Published Feb 23, 2026, 6:30 PM EST
Angel Shaw is a Lead Writer and Peer Mentor on ScreenRant's New TV team, covering new-release TV shows across all major streaming platforms. She has been a writer with ScreenRant since 2022 and specializes in Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, and fantasy.
Angel holds a bachelor's degree in language interpreting and is passionate about all things culture and communication—especially in how it relates to popular media throughout history (from Shakespeare to Friends to Game of Thrones).
Netflix's The Night Agent has largely remained a step below Prime Video's Reacher, but it just proved one way that it has the edge. These are two TV shows cut from the same cloth—both are action thrillers based on books, and both see their clever male protagonists faced with high-stakes international conspiracies and criminals. It's a tried and true formula, and there's no doubt that Reacher and The Night Agent deliver on that specific brand of entertainment. Regardless, general approval has been higher for Reacher than it has for Netflix's answer to the genre.
After three seasons, Reacher has maintained an incredibly consistent critical reception, and Rotten Tomatoes reflects an overall score of 96%. The Night Agent, on the other hand, has an 81% critic score. That's no slouch, by any means, and that sort of approval rating is typically a great reflection on a fantastic TV show. Still, it can't be denied that the Netflix series doesn't come close to Reacher under that metric—but it's important to take a look at the whole picture.
|
Series |
Score Type |
Season 1 |
Season 2 |
Season 3 |
|
Reacher |
Critic Score: |
92% |
98% |
98% |
|
Audience Score: |
91% |
77% |
73% |
|
|
The Night Agent |
Critic Score: |
75% |
86% |
83% |
|
Audience Score: |
78% |
39% |
79% |
It's interesting to observe that, while critics have been consistently pleased with Reacher, the percentage of positive audience reviews has dropped with every season. In The Night Agent's case, we saw an alarming drop in audience approval in season 2, but season 3 shows a marked improvement. In fact, The Night Agent season 3's audience score comes in above that of Reacher season 3. All in all, Prime Video's action thriller is trending downward with general viewers, while Netflix's is set up to keep growing higher.
The Night Agent Season 3 Outdoes Reacher In One Significant Way
The Night Agent's season 3 redemption comes down to one key improvement compared to season 2, and it's something that Reacher hasn't quite figured out. In this most recent batch of episodes, Peter Sutherland's character underwent significant development. His moral instincts have greatly improved, and he is no longer stuck trying to balance moral correctness with the "greater good." It was a significant improvement over season 2, but beyond this, it gave us a sense of trajectory. Peter Sutherland is a better hero in season 3 than he was in previous installments, and that adds significantly to the satisfaction of watching The Night Agent.
Jack Reacher isn't designed to be a developing character. He's the very definition of an immutable hero; an almost mythic force who remains consistently powerful and incorruptible. There's a significant benefit to such a character, but there are some pitfalls as well. While Reacher didn't face the sort of frustrating problems The Night Agent did when Peter's character became almost unbearable in season 2, it also doesn't have that built-in story trajectory.
Without any central character development, Reacher will have a harder time keeping viewers engaged with every season. The story surrounding Jack Reacher has to be exceptional, and even then, it will be difficult to continue long-term. Reacher can't even compensate for this with its supporting characters, since its anthology format means these figures turn over with each new season.
How Reacher Is Hindered By Its Anthology Format
Another way Reacher is unique among popular action-thriller TV shows is its anthology format. Each season places Jack Reacher in a new situation, surrounded by fresh characters, villains, and mysteries. It's a great deal of fun, since this format was popularized by action film franchises like James Bond and Indiana Jones. However, in both these examples, the central heroes are imperfect and capable of development, while Jack Reacher is not.
There are 29 books in Lee Child's Jack Reacher series, and the anthology format has never been a hindrance. However, with that steadily declining viewer approval, it looks as if the Reacher TV show doesn't have the same sort of unlimited potential. The screen needs a developing protagonist or a more linearly developed story to work long-term. It's for this reason that The Night Agent may ultimately overtake the Prime Video series.
The Night Agent Has Officially Proved That It's Going To Keep Getting Better
Interestingly, The Night Agent spent its first two seasons trying to figure out the anthology approach, but it wasn't pulled off quite right until season 3. Initially, Peter was followed into season 2 by his love interest, Rose Larkin. They were a great pair in the Netflix show's debut season, but something about their relationship stopped working in that next batch of episodes. Peter's character development felt inorganic, while Rose ceased to have her own defined identity, instead serving the narrative only as a figure Peter had to worry about. In The Night Agent season 3, Rose got left behind.
Since Peter entered into The Night Agent season 3 alone, this installment officially solidified the show's anthology status. Our protagonist was free to develop independently, and it significantly improved the viewing experience. Now, it would be perfectly possible for Rose to drop into The Night Agent season 4, but leave again for other installments. The show has become more fluid and movable, all while Peter provides that overarching development that's missing from an anthology like Reacher. Overall, it's a sign that The Night Agent's season 3 improvement is a new trend for the Netflix action thriller.
English (US) ·