Alan Ritchson is in high demand these days, but even as he pops up in 2026 movie releases like War Machine and the dialogue-free Motor City, fans of the hit Prime Video series Reacher don’t have to worry. Jack Reacher’s adventures will continue for at least two more seasons, with the first of the new episodes premiering August 12. Reviews have dropped for Reacher Season 4, and I’m happy to report that Ritchson seems to have followed through on the big promise he made.
Alan Ritchson had said he wasn’t sure showrunner Nick Santora could top Season 3, but after seeing how different and unexpected the new story is — with Reacher uncovering a political conspiracy and getting, ahem, involved with the enemy — the actor called Season 4 “the best season we’ve ever made by a long shot.” Luckily for us, the critics seem to agree! Sherin Nicole of RogerEbert’s review reads:
Season 4 might be the best one yet. It has everything that launched Reacher into a monster hit: compelling cases, brutal high-octane action, three-dimensional characters with stakes, killer quips, and a lead who straddles the four quadrants like a deadpan yet sexy and highly skilled blend of Batman and the Punisher. (Someone call James Gunn and tell him his Bruce Wayne/Dark Knight is over on Prime Video.) Ritchson is not only an action hero, but he allows us to see past Reacher’s hardened shell to the traumas and compulsion to do good that rule him.
Alan Ritchson Batman rumors aside, Reacher Season 4 may not just be the best but also the bloodiest season, according to Raphael Motamayor of The Wrap. It’s also the funniest yet, with a timely political story that Motamayor says results in possibly the series' best twist to date. The critic writes:
After an incredible Season 3 that redeemed a lackluster sophomore run, Reacher is back with a fourth season that builds on what came before, while evolving the show and the character with new challenges, more commentary and also more humor. This is the bloodiest season of the show yet, as we swap constant gunfights for intense knifeplay that leaves a trail of blood behind. But it’s the political commentary that makes this season hit the hardest.
David Caballero of Collider rates it a 9 out of 10, writing that the most recent installment stays true to itself while delivering a product that’s “more muscular and unforgiving than ever.” Viewers will be cheering through gritted teeth, Caballero says in his Reacher Season 4 review:
Season 4 of Reacher continues the show's trend of delivering intriguing mysteries elevated by thrilling, aggressive action, showcasing Ritchson's impressive physicality while introducing a fantastic assortment of new characters. With its fourth chapter, Reacher goes full neo-noir, embracing the genre's fatalistic, gloomy approach while staying true to its action roots. The result is the show's bleakest, most furious, and most demanding season so far, a mystery thriller that will have audiences on edge — and, perhaps for the first time, genuinely worried about its lead character.
Ryan Britt of Men’s Journal says this is Jack Reacher’s most James Bond-like season yet, with its old-school, emotionally charged action and a story where the romance is so closely connected to the character’s motivation and possibly even his downfall. Britt continues:
More than any previous season, it’s the small things that make Reacher Season 4 so compelling. Like any good character-focused adventure story, there are certain things you want Reacher to do next, and you’re just waiting for it to happen. But the ways this season subverts those expectations is surprising. And the real mystery at the center of Reacher Season 4, is how a show with so many well-known types of tropes, manages to thrill us, and make us cheer, every time.
Craig Elvy of ScreenRant gives Reacher Season 4 an 8 out of 10, noting that the action this season shifts into a higher gear than before. The critic lists “artful driving stunts, nail-biting aerial work, and a greater focus on blades,” as the series offers set pieces that audiences haven’t seen anywhere else (which is saying quite a lot). Elvy writes:
This year's eight-round bout contains a generous handful of moments that'll have you hitting the 'rewind 10' button just to check what you think you saw did actually happen. We assure you, it did. Reacher season 4 is packed with outrageous near-comical violence that just about stays on the right side of ridiculousness. Three seasons of Reacher's heavy-handed antics haven't prepared viewers for what they're about to witness at the bowling alley, or in the library, or down the stairwell.
It’s hard to argue with the above reviews, and few critics are. Reacher Season 4 started with a 100% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes from 11 reviews but has since dropped to 87% as more opinions are gathered. Either way, if you’re even remotely invested in Reacher, you’ll definitely want to check out what Alan Ritchson called “the best season.”
The first three episodes of Reacher Season 4 drop Wednesday, August 12, on the 2026 TV schedule and can be streamed with a Prime Video subscription. New episodes drop weekly on Wednesdays thereafter.
