Alan Ritchson has been brilliant in , but the upcoming spin-off already seems to have a massive advantage over the parent series because of its main character. Given how the Neagley spin-off show is not backed by an original book series, it will have the freedom to take its story in myriad directions. Unlike the parent series, it will not carry the pressure of pleasing viewers familiar with Lee Child's Jack Reacher books. However, this could be both beneficial and risky for the upcoming Prime Video detective series.

Creative freedom could make the spin-off a compelling addition to the Reacher franchise. At the same time, being too different from the Lee Child books and the Reacher show could potentially alienate viewers who were drawn to the main series' appeal. Only time will tell how the Neagley spin-off will turn out. However, from the looks of it, it already seems to have one significant advantage over the Alan Ritchson show, especially because of its titular main character.

Jack Reacher is easily one of the most admirable characters on television because of his dry humor, nonchalant attitude, and stoic demeanor. Even the fact that he proudly calls himself a hobo and prefers embracing the open road instead of settling down makes him even more appealing. However, it is hard not to see how he embodies a character archetype that has existed almost since the inception of storytelling. In more ways than one,.

He may have a few unique traits. However, many characters like him have been seen in several other crime thrillers and action movies and shows, like the Dollars trilogy, Rebel Ridge, The Lone Ranger, Django Unchained, and even Mad Max. Even anime characters, like Jotaro Kujo from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders and Guts from Berserk, have similar portrayals of the trope. Owing to this, even though Alan Ritchson's portrayal of Jack Reacher is fun to watch, it is hard not to agree that the character is not breaking any new ground.

, which makes him stand out among all the other iterations of the same archetype. However, since the character is more of an iteration than a reinvention, his stories have some level of predictability and narrative safety. Reacher works as a show and book series because the character trope it revolves around has proven to be a successful driver of many movies, shows, and stories in the past.

Like Jack Reacher, Frances Neagley, too, has an air of mystery surrounding her characterization. She can also appear cold and stoic at times, often coming off as a mirror image of the Alan Ritchson character. However, beyond these surface-level similarities, Neagley seems significantly different. For instance, as her action sequence in Reacher season 3 established, .

Unlike Reacher, who is a straightforward and simple man, Neagley is also full of contradictions. She might seem stoic but ends up showing extreme vulnerability in some moments. Case in point: she falls to her knees and holds Russo's hand before he dies in Reacher season 2. Hinted details surrounding her past, including her cereal obsession and haphephobia (fear of being touched), add many layers to her, making her spin-off less predictable.

Given the Neagley spin-off is a subset of the overarching Jack Reacher stories, it will likely try to recreate the parent series' storytelling formula. However, considering how different Reacher and Neagley are as characters,. The series will likely take time to find its own feet, but it looks like it will bring a breath of fresh air to the franchise, which is exactly what Prime Video's seemingly needs after three seasons.