Reacher season 3 has cast a new villain, which fixes season 2’s biggest story problem. Developed by Nick Santora for Amazon Prime Video, the Reacher TV series ranks among the few book adaptations that respect their source material and closely adapt their storylines. Owing to this, Reacher season 1 was received incredibly well when it first premiered on Amazon Prime Video and even spawned a second season.

The second season also garnered positive reviews from critics and proved to be commercially profitable for the streamer, paving the way for another installment. While only time will tell whether Reacher season 3 will live up to the high expectations set by its predecessors, it already seems to be on the right track toward addressing some lingering issues from the previous season. As its new casting suggests, it is avoiding the villain mistake that weighed down Reacher season 2.

Season 2’s Villains Never Really Felt Like A Real Threat To Reacher

Reacher Seemed Too Invincible Against Season 2’s Antagonists

Reacher season 2 tried to raise the stakes for the titular character and his team by getting them embroiled in an international conspiracy involving a terrorist trade. Unlike season 1, in which the powerful and influential forces of the small town of Margrave served as the antagonists, the ones in season 2 seemed more far-reaching and formidable. However, despite these changes, the antagonists in Reacher season 2 never felt like a real threat to the main character. Even though Reacher and his team members from the 110th Special Investigations Unit were often outnumbered by their enemies, they rarely struggled to overpower them.

For instance, Reacher, O’Donnell, Dixon, and Neagley duke it out with an entire biker gang in a pivotal season 2 action scene, but come out of the fight with little to no injuries. Although Langston and his men manage to kill Russo and severely hurt Reacher and his team in the last few episodes, Reacher still seems almost invincible when they try to take him down in a fistfight. Reacher season 2 also invests a significant chunk of its runtime in setting up Ferdinand Kingsley’s AM as a worthy nemesis for the main characters. However, he, too, ultimately seems powerless when he messes with the 110th Special Investigations Unit.

Paulie’s Physical Size Makes Him A Better Enemy For Reacher Than Shane Langston

Paulie Is Even Bigger Than Jack Reacher

Since Reacher season 3 is adapting Lee Child’s Persuader, it will finally feature a villain who is even more physically imposing and formidable than Jack Reacher. Described as a 7-foot muscle-bound goliath of a man in the Lee Child novel, Paulie towers over Jack Reacher and gives him a run for his money when the two have a showdown. Fortunately, Reacher season 3 is not straying too far from the book’s portrayal of Paulie and has cast Olivier Richters to play the character. Like the original Paulie, Richters is slightly above 7 feet in height and around 350 pounds in weight.

Alan Ritchson’s Jack Reacher comes off as an intimidating figure throughout the Amazon show’s seasons 1 and 2 because of his massive stature. However, in season 3, he will be put in the shade by Olivier Richters’ 7 feet 2 inch-Paulie. Although Robert Patrick did an incredible job at portraying Langston in Reacher season 3, his character seemed far too weak against Alan Ritchson’s Reacher. Olivier Richters’ Paulie, on the other hand, has the brawn and the physical presence to truly challenge Jack Reacher, and his confirmed presence in season 3 promises a more balanced and intense confrontation between the hero and the villain.

Reacher’s Paulie Casting Means Season 3 Can Do The Villain Justice

Paulie’s Casting Allows Season 3 To Make Reacher Look Vulnerable

Like the Jack Reacher movies, the show could have glossed over character heights and settled for actors based on their acting prowess alone. However, the series is going through the trouble of staying as close to the books as possible by casting actors like Olivier Richters to play physically imposing characters like Paulie. By prioritizing loyalty towards the source material and its description of the characters, Reacher season 3 is not only honoring Lee Child’s vision but also ensuring that its titular character faces better villains with each season and is not always as indomitable as he seems in seasons 1 and 2.