Alan Ritchson's Top Jack Reacher Pick Is a Fan Favorite

The Journey of "Reacher" and the Hopes for "Die Trying"

The "Reacher" TV series has enjoyed a lot of creative freedom in choosing which novel to adapt next. However, as of season 4, it still hasn't picked Alan Ritchson's favorite book: "Die Trying." In an April 2024 interview, Ritchson described the 1998 novel as "personally [his] favorite book," and he expressed hope that the show might adapt it soon.

In "Die Trying," Reacher is unexpectedly kidnapped alongside a random woman he met in Chicago. The kidnappers are only after the woman, but Reacher gets caught up in the situation anyway. If the show had followed the books chronologically, this would have been adapted into season 2. Instead, the show took a non-chronological approach and jumped straight to book #11.

Ritchson's love for "Die Trying" stems from how it captures the essence of who Reacher is. As he explained in a 2023 interview with /Film, he believes that stories where Reacher is reluctantly drawn into situations are more true to his character. "I think otherwise Reacher just wants to be left alone. I don't think Reacher goes into a diner in the middle of the Sierra Nevadas looking for a fight, but it finds him."

This idea was evident in the season 2 premiere, where Reacher casually interferes with a carjacking and tells the mother afterward, "I'm someone who prefers not to get involved." Ritchson found this line contradictory, as he felt it didn't align with the character's usual behavior. "It was the weirdest thing. I felt so weird saying that after kicking the s**t out of some carjacker, that nobody really asked for his help."

The trend of Reacher seeking trouble continued into season 3, where he infiltrated a crime family to get revenge on a bad guy from his past. While his motivations were sympathetic, they didn't fit the image of a man who is simply dragged into situations by pure bad luck.

Season 4 and Beyond

The book for season 4 has already been announced — "Gone Tomorrow," book number 13 in the series. Unless the show's ratings drop significantly, there will almost certainly be a season 5. The question remains: what book will the showrunners pick for that one?

In a February 2025 interview, Lee Child, the author of the books and co-showrunner, provided insight into the selection process. He mentioned that the team tries to impose some logic on the choices. "Season one was really about Reacher's emotional roots with his real family. Then season 2 was his emotional roots with his professional family. And season 3, therefore, we can launch him on his own, the classic lone wolf Reacher, and 'Persuader' was a great story for that."

This suggests that the first two seasons were quasi-origin stories for Reacher, delving into his background and explaining his character. Starting with season 3, the show moved away from its constant flashback format, no longer focusing on major character revelations about the lead. This likely means the show will choose books that feel increasingly standalone and less reliant on characters from Reacher's past.

If that's the case, "Die Trying" would be a perfect fit. Another advantage of the book is its locations. So far, the show has taken Reacher to Georgia, New York City, Maine, and now back to New York. While Reacher is known for wandering around America, he has only spent time on the East Coast. Perhaps season 5 will introduce a new time zone, and "Die Trying," which starts in Chicago and takes Reacher all the way to California, could be an ideal choice.

Although it may take a few extra seasons than Ritchson expected, his favorite "Reacher" book may finally get its proper adaptation soon.