Netflix’s 3-Part Action Thriller Series Is Coming For Reacher’s Title Of #1 Dad Show

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Although The Night Agent hasn’t surpassed Reacher just yet, it’s quickly becoming one of Netflix’s top action thrillers and a strong contender for the best crime thriller of the 2020s. This trend of popular, straightforward action shows – often called “Dad TV” – is continuing to do well, as evidenced by Prime Video recently renewing Cross, based on James Patterson’s novels, for a third season.

The new Aldis Hodge series has the potential to run for many years, thanks to the wealth of additional Alex Cross novels that could be adapted. However, it might not have been made at all if the 2022 series Reacher hadn’t been such a hit. Reacher, now in its fourth season, has become a prime example of popular, feel-good television for a broad audience.

The Night Agent Is Now Netflix’s Best Reacher Competitor

I’ve been really enjoying Reacher on Prime Video! It reminds me a lot of Bosch – it’s the kind of show that could easily launch a whole franchise, built around a brilliant but troubled hero who isn’t afraid to break the rules to get things done. But what really sets Reacher apart is the action. It’s much more fast-paced and full of intense, surprisingly brutal fight scenes than most detective shows, and I think that’s a big reason why it’s become such a huge hit.

Prime Video doesn’t have a complete lock on shows appealing to a broad audience, often called ‘Dad TV’. Season 3 of The Night Agent shows that Netflix is quickly gaining ground with a thrilling, action-filled story featuring Gabriel Basso as FBI agent Peter Sutherland. The series, adapted from Matthew Quirk’s 2019 novel, has been both critically acclaimed and a commercial success.

The Night Agent Is A Better Reacher Replacement Than Prime Video’s Latest Attempt

Season 1 of The Night Agent was already well-received, earning a 75% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. However, seasons 2 and 3 proved even more popular, both scoring an impressive 86%. Unlike another recent series, Scarpetta, which tried to fill the void left by Reacher, The Night Agent started strong and continued to improve, gradually achieving a level of success similar to Reacher.

While Scarpetta didn’t receive the same praise as The Night Agent, the new series on Netflix, meant to fill the void left by Reacher, faces a unique challenge. Both Reacher and Scarpetta, along with the Cross series, are adapted from popular book series with over 25 installments each. This means there’s a virtually endless supply of material for future seasons.

Unlike some shows based on book series, The Night Agent is adapted from a single novel. This means the show will have used up all the original story material by the end of its third season. It remains to be seen if this will negatively impact its success as a replacement for Reacher, or if it will actually become an advantage, keeping viewers guessing since the plot twists aren’t predictable.

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2026-03-30 22:08