Cathal Gunning has been writing about movies, television, culture, and politics online and in print since 2017. He worked as a Senior Editor in Adbusters Media Foundation from 2018-2019 and wrote for WhatCulture in early 2020. He has been a Senior Features Writer for ScreenRant since 2020.
Although Scarpetta could have been Prime Video’s perfect Reacher replacement, season 1’s mixed reception makes it clear that series star Alan Ritchson has nothing to worry about on that front. It’s a good time to be Alan Ritchson.
Not only is the actor’s new movie, War Machine, topping the Netflix charts, but his Prime Video show Reacher could last forever. There are 30 books in the Reacher novel series by bestselling author Lee Childs, and the prolific writer doesn’t seem to be slowing down his output any time soon. As such, Reacher is unlikely to ever run out of source material, and the show’s popularity has remained consistent since the action thriller’s first season became a sleeper hit in 2022. Scarpetta Could Have Been Prime Video's Next Reacher, But It's Nowhere Near As Good Of course, the search for Prime Video’s Reacher replacement has been on since the series blew up, and the streaming service briefly seemed to have the ideal candidate in its Nicole Kidman vehicle Scarpetta. Co-starring Jamie Lee Curtis, Ariana DeBose, and The Mentalist’s Simon Baker, Scarpetta is the first adaptation of author Patricia Cornwell’s long-running series of psychological thrillers. There are 29 novels in the Scarpetta book series, meaning this show had almost as much source material to work with as Reacher. Sadly, the mixed reviews received by Scarpetta season 1 prove that the starry, expensive Prime Video project is certainly no new Reacher. While the show is far from unwatchable, Scarpetta’s flaws are impossible to ignore in comparison with Reacher. The show’s biggest strength is Scarpetta’s cast, but the A-list stars are lost in a story that is convoluted and lacking in a consistent tone. Like many of director David Gordon Green’s lesser earlier efforts, Scarpetta veers wildly between being a gruesome serial killer thriller, complete with nude mutilated corpses, and a campy, somewhat comedic family drama. Scarpetta Only Highlights How Well Prime Video's Reacher Adapts The Books Curtis’s Dorothy is consistently played for laughs, but her ludicrous antics clash badly with scenes of graphic violence and grim discussions of police corruption. Meanwhile, the central murder mystery is bogged down by red herrings that grow more absurd and outlandish with each passing episode. Subscribe to our newsletter for smarter streaming takes Crave clearer context on streaming adaptations? Subscribe to our newsletter for sharp analysis, thoughtful comparisons, and recommendation-ready takes on shows and how they handle source material—perfect for informed viewers. Get Updates By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime. By the time a Russian spacecraft lands in a field, viewers might reasonably be scratching their heads. All this doesn’t even mention Scarpetta season 1’s most instantly infamous plot device, the sentient AI Janet. These wacky plot machinations make for a fun watch, but also highlight just how impressive Reacher’s adaptation of the source novels has been since 2022. The earlier Prime Video show sticks closely to Child’s source material, turning a straightforward thriller book into a satisfying, uncomplicated action thriller series. In contrast, Scarpetta attempts to do way too much and, in the process, fails to replicate Reacher’s appealing simplicity. 690 9.2/10 8/10 Reacher 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed TV-MA Crime Drama Action Thriller Release Date February 3, 2022 Network Prime Video Showrunner Nick Santora Directors Omar Madha, Carol Banker, Julian Holmes, Lin Oeding, M.J. Bassett, Norberto Barba, Stephen Surjik, Thomas Vincent Writers Cait Duffy Cast See All
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