Following its tried-and-true narrative formula, the latest season of ‘Reacher’ thrills with meaty action sequences and pitch-perfect pacing

There’s a simple rhythm to the first two seasons of “Reacher”: an explosive opening, the hero getting pulled into some sort of shenanigans he’ll need to punch and shoot his way out of, plenty of twists, brilliant deductions and a generally satisfying if somewhat melancholic conclusion. The third season of the Prime Video series follows that same narrative formula almost to a T. But whereas that repetition may feel stale in other series, here it works thanks to its crunchy action sequences, stellar pacing and host of interesting, fleshed-out characters. In effect, Season 3 punches above its weight — and that’s saying something for Jack Reacher.

The third season of the popular series — based on Lee Child’s 2003 novel “Persuader,” the seventh book in his long-running Jack Reacher series — hits all the narrative beats you’d expect in a “Reacher” season. It opens with a pulse-pounding kidnapping attempt that shows Reacher (reprised once again by a delightfully sardonic Alan Ritchson) seemingly out of his depths — a rare moment for the 6-foot-5, steely eyed, hypercompetent former Army major-turned-hobo (his words).

Read the full review at The Seattle Times.

Four hypercompetent stars out of five.

Photo caption: Alan Ritchson returns as the titular character in the third season of “Reacher.” (Jasper Savage / Prime)