Warning: Major spoilers for Reacher season 3, episode 7 “L.A. Story"The latest episode ofReacherhas given a taste of how the upcomingNeagleyspinoff will be different. Outside of the big guy himself,Neagley is one of the main recurring characters from theLee ChildJack Reacherbooks. Even then, she’s only appeared in about five of the novels. Amazon’sReacherhas made Neagley a much bigger part of the franchise, with Maria Sten’s P.I. having appeared in every season thus far. Even thoughNeagley didn’t appear inReacherseason 3’s novelPersuader, she has been given a prominent supporting role regardless.
She’s proven so popular thatSten will front anupcomingNeagleyspinoff, with Ritchson’s Reacher set to make a guest appearance. Plot details are sparse, though the logline involves Neagley investigating the suspicious death of a friend. The new season ofReacherhas largely kept Neagley and Reacher separate, but her scenes have given a taste of what her solo show might look like. In general, she’s more tech-savvy than her hulking counterpart, and her combat style is based around firearms.
If You Want A Taste Of Neagley’s Spinoff, Watch This Reacher Season 3 Scene
While only time will tell how the Neagley series will turn out, one Reacher season 3 gives a glimpse into all the potential the Reacher spinoff holds.
Reacher doesn’t even own a phone!
Image via Prime Video
The Reacher from Child’s novels is almost monk-like in his relationship to technology. He avoids technology as much as possible and refuses to get a cellphone. Ritchson’s version is atadmore open-minded, but there is a sense he’d never look at a computer unless he absolutely had to. The opening ofReacher’s"L.A. Story” underlines how Neagley’s spinoff will differ, with Sten’s private investigator threatening the man who sent assassins after her in the previous episode.
When she confronts him in broad daylight outside his home, he doesn’t buy that Neagley will actually harm him. Neagley counters that she’s created a computer program that makes it look like she’s online shopping at that exact moment, so she could easily shoot him in the head and walk away with zero consequences. Reacher, of course, could never even dream of such a threat, butNeagley’s understanding of modern tech and how to use it in her cases will really separate her show fromReacher.
Maria Sten is also a writer, and both wrote and acted as story editor on the TV seriesBig Sky.
Neagley is also, for lack of a better term, a big nerd and has been seen online gaming in previous seasons as part of a case.Neagley has none of Reacher’s hangups about using computers, and unlike her best friend, she has a home base in Chicago. Neagley will likely retain the mix of action, mystery, and humor of its parent show, but she’s a much different character.
Neagley should be delivering fewer punches than Reacher
Reacher might be a great thinker, but he does tend to punch his way out of trouble too. Considering he’s built like an action hero from the 1980s, this comes naturally, but pretty much everyone else he encounters is just a regular old human being. This includes Neagley, and a key action sequence from season 3’s sixth episode shows her approach to taking on multiple killers.When she realizes two assassins have entered her office, Neagley uses a mix of stealth, misdirection - such as remotely turning on a printer - and good old marksmanshipto solve the problem.
Bad Luck and Trouble(2007)
Reacher: Season 3(2025)
Persuader(2003)
Considering this setpiece takes place in a sleek, high-tech office, this already sets up a mission statement forNeagley. Her show will be based in Chicago and will feature a protagonist who is more modern and computer-savvy. Presumably,the show will shed more light on Neagley’s life outside the 110th, including her relationship with her fatherand the friends she has in the city.
It’s A Good Thing That Neagley’s Spinoff Will Have A Different Tone Compared To Reacher’s Show
The two shows must set themselves apart
Fans ofReacherwill be very familiar with Sten’s Neagley by this point, but it’s vital her show stands on its own. The spinoff can have all the action and gags it wants, but if it just feels like a lesser version ofReacher, it won’t survive beyond a single season. Neagley is a great character and this offshoot is a unique opportunity to explore her outside her relationship with Reacher. Boththe books and the series have hinted at so many things about her - including her aromantic nature - thatNeagleynow has the chance to explore properly.
Reacher’sseason 3 subplot almost feels like an extended teaser for how the character will function in her own series, and assuming it has a good story and interesting new characters, the spinoff might just work. Of course, it will help that Ritchson appears locked in for a cameo as Reacher. How he’ll figure into the plot is another question, but hopefully, it’s a case ofReacheradding a little spice, instead of viewers being so bored by theNeagleyspinoff they’re just waiting for him to turn up.
Reacher - Season 3
Based on Lee Child’s novel ‘Persuader,’ Season 3 finds Reacher tangled up in a DEA investigation of an import business owned by Zachary Beck. As is often the case, Reacher has a personal stake in the investigation, when he realizes someone he investigated years ago for a crime during his time in the Army has resurfaced in connection to Beck’s operation. To unravel what’s happening in Beck’s business, the DEA collaborates with Reacher and attempts to send him in undercover to help rescue another undercover DEA informant and put a stop to Beck’s business practices.
Reacher
Cast
Reacher follows Jack Reacher, a former military police investigator, as he navigates civilian life. Without a phone and carrying minimal belongings, Reacher drifts across the country, experiencing the nation he once served, and encounters intriguing challenges along the way.
