Review: Neagley is a worthy spinoff to megahit Reacher

Neagley is also dealing with some personal issues. There’s her grief over Tommy’s death and desire to avenge him. And her father, Calvin (Tyrone Benskin), is dying and refuses to talk about the past—a checkered history that may hold the key to Neagley’s lifelong haphephobia, i.e., fear of touch, although it doesn’t bother her when she’s beating people up. The real question is whether Sten’s Neagley—by far the most interesting recurring role on Reacher— is a strong enough character to carry a series on her own. Reacher has his massive size and strength and noble drifter philosophy; Neagley has her haphephobia and daddy issues, plus a top-notch brain, athleticism, and lethal skills, all of which she puts to good use in her work. Both have issues with authority. And Neagley also has a home base in Chicago and a core group for support. That’s the biggest difference between the two series: Reacher is an itinerant loner, and the show largely centers on him, with a rotating cast of supporting characters. Sten might be the star, but Neagley has more of an ensemble cast, and that cast hasn’t quite gelled yet. She has zero chemistry with Holt’s Hudson, for instance, who is clearly being set up as a romantic interest despite her aversion to touch. But the show otherwise delivers on sheer entertainment value. Team Neagley emerges victorious, and the bad guys meet appropriately satisfying ends. All in all, Neagley is a worthy addition to the Reacher universe. Here’s hoping we get a second season. All eight episodes of Neagley are now streaming on Prime Video.