BRAWN IN THE USA

Alan Ritchson brings iconic vigilante hero Jack Reacher to the small screen

- IAN MACEWAN

NEW CRIME DRAMA

Reacher From Fri 4 Feb, eight episodes (released weekly), Prime Video

As played by Hollywood A-lister Tom Cruise in two action movies, Jack Reacher was physically rather different from the hulking, 6ft 5in military veteran with razor-sharp intelligence described in British author Lee Child’s popular series of crime novels.

But the new incarnation of the strong-and-silent drifter in Prime Video series Reacher will be rather more familiar to fans of the books, as muscle-bound, square-jawed, 6ft 2in actor Alan Ritchson takes on the title role.

Based on Child’s debut novel, Killing Floor, the series sees ex-military policeman Reacher arriving in a small US town, with nothing but a passport, some cash and an old military medal.

No sooner has he sat down to enjoy a coffee and a piece of pie than he is picked up by the local cops, who are investigating a murder. In order to clear his name, Reacher realises he’s going to have to solve the case himself…

We caught up with Ritchson, who’s previously appeared in Smallville and Titans, to talk about bringing this iconic character to the small screen…

Had you read the books or seen the films before taking on the role of Reacher?

I didn’t want to go back and look at what Tom Cruise had done, but before filming, I read 24 Reacher books. The more I read, the more I fell in love with the character – but I also felt more pressure to please the fans.