3. John Krasinski

The reimagination of the franchise in “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” takes the character back to the early days of his CIA career and his introduction to future wife Cathy (Abbie Cornish).

Krasinski’s Ryan is a desk jockey whose talent for crunching numbers leads him to a potential terrorist threat, sarcastically dubbed “a brand new bin Laden” by his skeptical new boss (Wendell Pierce). But it looks like Jack may be right.

The TV Ryan ranks third based on circumstance and potential. “Office” memories of practical joker Jim Halpert work for 38year-old Krasinski, supporting the concept of Ryan as an unlikely action hero, especially in comparison to the more traditional leading men of the movies. The episodic format gives “Jack Ryan” the chance to take its time developing the character from novice to pro.