The Big Man is back! Amazon Prime Video’s hitReacheris back with an action-packed third season that might just be the best so far.Alan Ritchsonreprises his role as Jack Reacher, a former US Military policeman and self-described hobo who travels across the USA, often getting involved in dangerous missions. Season 3 is based onLee Childs' novelPersuaderand sees Reacher infiltrating a criminal enterprise after unexpectedly coming across an enemy from his past whom he thought long dead.
Like the two previous seasons,Reacher’s third effort features a new cast of characters that both help and oppose Reacher. From mysterious businessmen to hulking and violent bodyguards,ReacherSeason 3 has its fair share of interesting characters, but who is the best?This list will rank the best characters fromReacher’s third seasonbased on their personality, roles in the story, and how they measure against previous players in this thrilling world.
When retired Military Police Officer Jack Reacher is arrested for a murder he did not commit, he finds himself in the middle of a deadly conspiracy full of dirty cops, shady businessmen and scheming politicians. With nothing but his wits, he must figure out what is happening in Margrave, Georgia. The first season of Reacher is based on the international bestseller The Killing Floor by Lee Child.
10Xavier Quinn/Julius McCabe
Played by Brian Tee
Every great action story needs a villain, and in Season 3 ofReacher, it’s Xavier Quinn (Brian Tee). The character is an old enemy of Reacher and the man who killed his former protegé, Dominique Kohl (Mariah Robinson). The show has kept most of his personality vague, but based on how much Reacher hates him, it’s safe to say this character isn’t one to take lightly.
Reacher’s villains are among the best parts of the show; one just can’t help but hate them, and the actors playing them revel in bringing to life such nasty bastards. Quinn seems to be no different, and Tee is indeed making himcunning, manipulative, and suitably imposing. Quinn’s showdown with Reacher will surely be a thing of beauty, but for the time being, he ranks last on this list because thereisn’t much to him other than being a stereotypically bad guy.
9Paul “Paulie” van Hoven
Played by Olivier Richters
One of the funniest and most consistent running gags inReacheris the title character’s sheer size. Reacher is a hulking giant, a mountain of pure muscle who towers over pretty much everyone. He’s been compared to everything from a monster to a fridge, with Neagley stating that the last time she saw someone bigger was in Mt. Rushmore.
However, Reacher seems to have finally met his match, as Season 3 introduces Paul “Paulie” van Hoven (Olivier Richters), Zachary Beck’s (Anthony Michael Hall) bodyguard and Quinn’s enforcer. Described as a psychopath, Paulie is a brute who immediately picks a rivalry with Reacher. There isn’t much to his characterization—he isthere to be an obstacle for Reacher, literally. However, that’s all he needs to do, and Richters does it perfectly. The Dutch actor and bodybuilder stands at a pertifying 7'2'', making him perhapsthe biggest physical foe Reacher has ever faced. That alone earns him a spot on this list.
8Zachary Beck
Played by Anthony Michael Hall
Speaking of Zachary Beck,ReacherSeason 3 features this ambitious but ultimately out-of-his-depth businessman as less of a villain and more of an antagonist. Beck tooted his own horn a bit too loudly and attracted the attention of some unsavory figures, resulting in him becoming a hostage in his own home and losing control of his business.
The casting ofBrat Pack alum Anthony Michael Hallmakes this character a lot more exciting, though. Many might’ve assumed he’d be the main bad guy, kind of like howRobert Patrick, another ’80s icon, was in Season 2. However, Beck is a more complicated character, and Hall is doing a fine job bringing him to life. He’s especially interesting whenever he shares a scene with his son, Richard (Johnny Berchtold), although his evolving relationship with Reacher is also a highlight of the show so far.
7Steven Elliot
Played by Daniel David Stewart
This time, Reacher is collaborating with a team of DEA agents who are interested in Beck’s criminal empire. The youngest and most unassuming member of the team is Steven Elliot (Daniel David Stewart), whose previous mistakes provoked some complications for his team.
Steven is a good guy, but it’s often clear that he might be out of his depth. He’s still inexperienced and takes a lot of things for granted, meaning he misses many details—and asReacherfans know, in an investigation, details matter. Steven remains a periphery character, buthis modesty is kind of charming and much-needed, especially in a show as cynical as this one.Things might not end well for this guy, especially becauseReacherisn’t shy to show how dangerous this business is.
6Guillermo Villanueva
Played by Roberto Montesinos
Villanueva (Roberto Montesinos) is one of the three DEA agents Reacher is working with. An old friend of Susan Duffy (Sonya Cassidy), Villanueva is loyal to her and willing to risk everything to help her crack this case. He is usually by her side, whether that means breaking into a car pawn shop or helping her fake a kidnapping.
Unlike Duffy, Villanuevaisn’t exactly a fan of Reacher’s methods. He’s very obviously uncomfortable with how easy it is for Reacher to kill those in his way, and the increasingly dangerous and somewhat illegal operation they’re running doesn’t sit well with him. Still,Villanueva is loyal to a fault, which might spell a tragic ending for him before the season ends.
5Dominique Kohl
Played by Mariah Robinson
Dominique Kohl is Reacher’s former protege, with whom he worked in a case against Xavier Quinn. The two form a deep bond based on mutual respect, with Reacher allowing her to apprehend Quinn and take the credit. However, Quinn overpowers and tortures her to get information. She reveals nothing, and he eventually kills her, prompting Reacher to kill him in return—or so he thinks.
Despite only appearing in one episode, Kohl isone of the best charactersand a large reason whySeason 3 ofReacherreceived such praise. She is brave, dutiful, loyal, and as sharp as Reacher himself. Her relationship with him is believable and surprisingly sweet, whichmakes her eventual death all the more heartbreaking. The show needed a strong enough catalyst to justify Reacher’s hatred for Quinn, and Kohl provides it. The loss of such a promising and committed young woman is significant, making it easy to sympathize with Reacher’s struggle to avenge her.
4Susan Duffy
Played by Sonya Cassidy
Susan Duffy is a DEA agent looking to take down Beck’s criminal empire. She has a personal stake in the mission, as she previously forced a young woman and recovering addict, Teresa, to go undercover in Beck’s business to gather intel. However, Teresa disappears, sending Duffy on a path of redemption as she desperately tries to locate her and dismantle the operation.
Duffy isone of the best female characters inReacher. Although she represents the law, she isn’t afraid to bend it for the greater good, making her similar to Reacher. She is single-minded in her pursuit of Beck, and once she discovers Quinn’s existence, he becomes her main target. Duffy ishaunted by her past mistakes; she’s flawed and perhaps too intense, but that onlymakes her more relatable. The show hints ata romantic fling with Reacherin the future, too, adding yet another layer to her characterization.
3Richard Beck
Played by Johnny Berchtold
Young Richard Beck might be the most interesting character inReacherSeason 3. An overly sheltered and somewhat shy college student, Richard holds trauma from a kidnapping incident where he lost his ear. Richard develops a close relationship with Reacher, who starts as his bodyguard after apparently saving him from another attempted kidnapping.
Richard is essentiallythe audience surrogate for this season; he’s someone who is outside of this criminal, ass-kicking world and struggles to keep up with things he doesn’t really understand. Berchtold’s performance is quite good, too, because hecaptures the character’s unassuming approachwithout making him seem entirely weak or unimpressive. Richard is also a nice contrast to Reacher, allowing him to show a softer side to his usual stoic persona.
2Frances Neagley
Played by Maria Sten
This entry might seem a little bit like cheating, considering Neagley (Maria Sten) hasbarely done anything this season. Indeed, whereas she played an active role in Season 1 and was directly involved in the plot in Season 2, Season 3 has mainly featured her through phone conversations with Reacher, meaning she seems to be sitting this one out.
However, fans of the show have already grown to love this character. Indeed,Neagley is so popular that she’s getting a spin-offshow, which is currently in production. So far, Neagley has only appeared a handful of times in Season 3, but they’ve been enough toremind everyone why they, and Reacher himself, love her. Her more passive role isn’t bound to last either, and she’ll certainly jump into action during Reacher’s showdown with Quinn.
1Jack Reacher
Played by Alan Ritchson
Of course, the Big Man was going to be number one on this list. By now,Alan Ritchson is very at home in the roleof Reacher, and he keeps proving why he’s the only choice to do him justice. Season 3 reveals yet another side of Reacher’s past, adding a personal layer to his story through the tragic tale of Dominique Kohl.
Ritchson is at the top of his game, keeping Reacher the massive beast he’s always been but showinga more relatable and mentor-like sideto his persona through his dynamic with both Richard and Dominique. Unlike other seasons, he is very much on his own this time, but he’s more than enough to support the action and thrills expected from the series.Reacheris all about the main character, and Ritchson makes a meal of every episode, proving whyhe’s the absolute best character in this thrilling and addictive show.
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