Heather Burns
Back in action: ‘Reacher’ returns to military life for Season 2
Diehard James Bond fans may argue that there is no one quite like MI-6 Agent 007, but those familiar with the espionage genre on a larger scale know there exist plenty of similar heroic figures — both in literature and on screen. One such fictional character has been regaining momentum, this time among TV fans, and the second season of his self-titled series, “Reacher,” premieres Friday, Dec. 15, on Prime Video.
Similar to Bond’s humble beginnings in the written works of late novelist Ian Flemming, the character of Jack Reacher (played in the Prime series by Alan Ritchson, “Fast & Furious X,” 2023) was born from the imagination of another famous Brit: Lee Child.
While Season 1 of “Reacher” followed the character’s journey as he battled corruption in the police force, the business world and politics following his own wrongful arrest for murder, Season 2 plans to focus more on Reacher’s backstory, including a look at the connections he made during his time in the force and his allegiance to the concept of “duty.”
According to the official plot synopsis for the new season, “’Reacher’ Season 2 begins when veteran military police investigator Jack Reacher receives a coded message that the members of his U.S. Army Unit, the 110th MP Special Investigations, are being mysteriously and brutally murdered one by one. Pulled from his drifter lifestyle, Reacher reunites with three of his former teammates turned chosen family to investigate.”
Among this “chosen family” unit is returning character Frances Neagley (Maria Sten, “Swamp Thing”), as well as forensic accountant Karla Dixon (Serinda Swan, “The Coroner”) and “fast-talking, switchblade-wielding family man” David O’donnell (Shaun Sipos, “Krypton”) — both of whom are new to the series this season.
Also joining Ritchson and company for Season 2 are Ferdinand Kingsley (“The Sandman”) as A.M., Robert Patrick (“Peacemaker”) as Shane Langston, and guest stars Luke Bilyk (“Degrassi: The Next Generation”), Edsson Morales (“Nobody,” 2021), Domenick Lombardozzi (“Tulsa King”), Dean Mckenzie (“Shooter”), Shannon Kook (“The 100”), Al Sapienza (“The Sopranos”), Ty Olsson (“War for the Planet of the Apes,” 2017), Josh Blacker (“Stargate Universe”) and Andres Collantes (“The Night Agent”).
Season 2 of “Reacher” takes a page out of its protagonist’s book (nearly literally) and makes a bold choice. Skipping ahead 10 books from where the plot left off in Season 1, the new season is based on the 11th book in Child’s Jack Reacher literary series, “Bad Luck and Trouble.” While not normally a suggested move to gloss over 12 years of source material, both Amazon Studios executives and series creators are hopeful that fans will adore this plotline and are excited to release it this winter.
“Alan is back, and he is so fantastic in the role,” Amazon’s head of television Vernon Sanders said while in discussion with Collider reporter Steve Weintraub. “I’m so proud of the producers [for] finding that fit for ‘Reacher.’ The ‘Reacher’ fans of the book, their reaction to the show has just been a dream. Season 2 is awesome, and as great as Season 1 was, I think Season 2 delivers beyond that.”
Sanders also added hope for fans looking to the future: “I do think there’s a good chance that the show will be back next year.”
A: Heather Burns did, indeed, have a great run as the rom-com best friend in the ‘90s and early aughts. And while her career hasn’t quite hit those heights since, it’s been steadily busy.
The biggest recent project on her resume is probably the Oscar-winning 2016 drama “Manchester by the Sea.” She had a small but significant role as Jill, who is set up on a date with the film’s protagonist (played by Casey Affleck, “A Ghost Story,” 2017). But, Burns told the Los Angeles Times when the film was released that her real role was providing “a bit of comic relief at a point of the film where you really needed that.”
She’s also dabbled a little in television, including a lead role in the short-lived sitcom “Save Me” in 2013, and a recurring role as a hacker in another NBC series, “Blindspot,” from 2017 to 2020.
Besides those roles, it’s been a bunch of other supporting gigs in big-screen rom-coms — such as “What’s Your Number” (2011) and “Breaking Upwards” (2009). But none were as big as the ones she made her name with around the turn of the millennium.
That run started with 1998’s “You’ve Got Mail,” in which she played an employee and friend of the bookstore-owning protagonist (played by Meg Ryan, “When Harry Met Sally,” 1989).
Two years later, in 2000, she was Miss Rhode Island in “Miss Congeniality,” a role she reprised in the 2005 sequel.
In between those, it was 2002’s “Two Weeks Notice,” which reunited her with her “Miss Congeniality” co-star, Sandra Bullock.