Neagley Review: Frances Neagley was one of the memorable side characters from the Reacher universe and thus, her getting a parallel series, complete with a Reacher cameo, will pull a few eyes to it. However, it’s always a bit dicey when supporting characters get their own spinoff, mostly because it often follows a similar storyline with the same situations in different packaging. Something similar is taking place with Prime Video’s Neagley. This series has the same grit and determination as its predecessor, just with a protagonist with a different kind of baggage.
The series, with 8 episodes, tries its best to create a thrilling storyline with several twists and turns. But at this point, the genre is so oversaturated that it’s like watching the same story play out over and over again.
The cast includes Maria Sten, Greyston Holt, Jasper Jones, Adeline Rudolph, Matthew Del Negro, and Damon Herriman, and it is directed by Sam Hill, Gary Fleder, Phil Abraham, and MJ Bassett.
Neagley Review
Neagley Finally Gets to Be the Main Character
The Prime Video series takes Neagley out of Reacher’s shadow and is now a private investigator after serving in the Army’s 110th Special Investigations Unit. When a friend from her past dies under rather mysterious circumstances, she smells something fishy from a mile away and decides to take matters into her own hands to get to the bottom of the mystery.
It’s not unknown that Frances Neagley is a capable investigator; we have seen that already in Reacher. Thus, we don’t spend too much time trying to understand her or her motivations. The first episode does a great job of telling us exactly who she is and her associations within minutes, which works as the basis for what we should expect from the series going forward. In that sense, the series is enjoyable and entertaining, jumping right into the mystery without having to wait for the momentum to catch up.
Maria Sten is great as Neagley, and plays her as a no-nonsense woman with a sharp eye and great intuition. Her transition from supporting character to protagonist is also, thus, smooth and effortless and makes for a good watch. Neagley isn’t a female version of Jack Reacher, and that’s what’s interesting and attractive about this series. The character isn’t an unstoppable force and has human moments that make the series feel relatable and watchable in many ways.
Coming back to Sten, she does a great job keeping the series’s gravity close to her, and explores her characters’ good and bad moments thoroughly. She’s tough and resilient but vulnerable when she needs to be, creating a nice push and pull that is real and authentic. Her performance does most of the heavy lifting her as that’s what sets it apart from other shows in the genre that follow a similar storytelling pattern.
But It Still Has to Escape Reacher’s Shadow
Despite all that, Neagley is like most shows. While Sten does a great job with the character, the storyline is extremely obvious and the twists and turns will not come as a surprise. The way the series tells the story follows the Reacher branding a bit too much and, as a result, Neagley doesn’t seem to have an identity of its own beyond its protagonist. Although the series does a good job making Neagley the centre of the story and Reacher doesn’t come into the picture beyond a few scenes, there’s a pattern here that is unavoidable.
The problem with crime thrillers is that there are dime and dozen. Every platform has at least one; Prime Video, in fact, as more than two! There are only so many ways a thrilling story can be told and so many times the Earth’s existence can come under threat until people find themselves predicting every move and every twist. Either way, there is a gritty quality to Neagley that makes it stand out in some way, and Sten is a fantastic protagonist in a sea of male action heroes.
Is Neagley Worth Watching?
Neagley is fine if you enjoy watching Reacher and similar shows. It expands Frances’s character, and adds to Reacher as well, expanding both effectively. While repetitive, it has its merits and the mystery is good enough for a one-time watch. First time viewers might find themselves a bit confused about Reacher’s existence, but it’s not a huge deal in the long run. However, the question is whether or not it makes sense to be a seperate show from the Reacher franchise, which, I think, depends on viewers.
Final Verdict
In the end, Neagley is a promising expansion that still has a tether tied to Reacher. While familiar, it has enough individuality to stand on its own two feet. However, one has to wonder what the future holds for this one, and whether a one and done deal is a better choice for it or not!
Are you excited to watch Neagley on Prime Video? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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