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Neagley is set to break a major Reacher tradition.
Based on the book series by Lee Child, Reacher has become one of Prime Video's most popular shows. The world of the series is now about to expand with the upcoming Neagley spinoff show, which puts Maria Sten's Frances Neagley front and center as she works to unravel a dangerous mystery.
In an interview with EW, showrunners Nick Santora and Nick Wootton share more about what's to come in Neagley, revealing that it will depart from one core element of Reacher. While Reacher features a new supporting cast and location for each season, the spinoff keeps its feet more or less firmly planted in one locale and will introduce a set of supporting characters who will return for any subsequent seasons. Check out Santora's comment below:
Well, I would say that the thing that was most fundamentally different was that we had to put a team and a world around her that was not gonna change each season. With Reacher, you have to create a world—be it Margrave, Georgia in season 1, a small town in Maine in season 3 — but it’s all temporary. It’s gonna blow away at the end of the season, including the great characters that Reacher befriends each season. [For Neagley] we had to think of a world and characters that would be beloved enough that audiences would wanna see them season after season after season, because Neagley is not a wanderlust like her pal Reacher. That was probably the biggest fundamental difference.
In addition to a more permanent group of supporting players, Neagley will also differ from Reacher in terms of how it explores its main character. Part of the original show's charm is that Alan Ritchson's Jack Reacher lacks depth, but Santora says the spinoff handles Sten's protagonist a little differently:
And the other was having a character where you really dove into what made her tick. What makes Reacher tick is gears and springs, and that’s about it. He’s not deep psychologically, that’s why people like him. He’s just a guy who wants to eat sandwiches and punch, and Neagley is much deeper than that.
Presently, Neagley season 2 has not been confirmed. Clearly, though, Santora and Wootton are laying the groundwork for a spinoff that could run for multiple seasons. Reacher is gearing up for season 4, which premieres on Prime Video on August 16, and it's entirely possible that Neagley could enjoy a similarly long run.
That being said, whether Neagley goes on to have a similar level of success to Reacher depends on a variety of factors. Viewership will be the big one. Reacher has consistently been a major viewership hit for Prime Video, with Ritchson's take on Child's hulking action hero clearly resonating with viewers.
Reacher season 3 recently became the most-watched returning season for a show in Prime Video history, with 54.6 million views across its first 19 days. Neagley is unlikely to see these kinds of numbers given its status as a spinoff and the lack of Child's source material, but it could still be a big hit.
Working in the spinoff's favor is the fact that Ritchson himself does feature in it in some capacity. Aside from Sten and Ritchson, the Neagley cast also includes Greyston Holt, John Bregar, Lars A. Melby, Rebecca Liddiard, and Ema Ines.
Reacher enjoys a 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, meaning it has set a high bar for Neagley. The flagship show is now also confirmed to return for season 5. While many questions remain about the spinoff and whether it can succeed, it's clear that the world of Reacher isn't going away anytime soon.
Neagley is scheduled to premiere on Prime Video on September 16.
