Reacherhas exploded in popularity for several reasons. Chief among them is the fact thatAlan Ritchman’s towering protagonist perfectly fits what’s been referred to as “Dad TV”: television series that often feature a male protagonist using his brains, brawn, or a combo of both to solve any problems that stand in his way. Back in 2016, USA Network’sShooterhit all the right notes. It’s inspired byMark Wahlberg’shighly underrated action thrillerof the same name and the novels byStephen Hunterthat inspired it; Wahlberg also serves as an executive producer onShooter. But what makesShooterworth a watch is thatitboasts the same mix of action and mysterythat makesReachersuch an entertaining watch.
‘Shooter’ Digs Deeper Into Its Characters Than The Film Did
Shootertakes a similar approachtoReacher, basing each of its seasons on a different Stephen Hunter novel; each novel features former Marine Sniper Bob Lee Swagger (Ryan Phillippe)traveling the country investigating a mystery. Season 1, like its film counterpart, is based onPoint of Impact; Swagger is framed for the murder of a politician and races to clear his name while uncovering a conspiracy involving his former commanding officer, Issac Johnson (Omar Epps). Season 2 pulls its plot fromTime To Hunt, delving into the fallout of Swagger’s past missions in Afghanistan. Finally, Season 3 is based onBlack Light, where Swagger investigates his father’s death.Shooterhews fairly close to the events of Hunter’s books, but it does make some major changes where certain characters are concerned.
Surprisingly, one of the biggest examples ofShooter’s character work is Issac Johnson. InPoint of Impactand theShootermovie, he’s the main figurehead in the conspiracy that Swagger becomes entangled with. In theShooterTV show,Issac eventually becomes an ally to Swagger, as it’s revealed that he was placed in the conspiracy by the NSA; he also is seeking revenge for the death of his wife. Another major character is Swagger’s wife Julie (Shantel VanSanten), who not only knows her way around a rifle but is willing to help her husband. Julie and Swagger’s marriage is also a major focus of theShooterseries, asit takes a realistic look at the life of being married to a soldier.That’s another major difference from the film, which showed Swagger as a single man. Even Solotov (Josh Stewart), the Chechen sniper who’s the main antagonist of Season 2, is a more complex figure than you’d expect. This mix of character work and action helpsShooterstand out from its film version, and it’s the same level of energy thatReacherandTrackerbring to the table.
‘Shooter’ Was Part of a Shift in the USA Network’s Programming
In addition to setting the stage for modern-day “Dad TV.“It also marked a change of programming at the USA Network, specifically the end of the “blue skies” era. The “blue skies” era often marked character-driven, comedic shows likeSuitsorMonk; even its tagline “Characters Welcome” reflected this. But in 2016, USA decided to go with a new slogan: “We The Bold.” Its programming started to reflect that, as shows likeMr. RobotandShooterdelivered darker, character-driven dramas. And there was plenty of emphasis on the “darker” parts, sinceShooterfeatures Swagger disposing of the opposition in extremely bloody shootouts. USA is coming full circle as itplans a return to the “blue skies” era, mostly in response toSuits’s take off on Netflix. But while the shift to a darker direction was met with a decidedly mixed reception,Shooterstands out thanks to its character work and action, which actually work in its favor.
A Troubled Production Eventually Led to ’Shooter’s Cancelation
Shootermanaged to carry on for three seasons despitebehind-the-scenes issues with its production. One of those issues concerned Ryan Phillippe; he had hurt his leg before Season 2’s production, which led totwo episodes being cut from the final season order. On top of that, decreasing ratings led USA Network tocancelShooterin its third season, though it attempted to shop the series for other networks. Given how the series ends on a rather abrupt note, it felt like the show was meant to go on for more seasons — and it could have potentially done that since there are plenty more Bob Lee Swagger novels to draw from. Despite its short run,Shooterexpanded upon the story set in Mark Wahlberg’s film and presented a compelling action thriller that stood out in its own right.Reacherfans will find it a binge that’s right up their alley.
Shooteris available to stream on Tubi.
