Based on Lee Child’s seventh Jack Reacher novel, Persuader, Reacher season 3 introduces a new cast of characters, which is worrying for one reason…

Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher looks satisfied in Reacher

SUMMARY

 Reacher season 3 introduces new characters, raising concerns about maintaining the show’s successful dynamic.
 Season 3 follows the storyline of Persuader , with Reacher seeking revenge for his colleague’s death.
 The inclusion of a love interest for Reacher in season 3 is unnecessary and risks weakening the story and characters.

In line with the series’ formula, Amazon Prime Video’s Reacher season 3 is set to introduce a new cast of characters, which is worrisome for one big reason. Based on Lee Child’s seventh Jack Reacher novel, Persuader, the third outing will put Reacher (Alan Ritchson) in a familiar fish-out-of-water position.

After season 2’s heavy reliance on the former members of Reacher’s 110th Special Investigations Unit, that’s a huge relief. What worked so well about Reacher season 1 was the dynamic between Reacher and his new Margrave allies, Roscoe Conklin (Willa Fitzgerald) and Oscar Finlay (Malcolm Goodwin).

While the Reacher season 2 ending tied up all the loose ends in the ongoing plot against Reacher’s former unit, season 3 promises to take Reacher to the fictional town of Abbot, Maine.

If the source material is followed to a “T,” Reacher will wind up working for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in an unofficial capacity, revisiting the streets of Boston, and seeking revenge for the wrongful death of his former Army colleague, Dominique Kohl. Although Persuader provides a refreshing, exciting blueprint for Reacher season 3, the show must alter one key character’s role to succeed.

Reacher Season 3 Just Cast Reacher’s Next Love Interest

Ben Ritchson as Reacher and Willa Fitzgerald as Roscoe Conklin sitting next to each other in conversation
Ben Ritchson as Reacher in a romantic encounter with Serinda Swan's Karla Dixon in Reacher Serinda Swan as Dixon sitting on the bed of Ben Ritchson's Reacher A smiling Willa Fitzgerald as Roscoe Conklin looking at Ben Ritchson as Reacher Ben Ritchson as Reacher and Willa Fitzgerald as Roscoe Conklin sitting next to each other from behind

Already, Reacher season 3 has cast new characters, including seemingly corrupt businessman Zachary Beck and DEA agent Susan Duffy. While Anthony Michael Hall (Halloween Kills) will be playing the former, it’s the inclusion of Susan Duffy that’s giving viewers pause.

There’s no denying that Duffy actor Sonya Cassidy (Tudors) is incredibly well cast for the role, but Susan Duffy’s Persuader character presents a real dilemma for Reacher season 3. In series’ fashion, Agent Duffy becomes an ally-turned-love-interest for Jack Reacher. That approach might work in Child’s novels, but it’s already wearing thin in the TV show adaptation.

Ahead of its season 2 premiere, Reacher was renewed for a third outing.

In Persuader, the DEA agent does fill the Roscoe/Dixon role, thus slotting her into an incredibly familiar narrative framework. However, the casting news doesn’t just impact the viewers who are still holding out hope for Roscoe’s return in a future installment of Reacher — or even ex-110th member Karla Dixon’s (Serinda Swan) series’ future.

The one-note use of women characters, who aren’t Reacher‘s Frances Neagley (Maria Sten), is becoming something of a pattern for Amazon Prime Video’s Reacher. That said, Reacher season 3 has the opportunity to correct the course.

Why Reacher Shouldn’t Have A Love Interest In Season 3

Reacher looks troubled

In order to fix one of Reacher season 2’s biggest problems, Reacher season 3 needs to avoid a new love interest for its titular character. Although Persuader provides a solid framework for the latest season to pull from, Reacher has proven that mixing up Child’s stories, while remaining faithful to the Jack Reacher character, has the potential for success. That said, the book reveals Reacher season 3’s story will follow similar beats. Since the next chapter in Amazon Prime Video’s hit series will even feature DEA Agent Susan Duffy, it seems the show is intent on retaining Reacher’s flings.

As of December 2023, Reacher season 3 had already started filming.

However, just because the one-off love interest formula has worked well in the past doesn’t mean that Reacher needs a romantic entanglement in every future chapter of the show. Season 2’s use of Dixon in said role diminished her character.

Not only did Reacher and Roscoe have great chemistry in season 1, but their relationship built gradually. While viewers were told Dixon and Reacher had unrequited history, that telling didn’t amount to a compelling story. In order to break up the Reacher formula and strengthen both Ritchson’s character and others, season 3 needs to avoid the love interest plot.

Amazon’s Reacher Must Alter Duffy’s Season 3 Role

A battered and bruised Reacher talking to Neagley at the Bus Station in Reacher

Although Susan Duffy is one of the Reacher book characters who needs to appear in Amazon’s series, the show must alter her role. Duffy can still be a DEA agent who aids (and is aided by) Reacher, but their relationship should remain platonic.

The romantic twist that Duffy and Reacher’s dynamic takes in Persuader isn’t crucial to the narrative at hand. Said element isn’t even that important to their individual character arcs. Given that the Duffy alteration wouldn’t negatively impact Reacher season 3, the series should learn from its past outings and modify its narrow approach to women characters.