Since the dawn of television there have been shows created for dads. They do good work reading signs out loud and reminding kids they did not grow up in a tent; dads deserve to relax with television made for them. In the past, there have been exceptional dad shows like Friday Night Lights and Cheers; a few feature James Spader wearing a hat. There are also shows that lean hard into their inner dad, like CSI (all of them), Criminal Minds, Suits, Law And Order (all of them) and the greatest dad show of them all: NCIS. Well, the new Amazon Prime Video series, Jack Ryan, is a political thriller that joins the dad show ranks, and pairs well with a recliner and a Cascade Premium beer.
Jack Ryan. I haven’t heard that name in years.
We last saw Jack Ryan, the character created by author, Tom Clancy, four years ago in Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit. Chris Pine became the fourth actor (but the only Chris; maybe Hemsworth or Pratt will be next) to play the fictional CIA analyst following Ben Affleck (The Sum of All Fears), Harrison Ford (Clear and Present Danger, Patriot Games) and Alec Baldwin (The Hunt for Red October).
Watch the trailer for Jack Ryan here:
In Jack Ryan, John Krasinski pulls on a well-fitted jumper to play the government agent who works a desk job by day while battling terrorists in extreme overtime. The plot focuses on Ryan tracking a series of suspicious bank transfers that lead to a shady organisation: following a hunch, Ryan’s boss (Wendell Pierce) tasks Ryan with leading a global manhunt to stop a sinister plan.
To be fair. Jim. James. Jimothy
The major distraction in Jack Ryan is waiting for Krasinski to look into the camera. For those new to Krasinski it won’t be an issue. But if you’re coming at Jack Ryan with the persona of Jim from The Office still in mind – his definitive role to date – it’s a challenge adjusting to him as a man of action; although, the excellent film, A Quiet Place, may help ease you into this new phase of his career.
Krasinski has a natural charm that suits Jack Ryan, especially when he’s navigating intergovernmental politics to get what he wants by playing people against each other. The always outstanding Pierce is terrific as Ryan’s chief/mentor, a man making up for past mistakes in a web of bureaucracy.
Watch a teaser for Jack Ryan here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V69XYIRjKww
The dual life of its lead character is where Jack Ryan excels. There’s a scene early in the series where Ryan’s exploits come up in conversation between his co-workers. Under the roof of the CIA everything is classified, so Ryan can only deny his involvement and a legend is born. Indeed, Krasinski was Marvel’s second choice to play Captain America in their films, so Ryan is a natural fit for the all-American hero he projects.
Ryan’s explosive encounters with terrorists is where Amazon’s budget detonates onscreen in spectacular action sequences. The blockbuster aesthetic is what separates Jack Ryan from other political thrillers on television. It has a similar vibe to Homeland but it sticks closer to Clancy’s vision of how American intelligence agencies operate with a slight tweak to Ryan’s backstory that provides a backdrop of post-traumatic stress disorder clichés.
Freedom isn’t free
The depiction of terrorists is where Jack Ryan goes backwards, and it’s reminiscent of films like True Lies and has shades of 24. Despite a vengeful plot, they come across as stereotypes, which amplifies the American jingoistic side of the show when anyone picks up a gun. Jack Ryan often plays like a straight version of Team America: World Police that undoes any of the brainpower put into developing Ryan as a character. Many of the posters used by Amazon to promote the show have Ryan walking away from explosions, which is symbolic of the show’s attitude toward America and the rest of the world.
Watch Chris Pine’s take on Jack Ryan here:
Ryan and his team aren’t completely flawless and most of drama comes from when their plans get botched or they’re outsmarted. The ‘one step forward, two steps back’ formula works well, especially considering the series is a reboot for Clancy’s creation, so there are origin story elements the show has to plow through before the series can settle into a rhythm. Each episode is structured to end on an enticing cliff-hanger to increase the binge factor, but it’s just enough to be motivated to see out the first season (Amazon have already commissioned a second ).
Ultimately, Jack Ryan is so bland it’s good, thanks to Krasinski’s charisma and its explosive action. It’s the perfect show to fall asleep in front of, but wake to find you haven’t missed anything. And hey, Jack Ryan could go on forever. They could even do Jack Ryan: Miami. Dad will be thrilled.
For more thoughts on TV, read our interview with the showrunner of The Girlfriend Experience here.
