Reacher spinoff Neagley hailed "an absolute success" as it hits UK's number 1 on Prime Video

The launch of Reacher spin-off Neagley on Prime Video has evidently been a big slam-dunk - as it has impressed both critics and audiences alike. The new action-packed crime drama, which stars Maria Sten in the title role, dropped all eight of its episodes earlier this month.

At time of writing, it is the UK's number one TV show on the streamer, ahead of The Grand Tour and its parent show Reacher. It's also at the summit in the US.

Over on Rotten Tomatoes, it has a hefty 94% approval rating from critics, and a very strong 84% score from viewers.

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Digital Spy gave it four stars out of five, saying that "there's a lot of potential here, just like there was in the first season of Reacher".

Praising the lead star, our critic added: "Sten finds nuance in what could have just been stilted, paying close attention to the physicality of Neagley's every movement and mannerism."

The Hollywood Reporter called out "storytelling missteps" but said: "Neagley promises pulpy, action pleasures and, by the end, achieves though never exceeds those expectations."

In a four-star critique, the Daily Telegraph wrote: "The last thing a new addition to the Reacher-verse should do is take itself seriously – and Neagley soon finds its groove as a wham-bam romp and lands its punches with verve."

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"Spinoffs can be hit-or-miss, but Neagley definitely hits its mark," agreed the Seattle Times. "It remembers that Neagley isn’t Reacher, no matter their similarities. It leans into Reacher’s strengths, but it’s not afraid to try a few new things."

"Neagley Season 1 is an absolute success," read a review from But Why Tho?. "The first season proves Frances Neagley can carry a show on her own and is more than just Reacher’s protégé and friend."

Reacher, based on the Jack Reacher novels by Lee Child, has so far aired four seasons since its launch back in 2022. Starring Alan Ritchson, it too has had widespread success, with seasons two and three hitting a series peak of 98% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Sten appeared as Frances Neagley in seasons one, two and three.

Neagley is streaming on Prime Video now.

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Shaun is an Evening News Editor at Digital Spy, with over a decade of experience reporting on all things pop culture. He has written for outlets including Metro, Attitude, Huffington Post, The Mirror, Yahoo!, Pink News and Express Online, specialising in TV, movies, soaps, music and LGBTQ+ issues. He is also a BAFTA Rocliffe-winning scriptwriter, having written episodes of the soap Hollyoaks, the official Steps musical Here & Now and multiple Offie Award-nominated plays. He studied English Literature and Drama at the University of East Anglia, and will happily talk at length about Desperate Housewives to anyone who'll listen.