As a long-time fan of the Jack Reacher series, I must admit I find myself treading on the edge of apprehension as news of the spinoff show, Neagley, breaks. While I’ve grown fond of Maria Sten’s portrayal of Frances Neagley in Reacher, I can’t help but worry that we may be stumbling down the path towards The Ropers rather than Better Call Saul.
The television spinoff. It’s hard to pull off. For every Frasier, which successfully moved Dr. Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) from the cozy confines of the Boston bar Cheers to Seattle, there’s a laundry list of failed TV continuations. Joey couldn’t pick up the slack in the wake of Friends.We all loved 21 Jump Street (and even the movie that spoofed it), but no one needed Richard Greico to keep going with Booker. And now that it has been confirmed that the popular Prime Video thriller Reacher is getting a spinoff show for supporting character Frances Neagley, I’m personally worrying that we are heading down the path toward The Ropers, and not a necessary continuation like Better Call Saul.
The original report has been verified, and it’s now confirmed that Maria Sten will expand her character Frances Neagley into a standalone series, provisionally named “Neagley.” The team behind the popular show “Reacher” are working on this new project, with executive producer and showrunner Nick Santora collaborating with his former “Prison Break” partner Nicholas Wootton. It’s hinted in the article that Alan Ritchson may also feature in “Neagley.” Moreover, it’s suggested that “Reacher” Season 3, which is based on a Lee Child book where Neagley isn’t present, could potentially lay the groundwork for this spinoff.
As a devoted admirer of the Lee Child series featuring Jack Reacher books, I begin to feel a slight twinge of apprehension. The upcoming season 3 of Reacher, based on the book Persuader, promises to be a tense, coastal Maine thriller where Jack Reacher (Alan Ritchson) infiltrates a criminal network to locate and perhaps rescue a kidnapped federal agent. This scenario perfectly encapsulates Reacher’s solitary nature. Including Neagley in the story merely for spinoff purposes seems like an artistic concession, rather than adhering to what serves the narrative best.
Reading Maria Sten’s statement from the Deadline article, I found myself concerned that her portrayal of Frances Neagley might undermine the character’s influence instead of enhancing it. In response to the prospect of a spinoff series, Maria Sten expressed:
I’m absolutely delighted to delve deeper into the enigmatic realm of Neagley, a character I find incredibly intriguing. It’s a joy for me to bring her to life, and I can’t wait for you all to learn more about her.
Here’s the thing, though. As much as I like Maria Sten in the part – and I do think she’s an excellent choice to play Neagley on screen – the character of Frances Neagly works best as an enigma. She appears when Reacher needs her, efficiently kicks tons of ass, and glides back into the shadows. I’m not fully saying that there’s no way to make an interesting show around Neagley. But I’ve always seen her (and most of the side characters in Reacher’s universe) as, “The less we know about them, the more effective they are as assets.” Peeling back the surface on a character like Neagley almost negates her impact.
As a dedicated gamer, I pledge to approach the upcoming “Neagley” series with an open heart and mind. I’m genuinely fond of Maria Sten in her role, and when given the opportunity, she’s demonstrated a deep respect for Lee Child’s original works. Here’s hoping Santora and Wootton conjure up a storyline that matches the grandeur of the “Reacher” spinoff.
More on Reacher Season 3, and the Neagley spinoff, as they develop.
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2024-10-01 16:07