Burial – The episode opens with Jack Reacher (Alan Ritchson) meeting the rest of the O’Donnell family. Despite the rambunctious Davy (Taj Levey) and Danny O’Donnell (Cru Levey) chasing each other through the house, Reacher admires the way David (Shau Sipos) and Lily O’Donnell (Andrea Grant) handle the crisis at hand. Reacher even later comments on this over a beer. David soon receives word via text that Frances Neagley (Maria Sten) and Karla Dixon (Serinda Swan) have touched down at the New Age Denver branch. At the plant, Neagley and Dixon receive little resistance from the receptionist (Sarah Vance) about their “surprise evaluation.” Once the Foreman (Robert Skanes) joins them, they learn that the “Little Wing” missile and launcher shipment left the plant merely 10 minutes ago on a semi.

Seconds later it’s revealed that the shipment is already in the process of being hijacked, as the driver (Chris Gleason) stops to offer assistance at a staged breakdown. Oleg (Sean Baek) doesn’t waste a second dispatching him and dealing with the body before confirming the shipment. He shares the success with AM (Ferdinand Kingsley), who tells him to switch the trailers and get on the road.

In Washington, Reacher and O’Donnell’s meeting with his Homeland contacts, Omar Karim (Abraham Asto) and Beckett (Phi Huynh) reveals little more than the team already knows about AM. Despite being on AM’s trail for the last 6 years, they’ve only managed to learn that he’s a real chameleon, with the ability to pass as multiple nationalities and races. This is until Reacher notices that most of his dealings involve bearer bonds. As Reacher goes on to explain how the bonds make AM vulnerable, Omar and Beckett find it amusing that Joe Reacher (Christopher Russell) noticed the same vulnerability.

Under the careful instruction of the head hijacker (Mustafa Bulut) AM’s team already has the cargo and plates switched by the time Dixon and Neagley arrive in the rental. After an intense stare-down, the hijackers open fire to force them back while Oleg escapes with the missiles. The hijackers continue their assault on Neagley and Dixon until the rental comes to a stop. The hijackers appear confused when seconds later they discover the vehicle empty. From the trunk and backseat floorboards, Dixon and Neagley use the surprise to their advantage to dispatch the hijackers.

Reacher and O’Donnell have just reached the parking garage when they receive word from Dixon and Neagley about the shipment. Neagley has also learned that Tony Swan (Shannon Kook) is the New Age employee who signed off on the shipment. Reacher looks for every explanation to explain Swan’s involvement until he becomes frustrated and overwhelmed with the need to be alone. Being alone causes him to remember an operation where Swan took a bullet meant for him. When the memory concludes, Reacher finds himself surrounded and being ferried off to a meeting with Senator Malcolm Lavoy (Noam Jenkins).

While updating Shane Langston (Robert Patrick) on the shipment, AM expresses his displeasure about the unexpected interruption and even threatens to raise his price. Langston manages to smooth things over.

Lavoy’s aide (Adam Kolozsvari) escorts Reacher backstage at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park, where they meet Senator Lavoy and Daniel Boyd (Kyle Mac). Reacher doesn’t appear happy that the topic of discussion is Joe Reacher (Christopher Russell) and the Margrave counterfeiting case. Although Jack Reacher was never officially tied to the operation, Lavoy has undeniable evidence tying him to the case. Much to Reacher’s surprise, Lavoy asks him to deal with the Little Wing operation and those involved in the same way that he handled the Margrave counterfeiting ring. When Reacher accuses him of only wanting to conceal his dirty dealing with the project, Lavoy offers to help him in any way he can without ever revealing their alliance. Reacher’s response is never shown, but as soon as the meeting ends, he receives word from O’Donnell that Franz’s funeral is scheduled for tomorrow in New York.

Reuniting at the funeral, Reacher and the 110th use the event to update each other. This continues until they notice Gaitano “Guy” Russo (Domenick Lombardozzi) paying special attention to Angela (Tea Helena Carini) and Mikey Franz (Nolan Gahan). After gifting Mikey an Aquaman action figure and a Patron Saint card, Russo tells Angela all she needs to do is call if and when she needs something. Later, Russo reveals that he knows what it’s like to lose a father at a young age when Reacher accuses him of being dirty and trying to move in on Angela. Before their encounter ends, Russo shares his discovery of Langston being a former NYPD officer who was encouraged into early retirement when Internal Affairs started looking into him for being dirty.

The priest (Rolando Alvarez Giacoman) gets the funeral service started and leads into the 21-gun salute. After several shots ring out, Reacher notices snipers in the distance. Even under fire, he and the 110th devise a plan to turn the tables on the shooters. When Neagley eliminates one of the shooters, the other (Graham Parkhurst) abandons his mission and makes a run for it. He makes it to a vehicle and would have got away clean getaway if it wasn’t for Russo. Although he and Reacher argue through the entire chase, they end up gaining the upper hand. Russo even later agrees to look the other way as Reacher convinces the shooter to share what he knows. Much to the team’s surprise, the shooter claims he was hired by Swan.

A plan is later formed when the shooter promises to lead them to where he is supposed to meet Swan to collect the rest of his payment. Although the 110th sets to surveillance around the area, it proves useless because it explodes several seconds after the shooter enters.

 

Reacher Review

Although the episode kind of felt like a “filler” episode, I felt like it was one of the better of the series thus far. I enjoyed meeting the other half of the O’Donnell family. The meeting also revealed that Reacher may desire a family life at some point, despite his disposition for pushing people away. I am glad to find that the series isn’t dwelling on his and Dixon’s sexual encounter, turning the series into more of a romance than anything.

As for building and expanding on the main story, the episode certainly accomplished that. I’m betting that Swan is either dead or someone is using his identity or he might be under deep cover. He could possibly be dirty, but I somehow doubt that’s the way this will play out. Either way, I am looking forward to finding out. For that, I would give this episode a 6.0 out of 10.

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