Jack Reacher Book Author Lee Child Reviews Amazon's Season 2

The first three episodes of "Reacher" Season 2 debuted on December 15, and it's already earning high praise from critics. The Rotten Tomatoes score is a huge win for "Reacher" Season 2, holding an impressive 100% on the Tomatometer. But beyond winning over people whose job is to watch television, the show's sophomore outing has attained the admiration of Lee Child, the creator of Jack Reacher himself.

Lee Child spoke with Radio Times about his thoughts concerning the new episodes, and while he likely wants to entice people to watch it, he had a lot to say about the quality. Child thought "Reacher" Season 1 was good, but there was a lot involved with setting up the character. Now, the story can really dive into the meat of who Jack Reacher (Alan Ritchson) is. "Now in Season 2, everything is established, Alan is confident, the whole crew is confident. We were hoping to make it as good as Season 1 and I think because of that confidence, it's actually turned out much better. I'm really pleased with Season 2," Child said.

Praise from the source material's author isn't always guaranteed. Many authors have hated adaptations of their books, such as Stephen King despising "The Shining" film or Alan Moore detesting pretty much anything based on his writing. Lee Child liking "Reacher" Season 2 is sure to be a relief to the team behind the Prime Video series. 

Lee Child had many positive things to say about "Reacher" Season 2, but above all else, he genuinely believes Alan Ritchson is the ideal casting for Jack Reacher. The character is obviously a powerhouse, and underneath his inherent kindness, there's a primordial sense of justice and willing to dish out the hurt to anyone he deems warrants it. Child continues that many actors were considered for the part, but Ritchson nailed it, "It was a real reminder how much talent there is in the acting pool. But we were looking for the perfect person and that was Alan Ritchson."

Child points out how the actor playing Jack Reacher needed to convey many emotions, which Ritchson manages to accomplish, "Reacher is a quiet guy, he doesn't talk much unless he has to, and therefore we needed an actor who could, without saying anything, without necessarily doing anything, own the screen." Ritchson's performance is also a central point in countless reviews, with the actor receiving universal acclaim from critics and fans.

Lee Child has written 28 Jack Reacher novels so far, with the character appearing in additional short stories. If anyone thoroughly understands the character, it's Child. And whether you're a best-selling author or a casual fan of action-adventure TV dramas, one thing's abundantly clear — Alan Ritchson proves Tom Cruise was the worst Jack Reacher.