Smackdown

Not much happens this episode, except for the predictable fate of the guy working with Duffy. I can't remember his name, but they were basically baiting for FAR too long that the creep he was watching would eventually get away and he'd be left, well, let me just mark that one off of my prediction checklist. Only real surprise of the episode was seeing Reacher try, and fail, to bring down the big WWE-looking guy with a punch to the gut. That scene actually did surprise me, but now we know they're just building up to a big rematch, obviously. I think what bugs me about this series is how much dramatic padding seems to fill in the gaps of the show. Can't we just get a primarily Reacher-based show without all of the sub-plots? And what's with the recurring theme of urination that seems to plague this season? You could almost make a drinking game out of it: take a shot whenever someone makes mention of peeing.

I'm not loving Season 3; it's a lot less action packed relying instead on brief moments of chaos amid a rather ridiculous set of circumstances the writers seem to be scraping together as they go along. There's a loss of bad assness in Reacher as the actor struggles to connect with the poorly contrived Bronx tomboy.

I'm not one to require realism or full-scale believability, but Reacher's cover would have been discovered numerous times by men with the most basic sense. And that is probably the biggest overall loss in Season 3 - relying on such dimwit bad guys to make the plot keep moving forward. Past seasons managed to retain Reacher's wit and strength without excessive compromise of other characters' intelligence. Not the least of which is having Elliot spend four days with a seasoned agent without giving in only to make the most rookie mistakes that cost him his life - all for an individual who is most likely expired. Then we're to believe that Reacher is afraid suddenly in a room with one punk and one goon to the point of exposing his fear - wide eyes and intense swallowing.

There's just not enough interesting characters and I don't know who they think their audience is anymore, delivering such a lack of excitement surrounded by ridiculous dialog. Where's the interesting sidekicks and witty conversation? What happened to plots that make sense for people we have a vested concern for?

I'm sincerely hoping it gets better.

Poor Steven Elliot he was never going to have a long career with the DEA. It was only a matter of time John Cooper would escape and dispose of him.

Steven needed more training on how to restraint a suspect.

Then again Duffy is no top shakes as a senior DEA agent. Reacher had to help her out in escaping from the warehouse.

Duffy also dropped her badge which Reacher found then then decided to hide it in his bedroom.

The action ramped up in this episode. Reacher needed to get to John Cooper before he gets to Beck's house.

Then there is the bit about Duffy being over optimistic about her protege still being alive.

The badge thing turned out to be a red herring, although a clumsy one. Beck does a sweep in his house, then coming up with a surprising find.

Greetings for the episode 5, I've keep enjoying a lot for the undercover from Reacher, once again Reacher proof his plenty manpower force construction every scene. Very good mind flexible reactions from Reacher training day he has. Admirations for the screeplay artwork , tactical military scene from Reacher, bang bang, he hits you now what the strategy you have..!? Plotted by a Reacher "Reacher" is high-class entertaining maybe the episode advances that old Hollywood look it is magnificent, his coffe time comes with smashing some heads nice. Some says he is better then from 'Bourne'. This seasons just keeps getting better and bettter. The amount of unbelievable stuff just makes me feel inspired to keep watching..!?

I've been enjoying the season for the most part so far; feels closer to a classic Reacher story than season two but maybe that's just me. Having said that however I'm thinking I might have to rewatch the first episode because I don't recall why Duffy et al can't use more DEA resources other than the standard 'saving face' or 'using trustworthy people.' If those are the only reasons then this whole operation is a little suspicious.

The DEA has plenty of manpower and funding to at least hold that driver somewhere other than handcuffed to a chair in a cabin with only a kid, who I don't believe for a moment would pass the six-month agent training academy, to babysit him. All this did was contrive the inevitable situation that occurred in this episode, which I'm sure everyone watching saw coming a mile away.

Another thing about Duffy, besides her terribly fake Boston accent; why does she wear her badge and gun in full view all the time, especially when illegally entering/searching buildings and drinking a beer in public then driving? Federal agents and plainclothes detectives don't advertise that they're hiding a gun and badge somewhere on their person for several good reasons. But then again she wouldn't be able to lose her badge and create some tension for a few minutes if the agents were acting sensibly, and we just couldn't have that could we. Hopefully there's a logical explanation for Reacher not throwing her badge into the water with the dead bodies...

With all the guns in the guy's house, and his favorite toy as a child being a gun, did anyone really think the rug company was smuggling drugs? Even though he's not the one in charge there was never a single hint that drugs were involved. That wasn't much of a reveal.