‘Reacher’ star Alan Ritchson talks season two of hit show and how ‘Amazon took a risk’ on him

There’s a common phrase associated with Jack Reacher in Lee’s Child’s books: “Reacher says nothing.” Saying nothing, however, can be terrifying for Alan Ritchson, who plays Reacher on TV.

“He’s socially awkward, very stoic, very cerebral and none of those things should make for an interesting character,” Ritchson recently told The Associated Press. “As I play Reacher, I swear there’s not one scene where I feel like, ‘That was the most interesting scene of all TV.’”

“And then like the director, Sam Hill will come out, ‘It was so good! Oh, it’s so muscular and it was so full and like, it was right there, and we could just feel it coming out of your pores!

“I was just standing there,” deadpans Ritchson.

Reacher is a former U.S. Army officer who travels the country with only a toothbrush and wants no attachments or possessions. Nomad life leads Reacher to constantly meet new people and be in different environments, providing “Reacher” an easy set up for its anthology format. He also can’t help but step in when he notices trouble brewing, which is often, but often laments that he doesn’t want to be involved.

While the series’ debut season was based on Child’s first Reacher novel “Killing Floor,” season two is actually adapted from the 11th book in the series called “Bad Luck and Trouble.” In season two, debuting Friday, Reacher reunites with three Army comrades to track down the people who have been targeting and killing members of the elite group they once served in. (They’re played by Serinda Swan, Shaun Sipos and Maria Sten who, spoiler alert, viewers will recognize from season one.)

“Reacher is such a strong character he really is the bow of a ship just carving through the water,” said Sipos. “You need characters that cause him to behave slightly differently that you see different sides to him.”

Swan believes viewers will get used to Reacher interacting with (mostly) new characters each season. “Our job, was to make sure that the people that came in for season two didn’t feel a deficit, like you will miss the first characters, just as you will miss our characters in the next one, but casting and the storytelling means each season you should actually start to be excited because you know that you’re going to be able to fall in love with new people.”

Ritchson spoke to The Associated Press about the show and the books. Answers are condensed for clarity and brevity.

AP: Season one of this show was a hit, but I feel like it was kind of a quiet release. Do you think the success was a surprise?

RITCHSON: It was interesting. The fact that the guy they got to play Reacher was not really a household name, a little less recognizable, it was a little harder to get people to talk to us. I think Amazon took a risk. But then when people watched the season and the numbers came in, it started to get treated differently.

AP: For season two did you feel nervous about the new setting and new cast or were you confident viewers would take to it like they did season one?

RITCHSON: The thing I love is in season one, Reacher was the mystery. We’re getting a chance to see what it’s like when he’s got his family around him and in a way that really ups the stakes as well. But it also makes it a lot of fun to see what he’s like in a more familiar, comfortable environment.

AP: The show has already been renewed for a third season. It must be so interesting to be in on those discussions of which book to cover next.

RITCHSON: There are so many options. There was a lot of discussion and I think every year there’s going to be a lot of discussion. Myself included, I’ve read every book. A lot of people involved in this with a much higher pay grade than mine have read the books. Everybody’s got their favorites. Everybody wants to see their favorite story come to life on screen.

AP: What is it about this character that people enjoy?

RITCHSON: He really brings to life in us the desire that we all have to see justice done in a world that is so unjust, in a world where law is so cumbersome and clumsy and slow and he’s instant righteousness. I think we’re fascinated by that. There’s a lot of wish fulfillment in that for us, at least for me.

AP: Do you think he’s almost a superhero?

RITCHSON: We shot a crowbar fight in season one, where I got hit in the head with a vase (made of sugar glass) and ended up in a pool with the gunman. I was in so much pain after filming. I had a beanie on and that sugar vase hit so hard when I took the beanie off, I had blood pouring out of my head. So I called (executive producer) Don Granger and I was like, “OK, question. I’m feeling it. I feel it everywhere. So, like, is Reacher limping or what’s his pain level?”

And there’s like a slight pause and Granger goes, “Yeah, he’s fine. He’s kind of like a superhero so he’s OK.”