Why Alan Ritchson Was Upset With Reacher and How It Was Fixed

A television adaptation often involves changes from its source material. Alan Ritchson, the star of the Amazon series “Reacher,” has commented on one specific alteration made for the show that addressed a concern he had with the original book series by Lee Child.

Main News

Alan Ritchson plays the titular role of Jack Reacher in the Amazon Prime Video series. The character is based on the bestselling series of novels by author Lee Child.

Ritchson stated he was previously “upset” by how the book series handled Reacher’s personal connections. He specifically mentioned the character’s relationship with a woman named Jodie Garber from the books.

The television show made a change to this storyline. The series did not include the long-term, ongoing relationship with Jodie Garber that is present in the literary series.

According to Ritchson, this change fixed the issue for him. He believes the alteration better preserves Reacher’s core identity as a lone drifter who does not maintain permanent ties.

Summary

Alan Ritchson, the actor portraying Jack Reacher, revealed a specific change from the books that was made for the TV adaptation. He expressed that a particular element in the original novel series had been a point of contention for him.

The change involved omitting Reacher’s long-term romantic relationship with a character from the books, Jodie Garber. This relationship was a multi-novel story arc in Lee Child’s source material.

Ritchson stated this decision fixed a problem he had with the character’s portrayal in the books. He indicated the alteration helps maintain Reacher’s established persona as a wanderer without permanent attachments.

FAQs

What was Alan Ritchson upset about in the Reacher books?
He was upset by the handling of Jack Reacher’s personal connections, specifically the character’s long-term relationship with Jodie Garber. Ritchson felt this conflicted with Reacher’s established identity.

How did the TV show fix this issue?
The television adaptation fixed this by not including the extended storyline with Jodie Garber. The show’s writers chose to omit this romantic arc from the narrative.

Why is this change significant for the character?
This change is significant because it reinforces Reacher’s core characteristic as a drifter. It maintains his lack of permanent ties, which is a defining trait in the series.