Paulie gave Reacher a run for his money in Reacher season 4 hits the small screens. Owing to this, nothing much has been revealed about season 4's casting process or book choice for adaptation.
Since the show's creators have not confirmed which Lee Child book the next season will adapt, it might be a little too soon to draw any assumptions about it. Given how the show has consistently earned critical acclaim across all three seasons, it seems likely that even season 4 will be no less compelling. However, after seeing how Paulie and Reacher's confrontation gradually brewed and ultimately unfolded in season 3's ending moments, it seems likely that season 4 will encounter one major villain problem.
Paulie Has Been The Best Reacher Villain So Far
He Is The Only Villain Who Nearly Killed Reacher In A One-On-One Fight
Reacher season 1 had a thrilling hook, which played a key role in driving its narrative. Its main villains, however, stood no chance against Reacher in one-on-one showdowns. In season 2, Langston, too, proved to be a decent villain but eventually got overpowered by the Alan Ritchson character in the final showdown. Given how overpowered and invincible Jack Reacher has been since the beginning, Reacher season 3 was expected to encounter the same villain challenge as seasons 1 and 2 before it adopted Lee Child's Persuader and introduced Paulie.
After Season 3's Finale, I'm Convinced Reacher Just Had One Of TV's Most Epic Fight Scenes Ever
Reacher season 3's finale finally delivers the show's most anticipated fight sequence, which is convincingly one of televisions best action scenes.
Although Paulie was not Reacher season 3's main villain, he proved to be Reacher's strongest enemy in the series. In an early episode, he first took Reacher down with just one slap to his face, proving that he had what it took to overpower the seemingly invincible hero. Even in the final showdown, Paulie almost killed Reacher by hanging him to death.
If Reacher had not used his presence of mind to stay a step ahead of Paulie, the secondary villain from Reacher season 3 might have eventually won the final fight. The fact that Paulie comes close to beating Jack Reacher makes him the best villain of the series so far.
After Paulie, Reacher Season 4's Villain May Not Seem Formidable Enough
Reacher Cannot Have Another Paulie In Season 4
Image via Prime Video
Reacher season 4 could have repeated season 3's formula by featuring another giant antagonist like Paulie. However, that would make season 4 seem a little too similar to season 3. Not to mention, since the Amazon Prime Video detective series loyally adapts one Lee Child book per season, it cannot suddenly change course in season 4 and introduce an original antagonist. Owing to this, it is hard not to be concerned about whether Reacher season 4's villain will look compelling after season 3's portrayal of Paulie.
If Reacher returns to bashing the villains in season 4 with ease, it would undermine the vulnerability that season 3 added to his characterization.
Since season 1, most of Reacher's fights have been one-sided, where the character has muscled his way out of showdowns by merely out-sizing his opponents. With Paulie, however, Reacher had everything working against him. Paulie was not only much bigger than him but also surprisingly fast for a big guy. This forced Reacher to, for once, use his brain during his final fight with Paulie instead of aggressively lashing out at his enemy. If Reacher returns to bashing the villains in season 4 with ease, it would undermine the vulnerability that season 3 added to his characterization.
Which Books Reacher 4 Can Adapt To Have A Strong Antagonist?
Many Jack Reacher Books Have Well-Written Villains
Not too many giant villains like Paulie appear in Lee Child's Jack Reacher books, but many novels in the original series have well-written and formidable villains. For instance, Gone Tomorrow has some terrifying villains who do some unimaginably brutal things in the novel's story. Victor Truman "Hook" Hobie in Lee Child's Tripwire is another brilliant antagonist who is not as big as Paulie but written in a way that makes a reader feel his menacing presence. Other books like The Hard Way, Make Me, and Nothing to Lose, which Reacher season 4 can adapt, also feature memorable villains.
Reacher follows Jack Reacher, a former military police investigator, as he navigates civilian life. Without a phone and carrying minimal belongings, Reacher drifts across the country, experiencing the nation he once served, and encounters intriguing challenges along the way.
- Network
- Prime Video
- Cast
- Robert Patrick, JD Smith, Kelsey Falconer, Lee Villeneuve, Eli Ham, Emeka Agada, Hazel Gorin, Nathaniel Marland, Connor Laidman, Darrin Maharaj, Drew Moss, Peter Skagen, Rohan Mead, Kaz Morgan, Zachary Gallegos, Scott Barker
- Showrunner
- Nick Santora
- Directors
- Omar Madha, Carol Banker, Julian Holmes, Lin Oeding, M.J. Bassett, Norberto Barba, Stephen Surjik, Thomas Vincent
- Writers
- Cait Duffy
- Franchise(s)
- Jack Reacher
- Main Genre
- Action
- Creator(s)
- Nick Santora
- Producers
- Agatha Barnes, Don Granger, Marcy Ross, Scott Sullivan, Nick Santora, Lee Child, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Paula Wagner, Sam Hill, Derek Rappaport, Sean Ryerson, Adam Higgs, Aadrita Mukerji, Penny Cox, Bill Bost
- Seasons
- 3
- Story By
- nick santora
- Streaming Service(s)
- Prime Video
