Alan Ritchson on playing 'Reacher' through different seasons: It's a hard show to make

There is no time to rest or recover on "Reacher", says the show's lead star Alan Ritchson while opening up about the physical toll of playing the titular character in the Prime Video series. Over the course of two seasons, Ritchson has earned praise for perfectly embodying the character's towering physique and imposing presence as described in author Lee Child's long-running book series "Jack Reacher".

Getting the physique right and maintaining it for a long duration is no mean task, said Ritchson.
"I think the toll it takes on the body and mind is daunting and it's one of those things where I can't wait to get back into another season of 'Reacher' and see what kind of world we can bring to life. And on the other hand, I know how hard it is every year to film the show.
"There's never time to rest, there's never time to recover. You're constantly pushing the body... It's a hard show to make," the actor told PTI in an interview.
The show, which returned with its third season on Prime Video from Thursday, requires a lot of mental preparation as well, added Ritchson.
"It's not like I just learn a couple of lines and go stand there and talk. You're abusing the body and making a lot of demands all the time. I know what it's going to take and how I'm going to feel at the end of the season because I've done it three times now. I'm going to be a little beat down at the end... but that is what it is," he said.
The third chapter of the action thriller will see Reacher hurtle into the dark heart of a vast criminal enterprise while trying to rescue an undercover DEA informant whose time is running out, according to the official logline.
"There he finds a world of secrecy and violence-and confronts some unfinished business from his own past," it said.
There's a level of wish fulfilment in the show for most people, said Ritchson, explaining the reason why the show has resonated with audiences all over the world.
"We want to live in a world where corruption and injustices are met with some sort of immediate retribution. So it keeps evil in check. It's kind of fun to see what that world would look like and Reacher shows us that. There's something cathartic... He's got his own set of rules, but they're generally pretty spot on.
"He doesn't like bad people or bad institutions getting away with things. I rather enjoy Reacher's way of doing things. But it's fantasy and we can't be Reachers all the time in the real world. We have to let due process run its course and that's not nearly as fun, but it is what it is," the actor said.
When asked how portraying the character for three seasons has influenced his personal life, Ritchson admitted that the role has toughened him up a bit.
"Reacher has his own set of boundaries, he has no problem saying no. And telling people like it is. He's brutally honest. And I think I think some of that has probably rubbed off in my own life. It's just a more efficient way to live. I see myself doing a little Reacher from time to time," he said.
The third season will also feature Maria Sten, who returns as Reacher's comrade Frances Neagley as well as newcomers Anthony Michael Hall, Sonya Cassidy, Brian Tee, Johnny Berchtold, Robert Montesinos, Daniel David Stewart, and Olivier Richters.
"Reacher", developed by Nick Santora, started with its first season in February 2022 and returned with its second season in December 2023.
The series, which is already renewed for a fourth season, is produced by Amazon MGM Studios, Skydance Television, and Paramount Television Studios.