A wisecrack Reacher makes about Hollywood filmmaking explains the sheer amount of action clichés on the show. The Lee Child Jack Reacher books are a unique fusion of intelligent mysteries and pulpy action. This is best seen with the main character himself, who reads like the love child of Jessica Fletcher and Dolph Lundgren. Reacher season 3 adapts the seventh novel, Persuader, where Alan Ritchson’s anti-hero gets to flex his brain and brawn in equal measure.

The flashback structure employed by the first two seasons has been absent for the third series, up until episode 4, “Dominique.” This sees Reacher recounting his friendship with Sergeant Kohl (Mariah Robinson) and their investigation into corrupt military intelligence officer Quinn (Brian Tee). Quinn’s horrific killing of Kohl is what sets Reacher on his revenge mission in season 3, with Quinn having miraculously survived Reacher shooting him in the head years before.

“They Work”: How Reacher Season 3 Explains Away The Show’s Use Of Action Genre Tropes

It could be argued that Hollywood is ripping off Reacher himself

Much of “Dominique” is devoted to the friendship that Reacher forms with Kohl, including an early stakeout scene in a park. This is where they observe a military officer dropping classified documents inside a newspaper – something that Kohl feels is a spy film cliché. To this, Reacher states, matter-of-factly, “There’s a reason Hollywood copies some things. They work.” With this, Reacher handwaves away any complaints viewers might have about how over-the-top or cliche the show might get.

… it feels like Reacher’s presence alone turns everything into an action movie.

Previous seasons have seen Reacher – a drifter former soldier who is built like a tank despite NEVER exercising – perform outlandish feats. He once kicked a car so hard it activated the airbag inside, or held onto a stretcher dangling from the back of a helicopter with one arm. On the surface, the show appears to be set in the real world, but it feels like Reacher’s presence alone turns everything into an action movie.

He can punch, shoot and think his way out of seemingly impossible scenarios, and shrug off little things like being stabbed or taking multiple crowbar blows to the head. With Reacher’s Hollywood comment, the show is making a meta-gag about its own reliance on action tropes, and that no matter how “trite” they are, there’s a reason they reappear again and again.

Reacher Uses Action Genre Tropes A Lot, But Does Them Well

Does anybody really want a more grounded version of Reacher?

Image via Prime Video

Reacher sets itself apart from the typical crime procedural because it has a muscle-bound action hero at its center; this is a feature, not a bug. The books and their live-action adaptations know the heightened elements are the draw. Audiences want to follow a character who can outfight, outshoot and outthink every opponent, and who always has the perfect cutting quip. Every season has seen Reacher seeking revenge for the murders of friends or family, where he always seems to be in the right place at the right time. There is always a final showdown with the main villain, and despite leaving trails of bodies in his wake every season, Reacher is never wanted by the authorities; of course, each season gives him a hot new love interest too. Reacher is a series that warmly embraces action clichés, and asks audiences to go along on the ride. It helps that these tropes are (usually) well deployed, and add spice to what, once again, could be a bog-standard detective procdural.