[Papa_lecki]

Originally Posted by JMintzer

Jack Ryan?

Yup - got Jack and John Kelly/John Clark confused.

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by Papa_lecki

Yup - got Jack and John Kelly/John Clark confused.

Wow everyone calls him Mr Clark. Nice your on a first name basis

[JP]

I know Tom Cruise is small(like 5'7" at best) but I still enjoyed him in the Reacher movies. I thought they were well written and entertaining. I haven't seen the new Reacher series but plan too. I liked most of the Lee Child Reacher books but have heard his brother is now writing the series and it is not as good. Haven't read any of these books yet but will give one a try soon.

[Worldseries27]

Originally Posted by helenegb

tom cruise as reacher was a joke. This guy is perfect.

if not for tom cruise are you certain this enjoyable series would have ever made it to your screens.
I for one have enjoyed his movies tremendously throughout his carrer.
Before the scientology rant starts can any person say they asked their airplane pilot and his crew what their personal belief systems or political views are before flying with them?

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by JP

I know Tom Cruise is small(like 5'7" at best) but I still enjoyed him in the Reacher movies. I thought they were well written and entertaining. I haven't seen the new Reacher series but plan too. I liked most of the Lee Child Reacher books but have heard his brother is now writing the series and it is not as good. Haven't read any of these books yet but will give one a try soon.

The last Jack Reacher book Better Off Dead is quite good. It does seem to be written for the most part by Lee Child's brother. All Jack Reacher Books - JackReacher.com

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by Taltarzac725

The last Jack Reacher book Better Off Dead is quite good. It does seem to be written for the most part by Lee Child's brother. All Jack Reacher Books - JackReacher.com

No idea who wrote what part but we both enjoyed it.

[bxmt54]

You beat us…we made it thru 5 episodes. We’ll finish up today!

[Albany]

Originally Posted by MandoMan

I watched all eight episodes the day it came out and thought it was pretty accurate. I taught Detective Fiction at a university for 25 years and published a couple books about it. I taught perhaps six Lee Child novels. I don’t consider him an especially good detective novelist, as the level of clever crime solving isn't high, but my students always liked his novels the best.

In the world of mystery novels, there are all sorts of gimmicks authors have to catch interest. For example, Sue Grafton and Sara Paretsky wrote great books with female hard-boiled detectives. One detective was a Rabbi. One was a caterer. There are endless cat detectives and dog detectives. Many detectives are alcoholics who have given up drinking. A number are gay. Ellis Peters wrote a couple dozen novels with a detective who was a monk in the 1130s, and there’s another series with a detective who is a nun in the early 1400s. I love the “Hap and Leonard” novels available on tv on Netflix. They are best friends, but one is a red neck good ol’ boy and the other is black and gay (played by the late Michael Williams from “The Wire”. The shows are excellent.

Jack Reacher is the loner who rides a bus into town, doesn’t talk much, ends injustice, then leaves. He is much more like the archetypal mythic hero than most detectives of the past few decades. He’s taller and stronger than most people. He wins nearly every fight. He’s smart but not complicated. He is “on the side of the angels,” to quote Raymond Chandler. He can’t be bought or sold. He stands for what is right, no matter what. He doesn’t kill unless he has to, but if he does, somehow he gets away with it. When he has done good, solved the problems, rescued the innocent and punished the wicked, he leaves on a bus for anywhere or hitchhikes. He’s all-American, but not jingoistic. He has spent most of his life on Army bases, usually overseas, so his knowledge of real America is somewhat limited, but now that he has retired, he is exploring small town America with its problems (often stemming from greed). He’s a retired Army Major and M.P. who did high level military criminal investigations.

Reacher reminds me a lot of the heroes found in some westerns. Utterly brave, seldom speaks, stands on the side of good and rescues those who are bullied. He reminds me a bit of some Clint Eastwood movies, or Alan Ladd in “Shane,” or sometimes Gary Cooper. I’m also reminded of Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer novels (though there are more differences than similarities) and of the Travis McGee novels.

If you are the sort who loves superhero movies where cities get wiped out by comic book villains, you may not like this series. It’s very quiet. There isn’t much talking. There isn’t much music, except old blues songs Reacher likes. This fits in well with who and what Reacher is. I loved the series, though I did notice one plot hole. One dead character has diamond-shaped depressed skull fractures. The mayor carries a walking stick with a diamond-shaped crystal door knob mounted on it. But that was never mentioned again. Oh well. I can forgive that. There are some intense fire fights and fires and explosions—it’s not all quiet. I like it that the good guys tend to manage one shot, one kill even when they are shooting automatic weapons.

I think the actor who plays Reacher is well cast. I’m looking forward to many more seasons.

Excellent analysis. The books make it clear on practically every page that Reacher is an enormous guy. He only carries a folding toothbrush, buys new clothes when the ones he has on are dirty, and I think this is a. riot, wears extremely expensive British walking shoes. They are probably custom made. This series is terrific.

[Pres1939]

Originally Posted by Luggage

I found the first 10 or 20 minutes boring. Wasn't the reacher in the book supposed to be like 100 pounds overweight?

No!! Former MP.

[MandoMan]

Originally Posted by Taltarzac725

Lee Child has a cameo in this as he did in at least one of the Tom Cruise starring movies.

I enjoy Tom Cruise movies and also was very entertained by his Jack Reacher films. Supposedly he is a very nice man in real life. Tom Cruise filmography - Wikipedia

Yes, Lee Child has a cameo eight minutes from the end, in the diner, saying “excuse me” or something as he makes his way around Reacher.

I enjoyed the Tom Cruise Reacher movies quite a bit, but lots of things were changed from the books for those movies, which I don’t like. Also, part of the essence of Reacher is his size, and Cruise couldn’t really pull that off. It’s part of everything Reacher does, and it is mentioned many times in the books. He’s physically intimidating, so he doesn’t have to get into fights as often. This new series gets it right.

[JMintzer]

Originally Posted by JP

I know Tom Cruise is small(like 5'7" at best) but I still enjoyed him in the Reacher movies. I thought they were well written and entertaining. I haven't seen the new Reacher series but plan too. I liked most of the Lee Child Reacher books but have heard his brother is now writing the series and it is not as good. Haven't read any of these books yet but will give one a try soon.

The only thing I really liked about the Cruise movies were Robert Duvall and Colbet Smulders...

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by JMintzer

The only thing I really liked about the Cruise movies were Robert Duvall and Colbet Smulders...

Those two were great as Reacher's helpers in his various tasks in each movie.

I am biased towards Tom Cruise though along with the same attitude towards a lot of actors and actresses.

[retiredguy123]

I just finished the season. It was very good.

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

I just finished the season. It was very good.

I will have to watch The Hunger Games: Catching Fire - Rotten Tomatoes to see what he looked like back then. I mean the actor, Alan Ritchson, who plays Jack Reacher in Reacher.

Alan Ritchson - Wikipedia

[spd2918]

My wife and I enjoyed episode 1 last night and we will continue to watch this series. It was well shot and acted, but far from perfect. I, too, see some Clint Eastwood in the lead character. He sounds and squints like Clint.

This is my take away (spoilers ahead):

1. The guy does not have to be 100% totally ripped. He would have to be in the gym 4 hours a day to look like that. It is not believable.

2. The police work is horrible. They arrest him for murder because he is tall and then put him in prison without formally charging him. Either of these things would result in a huge lawsuit. The lead investigator would never seek Reacher's help with a murder investigation. Zip tie cuffs are rarely uses and people are rarely cuffed in the front. Add to that the whole "local cops are idiots" trope. Its lazy writing.

3. Reacher is a better fighter than Muhammed Ali.

3. Reacher's specific conclusions with very little information. For example his conclusions about the detective. No one would assume the guy was quiting smoking or was separated given the information. A good investigator does not jump to conclusions but rather seeks more information and considers all options.

4. The bullying. We get the guy is tall. Does he have to belly bump people repeatedly? If we are supposed to respect the man for his other (superhuman) qualities, they why would he need to resort to flexing?

5. Mike Hammer and Jack Ryan were interesting because they were flawed and relatable. They were never presented as perfect and you could root for them. This main character was too much of a Superman; the best at everything he does.

Sorry for the rant. We did like the show, but wish it was more realistic.