Reacher season 4 review: "Not the strongest installment, but it packs one hell of a punch"

For every season of Reacher so far, you know what you're going to get when you tune in: a silent type with hands the size of dinner plates arrives in a new town and immediately winds up battling local corruption, whether it be shady businessmen or crooked cops. And after saving the day, he rides off into the sunset with his pocket full of belongings on tow. Sprinkle in some do-gooder side characters and a love interest, and you've got another season of Reacher. That formula has worked so far.

However, Reacher season 4 switches up the recipe. Based on Lee Child's 13th Jack Reacher book, 'Gone Tomorrow,' the new installment sees Alan Ritchson's big guy with a bigger heart find himself in hot water when a chance encounter with a suicidal woman on a subway car turns his trip to Philadelphia upside down. It should come as no surprise that Reacher takes it upon himself to get to the bottom of her death, alongside his newfound friends: a local detective (Sydelle Noel), the deceased woman's cop brother (Chris Marquette), and a CIA-hating hacker (Kevin Weisman).

And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Without giving much away, Reacher's fourth outing sees him face his most unexpected and violent foe yet. Overall, season 4 is on a much bigger scale, boasting a far larger cast, more expansive sets, and even more fight scenes than we have seen before from the fist-flying show. But with so much going on in eight 45-minute installments, the pacing and dialogue often come in second to the impressive set pieces.

Meet the new Reacher

The season kicks off with Reacher riding the Philadelphia subway to nowhere when he notices a woman in distress. The civilian, who we later learn is a CIA employee named Susan Merrick, is so distraught that the only way she can see out is to take her own life. Motivated by his own curiosity and his weakness to help those in need, Reacher intervenes. The hero finds that the commotion is over a thumb drive, which everyone seems to be after, including the CIA, the FBI, a group of goons, a politician, and a pair of Indonesian journalists. Yeah, there is a lot going on, and Reacher throws himself right in the middle of it.

Even though this is what our favorite ex-mercenary usually does, he seems different this time around. As soon as you hit play on Reacher season 4, you will notice one glaring difference. The strong, silent Reacher we have come to know and love can no longer stop talking. This is something that has been building for a while. In season 1, he barely said a word, but along the way, Reacher has opened up. At first, Reacher's yapping does feel extremely alien, but by the end it is a welcome change. No one plays Reacher better than Ritchson, and it is clear that the star has much more to offer than quiet brawn. The show is staying ahead of what would have eventually happened – audiences would have no doubt grown tired of Reacher's nodding.

But rather than letting the audience read the room, Reacher seems to overexplain every decision he makes. This could be blamed on streaming services now catering to viewers with shorter attention spans (ahem, those who like to consume television with their phone in their hand). However, Ritchson's comedy chops and comic timing make the heftier script a little easier to swallow.

But it's not just Ritchson who's handed a stacked script. With so much being packed into a tight eight-episode season, the dialogue and pacing begin to suffer. It often feels as though we are hurtling through the season at breakneck speed, with characters fighting for screentime and speaking faster than what is natural. The result is that subplots are left jumbled, and I was left wondering who that guy is and why I should care about him. So when characters who should be more central meet their end, it is hard to care as much as we did for season 3's Beck family, or season 2's ex-soldier squad.

Less conversation, more action

But what Reacher season 4 lacks in pacing, it makes up for in epic fight scenes. Unlike last season, which kept the action contained to one compound, season 4 sees Reacher travel across states, engage in high-speed car chases, and face more enemies than ever before. The set pieces really are impressive, from a bowling alley brawl to a foggy knife fight. Many fight scenes feel as though they have been plucked right out of a David Leitch movie. Which is ironic, as there is a cheeky Tom Cruise reference in there, nodding to the actor previously playing Reacher on the big screen.

It is clear that much care has been taken in choreographing fight scenes and also letting characters other than Reacher show off their skills. This is extremely important, as the trouble with setting a series around one character with an ever-changing wider cast is that those around him can often feel disposable. The team has also taken into account what fans loved so much about season 3. That Reacher can be beaten, and boy does he take a beating this time around. Prepare to see people get sliced and diced, as season 4 is very violent, with certain scenes harking back to David Fincher's Se7en.

Speaking of knife wielders, it is also very refreshing to see more than one strong female character operate at once on different ends of the spectrum. After Neagley's departure, the series was itching for Reacher to gain another badass wingwoman. Noel's detective Tamara Green is a standout, and the series would benefit from inviting her back again. At this point, you may be wondering what has happened to the obligatory romantic side quest this time around. Well, Reacher still gets his rocks off, but his latest romp bears more weighty consequences than usual.

All in all, Reacher season 4 may not be the strongest installment, but it certainly packs one hell of a punch. The series' move away from its fan-favorite formula may indeed be part of a wider plan to shift from small-town shenanigans to hard-hitting detective drama. It has already been revealed that Reacher season 5 will adapt Lee Child's twentieth Jack Reacher book titled 'Make Me,' which throws Reacher into a web of lies and organized crime. 'Make Me' differs from many other Reacher books as it pushes Reacher emotionally and takes place on a global landscape due to its technological themes. With a globetrotting future ahead of him, the formula-breaking fourth season provides the perfect springboard into new, more violent territory for Reacher.

Reacher season 4 premieres on Prime Video on August 12. For more, check out our Reacher season 4 set visit report and keep up with exciting upcoming shows on the way in 2026 and beyond.