Prime Video’s 7-Part Crime Thriller Series Was Their Reacher Long Before Alan Ritchson Was Cast

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Though Reacher is now one of Prime Video’s most popular shows, another crime drama laid the groundwork for its success back in 2015. Reacher, a thrilling action series based on the books by Lee Child, has become a major hit for the streaming service.

Alan Ritchson stars as Jack Reacher, a former military police officer who travels the country in each season, uncovering crime and corruption. Reacher is one of Amazon’s top crime thrillers, combining intense action with clever, surprising mysteries to create a truly captivating show.

Bosch Pioneered Reacher’s Anthology Procedural Format

While Reacher is a successful show, it’s not the first Prime Video hit to follow this formula. The series Bosch, which aired from 2015 to 2022, was very similar. Bosch features Titus Welliver as Harry Bosch, a Los Angeles detective who investigates murder cases in Hollywood.

Similar to the Reacher series, Bosch is adapted from a popular book series—this time written by Michael Connelly, the author of The Lincoln Lawyer. Like Reacher, each season of Bosch tells a complete story on its own. The show’s main draw is its complex title character—a brilliant detective who excels at solving crimes but struggles with his personal life.

Both Bosch and Reacher took advantage of the greater creative freedom offered by Prime Video, resulting in shows that were more violent, mature, and used stronger language than their original network versions. While not as shocking as shows like Game of Thrones or The Walking Dead, Bosch and Reacher still pushed the boundaries of violence on television.

Reacher Replicated Bosch’s Formula With One Major Change

Prime Video’s new series, Scarpetta, like Reacher before it, is based on a popular book series with a central character who drives the story. However, Scarpetta stumbled where Reacher succeeded. While Reacher’s hero was straightforward, Bosch dealt with internal struggles and personal demons, making him a much more complex character.

Unlike some other detective heroes, Reacher is generally self-assured and doesn’t dwell on his problems, though hints of past difficulties surface in his relationships. The Scarpetta series, however, often got bogged down in the personal life of its main character, losing sight of the actual crimes being investigated—a pitfall Bosch skillfully avoided.

The show Bosch was a major success, leading to several follow-up series: Bosch: Legacy, the prequel Bosch: Start of Watch, and the spin-off Ballard. Given how popular Bosch became, it’s no surprise that Reacher followed a similar formula and also became a hit.

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2026-03-26 02:39