The best Alan Ritchson movies and TV shows reveal the Reacher star to be one of the most exciting talents to emerge in the 2000s. Born in 1982 in North Dakota, Alan Rithcson found his footing in the world of modelling before making the transition to acting. He appeared in several Abercrombie & Fitch catalogues and had a notable appearance on American Idol in 2004. Following this, he decided to pursue a career on the screen that relied on more than his looks.

It was landing the role of Arthur Curry, AKA Aquaman, in Smallville, a year later that kick started his rise to prominence. Following subsequent appearances on hit shows like CSI: Miami and 90210, Ritchson eventually found his way to being cast in lead roles. Playing Thad Castle in Blue Mountain State cemented him as an undisputedly solid performer, paving the way for many of the best Alan Ritchson movies and TV shows like Reacher and The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.

10 Blood Drive (2017)

Alan Ritchson Plays Arthur Bailey

While the SyFy show Blood Drive only lasted for a single season, it still stands as one of the best Alan Ritchson TV shows. It was his first casting as a lead role in a TV show, several years before he appeared in the likes of Reacher on Amazon Prime Video. The premise was fascinating too, as the show was set in an alternate 1999 in a world where the United States has been literally split down the middle by a giant ravine.

Alan Ritchson plays Arthur Bailey in Blood Drive, an officer of the LAPD. To make the premise even more bombastic, Bailey finds himself taking part in a race where the cars run on human blood. The show is exactly as unhinged as it sounds, and made for great viewing despite being short-lived. What’s more, as far as Alan Ritchson’s movies and TV shows go, it was an important career milestone, and remains one of his most solid performances.

9 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014)

Alan Ritchson Voices Raphael

There have been many attempts to bring the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to life in a live-action feature film over the years. The 2014 attempt produced by Michael Bay was easily the biggest-budget attempt to turn the franchise into a blockbuster hit so far. While the movie itself may be divisive among TMNT fans, there’s less debate when it comes to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles being one of the best Alan Ritchson movies thanks to his performance as Raphael.

While far from a veteran when it comes to voice acting, Alan Ritchson managed to bring the gritty, brooding personality of Raphael to life in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with ease. Ritchson ensured that Raphael was distinct among the four turtles, a particularly difficult challenge since in many previous iterations there had been considerable overlap between Raph and the team’s leader, Leonardo. Alan Ritchson still has yet to fully explore voice acting and animation, though his appearance in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles proves it’s a viable career avenue for him.

8 Above The Shadows (2019)

Alan Ritchson Plays Shayne Blackwell

2019’s Above the Shadows is one of the best Alan Ritchson movies not because it was a critical hit or box-office sensation, but because of the strength of Ritchson’s performance. While far from being critically panned (it still holds a 70% rating on Rotten Tomatoes), Above the Shadows has more significance as part of Ritchson’s filmography than it does as a film in its own right. Directed and written by Claudia Myers and co-starring the likes of Olivia Thirlby and Megan Fox, Above the Shadows is an intriguing supernatural romance movie. The narrative focuses on Holly (Thirlby), a young woman who has literally turned invisible.

Ritchson plays Shayne Blackwell in Above the Shadows, a disgraced MMA fighter and one of the only people who is able to see Holly. The pair end up falling for one another, though there’s plenty of friction as it emerges Holly was responsible for breaking the story of the affair that led to Shayne’s downfall. Alan Ritchson’s performance is easily the strongest element in Above the Shadows, and it’s not unfair to say that his presence holds up the entire narrative.

7 Black Mirror (2011-Present)

Alan Ritchson Plays Paul

The Black Mirror features a different ensemble cast in every single episode, and Alan Ritchson appeared in the bleak sci-fi series in the premiere of season 3. “Nosedive” didn’t feature Alan Ritchson as the central character, instead following Bryce Dallas Howard as Lacie. However, this doesn’t stop Paul being one of the best performances of Ritchson’s career so far.

The Black Mirror episode “Nosedive” focuses on a society that is so obsessed with social media that a bad ranking on a key app could lead to people literally losing their job or with their loved ones (which is what happens to Dallas Howard’s Lacie). Ritchson’s character Paul is one of the few who seems uncomfortable with the status quo, and his attempts to convince his fiance, Naomi (Alice), to invite Lacie to the wedding despite the low social score make for some incredibly heartfelt and touching moments. While not his most prominent role, Black Mirror showcases Alan Ritchson’s ability to steal a scene even when he’s not the focus.

6 Fast X (2023)

Alan Ritchson Plays Aimes

2023’s Fast X was every bit the high-octane roller-coaster viewing experience that fans of the Fast and Furious franchise have come to expect. It also stands as one of the best Alan Ritchson movies so far thanks to his role as Aimes. The new leader of Mr. Nobody’s agency, Aimes is initially introduced as an asset for Dom Toretto and the rest of the crew. However, it’s soon revealed Alan Ritchson’s character is a villain, a double-agent working for Jason Momoa’s Dante.

It’s a fantastic role for Ritchson, and one that combines his solid action-movie and TV show experience with a dash of his skills playing semi-comedic over-the-top personas honed in shows like Blue Mountain State. Despite sharing a screen with the likes of Jason Momoa, Vin Diesel, John Cena, and many other A-Listers, Ritchson never fades into the background in Fast X, either. He’s an essential element of the story, and Ritchson’s performance cemented Fast X as being one of the best roles of his career so far.

5 Smallville (2001-2011)

Alan Ritchson Plays Arthur Curry/Aquaman

Long before superheroes dominated every aspect of the media, Smallville was creating the blueprint for gritty down-to-earth reimaginings of popular comics properties. Focusing on Superman/Clark Kent, Smallville eventually incorporated other heroes and villains from the DC Comics universe too, and this includes one of the best performances from Alan Ritchson as Arthur Curry, AKA Aquaman.

Not only was appearing in Smallville as Aquaman a prominent role for the then-young Alan Ritchson, it was also his first acting credit to date. He went on to appear in Smallville multiple times, and proved that Aquaman was incredibly suitable for live-action movies and shows (long before Jason Momoa stepped up to play the same role in the DCU). While Smallville is one of Alan Ritchson’s earliest appearances, it still remains one of his best TV shows.

4 Blue Mountain State (2010-2011)

Alan Ritchson Plays Thad Castle

While the sports sitcom Blue Mountain State may not be the most long-lived or highest-rated TV show starring Alan Ritchson, his performance as Thad Castle remains one of the best (and funniest) of his career so far. Blue Mountain State ran for three seasons between 2010 and 2011 on the Spike network, and follows the football team of the fictional Blue Mountain State University, the Mountain Goats.

The cult sitcom still has a strong er base, and in February 2024 it was reported by Deadline that a revival was in development. What’s more, Alan Ritchson is tipped to return, which is of little surprise given how integral his character, team captain Thad Castle, was to the show. Ritchson showed just how hilarious he could be in comedic roles as Thad, making the unlikable college football captain impossible not to laugh at (and, since Ritchson was in on the joke, with).

3 Titans (2018-2023)

Alan Ritchson Plays Hank Hall/Hawk

Alan Ritchson is no stranger to superhero TV shows, especially given his incredible performance as Arthur Curry in Smallville. However, he’d go on to top it when he returned to the world of DC Comics adaptations for the 2018-2023 Titans, the gritty live-action reimagining of the Teen Titans franchise. As is the case with many of his best performances, Alan Ritchson isn’t the central character in Titans, but he is one of its most nuanced - Hank Hall, the hero known as Hawk.

One of the original Teen Titans, Hawk is one half of the superhero duo Hawk and Dove (with Dover played by Minka Kelly). Hank is incredibly brutal as far as heroes go and often struggles to keep his violent impulses in check. What’s more, he’s also torn when it comes to Dove’s relationship with Dick Grayson/Nightwing. It’s an incredibly complex role and, thanks to portraying the character of Hank Hall so well, Titans easily ranks among the best Alan Ritchson TV shows so far.

2 The Ministry Of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024)

Alan Ritchson Plays Anders Lassen

From British director Guy Ritchie, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is a heavily stylized interpretation of the infamous Operation Postmaster that took place during World War II. Alan Ritchson appears as part of an ensemble cast that includes the likes of Henry Cavill and Hero Fiennes Tiffin. However, as real-life Dutch saboteur Anders Lassen, Ritchson manages to steal the show.

The fact that The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare ranks so highly among the best Alan Ritchson movies showcases that his career is going from strength to strength. Director Guy Ritchie manages to bring out the very best of Ritchson’s acting abilities, and it’s difficult to imagine anyone else in the role of Lassen. His performance brings the best of his action experience in shows like Reacher or movies like Ghosts of War, and his comedic talents honed in projects like The Wedding Ringer. As far as Alan Ritchson movies go, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare should be considered unmissable for his many fans.

1 Reacher (2022-Present)

Alan Ritchson Plays Jack Reacher

When it comes to the best Alan Ritchson TV shows, or indeed movies, it’s his starring role in Amazon’s action crime thriller series Reacher that stands out as the absolute highlight. Adapted from the novels by Lee Child, Reacher stars Ritchson as self-described hobo Jack Reacher, a retired member of the military police who finds himself drawn in to a string of deadly and dangerous investigations. Reacher was received incredibly well by critics and viewers alike, as evidenced by its 95% critical score and 84% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and it’s largely thanks to Alan Ritchson’s incredible performance.

While there are many great movies and TV shows among Alan Ritchson’s appearances, none seem as suited to his talents as Amazon’s Reacher, and it remains his best so far.

Multiple reviews praise Alan Ritchson’s performance in Reacher, and the titular character in the show has quickly become a career-defining role for the actor. Reacher season 3 is currently in development and due for release in 2025, so there’s much more screen time for Ritchson in the role to come. While there are many great movies and TV shows among Alan Ritchson’s appearances, none seem as suited to his talents as Amazon’s Reacher, and it remains his best so far.