# Reacher - the full-sized version is a vast improvement {Season 2, 1st 3 episodes available 2023-12-15} **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted, amazon-prime\ **Created:** [February 5, 2022, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reacher-the-full-sized-version-is-a-vast-improvement-season-2-1st-3-episodes-available-2023-12-15/958978 "2022-02-05T21:10:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reacher-the-full-sized-version-is-a-vast-improvement-season-2-1st-3-episodes-available-2023-12-15/958978/21 "2022-02-06T16:12:23Z")
Here’s what I posted in a thread I started about new shows: [quote=“solost, post:22, topic:958799, full:true”] > [@What shows have you either begun to watch or are looking forward to watching (Feb. 2022 Edition)?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-shows-have-you-either-begun-to-watch-or-are-looking-forward-to-watching-feb-2022-edition/958799/18): > > > [@What shows have you either begun to watch or are looking forward to watching (Feb. 2022 Edition)?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-shows-have-you-either-begun-to-watch-or-are-looking-forward-to-watching-feb-2022-edition/958799/1): > > > > > **Reacher, Amazon** (Feb. 4) > > > [/quote] > > > > > > I’ve read several of the books years ago and liked them well enough, but they became so formulaic I just quit. > > > > > > I just watched the first three episodes of this and it’s well worth the time. The guy that plays Reacher is totally spot on. They’ve also added small bits of humor that I don’t remember from the books. I could see myself watching 8 episodes of this every year. Recommend you give it a try. > > Yep, watched the first two episodes last night. That is the Reacher we all deserve. Nothing against Cruise’s tiny Reacher, or maybe I should say nothing against his action career in general, which we all know he works very hard at, does his own stunts, etc. > > But one of the defining characteristics of Reacher is that he’s a big, imposing guy. A cop compares him to Frankenstein’s monster at one point, which is an apt comparison, because nobody would make a movie with a tiny Frankenstein monster. > > As you said @mordecaiB, it’s very watchable; well paced, with little bits of humor between the action. Very bingeable. Each of the two eps I saw end in a mini-cliffhanger designed to draw you into the next ep. I had to stop myself from binging a third one because it was getting late. > > It ain’t Shakespeare, but it’s good at what it is. ---
**Author:** ![Steven\_Maven](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steven_maven/32/3272_2.png) [@Steven\_Maven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steven_Maven)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reacher-the-full-sized-version-is-a-vast-improvement-season-2-1st-3-episodes-available-2023-12-15/958978/22 "2022-02-06T16:38:58Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Reacher… doesn’t eat that much. (That we see) In Episode 3, Reacher meets Finley and Roscoe at an outdoor BBQ restaurant (Queenie’s?). His order includes ribs, chicken, okra, and much more - equivalent to 3 normal dinners. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reacher-the-full-sized-version-is-a-vast-improvement-season-2-1st-3-episodes-available-2023-12-15/958978/23 "2022-02-06T16:40:41Z")
Not a vast improvement for me. They are both ok. But then I haven’t read the books. I’ve read threads here about the TC Reacher. I don’t really get why the tallness is such a big deal. Maybe it’s the dislike for Cruise, in general, on the Dope? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reacher-the-full-sized-version-is-a-vast-improvement-season-2-1st-3-episodes-available-2023-12-15/958978/24 "2022-02-06T16:41:19Z")
> [@Steven\_Maven](#): > > > [@running\_coach](#): > > > > Reacher… doesn’t eat that much. (That we see) > > In Episode 3, Reacher meets Finley and Roscoe at an outdoor BBQ restaurant (Queenie’s?). His order includes ribs, chicken, okra, and much more - equivalent to 3 normal dinners. - I was thinking more his regular day to day while he’s “between books.” ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reacher-the-full-sized-version-is-a-vast-improvement-season-2-1st-3-episodes-available-2023-12-15/958978/25 "2022-02-06T16:45:41Z")
> [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > Not a vast improvement for me. They are both ok. But then I haven’t read the books. > > I’ve read threads here about the TC Reacher. I don’t really get why the tallness is such a big deal. Maybe it’s the dislike for Cruise, in general, on the Dope? - The criticism of Childs’ Reacher is that he’s huge and intimidating besides being a one man wrecking ball when fighting. None of which is in reach of cruise. The only reason he used the Reacher name was to put butts in seats, not actually bring one of the books to the screen. Same with M:I. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reacher-the-full-sized-version-is-a-vast-improvement-season-2-1st-3-episodes-available-2023-12-15/958978/26 "2022-02-06T16:52:19Z")
> [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > I’ve read threads here about the TC Reacher. I don’t really get why the tallness is such a big deal. Maybe it’s the dislike for Cruise, in general, on the Dope? It doesn’t matter how well trained and talented a border collie can be, it would be a mistake to cast one in the lead for “Marmaduke”. Reacher can get away with a lot of what he does because the mere size and build of him is imposing at the very least, which is something Tom Cruise could never project. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reacher-the-full-sized-version-is-a-vast-improvement-season-2-1st-3-episodes-available-2023-12-15/958978/27 "2022-02-06T16:57:04Z")
> [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > don’t really get why the tallness is such a big deal. Because the character is supposed to be intimidating just standing there. He can avoid fighting by looking like a mountain that might just fall on you. Ethan Hunt could kick my ass six ways from Sunday, but were I a bad guy, I wouldn’t be afraid of taking him on. He’s a shrimp, He’s even shorter in real life than he is on screen. 🙂 As for me, then only complaint I have for Tom Cruise movies is ignoring the source material. The Mission Impossible movies are great “James Bond” movies (I would say they are better Bond movies than the actual recent spate of Bond movies), but they have nothing to do with MI, which was all about the con rather then the action, and not “world saving” missions. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reacher-the-full-sized-version-is-a-vast-improvement-season-2-1st-3-episodes-available-2023-12-15/958978/28 "2022-02-06T17:53:05Z")
For some characters, size is not terribly important – the Han Solo origin movie wasn’t a great movie (though I thought it was fun), but the fact that the lead was 5’8" or whatever (as compared to Ford’s 6’1") wasn’t at all the problem. Han Solo’s height isn’t a significant part of his character. But Reacher’s height and bulk is a huge part of his character, so much so that a short Reacher is an entirely different character. I’d say Reacher’s size is as important to his character as Tyrion Lannister from Game of Thrones. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reacher-the-full-sized-version-is-a-vast-improvement-season-2-1st-3-episodes-available-2023-12-15/958978/29 "2022-02-06T17:58:07Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > The only reason he used the Reacher name was to put butts in seats To be fair, the people financing big budget movies are business people. Their only goal is to make money. Putting butts in seats is the way to do that. Staying true to source material or making “art” is always a secondary consideration. Spending $60 million dollars on a movie is a risky investment. Of course they are going to hire someone who is known for putting butts in seats. But I take your point. Still, I’m guessing the large majority of people who attended or saw the movie have not read the books. It grossed over $138 million. ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reacher-the-full-sized-version-is-a-vast-improvement-season-2-1st-3-episodes-available-2023-12-15/958978/30 "2022-02-06T17:58:34Z")
As to Reacher’s physique, I believe one of the books describes as looking like a condom stuffed with walnuts, so the actor’s bulk is not a problem for me. The fight scenes are different from the books: Reacher has far less trouble beating the shit out of people in the books. Also, one thing often under-appreciated by Reacher fans is he thinks. He does do considerable “deducting” in the books, and it’s nice to see some here. He is also more learned than one might think: he notes in a few places that he went to West Point and reminds people it is, after all, a college. In one book, he quotes Proudhon, Marx, and George Orwell, although that part of the character evaporates pretty quickly. Finally, Neagly is portrayed accurately in the TV series. In the books, she left the service and joined up with a big private investigative firm, making tons of money. But throughout the books there are references to her hating physical contact, unless of course she’s beating the shit out of someone. Reacher is a little in awe of her physical prowess and violence, and never makes the mistake of hugging her or taking her hand or anything. So they get lots “right” if you’re a stickler/pedant/fan of the books ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reacher-the-full-sized-version-is-a-vast-improvement-season-2-1st-3-episodes-available-2023-12-15/958978/31 "2022-02-06T18:07:17Z")
Is it a spoiler to note there is a Lee Child cameo (as there was in the movies)? ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reacher-the-full-sized-version-is-a-vast-improvement-season-2-1st-3-episodes-available-2023-12-15/958978/32 "2022-02-06T18:08:31Z")
> [@glee](#): > > I’d like to watch this, but it appears it’s only available (for now) if you subscribe to Amazon Prime. Prime Video membership is $8.99 per month [https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=G34EUPKVMYFW8N2U](https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=G34EUPKVMYFW8N2U) So you subscribe for a month and you get the each of the 8 episodes for $1.12 ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reacher-the-full-sized-version-is-a-vast-improvement-season-2-1st-3-episodes-available-2023-12-15/958978/33 "2022-02-06T18:14:12Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > Is it a spoiler to note there is a Lee Child cameo (as there was in the movies) ? Nah … there’s no plot impact whatsoever of his cameo. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reacher-the-full-sized-version-is-a-vast-improvement-season-2-1st-3-episodes-available-2023-12-15/958978/34 "2022-02-06T18:35:43Z")
Thanks for that information! ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reacher-the-full-sized-version-is-a-vast-improvement-season-2-1st-3-episodes-available-2023-12-15/958978/35 "2022-02-06T19:25:06Z")
One note, if you subscribe and only want it for one month remember than Amazon operates on a subscribe until cancelled basis so you need to cancel at the appropriate time: [https://www.primevideo.com/help/ref=atv\_hp\_nd\_cnt?nodeId=GWGDSNXVPJ93UW5V](https://www.primevideo.com/help/ref=atv_hp_nd_cnt?nodeId=GWGDSNXVPJ93UW5V) ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reacher-the-full-sized-version-is-a-vast-improvement-season-2-1st-3-episodes-available-2023-12-15/958978/36 "2022-02-06T20:01:14Z")
> [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](#): > > He smirks too much. I never saw Reacher as a smirker. The actor isn’t really making me believe he has - what was it, 16 years? - experience as a top-notch MP. He says the lines, but I’m not feeling it. I’m not gonna let it put me off the show, though. I’ve watched worse. Yes, that’s it - I was trying to put a finger on some of the things bugging me about him. Overall I still don’t think he can act (we’re now through five episodes), but we’ll stick with the show. > [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > But I take your point. Still, I’m guessing the large majority of people who attended or saw the movie have not read the books. It grossed over $138 million. It grossed over $218 million internationally, with $80 million of that in the US, so they did indeed make good money on it. The sequel didn’t do as well, and while it still looks like it made money, it probably was a big enough drop to kill the potential franchise. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reacher-the-full-sized-version-is-a-vast-improvement-season-2-1st-3-episodes-available-2023-12-15/958978/37 "2022-02-06T20:10:30Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > The actor has absolutely _nailed_ the persona. Really? He seems kind of robotic to me. Maybe it’s intentional. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reacher-the-full-sized-version-is-a-vast-improvement-season-2-1st-3-episodes-available-2023-12-15/958978/38 "2022-02-06T20:33:39Z")
Where was the Lee Child cameo? It is difficult to watch a movie of a book you really like, because no matter how good the movie, it will be different than you imagined. This version got enough of the book stuff right for it not to interfere with my enjoyment. I also enjoyed the TC movies - especially the first one. The character just wasn’t Reacher. I haven’t read the earlier books in years, but in the last couple I read, he repeatedly commented that driving was the one thing he wasn’t great at. That bothered me about the movies. In this show, there still was more driving than I expected. Yeah, that final ep was pretty silly. Went on a little long. But I still enjoyed the show very much. ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reacher-the-full-sized-version-is-a-vast-improvement-season-2-1st-3-episodes-available-2023-12-15/958978/39 "2022-02-06T20:47:33Z")
Dinsdale, you’re right, Reacher is not a fan of driving and has no particular expertise, just a basic competence. There was more driving than one might expect, but I don’t recall any “fancy” driving. Am only up to episode 5, though. He also doesn’t like running and is very slow. Here he almost dodges bullets in a couple of scenes as he zips around. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reacher-the-full-sized-version-is-a-vast-improvement-season-2-1st-3-episodes-available-2023-12-15/958978/40 "2022-02-06T21:11:44Z")
Re: The Lee Child cameo. Was it the older guy in the diner at the end of the last episode? He bumped into Reacher, and the interaction seemed to have no importance or bearing on the story. I thought, “That’s a cameo, but I don’t know who it is.” My opinion of the actress playing Neagley improved. I didn’t notice a shifting accent after her first episode, and them dropping in bits from the books (don’t touch Neagley) made me like her more. Still seemed a little odd of a casting choice, but I guess international casting is a big thing now. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reacher-the-full-sized-version-is-a-vast-improvement-season-2-1st-3-episodes-available-2023-12-15/958978.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reacher-the-full-sized-version-is-a-vast-improvement-season-2-1st-3-episodes-available-2023-12-15/958978.md?page=3)