Reacher EP Says "Wildfire" Success of Series Lead to Quick Season Two Renewal
Amazon's Reacher may have just debuted on February 4th, but the Alan Ritchson starring series has already been renewed for a second season and in record time with that renewal coming just three days after Prime Video launched the Lee Child adaptation. According to Reacher showrunner Nick Santora, the reason for that rapid renewal is pretty simple: the show's "wildfire" success. Speaking with TV Line, Santora said that while he doesn't know the exact numbers, he was told the show was doing incredibly well.
"I haven't learned anything yet, but the term 'spreading like wildfire' was used," Santora said. "I don't know how to qualify 'wildfire,' but… the show is just doing incredibly well."
Santora also said that he doesn't think that anyone initially expected the show would get renewed for a second season so quickly, so now he's got to get back to work.
"I don't think that anyone suspected — I know I didn't — for us to get a second season so quickly," Santora said. "And I'm not to question it, that's for sure! It means I get to work with our writers and start cranking out more scripts."
Reacher is based on the Jack Reacher novels written by author Lee Childs and stars Ritchson as Jack Reacher, a former military police investigator who returns to civilian life. However, Reacher finds himself framed for a crime he didn't commit and has to work to clear his name while also uncovering a secret conspiracy. The first season of the series is based on Killing Floor, the first of Child's Jack Reacher books. In addition to Ritchson the series stars Malcolm Goodwin (iZombie) as Oscar Finlay, Willa Fitzgerald (The Goldfinch) as Roscoe Conklin, Chris Webster (Most Dangerous Game) as KJ, Hugh Thompson (Blessed Stranger: After Flight 111) as Baker, Maria Sten (Swamp Thing) as Frances Neagley, Harvey Guillén (What We Do in the Shadows) as Jasper, Kristin Kreuk (Smallville) as Charlie, Currie Graham (Murder in the First) as Kliner Sr., Marc Bendavid (Dark Matter) as Hubble, Willie C. Carpenter (Devious Maids) as Mosley, Maxwell Jenkins (Lost in Space) as Young Reacher, and Bruce McGill (My Cousin Vinny) as Mayor Teale.
"I think the show was received well because Lee Child created an incredible character," Santora said. "Jack Reacher is beyond unique He's very different from any other literary character that's out there, and hopefully now people think that he's different from other characters on television."
The first season of Reacher is now streaming on Prime Video.