Jack Ryan Meets Reacher In Netflix's Trending 7-Part Action Thriller Remake

6 days ago 8

Published May 2, 2026, 8:15 PM EDT

Dani Kessel Odom (they/them) is an autistic lead writer and TV critic who frequently covers sci-fi shows like Doctor Who and Pluribus, fantasy shows like The Magicians and Percy Jackson, horror, and superheroes. Their specialty is onscreen book adaptations. Their TV reviews can be found on Rotten Tomatoes.

They have covered events, such as the Denver Fan Expo. Professionals in the field, such as Damien Leone and Lucy Hale, have shared their articles. Their review for Ponies was quoted in the show's TV trailer.

In university, they majored in English Writing with a minor in psychology. They have always had a passion for analyzing TV and movies, even taking filmography and scriptwriting classes in university. They also studied and participated in onstage and onscreen acting extensively from the ages of 7 to 18.

Aside from working at Screen Rant, Dani has worked as a freelance editor and writer over the past decade, often in a ghostwriting capacity.

Netflix’s new action thriller is essentially Jack Ryan meets Reacher, and the show is already a global streaming hit. Although the genre is vast, Prime Video has produced two of the most successful action-thriller shows: Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan and Reacher. They share a few traits, like heroes with military backgrounds fighting to stop the bad guys. The actors John Krasinski and Alan Ritchson bring charisma to their characters.

Another big difference is the type of problems they solve. Jack Ryan tries to stop global geopolitical conspiracies, dismantling them every step of the way. Oh the other hand, Jack Reacher drifts from place to place, and he continually gets personally caught up in the crimes that he’s solving.

Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan and Reacher are two flavors of the action-thriller genre that are equally thrilling but very different. That being said, Netflix’s new TV show, Man on Fire, combines the two in the best ways.

Warning: this article includes spoilers for Man on Fire!

Man On Fire Has A Storyline Like Jack Ryan & A Hero Like Reacher

Netflix’s new action-thriller Man on Fire is tangentially related to the 2004 Denzel Washington movie of the same name. It’s not quite a remake; it uses the same book series by A.J. Quinnell as the foundation, approaching the story in a different way. However, it’s still connected.

The story feels like it took the best parts of the Jack Ryan and Reacher TV shows and smashed them together. Although John Creasy has a personal connection to the crime, as Jack Reacher usually does, Man on Fire’s plot uncovers a complex conspiracy involving folks from more than one country, making it a lot more like Jack Ryan.

On the other hand, John Creasy has a personality and background more similar to Reacher. Creasy might be a Marine-turned-CIA operative like Jack Ryan, but he and Reacher are more adept at brute force fighting. They were both discharged and become isolated from their past life. Eventually, Reacher and Creasy both turn to vigilante justice.

However, Creasy’s approach to handling conflicts is a mix of Jack Ryan and Reacher. He has a methodological approach to interrogating folks, even if he’s very sadistic and dark with it. He is also analytical while creating his plan to get to his targets. He essentially plans two separate heists in Man on Fire.

At the same time, he will use brute force to punish the people he’s after. He nearly pummels Ferraz to death. He is fantastic in both gun fights and hand-to-hand conflicts Then, he has an epic fight scene at the end of Man on Fire.

That said, Man on Fire also brings something new to the table, setting the show apart from other action-thriller shows. The story explores trauma and grief through Creasy and Poe, with Creasy living with severe PTSD and Poe having acute trauma symptoms. What’s more, the story shows the healing power of connection. Each of Man on Fire’s characters changes as a person because of the influence of another.

Man On Fire Could Be As Successful As Jack Ryan & Reacher

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as John Creasy in Episode 106 of Man on Fire

As of the time of writing, Man on Fire has not been renewed for season 2. However, executive producer Steven Caple Jr. confirmed to Comicbook.com that they are already planning for the second season. What’s more, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II discussed the chances of Man on Fire season 2 with ScreenRant’s Ash Crossen, and he could see himself playing John Creasy for many seasons.

What’s more, the show instantly became the global number 1 on Netflix. Just one day after its release, Man on Fire topped the charts in 22 countries. Plus, the show already has a 74% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. If that’s any indication, the show will likely get picked up for another season.

Netflix has the foundation for a show that could easily rival Reacher and Jack Ryan. John Creasy is compelling. Plus, the ending of the first season sets up a second season. The streamer can't continue its trend of canceling great shows. All the pieces of the puzzle are there for a fantastic franchise. All they need to do is take a chance on Man on Fire instead of cutting it short.