Do we like them?

Do we like Jack Reacher?

A character from Killing Floor (Reacher novels by Lee Child; Amazon's Reacher series) (1997–present)

Our score: 8 out of 10. Yes. He's blunt and violent, but he only goes after people who hurt the weak, and he doesn't quit. We'd back him, though we'd stay out of his way in a fight.

Jack Reacher is a former US Army military police major. After leaving the service, he chose to own almost nothing and wander the country by bus and thumb. He's very tall and strong, and he notices details other people miss. Lee Child's novels began with Killing Floor in 1997. Amazon's Reacher series started in 2022 with Alan Ritchson, and there were also two Tom Cruise films.

Each story has the same shape. Reacher arrives somewhere new, spots that something is wrong, and can't leave it alone. He works out who is behind it, then deals with them his own way. He is not very interested in police procedure, but he has a firm moral code. He protects the vulnerable and has little patience for bullies.

We give him an 8. He's a loner with a rough sense of justice, and he does a lot of good for people who can't help themselves. He loses points because he's very quick to use violence and treats the law as optional.