Which Reacher season was the best? Even Alan Ritchson admits one of them missed the mark
Three seasons in — with a fourth landing August 12, 2026 — Reacher fans love to argue about which run of episodes hits hardest. The critics, the audience scores, and the show's own star all point in slightly different directions. Here's how the debate actually shakes out.
What the numbers say
- Season 1 (2022) — 92% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, and a series-best 91% from audiences. The Killing Floor adaptation is still the fan favorite.
- Season 2 (2023–24) — 98% from critics, but the audience score sank to 76%, the lowest of the three. Viewers dinged the team-heavy story and the fight scenes.
- Season 3 (2025 ) — 98% from critics (it actually debuted at a perfect 100% before settling), 78% from audiences — and a monster 54.6 million viewers in its first 19 days, the most-watched Prime Video season since Fallout.
So critics lean seasons 2 and 3. Fans lean season 1. Sheer eyeballs say season 3.
Even Ritchson agrees about season 2
The star sided with the fans on the sophomore season's biggest weakness. Speaking on The Movie Podcast in 2025, Ritchson didn't sugarcoat it:
"Season 2, I wasn't really thrilled with a lot of the action at all," he said, adding that some fights weren't executed or cut well on the day.
He made fixing the fight choreography his personal mission for season 3 — and it shows. The brawls with Olivier Richters' 7'2" enforcer Paulie became instant highlights, precisely because season 3 finally gave Reacher someone he couldn't just steamroll.
So which season is the best?
If you want a single answer: season 3 is the sweet spot — top-tier reviews, record viewership, and the fights Ritchson always wanted. If you're a purist, season 1 remains the cleanest, most beloved adaptation. And season 2, despite that shiny 98%, is the one even its lead admits missed the mark where it counts.
What about season 4?
Ritchson has already gone on record with Collider calling it "the best season we've ever made, by a long shot." It premieres August 12, 2026, with three episodes up front, moves the action to Philadelphia, and adapts Gone Tomorrow.