Why Reacher Needs Neagley More Than Ever In Season 4

After three seasons of Prime Video’s Reacher, it seems evident that Jack Reacher needs Frances Neagley way more than she needs him. Owing to this, it is hard not to look forward to Neagley’s upcoming spin-off show and hope for her return in Reacher season 4.

Apart from Alan Ritchson’s casting as Jack Reacher, the inclusion of Maria Sten’s Neagley in every season is perhaps the best thing that has happened to Prime Video’s Reacher. In Lee Child’s original Jack Reacher books, Neagley primarily shows up in only four installments: Without Fail, Bad Luck And Trouble, The Affair, and Night School.

Since Reacher‘s seasons 1 and 3 adapted Killing Floor and Persuader, respectively, Neagley was not supposed to be in them. Book changes in TV adaptations can always be tricky. However, looking back, it is evident that the Prime Video series made the right call by getting her involved in every season and paving the way for her own spin-off. Unsurprisingly, Lee Child also agrees.

Lee Child Agrees That Alan Ritchson’s Reacher Needs Neagley In The Show

In the original Jack Reacher books, Lee Child brilliantly uses Jack Reacher’s inner monologue as a narrative device to reveal everything from his emotional state to his deductive abilities while solving criminal mysteries. Almost all Jack Reacher books written by Lee Child primarily focus on the titular character, without leaving room for others like Neagley.

As Lee Child has himself revealed, he was even nervous about giving Neagley more depth when he first wrote his books. However, the author has now changed his mind. He agrees that the Prime Video show cannot tread the same path as the books and focus too much on the thoughts inside Reacher’s head (via EW).

“You can’t have Reacher sitting there for eight minutes puzzling something out — that’s really bad television,“ he said, highlighting how the show had to come up with a new “mechanism“ to reveal what Reacher was thinking. This is where the importance of Neagley’s character comes in. She not only proves to be a perfect ally but also serves as a channel for Jack Reacher to express and explain.

Reacher rarely says anything and thinks twice before trusting others in both the books and the show. However, Neagley is effectively introduced as an intimate partner for the character, someone he confides in without fearing judgment or betrayal. If it weren’t for her, Reacher would have felt far more detached and one-dimensional.

Reacher’s Return In Neagley Benefits The Alan Ritchson Show More Than The Spin-Off

Behind-the-scenes footage from the upcoming Neagley spin-off has confirmed Alan Ritchson’s return as Jack Reacher. Some would argue that the spin-off is intentionally getting Reacher involved to leverage the popularity and success of the parent show. While that may be true, the parent show also benefits from Reacher’s appearance in the spin-off.

Check out the Neagley spin-off’s BTS images below:

As a solo figure, Jack Reacher is an incredibly intriguing character. It is hard not to envy how he defies societal norms and lives on his own terms. However, because of the stoicism he carries himself with, Reacher can seem distant and emotionally inaccessible to viewers. With Neagley, he seems far more dynamic, layered, and human because she helps him open up.

Therefore, as much as the Neagley spin-off benefits from Alan Ritchson’s appearance, his role in the upcoming series adds more depth to his character and potentially makes Reacher season 4 even more exciting.

Neagley Should Be In Reacher Season 4 As Well

Image made by Yeider Chacon

Reacher season 4 is adapting Lee Child’s Gone Tomorrow, which is another novel that does not include Neagley. However, after seeing how valuable she has been to the show’s narrative and emotional balance, it is hard to imagine a Reacher story without her.

A Reacher season 3 scene perfectly captures why the show needs her. In the installment’s closing arc, she concludes that Reacher does not mess with criminals to set things right. Instead, he does it because he hates “the big, powerful, smug sons of b***hes who think they can just get away with things.“

This quote captures how she seemingly understands the Alan Ritchson character even more than he understands himself in Prime Video’s Reacher. Her unique bond with him proves that her presence in his stories is more meaningful than promotional.