Frances Neagley may be one of the best characters inReacher, but I was initially very worried when it was announced that a spinoff following her was in development. Even though Neagley has only appeared in five out of the 29Jack Reachernovels, actress Maria Sten has portrayed her in every season ofReacher. Neagley does not appear inThe Killing Floor, the novel that the first season ofReacherwas based on, but she was written into the season and quickly became a fan-favorite character.
Neagley had a much larger role inReacherseason 2, which made sense since she was a prominent character inBad Luck and Trouble, the book the season was based on. The response to her character in the first two seasons has proven that it doesn’t actually matter whether Neagley appears in the source material.Reacherseason 3has also found a way to include Neagley, despite her not appearing in the source material. However,she admittedly does have a smaller role inReacherseason 3, which is why it is great thatNeagley is getting her own spinoff.
Lee Child Was Right To Be Worried About Neagley’s Spinoff Ruining Her Mysterious Aura
Lee Child Refused To Write A Neagley Spinoff For Years
Since its premiere in 2022,Reacherhas become one of Prime Video’s most popular series, which is whyit wasn’t necessarily a surprise when a Neagley spinoff was announced in September 2024. However, I was immediately worried about it ruining the character, especially since Lee Child, author of theJack Reachernovels, has refused to write a spinoff Neagley story for years. Thankfully, my worries have gone away after learning thatLee Child is excited and even “jealous” about the Neagley spinoff. Talking about why he never wrote a Neagley spinoff, Child said:
I was nervous about doing it, because the thing about her, it seemed to me, was that she’s mysterious. She’s unexplained. I didn’t want to go too deeply into what made her who she is. I felt that would burst the bubble somehow, so I shied away from it.
Despite believing for years that centering a separate story around Neagley would ruin the character’s mysterious aura, Child has now admitted that he was wrong. He even praisedReachershowrunner Nick Santora, who is also developing the Neagley spinoff, for pursuing a project that he was afraid of for years. Therefore,it seems like Child is very confident that Santora has come up with an amazing idea for the Neagley spinoff show, which is a huge relief.
Lee Child’s Seal Of Approval Makes Me Think Reacher’s Spinoff Series Will Do Neagley Justice
Nick Santora Must Have A Great Idea For The Neagley Spinoff
Even though Santora has done an exceptional job adapting severalJack Reachernovels, no one knowsReacher’scharactersbetter than Child. After all,Chid has been writingJack Reachernovels sinceThe Killing Floorwas released in 1997. Child has spent decades getting to know these characters on a deeper level, which is why I no longer have any reason to doubt that the Neagley spinoff will be another exceptional entry in Prime Video’s franchise.
If Neagley is a success, thenReachercould become an even bigger franchise for Prime Video and even more spinoff shows could be made.
Even though Child has full confidence in the project, the Neagley spinoff is still a major risk.Reacherhas been an extremely successful show, butNeagley’s series will prove whether the franchise can find similar success without its main character. If Neagley is a success, thenReachercould become an even bigger franchise for Prime Video and even more spinoff shows could be made. Future spinoff shows could potentially follow characters like Oscar Finlay and Karla Dixon.
How Neagley’s Spinoff Can Explain Her Origin Without Ruining Her Enigmatic Aura
Neagley Is A Very Mysterious Character In Reacher
Not many plot details are currently known about the Neagley spinoff. However, when the show was announced, it was revealed thatNeagley will be shocked by the death of a close friend. In the show, Neagley will suspect that something is not right about her friend’s premature death, so she’ll start to investigate it and eventually discover a web of lies. The show will have to explore Neagley’s personal life, but it is currently unknown if it will explain her origin.
A Subtle Reacher Season 3 Joke Brilliantly Pays Off A Line From Season 2
Reacher season 3 features a hilarious joke that not only serves as a perfect callback to a season 2 scene but also captures the character’s lifestyle.
Not much is known about Neagley, other than the fact that she is a skilled private investigator and was a member of the 110th Special Investigations Unit. The show doesn’t necessarily have to reveal everything about Neagley’s personal life, but much likeReacherseason 1, it will have to show glimpses of how she became who she is today. Reacher is also a very mysterious character, and the Prime Video series continuously explores his backstory just enough. Therefore, just like inReacher, it shouldn’t be hard for the Neagley spinoff to show glimpses of her past without ruining the character.
