Reacher Season 2 Won't Feature Roscoe - Here's Why That Makes Sense
"Reacher" was a surprise hit for Prime Video, propelling star Alan Ritchson into the spotlight as the titular character. Season 1 adapted Lee Child's novel "Killing Floor," pairing Reacher with Officer Roscoe Conkin (Willa Fitzgerald) and other side characters. While Roscoe quickly became a fan-favorite character, Reacher is moving on from rural Georgia for Season 2, so fans shouldn't expect her to return.
"I love the characters of Finlay and Roscoe," showrunner Nick Santora said in an interview with Collider. "If there was a way to organically have them somehow pop in once in a while into Reacher's life, wonderful. But we're not gonna force anything and we're not gonna do anything that messes up the lore of 'Reacher.' Reacher can't run around the country with his rag-tag team of crime fighters. That's not Jack Reacher. I know, for a fact, that Lee Child would say, 'Nope,' and I would say nope too. We have to be honest to the book series."
Thankfully, Fitzgerald knew that her time on "Reacher" was limited. She told Digital Spy that Santora informed her from the beginning that Roscoe wouldn't be back, and she loved having the opportunity to tell a complete story. While fans hoping to see Reacher and Roscoe continue their romantic relationship may be disappointed, it's best for the show that Santora stays true to the books.
Willa Fitzgerald was the perfect Roscoe
"Reacher" showrunner Nick Santora isn't going to force Margrave Police Officer Roscoe Conkin into future seasons, choosing to honor the story from Lee Child's novels instead of shoehorning the character into future plots. However, Santora has nothing but praise for Roscoe and Willa Fitzgerald, who brought her to life.
During his interview with Collider, Santora talked about the casting for Roscoe, reflecting on its initial difficulty. "It was hard on paper, but then very easy when we saw Willa's [Fitzgerald] audition. As soon as I saw Willa, I was pretty positive that she was gonna be Roscoe," he said, stating that the other actors who auditioned were incredible, but Fitzgerald was the perfect fit for the role. Fitzgerald further convinced him of her fit after screen testing with Alan Ritchson, sealing the deal for her part in "Reacher" Season 1.
While Fitzgerald shares similar praise for Santora and the entire "Reacher" crew, she told Skydance that Roscoe's strength and confidence drew her to the part. In the pilot episode, Roscoe immediately makes known who she is, showing no fear as she stands up to Reacher. That mentality continued throughout "Reacher" Season 1, while other shows could've easily focused on other aspects of her female police officer. Fitzgerald explained, "It was just really interesting and compelling to me to get to play that kind of woman in this male action universe."