A few seasons ago, I watched Amazon Prime’s new take on Reacher, from the novels by British author Jim Grant under the pen name Lee Child. Alan Ritchson is apparently much closer to Child’s description of the former U.S. Army military police officer who once ran the 110th Special Investigations Unit than his film predecessor, Tom Cruise.
One of the standout characters from the series is Frances Neagley (Maria Sten), once an Army Master Sergeant, and now a corporate security professional. Basically, in attitude and fighting ability, she is basically a female Reacher and was his protégé in the unit.
Amazon has wisely decided to give this character her own series. The series and Neagley are set in the Chicago area, where she works and where her father resides.
Alan Ritchson appears in the first episode, assisting Neagley with a case during the first few minutes of episode one and then goes on about his business. Neagley, lone wolf that she tends to be, teams up with a Chicago detective for this case.
Her first case is a pro bono search for the reason her best friend from childhood, Tommy Crane, took off his clothes and stepped in front of a Chicago subway train.
Detective Hudson Riley (Greyston Holt) is a man with a past tainted by the criminals who litter his family. Despite his background, the officer is a determined and honest cop. He tells Neagley in no uncertain terms that she is working with him on the case, one way or another.
The action and the story’s plotline are tight and a fun watch. Maria Sten pulls off this character with all of the panache you could ask for. I had a great time watching the first two episodes with a theater full of other fans. The response was all the cast and crew (and Amazon reps) could have asked for!
The next day, I sat down with Ms. Sten to discuss the new series. Here is a link to that interview. From Reacher’s Shadow to Leading Lady — Maria Sten Talks Neagley
Director: Sam Hill
Cast: Maria Sten, Alan Ritchson, Greyston Holt, Adeline Rudolph, Jasper Jones
MPA Rating: TV-MA
Selig Rating: 5 Stars
Runtime: Approx. 45 Min. per episode
Release Date: 09/16/2026
Release Locations: Amazon Prime Video
Language: English
Genre(s): Action, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Movie Site: Neagley S1 Official Site
Trailer: Neagley S1 Official Trailer Amazon Prime Video
The Selig Rating Scale:
5 Stars – Excellent movie/show, well worth the time and price.
4 Stars – Good movie/show
3 Stars – OK movie/show
2 Stars – Well, there was nothing else…
1 Star – Total waste of time.