Reacher came crashing onto the scene as an action-packed, whodunit murder mystery series when it premiered on Prime Video in 2022. When I started watching, I thought it would be a standard, skin-deep show about good guys chasing bad guys with lots of brawls, led by an incredibly jacked Alan Ritchson. Judging the book by its very muscled cover, I soon came to realize in Season 1 of Reacher that it was a different kind of action series, and a cut above the rest in its stylized fight scenes. That came to fruition in a chase sequence during the back half of Season 1, in a neatly executed tussle across alleyways in New York City, that had my jaw drop by its violent, murderous ending.
Reacher strangling a man with his tie to win a fight was not what I was expecting from a show that I thought would be all gun fights and ammo. Season 1 remains my favorite season, with its charming small-town feel amid the murder case of Reacher’s brother, Joe, and the players who come to his aid.
Featuring Willa Fitzgerald as a tough cop and Reacher’s love interest, in addition to Malcolm Goodwin as Detective Oscar Finley, the trio becomes a ragtag team of avengers when Reacher gets arrested for the murder, and uncovers a conspiracy underneath. The scene that officially got me hooked, though, is when Reacher leaves Margrave for the big city, in an epic fight between suits and ties.
Reacher Fighting a Hitman in a New York Alleyway Is a Stand-out Season 1 Moment
The Big Apple gets a lot bloodier when Reacher comes to visit in pursuit of answers in Season 1, Episode 6, “Papier.” Occurring during broad daylight on the streets of New York City, Reacher gets to fight while wearing his greatest enemy: a suit and tie. The constrictions of wearing a wardrobe of something he hates wind up being his secret weapon when he strangles a hitman (Maxime Savara) to death with his tie. It’s a clever analogy to the stifling everyday life of a corporate 9 to 5 America that Reacher hates, which is what has led him to become a nomad.
The symbolization of what Reacher is wearing while fighting is what caught my attention, in addition to its dazzling pace. It made me realize I was watching something more than just a good fight, but a witty, well-thought-out metaphor for the character of Reacher himself, and his rebellion against societal norms.
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With thrilling hand-to-hand combat with not one gun in sight, re-watching Reacher and the hitman fight made me miss the old, simpler days of Reacher, where Ritchson’s greatest weapons were his hands. With the drum beat serving as the fight’s rhythm, it’s like watching a dance unfold as Reacher throws garbage bags on cue with the music, and his enemy jabs his knife through the air as the symbol crashes.
The hitman’s swipes with his knife that caused Reacher to bleed through his white shirt to the beat of the music had me jumping in my chair, as Reacher seemed so invincible to me up to that point. When “Spirit in the Sky” starts to play as Reacher finally wins by strangling the hitman off a fire escape with his tie, it’s a welcome moment of lightheartedness amid so much violence. It’s also a trademark moment of what makes the show so clever. As the hitman breathes his last breath as the episode ends, he’s just one more dead man sent to the sky, courtesy of Reacher.
‘Reacher’ Season 1 Fight Scenes Were Brutal and Physical, and Mostly Void of Guns
The alleyway fight scene is what took me from being engaged in an overall fun action series to appreciating the show’s dedication to its craft. It’s more than your average fight. It’s a meticulously choreographed combat sequence set to jazz music that adds layers of suspense to a quick, two-minute chase. A fight doesn’t have to last forever to be good, it just has to have an impact, like the punches that are being swung. It went beyond visuals, but also used sound effects like bones snapping and music to fully immerse audiences in a visceral showdown.
The creative spectacle Reacher could make out of a fight in an alleyway is the perfect example of what makes the show a one-of-a-kind, in its ability to be fun despite its gruesome material. It also highlights Ritchson’s agility and ability to perform his own stunts, with his commanding physical persona that plays a massive part in the show’s success.
After the alleyway fight scene in “Papier,” Season 1 just gets better and better with its fights, including one with a crowbar that gave Ritchson a real-life, dangerous injury. Having just finished this year’s Season 3, I was struck by how much of a gun-heavy extravaganza it was, and how far away it was from Season 1’s fight style. I still enjoyed it, but Ritchson, as an actor, has always thrived most in his physical combats, void of weapons.
That is what makes Season 1 so special, and a nostalgic installment of brutal, bloody brawls. He may be big, but his true weapon has always been his mind. Re-watching the alleyway fight had me reminiscing about the days when ties and crowbars could be weapons of death, with Reacher’s creative fighting style that could turn anything into a vessel for the Grim Reaper.
Reacher is available to stream on Prime Video.
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