Copyright Screen Rant
Reacher seems to have the perfect TV replacement right now, which also features a main character who is weirdly similar to the one Alan Ritchson plays. Since Reacher is easily one of the biggest dad shows of modern times, it is not surprising that it is often considered the benchmark for every other series in the genre. Every time a new action thriller lands on a streaming service, it is either seen as a potential Reacher replacement or dismissed for failing to live up to its standard. One crime thriller, however, has managed to etch its own identity in the genre with just one season. In terms of overall popularity and viewership, it has not yet matched Prime Video's Reacher. However, it still embraces the same core appeal by featuring a similarly rugged and mysterious protagonist. Reacher & The Day Of The Jackal’s Titular Characters Are Similar In More Ways Than One The titular character in The Day of the Jackal is more of an anti-hero than a heroic vigilante like Jack Reacher. However, like Reacher, he operates as a lone wolf and proves to be hyper-competent. The Day of the Jackal also intentionally avoids delving too deeply into the central assassin's personal life, and, like Reacher, focuses on highlighting how he operates and pulls off his missions. This approach, in turn, makes the character more mysteriously appealing. Like Alan Ritchson's Jack Reacher, Eddie Redmayne's character in The Day of the Jackal also lives a transient, rootless life, where he lets his strict code of conduct be his guide. He also pursues every lead with a meticulous plan and, like Reacher, maintains a calm detachment from his external environment. The overarching stories in both Reacher and The Day of the Jackal also follow a cat-and-mouse structure. While Redmayne's Jackal is the one being hunted in the Peacock show, Jack Reacher does the hunting in the Prime Video detective series. Both shows also rely on minimal dialog to ensure their main characters retain an air of authority every time they speak. With limited exposition, both shows masterfully build tension, making them the perfect action thriller series. Interestingly, their similarities are not coincidental. Jack Reacher books' author, Lee Child, has openly cited the original The Day of the Jackal novel as one of his key writing inspirations (via The Guardian). Eddie Remayne’s Day Of The Jackal Character Is What Reacher Could Have Become As seen in the Prime Video detective series, Jack Reacher does not shy away from crossing a few moral boundaries to serve justice. There have been instances where he has brutally murdered bad guys only to fulfill his own desire to restore balance in the world. However, despite walking the thin line between heroism and vigilantism, Reacher never slips into the anti-hero domain. What keeps him on the morally right path is all the lessons and principles he has adopted from the people who have guided him in the past. His backstory reveals that everyone, from his parents to his military mentor, paved the way for him to use his strength and intellect responsibly. Like the Jackal, Reacher's moral framework can often seem complex and unconventional.
