer wanted the shows to co-exist (which seemed to be the initial plan) due to the, errr, quality of Titans’ writing.
Really? They were doing Raven’s origin story, and they chose to have her start off as a sheltered, awkward, baby-fat teen. The actor might have been miscast for what fans wanted as Raven, but I don’t she was a bad pick for what the writers of Titans wanted.
The physical transformation (be it regimen or practicals or CGI or a combo, don’t really care) was noticeable in the third season, and the actor rolled with it just fine.
I think the actor was miscast for Raven in that — whatever my overall issues with the series — most of the other cast hewed closer to the canonic look and basic persona of their characters. She was a disappointment to fans expectations. But you are right to point out my expression of that sentiment is not as clear as it should be, and that the actor did a good job of fulfilling the showrunners vision. I just don’t like that vision and the fact that the Trigon arc was disappointing made it even harder to buy into.
I think truly bad actors in larger-budget shows (that actually make it past pilot) are a rarity. Titans had a solid cast. Ritchson was certainly at or near the top, but I felt that most of the actors showed up and did exactly what the writers and directors wanted them to do.When I truly believe that it’s the actor’s fault, I remember that shit for years.Anybody remember Grimm? Grimm had two leads that were just flat-out bad actors. The odds of them being good actors who were sabotaged by an unholy alliance of writers, directors, editors, best boys, grips and craft services were really, really low.Surprisingly, the shit-terrible female lead took some time off from acting and then turned it all the way around. She’s now a lead on Superman & Lois and doing fantastic work. Despite that, I’m still 100% of the belief that, back when she was on Grimm, she was in fact a terrible actor.(I hear rumblings from my retirement-aged mother that the male lead from Grimm found another show and kinda sucks again.)
Although I do agree that the female lead wasn’t great, I loved Grimm. And yes, the male lead is in a drama, something like A Million Little Pieces, that does, indeed suck. Still, Grimm made my husband and me happy enough.
I knew I recognized him from somewhere!
I think the Titans showrunners were shocked at how lucky they were to land Alan Ritchson and Minka Kelly – and subsequently kept feeding them more and more material. The Hawk and Dove focus-episodes are arguably the best of the series. Plus he had to play Hawk from college senior to 30ish dude in rehab. Range. The guy’s got range. I think EW did an interview when his character (both Hawk and Dove, actually *minor spoiler*) left Titans midway through season 3, and if you read between the lines, he may have left Titans because he landed Reacher. If he had stuck it out for another season, people would be clamoring for a Hawk and Dove spin-off series: Two people with no superpowers, who dress weird, are in love, and beat the shit out of people. And swear and screw and get shot a lot.
Yeah seriously he was really good as Hawk.
Yea I did a CTRL+F to see if I missed the Titans reference here or not. Really odd to not mention his most recent role as a series regular in a feature about him.
The most impressive thing about this guy, to me, is that he actually almost made that Hawk costume not look completely ridiculous.
AVClub never even brings up Titans (it wasn’t mentioned in an article about returning shows last year, for example) so by this point it seems like some weird in-joke for them to continue to act like it doesn’t exist (don’t get me wrong—calling it uneven is kind, but his role was always a highlight).
He was given a lump of shit to work with. Titans was such a painful experience. Hawk, in particular, was extremely poorly written – his best opportunity came when he was written off the show, sadly. Dick Grayson is my favorite comic book character, flat out – that show is just.. such a wasted opportunity.
Reacher is a good show and Richson is fine as Reacher aside from any of the few times he is supposed to show any human emotion other than “grimace”.
I had no idea who this guy was until that episode of B99, but he’s good. Really good. I even watched Smallville back in the day (to the bitter end,) and I never placed him. And it just now hit me that Lana Lang was in Reacher, too. Neat.
Sounds like you got 99 problems but the B ain’t one.
I remember him from Smallville too…vividly. Vividly.
i thought that was her!
For those who have watched both series (not the terrible Tom Cruise iteration):Who would win in a fight: Reacher or Peacemaker?
(no guns, no helmets, no Eagly)
Reacher. They are both big, competent fighters, and both are intelligent (though Reacher is probably smarter). Peacemaker’s immaturity and fragile ego, however, is something Reacher would be able to immediately see and exploit. He’d either distract Peacemaker, lead him to make a mistake out of bravado, or even simply talk him out of fighting.
…or just shoot his bullet through the middle with a smaller bullet. That’s a total Reacher move.
I have been debating this in my head for the past ten days. Yours is exactly the thoughtful analysis I was hoping for.
Does Reacher get a giant metal gleaming dildo helm?
Peacemaker, if he were in “business mode” like the village slaughter in TSS or when he beat Rick Flagg. No talking, no thinking, just getting the job done. Ideally by bushwhacking Reacher.Reacher in any other scenario. Basically, if he gets Chris talking, it’s all over. It’s not that Chrus is dumb, he’s just laterally intelligent. And possibly insane.
Like, whomever wins gets to top, right?
Reacher is a notorious power bottom.
Reacher seems way smarter and more perceptive, i’ll go with him unless Peacemaker is wearing his disintegration helmet or something
I think that really depends how how accurate you want Peacemaker to be to the comics. Sure, you can take away his guns, his helmet, and his companion, but he’s still a super hero. I know people who say that Batman is nothing without his gadgets, but he’s still a non-stop brawling punch machine and a master of multiple martial disciplines… And that’s basically what Peacemaker is too. I don’t doubt that Reacher is a worthy opponent, but Reacher is based mostly in a grounded non-sci-fi reality, while Peacemaker lives in a fantasy world with superhumans, and to me, the fantasy world will usually always win.This reminds me of another Death Battle scenario: Keanu Reeves’s John Wick versus Denzel Washington’s Equalizer. All my money is on John Wick, and not just because he’s had better movies, but because of the fact that he’s a top-tier killer in a world filled to the brim with deadly assassins, while the Equalizer is an ex-black ops hitman in a world full of normal people.In Reacher’s world, the toughest fights he gets into are against big dudes with a big guns or multiple dudes with knives and bats. Meanwhile, in Peacemaker’s world, the toughest fights he can get into might be with an interdimensional insectoid with super strength and the ability to instantly vaporize a person.
apparently i’ve been thinking jack ryan and jack reacher were the same character for years.
The Reacher books’ prose is honestly on a different level than Tom Clancy’s.They’re much better than they had any need or any right to be, haha.
I was wondering what had happened to John Krasinski.
Is Jim Halpert a separate character too?
How about Jack Kennedy, Jack in the Box, Jack the Giant Killer and Jack O’Lantern? Also the same person?
I’m still trying to find out the identity of Jack Shit, despite being informed repeatedly by most people in my life that I don’t know him.
They certainly cater to the same audience.
Haven’t seen the series, but the books at least seem to have a different political slant. In several of the books, Reacher battles corrupt private military outfits clearly based on Blackwater/Haliburton. One imagines Tom Clancy would have thought those groups were cool.
Spot on distinction.
Even Clancy allows that there are some current/former intelligence/military people who are compromised/corrupt. They’re just presented as bad apples/outliers as opposed to being vehicles to mount a more systemic critique. I’d agree that Child’s tone is slightly more critical, but I think it’s more a difference of degree than kind.
I don’t know about that. The Jack Ryan books are definitely for male boomers still fighting the cold war but the Reacher books are deeply popular with Gen X and older millennial women in a way that Clancy’s stuff just isn’t.
I meant more that almost all of the Boomer/Gen X folks I knew who were into Clancy were also into Reacher. (And Bosch, for that matter.)Among the older members of my family, there were definitely more female Clancy fans than male–in no small part because the women were bigger readers.
I love Alan Ritchson so much, haha!Glad he’s getting the love he deserves.(By the way, Alex – any shot at a follow, so I can escape the grays?)
huh? you’ve been around forever, how’d you get stuck in the greys?
It seems I was…excessively vocal, in the aftermath of the Ellie Kemper hit pieces, haha.
Wow Alex, you really want to fuck this guy huh? No shame in that but you didn’t need to write an article about it for the world to know. I mean I can write a dissertation about why Thor is the corner stone of the MCU too but everyone would understand it’s really just me wanting Chris Hemsworth to hold me in those huge mountains he calls arms. I suppose I should watch this show. Sounds kinda silly turn off your brain fun
FWIW, Reacher is scratching some itches for me that have gone unscratched since Justified, so there’s that, too.
The Reacher books are obviously silly, but Child probably has the best prose among “Vacation Paperback” writers since Leonard
I enjoy Child’s Reacher series, but equating those to Elmore Leonard? I have to say . . . that’s a Reach
Not the overall quality…but Child’s clearly a student of Leonard’s prose.Similar vibe to Ken Bruen, and distinct from someone like John Connolly, who clearly developed his sensibilities on a steady diet of Bosch and Marlowe.
bingo – reading this article, that’s exactly the vibe i was getting as well. good to have it seconded, i’m going to seek out Reacher and see if it stands up to the comparison!
Yeah, there are missteps every now and then, but it’s probably the fastest I’ve binged a season in a very long time. Like Olyphant, Ritchson does a great job of balancing humor against how murderous and threatening the character is. It’s a season where Reacher has at least a dozen lines where he has to state that he’s going to kill the villains. It could easily turn into a one-note performance, but Ritchson instills each each variation of “And then I’m going to kill them” with a different tone or meaning, so you’re never rolling your eyes at the repetition.
Raylan Givens takes his lumps. He’s a human being. Jack Reacher is too perfect. Does the character have ANY weaknesses? I couldn’t make it past the pilot to find out.
Weaknesses? In the books he’s the ultimate Mary Sue. Doesn’t work-out and lives on coffee and cake yet is jacked to the max. He’s detective skills are better than Sherlock Holmes and he can take out a target with a sniper rifle from over a mile away. Hell, if a plot ever required him to play the Cello then you know he’d be fucking Y0-Yo-Ma! They’re absolutely ludicrous yet so addictive and I’m glad that the series gives a nod and a wink to just how ridiculous the character is.
Yep. Story-structure wise, he’s basically Goku…or Kane from Kung Fu.Strong, simple, and good…and the joy of the reading comes from how the latest batch of vividly drawn characters reacts to him wandering through their town.
His weakness is sometimes he cares TOO much . . . .
Definitely not saying that Reacher’s as good a character as Raylan, just that Olyphant and Ritchson are bringing some of the same acting skills to the table to bring them to life. I was going to expand that thought to say that the difference was the difference between Elmore Leonard and Lee Child, but then I remembered that Leonard kinda has his own take on the unbeatable do-no-wrong hero with Chili Palmer.But in retrospect, you can see why Cruise wanted to play the role, even if it meant everyone talking about how short he is. Dude’s a big fan of perfection.
GOTDAMN that is high praise.
Reacher is scratching? Nice!
Good news – Raylan Givens is coming back!
I got some Justified vibes off of Reacher too. I thought it also has a little bit of The Rockford Files thrown in there too. I’ll let you youngsters Google The Rockford Files to know what the hell this old guy is talking about…damn I’m so old.
Ah, the one and only James Garner – good-looking, strong jaw, funny and talented. Loved The Rockford Files. Have you seen garner in Victor/Victoria? Worth your time. P.S. You’re not that old.
You know, I totally forgot James Garner was in Victor/Victoria. Maybe because of Julie Andrews? It’s been many, many years since I’ve seen it. I should probably give it a rewatch.
Yes, please do. I’ve seen it many times, and each time I find something new to love.
He’s really great in “The Americanization of Emily”.
Just finished Reacher tonight, and I said to myself more than a few times, “Self, this reminds me of Justified.” That is, indeed, a compliment.
It’s silly, turn your brain off fun that would only work with a guy like Ritchson in the role.Ritchson’s BEEN the best, for folks who know.
Is there a fan club for otherwise straight men who would really like to lay their head on Chris Hemsworth’s shoulders while caressing his abs? Wondering where I need to send my membership fee.
its OK. probably worth checking out, at least. i don’t really think the guy’s a great actor but he’s OK.
I have really enjoyed what I have seen of the show so far and have been a fan of Alan Ritchson for years so I am glad he is getting praise for his work but this article was written in such poor taste. You literally objectify him from the start in an article that supposed to explain how he is more than just his appearance. “Big beefy boy”, really? Imagine an article written about Scarlet Johansson and her work that starts with “big titty girl” over and over. It’s really disgusting that not only this was written but your editor approved it.
Alex is the editor, haha.
I enjoyed the article but I couldn’t help thinking of:https://www.avclub.com/stop-jizzing-all-over-journalism-1798249134
He was alright and the show was alright.
Your comment was alright.
Thank you
His massive arms are drool-worthy.
I really didn’t like the Jack Reacher movie and I haven’t read the books, so I went in with super low expectations and boy was I pleasantly surprised! Ritchson is fantastic here. He was great as the dumb jock Thad in BMS, but he has seriously stepped up his game since then.Anyway, I came to the conclusion the other day that Ritchson would make an excellent Batman! I mean, his Reacher is both a literal & figurative kick-ass detective.
Anyway, I came to the conclusion the other day that Ritchson would make an excellent Batman!Batman, maybe, but it’d be tough to sell him as Bruce Wayne.
I liked Lazer Team!
I loved Reacher. Probably better IMHO than The Boys, and i really liked The Boys. If Amazon keeps this up it might be worth the $139. Maybe.
I’d never seen the gentleman before this series, but I have to admit he’s pretty good. My father loved the Reacher series and I read a few despite my dislike of that genre. They’re not bad, if formulaic. Not really my thing. But Ritchson is BETTER than the character I remember from the books I read. I remember disliking Reacher in the book because the wry sense of humor that Ritchson gives off isn’t there in the book. The series was surprisingly pretty good is what I’m saying. And I’m not even a fan of that sort of thing.
A TV show without filler episodes! Well done, Reacher, well done. More, please!
Is he really a little buff boy, or did they just stick him in a goose suit?
I liked the show. After finishing it, it was good for what it was. It was like Sherlock Holmes and The Punisher fused together. It was fun. The guy was bullet proof with plot armor. I mean the character was OP on so many levels. But it was fun. I also thought it was unintentionally funny only because of recent events I’ve read these last few years in the news with fat hillbilly rednecks kind of guys and this is their fantasy of a real man action hero based on them. I just kept thinking there’s some guy in his couch screaming, “Yer! They did a show and used me to be that character. That’s how I roll and deal with troublemakers and talk and get the ladies. I don’t need no stitches. I can figure you out and get in ya head just by looking at you. I can get hit in the head with a crowbar and walk away without any swelling. I heal from just walking it off. All in the mind, baby. And I don’t cry on no social media when a woman doesn’t ask permission and just assumes it’s cool to have sex while I’m in the shower. No, sir. I do the gentleman thing and oblige. I can ponder on why people worry about concussions when a hot shower cures all later.”I just imagined there would be a twist at the end of the show where Reacher looks into a mirror and you see this out of shape short meth head tweaker staring back. Then all the events of the show plays back showing it was a tripped out exaggerated sequence of what was really going on. I was a bit disappointed in the reveal of the brother. I assumed they looked very similar which wasn’t the case. Maybe it should’ve been John Cena in pop cameo. But the brothers as boys looked very much alike, but as adults, I couldn’t understand how that one girl thought Reacher looked like her love interest brother. I guess the only thing I didn’t like was Roscoe. I mean the actress played it well, and she was gorgeous. I just didn’t like the character because it was portrayed in such a straight to streaming Steven Seagal movie love interest cliche kind of way.
I haven’t read the books, so I might have described this show as Veronica Mars + Walking Tall. But I think I like Sherlock Holmes + Punisher (Netflix version, not comics version) a little better
Sorry. I should clarify. Robert Downey Jr’s Sherlock Holmes. The whole “reading” just by looking at someone within seconds scene he had with the detective was just done so OP.
His episode on Michael Rosenbaum’s podcast(which is delightful!) was also good. He’s far from the meathead type, even with that hunkalicious body. Damn.
I find him, the actor, very charming and relatable.I fucking hate Reacher. I tried it and couldn’t get past the pilot episode. There is no character there. There is a collection of Awesome Genius Bro traits. Dude does what he can with that list of traits but ultimately? Nope. He’s Sherlock Holmes if Sherlock was a self-righteous MMA fighter vigilante. It’s extra-judicial copaganda jerkoff material. Ritchson deserves better. (Though I’m happy it’s a success and bringing him some cash.)
The author is English, and his father grew up in Belfast…so the local cops are usually the bad guys.It’s obviously and unabashedly a silly power fantasy, but one that’s incredibly well executed and has a conscious anti-authority bent.
Sherlock Holmes was an MMA fighter.
His guest role on New Girl was a great showcase for his comic chops.
Who you callin’ ‘boy’?!
Did anyone else get a Puddy vibe from Richtson a couple of times…not that there is anything wrong with that.
Is it true the crew on the Tom Cruise version called him “Jack Reacharound”? What does that mean?
See, when one man loves another man very, very much, and that other man likes the first man just enough to be a bro . . .
I remember the guy stripping for Paula but had absolutely zero recollection of it being Thad. That’s wild.
This needed reviews. It was great
He really IS perfect in Reacher. And very likeable.
A bit surprised AV Club didn’t review each episode – the show seems right in your wheelhouse (well, except for the extremely obvious white savior trope, of course). I too binged Reacher, to my surprise – I thought they’d never manage to make one book last an entire season, honestly. I actually thought they’d use a novel per episode…The interesting thing about Reacher is that he very clearly is damaged goods, but neither he nor the narrative seems to notice, while the characters around him do. And maybe Ritchson does, too. Did like Roscoe an awful lot, Reacher is an idiot for not settling down with her, the shower scene was great, and it’ll be hard to find a replacement for her next season that’ll work equally well. Things I didn’t like: Reacher not even having a little bruise after enduring a crowbar beating that would have killed any real life person. He should have had several broken bones and enormous purple-green contusions at least. And the appearance of a clearly dead character during the final battle was also wayyyy over the top, though to my surprise that happened in the novel as well (which I read when it came out but had no recollection of the details, anymore… The only Reacher novel of which I remember any specifics is the one in which the finale pits him against a mother/daughter Taliban knife fighting team. Mainly because I just can’t see how the two of them can visually be a credible threat to the hulking man machine.
For some reason Reacher reminds me of Puddy from Seinfeld, to the degree that if Patrick Warburton ever hosts SNL or anything i want to see a Reacher parody sketch
Patrick Warburton stars in Grabber!
I appreciate both Ritchson and Cruise as Reacher. I have been watching Reacher with three others and they thought he came off as, “on the spectrum,” at times. As an actor, I prefer Cruise, but Rithchson has done a great job. On a side note, I enjoyed all the books except the last two, and can hardly wait to see which one they adopt next.
It’s a solid show all-around, and kinda has to be – because the finale is awful. The show has some genuinely inventive ways of choreographing its fight scenes and I actually found myself surprisingly glued to my seat as the mystery continually morphed and shifted, over and over. I mean, Reacher kills a tons of dudes and faces no consequences. Admittedly, he cleans up, he minimizes his exposure, he has help hiding stuff.But they unleashed complete carnage in the warehouse. While taking cover behind BOXES FULL OF PAPER. PAPER. THE COVER THEY RELIED ON WAS MADE OF FUCKING PAPER. OVER AND OVER AND OVER.It also just became stormtrooper aiming. No one gets wounded, Reacher takes a knife strike, that’s it. There’s not even much struggle. So painful to watch after a fairly compelling story and a lot of creative action scenes.
Yeah, I agree that the warehouse fight was pretty lame. All the main characters got their own boss battle, none were particularly tense, just all very standard/boring stuff.I think the basic problem is Reacher himself is pretty fun to play with in an action context because he is such a physical specimen you can heap lots of abuse on him and it seems plausible he will keep fighting. But some skinny boy whose skill is marksmanship is not really the best choice to make use of Reacher’s ability to absorb damage (I assume being shot in the head with a rifle would in fact kill even Reacher). And none of the other main characters really had much to distinguish them at all.All that said, I will stand up for the physics of using big boxes of paper as cover. Backstops or bullet traps in gun ranges and such are sometimes made of things like rubber mulch. Materials like that don’t stop bullets immediately, but they gradually “encapsulate” them, meaning their energy is bled off until they stop. This is considered a good thing in that there is far less danger of fragments, ricochets, and so on.You do need several feet of such a material to effectively encapsulate rifle rounds. But those piles of air conditioner boxes and such presumably full of paper are going to be several feet thick. And I don’t think it is implausible they would actually be pretty effective at encapsulating the bullets that were flying around.
Compressed paper is pretty strong, and it’s likely the boxes of money were stacks of 100s. Mythbusters showed that two phonebooks (not sure how thick they were) could stop a rifle round.But yes, the main villain should have just started twirling his mustache, he was so cliched. And the only one who looked like she really knew what she was doing in that firefight was Neagley.
He’s so great. Even his little video showcase on Men’s Health’s YouTube channel about how he works out was shockingly substantive and thoughtful.
I had only known him from his little stint on Smallville, and he was… not great. Like, he was laughably bad in that show. So imagine how impressed I was watching Reacher the last few days and seeing just how far he’s come as a performer. I dig him now.