Alan Ritchson‘s upcoming sitcom revival is perfect for fans of the actor and his acclaimed action series Reacher alike, and it should highlight a new side of him that some fans have never seen before. Reacher is one of Alan Ritchson’s best TV shows, and it’s gained him quite a bit of notoriety recently. With Reacher season 3 on its way and more mysteries and fights for Ritchson to get into, it’s easy to think of him as just a simple – yet incredible – action star. Ritchson’s acting career has been much more diverse than that, however, and one of his upcoming projects should prove it.

Alan Ritchson has a huge slate of upcoming movies and shows on the horizon. From Ritchson’s collaboration with Arnold Schwarzenegger to brand-new, original films and series, the actor will have quite a bit to do for the next few years. Reacher has truly catapulted Ritchson into stardom, and his busy schedule is proof of that. One of his upcoming shows isn’t a new project, however, but actually a revival of one of his earliest roles. That’s not the only reason it’s such an interesting entry to Ritchson’s list of upcoming projects, however, as it’s also a cult-classic raunchy comedy that perfectly flips Reacher on its head.

Alan Ritchson’s Returning Sitcom Explained

Ritchson Starred In Blue Mountain State As Thad Castle For 3 Seasons & A Movie

Long before he started playing the titular Jack Reacher, Alan Ritchson had his big acting break in Blue Mountain State, where he played Thad Castle. Blue Mountain State is a raunchy sitcom that follows a college football team and their struggle to balance wins on the field with wins at the frat house, women, and partying. Ritchson’s character, Thad, was the stereotypical meathead linebacker of the show, and he delighted in hazing the younger, smaller freshmen players on the team. Now, 13 years after Blue Mountain State ended – and nine years after the movie subtitled The Rise of Thadland – Ritchson is returning to the role of Thad Castle.

During a promotional event for Reacher season 3, Alan Ritchson confirmed Blue Mountain State season 4 is in development, over 13 years after the show ended. Blue Mountain State season 4 will be produced by Amazon and Prime Video, though there isn’t a set release date yet, as Ritchson said they’re trying to fit it into his busy filming schedule. Blue Mountain State became a cult-classic sitcom, partly for its excessively raunchy and often outright offensive jokes (via The Athletic). As such, the news was met with quite a bit of excitement from fans of the show, but fans of Alan Ritchson should also be excited.

Alan Ritchson’s Sitcom Will Be A Reminder He’s More Than An Action Star

Ritchson Is Now Known For Action, But He’s Proven Excellent At Comedy & Drama Too

Custom Image by Yeider Chacon

Since he first took on the role of Jack Reacher in 2022, Alan Ritchson has mostly been known for action roles. Reacher, of course, helped him soar to widespread fame, but he also starred in several notable action projects like Fast X, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, and Titans. Now that Blue Mountain State is being revived, however, newer fans of Ritchson will get a chance to see that he’s much more than a simple action star. Ritchson was absolutely hilarious as Thad Castle, and the role proved he can do a lot more than punch or shoot bad guys.

Blue Mountain State is available to stream on Netflix, Prime Video, Fubo, The Roku Channel, and more.

Thad was, in many ways, the exact opposite of Jack Reacher, and he highlighted just how much range Alan Ritchson has. Thad was crass, stupid, mean, and above all, endlessly funny. Reacher, on the other hands, is serious, highly intelligent, good, and, though he does like sarcastic comments, often very stoic. Thad and Reacher were two opposite ends of the acting spectrum, and taken together, they show that Alan Ritchson can handle anything between them. The proof is his 2024 movie Ordinary Angels, which highlighted how good he was in pure dramas. Now that Blue Mountain State is coming back, Alan Ritchson can wow audiences yet again.