Reacher Season 3’s Main Villain Has A Key Trait Amazon’s Past 2 Seasons Were Missing

Even before Reacher season 3 debuts, its villain is already shaping up to be better than his predecessors thanks to a new character trait. Amazon Prime Video’s adaptation of Lee Child’s famous books has effectively sold Alan Ritchson as the country-wandering, hobo that is Jack Reacher. The actor has been so great in the role, which plays into the series’ popularity. Not only is he physically accurate from the author’s protagonist’s description, but Ritchson has also nailed the aloofness and other unique traits of Jack in print. Because of this, it’s easy to overlook other aspects of Reacher.

Upon its premiere in 2022, Reacher season 1 was an immediate hit, and unsurprisingly, a follow-up year was ordered. Considering the sheer number of books that it is mining its stories from, not to mention its level of popularity it is not difficult to imagine Amazon Prime Video wants to keep it on its roster for the foreseeable future. That said, Reacher season 2 didn’t quite live up to the same standards that its prequel set. It was still entertaining, however, for the platform to move forward with season 3, which will debut a new adversary for Jack.

Anthony Michael Hall Promises A Nuanced Villain For Reacher Season 3

Hall Claims Reacher Season 3’s Zachary Beck Isn’t A Traditional Villain

Specific plot details for Reacher season 3 are still tightly under wraps. Production for the show has been quietly progressing for months now, and content from the set has given the public an idea of what to expect. Beyond that, the confirmation that Child’s Persuader from 2003 is confirmed to be the book that Reacher season 3 will be based on effectively establishes the premise of the hero’s upcoming mission. Jack’s next adventure will see him undercover to wrap up an unfinished business from his past. Reacher season 3 will also debut a new villain: Anthony Michael Hall’s Zachary Beck.

While the Amazon Prime Video project is based on Child’s books, showrunner Nick Santora has made it clear that they are not beholden to the source material, so it’s unwise to fully expect that Beck’s Persuader story will be the same on the small screen. That said, Hall’s recent comments are teasing that Jack’s next foe will be different in a good way compared to his predecessors. Regardless of the specifics, Hall claims that Beck offers an interesting dynamic in Reacher season 3“because he’s not an outright villain.” This means that the public can expect a more nuanced antagonist.

Reacher Seasons 1 & 2 Had More Straightforward Villains

The Kliners, Langston, And AM Were All Disappointing Bad Guys

Regardless of the specifics, Beck is already shaping up to be a better villain than what Reacher seasons 1 and 2 had introduced. When Jack arrived in Margrave, he and his allies had to go up against the Kliners, with KJ ending up murdering Joe Reacher. Despite that aspect, they weren’t really exactly exciting villains because they were one-dimensional — the typical shady and greedy rich family doing illegal things in a small town. Reacher season 2 seemed like it was going to redeem itself in the villain department with Shane Langston and AM, but they were also massive disappointments.

Langston and AM had so much potential to be a deadly 1-2 punch. One is the evil corporate man while the other is his executor. Unfortunately, they also turned out to be bland, not having any qualities other than boring villains, much like the Kliners. Admittedly, Reacher season 2 could have fleshed them out and made them more interesting, but that didn’t happen. In the end, both add to the growing list of bad villains in the Amazon Prime Video franchise. Luckily, it appears like season 3 has a chance to make up for with Beck.

Reacher Season 3 Needs A More Complex Villain After Season 2

Beck Can Redeem Reacher’s Lackluster Villain Roster

Hall’s comment about Beck being a more complex villain is already a good sign that Reacher may have finally learned its lesson when it comes to crafting bad guys. The Amazon Prime Video cannot lean on Ritchson’s appeal as Jack for much longer. In any case, pitting him against a more nuanced adversary can also make him a better hero. This was partly the reason why the Reacher season 2 heroes were quite difficult to get behind, since they operated more like vigilantes rather than the actual good guys.

Beyond that, having a better villain can also result in much better finales. Reacher season 2’s ending ended up as a disappointment, while season 1’s final showdown between Jack and his foes wasn’t as good as the rest of the year. Reacher season 3 has a chance to come up with something different and more interesting with Beck simply because he isn’t going to be another shallow bad guy.

Reacher seasons 1 and 2 are available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.