Lee Child has made his name as the author of 25 crime novels featuring the titular hero, a retired Military Police Officer with a violent streak and a gargantuan frame (6’5″, 250 lbs of mighty muscle). Tom Cruise made 2 movies as the character, but he didn’t possess the stature, physical or otherwise, to carry off the role (my reviews of Jack Reacher and Never Go Back). Alan Ritchson certainly fits the physical bill and they make a point of proving it by baring his torso at least once in every episode. As for performance, he’s got the steely demeanor down (with occasional mild smirk or wise ass comment) and there’s no question he can kick ass. In this adaptation of Child’s first novel The Killing Floor, Reacher finds himself in a small Georgia town where murders begin to pile up. Toss in lots of shady characters and you have a fairly typical crime drama plot. When Reacher does get physical, he dispatches his enemies with quick violent strokes (also at least once every episode). Fans of the novels will probably find Ritchson more to their liking. He’s certainly imposing and sometimes allows a bit of personality to break thru the rigid disposition. However, the rather average production and pedestrian writing make this a pretty standard by-the-numbers procedural. 
(3 / 5)
