Neagley is undoubtedly an incredible addition to Reacher’s roster, but her return in the Amazon show’s season 3 could potentially create some issues.

SUMMARY

 Neagley’s return in Reacher season 3 may pose a story problem due to her recurring role in previous seasons.
 Reacher’s self-sufficiency may be compromised if he continually relies on Neagley for assistance in his crime-solving endeavors.
 Neagley’s intelligence, dynamic with Reacher, and potential spin-off suggest she deserves her own show rather than being a recurring character in Reacher season 3.

As exciting as Neagley’s potential Reacher season 3 return may seem, it could create a worrying story problem. Set precisely two years and seven months after Jack Reacher departs from Margrave in Reacher season 1’s ending, the Amazon show’s season 2 attempts to bring some significant changes to its predecessor’s formula.

Instead of throwing its titular character into another quaint town and surrounding him with strangers, Reacher season 2 unfolds in New York, where the Alan Ritchson character joins forces with his former team members from the U.S. Army’s 110th MP Special Investigations Unit.

These changes in Reacher season 2 not only allow it to expand the scale of its action and drama but also raise the stakes for its main characters. After being briefly introduced in season 1, Neagley, too, becomes one of the main characters in Reacher season 2, positioning herself as a crucial ally who gets Reacher involved in the central mission.

However, even though Neagley’s investigative prowess and dynamic with Reacher in season 2 makes the show’s storyline more compelling, her return in season 3 may not have a similar impact.

Reacher’s Premise Means He Can’t Keep Calling Neagley For Backup

Neagley’s recurring season 1 and 2 appearances means she cannot be in season 3

In Reacher season 1, when the titular character finds himself and his allies, Roscoe and Finlay, being outnumbered by the enemies, he reaches out to Neagley for help. Reacher season 2 features another reunion between the two characters when Neagley seeks Jack Reacher’s help.

Both seasons have now established that Reacher and Neagley together are a force to be reckoned with. The ending moments of Reacher season 2 even set up Neagley’s return after Reacher agrees that the members of the 110th are like his family. However, featuring Neagley alongside Reacher in every season is a double-edged sword.

Reacher Season 3 Must Drop 1 Recurring Trope To Fix A Toxic Character Trait

Considering how the Lee Child books and the Amazon show have portrayed Reacher as a self-sufficient loner who only asks for help when necessary, Neagley cannot keep showing up every time Reacher is in one of his crime-solving endeavors.

Although Reacher season 1’s ending arc and season 2’s entire storyline established that Reacher and Roscoe share an incredible platonic relationship and have a strong bond of trust and camaraderie, Neagley’s recurring appearance risks making the show too distinct from its source material. She has undoubtedly been a great addition to the show’s cast, but her return in season 3 creates several problems.

Neagley’s Presence Dilutes Reacher’s Self-Sufficiency

Reacher seems less like the show’s main character when Neagley around

Jack Reacher is typically portrayed as a fiercely independent character, who can single-handedly take down several enemies without breaking a sweat. Reacher season 1 made this quite evident in the prison fight scene, where Reacher duked it out with several inmates and walked out of the brawl without a scratch.

If Reacher frequently relies on Neagley for assistance, especially in the face of danger, he might eventually appear relatively less intimidating than how season 1 portrayed him.

With Neagley by his side, Reacher barely has to deal with the thinking part of his missions and merely comes off as the “muscle.”

Even when it comes to procedural investigative work, Reacher has been portrayed as an astute detective. His methods may sometimes be a little too unconventional and aggressive, but Reacher season 1 establishes him as a combination of both brain and brawn.

However, as seen in season 2, Neagley is a level above Reacher in intelligence, making her a great addition to the Amazon series’ roster. Her intellect is also a source of one hilarious recurring gag where Reacher keeps asking her, “I ever tell you you’re smart, Neagley?”

However, with Neagley by his side, Reacher barely has to deal with the thinking part of his missions and merely comes off as the “muscle.” This detracts him from being the solitary figure he was originally supposed to be.

Since Neagley is a crucial figure from Reacher’s past, her presence always adds more depth to his overarching characterization. Unfortunately, at the same time, pairing the two characters also undermines Reacher’s individuality and lone-wolf appeal.

Neagley Deserves Her Own Spinoff More Than A Reacher Season 3 Return

Reacher seasons 1 and 2 have laid the foundation for a Neagley spin-off

Since Reacher season 2 has already established that Neagley works as a private investigator and is not always taking up investigation jobs to rake in more money, she deserves her own separate show where, like Reacher, she solves crime because of her strong sense of justice.

In several season 2 scenes, she also proves to be sharper than Reacher and even goes toe to toe in fistfights with several formidable opponents. All these moments only affirm that she should get her own spinoff instead of being featured as Reacher season 3’s recurring secondary protagonist.