Brains, brawn, behavior — he’s no beauty queen, he’s Jack Reacher (Alan Ritchson). A show where the good guy always wins, Reacher offers a sense of optimism much needed in today’s bleak political climate. Although the series is a work of fiction (based on the extensive novels by Lee Child), Reacher reflects the values viewers wish to see more in real life: integrity, compassion, and a strong moral compass in the face of injustice.

Each season, Reacher follows the wandering drifter as he is pulled into a different case in a different city. Despite his Herculean physique and near-photographic memory, Reacher is no god. While most episodes depict him as an unstoppable force, others show him at his lowest points — which makes Reacher’s journey even more relatable. Taking a look back at the moments that made him a true hero, here are 10 great Reacher episodes you need to watch, according to me.

10

“Picture Says A Thousand Words”

Season 2, Episode 3

”Pictures Says a Thousand Words” features one of the most tightly choreographed fight scenes in a cramped location. When Reacher discovers the ID of one of Langston’s (Robert Patrick) henchmen, Reacher and the remaining members of his Special Ops team infiltrate his presumably empty house to look for clues. But Reacher knows better: with the henchman dead, Langston’s entire crew is on high alert.

As Langston’s men stealthily hide in the darkest corridors of the house, Reacher’s crew pulls them out one by one. The rush kicks in when the henchmen catch the Special Ops team off guard. Dixon almost got killed by a guy who faked his death. Meanwhile, O’Donnell is strangled with a shower curtain. With the fight happening in such a limited space, the smallest mistake could mean instant death.

9

“Papier”

Season 1, Episode 6

Reacher suits up in “Papier.” Upon discovering how personal this case has become, Reacher travels to New York City to meet one of his older brother’s contacts, Professor Kate Castillo (Alexandra Castillo). What Reacher doesn’t expect is the truth behind Kliner’s philanthropic intentions for Margrave: the shady businessman needed a discreet location to conduct his illegal activities.

Word of his trip to New York obviously caught up to Kliner. It doesn’t take long for Reacher to realize he’s being tailed in broad daylight. Reacher lures the assassin to an empty alleyway. It’s Reacher’s fists against the henchman’s knife. But Reacher doesn’t need a weapon to win a fight. In his bloodied state, Reacher drags his assassin into a stairwell and hangs him in the air with a tie.

8

“Burial”

Season 2, Episode 5

It takes a certain mercilessness (or absolute disrespect) to conduct an assassination at someone’s funeral. That’s apparently the case in “Burial.” Not long after their compatriot is laid to rest, Reacher and the Special Ops teams are targeted by two snipers. Not only do they have to avoid getting killed, but they also have to protect the surrounding civilians. Even the sacred solemness of a person’s death isn’t enough to maintain momentary peace.

The fight doesn’t end at the cemetery. The shootout escalates into a full-blown car chase. Reacher and Detective Guy Russo (Domenick Lombardozzi) try to catch the bad guys together but are only met with disappointing results. However, nothing compares to Episode 5. Just when Reacher’s crew thought they were so close to getting the inside scoop, it all ended in a literal explosion.

7

“Reacher Said Nothing”

Season 1, Episode 7

“Reacher Said Nothing” shows the tight chokehold the Kliners have on the residents of Margrave. The business family might be the town’s biggest donors, but anyone who dares question them will never see another day to live. It’s a point the Kliners obviously made in the opening of Episode 7, as one of Paul Hubble’s relatives is murdered in a horrendously excessive fashion in the safety of their home.

Detective Finlay gets disgracefully fired and Officer Baker (Hugh Thompson) is revealed to be on Kliner’s dirty payroll. The string of betrayals is enough to dampen down the viewer’s spirits, but justice is served when Reacher takes on Kliner’s men at Hubble’s house. Despite getting endlessly pummeled by a crowbar and almost drowning in a pool, Reacher revives his near-death situation and finishes his mission.

6

“A Night at the Symphony”

Season 2, Episode 4

“A Night at the Symphony” is high on the ranks only because of one person: Detective Oscar Finlay (Malcolm Goodwin). The last time fans saw him was when he went all Rambo in the fiery Season 1 finale. In his Season 2 guest appearance, the supposedly retired detective helps Reacher fish out top-secret missile information from a reckless government staff member.

With Reacher being a self-proclaimed lone wolf, it’s a relief to see that he’s not forgotten his Margrave roots. The episode’s second act also features a four-against-eight brawl in a parking lot. The odds are uneven, but the Special Ops take this opportunity to pull out their signature moves. Plus, it’s not every day that fans get to watch Neagley (Maria Sten) beat up biker gang members — in a dress.

5

“First Dance”

Season 1, Episode 2

The first episode of Season 1 laid out Reacher’s stone-like personality. It’s a different story in “First Dance.” Following a tough night, Reacher is desperate for a drink. Technically, he’s not off the hook with the police, but Roscoe Conklin (Willa Fitzgerald) cuts him some slack. Together, they head off to the nearest roadhouse — one where Roscoe insists she plays the Blues stuff Reacher likes.

Reacher finally has the chance to take a breather from all the fighting, but that’s not stopping Roscoe from making him dance to Patsy Kline. But Episode 2 doesn’t rush their companionship into a form of attraction. Their scene in the motel sees the two bring down their walls: Reacher shares his turbulent past as an army kid, while Roscoe expresses her grief over the loss of her mentor.

4

“Dominique”

Season 3, Episode 4

Reacher has partnered up with some of the most capable detectives, police officers, and Special Ops members. But if there’s one person who could exactly match Reacher’s caliber, it’s E7 Sergeant First Class Dominique Kohl (Mariah Robinson). In this flashback episode, Reacher retells his experiences working with Dominique, and how they both share the same hunger to solve cases.

Unfortunately, Reacher’s bright-eyed protégé met her demise way too soon. Just as Dominique almost had her hands on government traitor Francis Xavier Quinn (Brian Tee), she is brutally murdered in an animalistic fashion. It’s a stark reminder that even formidable heroes like Reacher can’t save everyone. At the end of the day, people like Reacher and Dominique are only mere mortals — no matter how skilled they are.

3

“Smoke on the Water”

Season 3, Episode 6

Everything went completely off the rails in “Smoke on the Water.” This goes for both sides — Reacher’s cover is blown, and Zachary Beck (Anthony Michael Hall) is reprimanded for unintentionally letting a mole inside his house (for the second time). As the truth comes out, all hell breaks loose. Reacher flees into the woods and relies on camouflage to survive. Reacher moves like a ghost — completely invisible in the dark, he takes out the bad guys as swiftly and silently as possible.

“Smoke on the Water” also reveals just how messed up a situation Zachary and his family are in. The only reason why Zachary’s in this shady business in the first place is because of his big mouth, and it’s his same recklessness that pissed off the true puppeteer behind this operation: Quinn. Not one who tolerates mishaps, Quinn gets Zachary and his son to relive their past trauma — simply for Quinn’s sick entertainment.

2

“Welcome to Margrave”

Season 1, Episode 1

Trouble always seems to find Reacher — even in the middle of nowhere Georgia. “Welcome to Margrave” introduces the main character without the fluff and minimal dialogue. The very second Reacher sits down to have a meal in a diner, he immediately gets arrested for a baseless accusation. Matters escalate when he gets transferred to a maximum security prison, where its residents are bloodthirsty convicts.

Reacher is not one to be fazed, and he perfectly demonstrates his ability to not give a hoot in the prison fight scene. Obviously set up by a crooked guard, Reacher is targeted at one of the most dangerous places in prison: the bathroom. Slippery, outnumbered, and totally unsupervised by officers, Reacher unleashes his full range of skills in this head-busting brawl — a character introduction that needs no words.

1

“Unfinished Business”

Season 3, Episode 8

It’s about time Reacher finally meets his match. Throughout the show’s three-season run, viewers are used to seeing Reacher walking away from fights as the winner. But “Unfinished Business” is the true test of Reacher’s skills, physique, and mental will. Reacher and his team infiltrate Zachary’s compound to put an end to Quinn’s dealings. But before Reacher can barely walk into the mansion, Quinn’s right-hand man Paulie (Olivier Richters) stops him.

It’s like watching a lion fight a mammoth. Paulie is twice the size of Reacher, which makes him even stronger. However, Reacher isn’t one to give up so easily. In this 15-to-20-minute fight sequence, Reacher is punched, hanged, and even thrown into the sea. But this scene also shows how smart of a fighter Reacher is, allowing him to catch Paulie off-guard. That’s the reason why their fight scene seems to never end — any time one of them is on the verge of dying, they keep getting back up.

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