The setup
Frances Neagley, now working as a private investigator in Chicago, is pulled into a dangerous investigation after the suspicious death of a close friend from her past. Drawing on the skills she learned in the Army's 110th Special Investigations Unit, she sets out to uncover what really happened and bring those responsible to justice.
Spin-offs can be a bit of a gamble. Sometimes a supporting character is brilliant in small doses, but once you put them at the centre of their own show you quickly realise they were never interesting enough to carry the whole thing. Thankfully, that isn't the case with Neagley.
Maria Sten does a fantastic job leading the series and proves there is much more to Frances Neagley than simply being one of Reacher's most reliable allies. Over the course of the season we learn more about her past, the things that have held her back and why she approaches people and situations the way she does. More importantly, she actually grows as the story progresses rather than finishing the season as exactly the same person she was at the beginning.
The show itself is a really enjoyable mix of investigation and action. It still feels very much like it belongs in the Reacher universe, particularly when it comes to the humour, pacing and general style, but it doesn't simply feel like another season of Reacher with a different lead.
Obviously, one major difference is that Neagley isn't a gigantic human battering ram who can solve every problem by throwing someone through a wall.
That means the investigation gets a little more room to breathe and Neagley has to approach situations differently, while there is still plenty of action when things inevitably go wrong.
What surprised me most was how much emotional investment there was in the characters. They are genuinely easy to root for, which gives the story more weight when they're put in danger.
Keno in particular was a standout for me. As the young outcast of the group, he could easily have ended up feeling like a fairly standard side character, but the performance was excellent and he became one of the characters I cared about most as the season went on.
Neagley manages to keep enough of what people enjoy about Reacher while giving its lead enough room to become her own character. It doesn't feel like a spin-off that exists simply because the original show is popular. There is genuinely more story to tell here.
By the end of the season, I could easily see this continuing for a second series, and I'd be more than happy to watch it.
The Reacher universe has definitely got room for Neagley.
NCN Score
Our final score for Neagley.
