Netflix’s The Night Agent Shows Reacher How It Is Done

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While Netflix’s The Night Agent hasn’t quite reached the same level of popularity as Prime Video’s Reacher, it’s recently shown where it stands out. Both shows are fast-paced action thrillers adapted from books, featuring smart, capable heroes tackling dangerous international plots and criminals. This formula works well, and both Reacher and The Night Agent provide exciting entertainment. However, Reacher has generally received more positive reviews than The Night Agent.

For three seasons, Reacher has consistently received excellent reviews, earning a 96% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The Night Agent also performs well with critics, scoring 81%—which is a very good rating for any TV show. However, when compared to Reacher, it doesn’t quite measure up in terms of critical reception, though it’s important to consider all aspects of a show’s success.

Comparing Reacher & the Night Agent Rotten Tomatoes Scores
Series Score Type Season 1 Season 2 Season 3
Reacher Critic Score: 92% 98% 98%
Audience Score: 91% 77% 73%
The Night Agent Critic Score: 75% 86% 83%
Audience Score: 78% 39% 79%

Critics generally like Reacher, but audience reviews have become less positive with each season. The Night Agent saw a big drop in audience approval during its second season, but season three is much better received. In fact, season three of The Night Agent currently has a higher audience score than season three of Reacher. Overall, it looks like Prime Video’s action series is losing popularity with viewers, while Netflix’s is gaining momentum.

The Night Agent Season 3 Outdoes Reacher In One Significant Way

Season 3 of The Night Agent is a clear improvement over season 2, largely due to the strong development of Peter Sutherland’s character. He’s evolved beyond simply weighing what’s right against the ‘greater good’ and now consistently acts on strong moral principles. This makes him a more compelling hero than he was before, and gives the season a satisfying sense of forward momentum. While Reacher hasn’t quite achieved this level of character growth, The Night Agent’s progression with Sutherland significantly enhances the viewing experience.

Jack Reacher isn’t a character who changes and grows. He’s meant to be a consistently strong and unwavering hero, almost like a legend. This approach has advantages, but also some drawbacks. Unlike the show The Night Agent, where the main character became frustratingly flawed in its second season, Reacher doesn’t have a natural path for development. While this avoids certain problems, it also means his stories don’t automatically have a clear direction.

The show Reacher might struggle to hold viewers’ attention over multiple seasons because it doesn’t focus on developing Jack Reacher’s character. While each season’s mystery needs to be incredibly strong, even a great story won’t guarantee long-term success. And because the show tells a new, self-contained story each season, the supporting characters change too, meaning they can’t provide the consistent connection viewers need.

How Reacher Is Hindered By Its Anthology Format

One thing that sets the Reacher TV show apart is its anthology style. Unlike many action-thrillers, each season features a completely new story with Jack Reacher facing different challenges and a new cast of characters. This approach is similar to popular film series like James Bond and Indiana Jones, which also offer fresh adventures. However, while Bond and Jones are characters who evolve and change, Jack Reacher remains consistently the same throughout each season.

Lee Child’s Jack Reacher book series has 29 installments, and the anthology style hasn’t held it back. However, the Reacher TV show seems to be facing challenges with declining viewership, suggesting it might not have endless possibilities. To succeed in the long run, a TV show typically needs a character who evolves over time or a more straightforward storyline. This is why The Night Agent could eventually become more popular than the Reacher series on Prime Video.

The Night Agent Has Officially Proved That It’s Going To Keep Getting Better

The Netflix series The Night Agent experimented with a new format for its first couple of seasons, but it didn’t fully come together until the third season. The show initially continued the storyline of Peter and his love interest, Rose Larkin, after their strong connection in the first season. However, their dynamic didn’t quite work as well in season two. Peter’s growth felt forced, and Rose lost her individual character, becoming mainly a plot device related to Peter’s concerns. By season three, the show moved on without Rose.

With Peter embarking on his journey in season 3 by himself, The Night Agent has officially become an anthology series. This allowed the show to develop Peter’s storyline independently, which made for a much better viewing experience. While Rose could appear in future seasons like season 4, she – and other characters – can come and go without disrupting the overall narrative. This makes the show more flexible, but Peter still provides the consistent development that’s often missing in anthology series like Reacher. Ultimately, the improvements in season 3 suggest a positive new direction for the Netflix action thriller.

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2026-02-24 02:39