Original Coverage & Source Attribution: www.tvline.com
Sabrina Lantos/Prime Video
The “Reacher” universe on Prime Video is about to get bigger now that “Neagley” Season 2 has been given the green light. The titular private detective served in the military police with Jack Reacher (Alan Ritchson) before they both left the services. While we wait to see what the second season will be about — and whether Reacher will pop up for another cameo — there are plenty of action-packed detective thrillers that are perfect for your next binge-watch.
Since it doesn’t have as much source material to draw on, it’s not clear what will in happen Season 2 of “Neagley.” Alan Ritchson’s “Reacher” has 30 full novels by Lee Child to adapt, but Neagley doesn’t have that luxury … Yet. Child is working on the first spin-off book about her with author Yasmin Angoe, titled “Zero Margin,” which will see Neagley race to find her old boss’ kidnapped son. In the meantime, here are five TV shows to keep you busy in the lead-up to “Neagley” Season 2.
Nikita
Sven Frenzel/The CW
The CW’s delivered such a varied range of shows over the years that there’s something for everyone, and “Nikita” is a great follow-up for “Neagley” fans since Maggie Q plays the titular spy who learns that her employers murdered the love of her life. At the start of the show, Nikita works for the Division, a shady company supposedly keeping America safe. But when she gets engaged to a civilian, the Division has him killed so that she can keep working for them. After that, she embarks on a mission to burn them to the ground — uncovering Director Percy Rose’s (Xander Berkeley) plan to overthrow the CIA and its $37 million budget.
“Nikita” sits comfortably in the sweet spot between a tight thriller and a procedural series, as each episode sees the spy tackling a different mission in her pursuit of the Division. Q carries the series with ease, which is impressive given that the first three seasons had over 20 episodes each. Not only that, but the action feels far more dramatic than in other spy shows thanks to the writers making the audience care about Nikita and her team. Throw in Q’s heavy stunt experience working with Jackie Chan’s team, and The CW delivered an action series like no other.
Vigil
BBC
The BBC’s “Vigil” is one of the network’s most gripping thrillers in recent years. The show follows Detective Chief Inspector Amy Silva (Suranne Jones), and starts with her being deployed onto a Royal Navy submarine off the Scottish coast when an officer is found dead. The claustrophobic setting is the perfect place for a murder mystery, because there are only a set number of suspects in a highly contained environment aboard the nuclear submarine.
The first season is particularly inventive with the plot, and forces Silva to confront some of her own demons while aboard the submarine. One heart-stopping moment sees her locked in a torpedo tube by the killer, who then allows the tight space to flood when Silva regains consciousness. “Vigil” expands its scope in Season 2 with a mystery involving a malfunctioning drone on an RAF base, which leads to a wider conspiracy.
Season 3 combines the claustrophobia of Season 1 with the high stakes of Season 2 as Silva and her partner, Detective Inspector Kirsten Longacre (Rose Leslie), are taken to Svalbard to tackle the murder at an Arctic research station. Basically, “Vigil” keeps its audiences guessing at every turn.
Ballard
Elizabeth Morris/Prime Video
If you’re looking for another action-packed series on Prime Video with a formidable lead, then “Ballard” is the perfect next watch. A spin-off from the “Bosch” franchise, the series follows Maggie Q as Detective Renée Ballard, who handles the LAPD’s cold cases. Since the division is severely underfunded, she has to pursue the truth with more tenacity than other detectives. Obviously, “Ballard” makes full use of Q’s action expertise and she gets into her fair share of scrapes throughout the 10-episode first season.
The show could’ve easily devolved into a simple mystery-of-the-week procedural, but “Ballard” smartly focuses on the investigation into the death of Sarah Pearlman (Emily Czajowski), who happens to be the sister of a councilman who is desperate to find out what happened to her. The mystery behind her death and how it relates to corruption in the department make up the bones of the show.
Thankfully, Q is given more to do than just be the stereotypical cop that we’ve seen on TV thousands of times. Ballard struggles with her demotion to cold cases because she reported another detective for sexual harassment. “Ballard” is definitely worth a binge watch, especially with its killer cliffhanger. Don’t worry! Season 2 is on its way.
Black Doves
Stefania Rosini/Netflix
While Neagley investigates the truth behind her friend’s death, Netflix’s “Black Doves” sees private spy Helen Webb (Keira Knightley) go on a bloody rampage through London’s criminal underbelly to discover why her lover, Jason Davies (Andrew Koji), was assassinated. She reunites with her old mentor, Sam Young (Ben Whishaw), who helps her put the pieces together. The only problem is, Webb has a family and is married to the U.K.’s Secretary of State for Defence, which makes spying quite difficult.
The gripping mystery also happens to be one of the best British spy shows around, and is packed with stunning fight scenes and tension — like when a would-be assassin tries to kill Webb in her own home. Because her kids are asleep upstairs, she’s forced to try and quietly defend herself, rather than starting an all-out brawl. With excellently choreographed fight scenes, the show packs a surprising bite. Not only that, it establishes a fascinating world rich for future seasons.
Webb works for the Black Doves, a private espionage company which sells information to the highest bidder, which makes its operatives a little more interesting than the usual patriotic agents of other secret services. The first season is packed with twists and turns that makes the end truly unpredictable, making it a true joy to watch for thriller fans. Plus, with its festive setting, it’s a perfect watch for the holidays … sort of.
Jessica Jones
Myles Aronowitz/Netflix/Disney
When it comes to women-led detective thrillers, there’s one moody raven-haired private eye who stands above the rest: Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter). The Marvel Netflix TV show follows Jones as she makes a living taking on investigations in New York City. The first season sees the troubled detective hunt down Kilgrave (David Tennant), a man with the horrifying ability to control anyone close to him thanks to strange particles emitted by his body. When the story kicks off, Jones is still recovering from the psychological trauma of being under his control for almost a year.
This unwilling hero is a hard-drinking, short-tempered formidable force of nature — even if she doesn’t want to be. Her tenacity and no-nonsense approach to getting justice make the show one of the best things that Marvel has produced on the small screen. The Netflix adaptation treats Jones like an actual human being, rather than just the average superhero. She’s given the space to be messy and make mistakes, while also slowly growing and letting other people get close to her.
Krysten Ritter delivers a gripping performance as Jones, and while her razor-sharp insults and put-downs are one of the show’s calling cards, it’s the quieter moments when she’s processing her own feelings that make her such a compelling character. David Tennant delivers one of the most terrifying villains to ever grace the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as well, with silky smooth line deliveries and an air of sinister entitlement behind every action.
