Chris Pratt's James Reece finally has a new mission. After a four-year wait that had fans counting down the days, The Terminal List returned to Prime Video on October 21, joining the 2026 TV schedule with all eight episodes of Season 2. Judging by the first wave of reactions, the show has also brought back something else from its 2022 debut: critics and viewers disagreeing about whether it's any good.
The second season currently sits at 57% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on seven critic reviews as of October 22. Meanwhile, its Popcornmeter is at 86%, although fewer than 50 audience ratings have been counted. That's a 29-point gap, and we need to talk about it.
What Critics And Fans Are Saying
For anyone who needs a refresher, the new season adapts True Believer, the second novel in Jack Carr's series about James Reece. Chris Pratt's character is on the run after Season 1, and his latest adventure pulls him into a much bigger international conspiracy. Constance Wu returns as journalist Katie Buranek, while Tom Hopper, Gabriel Luna, and Luke Hemsworth also join the action.
It shifts from the personal revenge story that launched the show, and early critical reaction suggests that change hasn't won everyone over. Nick Schager of The Daily Beast takes issue with the show's conventional approach, describing it:
Rather, the show’s real shortcoming (this time based on Jack Carr’s second franchise novel, True Believer) is its crude conventionality. Generic and simplistic in every respect, it’s a by-the-books dadcore effort exemplified by Pratt’s performance of scowls, stronger scowls, and no-really-I’m-very-upset super scowls.
LeisureByte's Archi Sengupta was even less enthusiastic, awarding the season 1.5 out of 5 stars and calling it "extremely boring."
There are positive reviews in the mix, though. ScreenRant's Nick Bythrow gave Season 2 an 8 out of 10, arguing that it builds on both the first season and the prequel, The Terminal List: Dark Wolf.
FandomWire's M.N. Miller, who scored it 7 out of 10, was also more receptive to the international espionage approach, even while acknowledging that it takes time to get moving, writing:
The Terminal List Season 2 trades emotional depth for international intrigue, delivering an adrenaline-fueled, high-octane espionage thriller. Chris Pratt impresses with a subdued, vulnerable performance, while Tom Hopper's expanded role strengthens the series. Despite predictable twists and a slow start, this action spectacular should satisfy fans of the genre.
The audience responses that have trickled onto Rotten Tomatoes are generally much warmer. Several viewers praise the action and Pratt's performance, while others say the follow-up was worth the long wait. Of course, people enthusiastic enough to watch and rate a show the day after it drops aren't necessarily representative of everyone who will eventually stream it.
We’ve Been Here Before
If those scores feel familiar, there's a reason. Critics weren't especially kind to the first season of Terminal List either. Season 1 holds a 42% Tomatometer score from 57 reviews, compared with a whopping 94% audience score from more than 5,000 ratings. We covered that disagreement in 2022, when Pratt shared a response from Carr suggesting the series was made for the people watching it rather than critics.
Interestingly, last year's Dark Wolf prequel brought those two groups much closer together, earning 75% from critics and 80% from audiences. It also introduced several characters who factor into the new season, which makes it worth revisiting if you skipped it while waiting for Pratt to return.
For now, the new season's 57% critic score is up from the original, even if the audience rating has dipped a bit.
Personally, I think The Terminal List Season 2 is really strong. If you enjoyed the first season, I can't imagine you won't enjoy the second. And if you weren't a fan to begin with, I doubt this season will change your mind. Sure, the show does a few things differently this time around, but isn't that what a good sequel should do? Plus, let's face it, The Terminal List is basically an eight-hour action movie. I'd be disappointed if it didn't shake things up a little. So, if you're asking me, I'm siding with the audience on this one. I think Season 2 is absolutely worth queuing up and binging this weekend.
All eight episodes of The Terminal List season 2 are now streaming with a Prime Video subscription, so there is plenty of time for the numbers to move as more people catch up with James Reece.
