Warning: spoilers ahead for Reacher season 2, episode 4.
Finlay is back in Reacher season 2, making Roscoe even more conspicuous by her absence, but a plausible explanation can be found. Copying the anthology format of Lee Child’s novel series, Amazon’s Reacher TV show dropped season 1 supporting characters Roscoe Conklin (Willa Fitzgerald) and Oscar Finlay (Malcolm Goodwin) in favor of all-new characters for Reacher season 2. As proven by episode 4, “A Night at the Symphony,” however, those characters are not gone entirely. Finlay makes an extended cameo aiding the 110th Special Investigators in an orchestrated drugs bust, but this immediately raises questions over why Finlay returns and Roscoe does not.
Arguably, Reacher calling Roscoe for help would have made more sense, since Finlay was intending to retire when Reacher season 1 ended, but Roscoe was still an active police officer. Indeed, Reacher expresses surprise over Finlay coming out of retirement during their parting conversation in season 2, episode 4, confirming that he still believed his old friend from Margrave was out of action when picking up the phone. Also, Reacher season 1’s ending saw Roscoe giving Alan Ritchson’s character her number, setting up her return far more obviously than Finlay’s.
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Reacher Couldn’t Call Roscoe For Help With Season 2, Episode 4’s Sting Mission
Reacher has two reasons to call Finlay rather than Roscoe – one strong, one not so strong. The final moments of Reacher season 1 hinted that Roscoe would run to become the new mayor of Margrave. Reacher would, therefore, have assumed that the retired Finlay had more time on his hands to help the Special Investigators than Roscoe, given her political responsibilities to the rural Georgia town.
More importantly, Reacher would know that getting involved in the 110th’s shenanigans is not something a respectable mayor can do. Roscoe would inevitably rush to New York if Reacher asked for her help, but becoming embroiled in the Little Wing conspiracy risks Roscoe’s position as mayor, putting the political future of Margrave under threat. The professional risk to Finlay is significantly lower, and Reacher, the ruthlessly logical creature that he is, would have assessed the situation and concluded that Finlay, retired or not, was in a far better position to help with some illegal-adjacent investigative work.
Did Reacher Have A Different Reason To Avoid Calling Roscoe?
The not-so-easy-to-justify reason Alan Ritchson’s Reacher may have sought Finlay’s help rather than Roscoe’s is to avoid a potential collision of lovers. Reacher has only recently slept with Karla Dixon in Reacher season 2. Calling Roscoe could complicate matters, either because old embers from season 1 would reignite, or because Dixon’s feathers could be ruffled by Reacher seeking assistance from an old flame. Calling Finlay was the strategic option from a romantic perspective.
It could also be argued that, if only on a subconscious level, Reacher wanted to avoid putting Roscoe in harm’s way. Reacher season 2 villains Langston and AM have proven themselves ruthless killers, and anyone getting in their way immediately makes themselves a target. Roscoe is both a skilled officer and as brave a cop as Reacher could find, but the thought of a former romantic partner being tossed from a helicopter may have dissuaded Ritchson’s character from bringing Roscoe into the fold. Reacher wouldn’t want Finlay to take a parachute-free skydive either, but he and Finlay didn’t share a night of passion together. Finlay, therefore, received the call.
