The Terminal List, season 1
"It would be a mistake to push a man to violence, if violence is what he has dedicated his life to perfecting." - Reece
release year: 2022
genre: action/drama (8 episodes)
viewing setting: home streaming 11/8-10/23
synopsis: After an elite soldier loses everything, he begins to explore the possibility that someone is responsible for all the deaths...and that he has the skills and drive to make them pay.
impressions: The first book in this series was simple and straightforward, basically "what would happen if a deadly, veteran warrior decided to intentionally utilize his skills and training to get revenge for his slain teammates and family?" Nice. Simple. This...had about half its total running time dedicated to flashbacks, which were tied to physical problems inside his brain. I get it. The viewer had to be shown the effects of combat and other things, and the connection to his dead family had to be emphasized, and the episodes' running time had to be padded. But still, it could have been so much leaner and meaner. Now to that: it WAS mean. Reece shows no mercy as he systematically works his way through bad guys, adding names to his list but also crossing them off after he deals them swift and lethal justice. There was good fighting and good use of tactics, and some plot twists, and a large varied cast. So it was fun, but not quite as tightly-done as the novel.
acting: Chris Pratt is the main protagonist, whose need for revenge outweighs all else. Constance Wu is a reporter who alternately helps and hinders him, and she's dogged in her pursuit of the facts. Taylor Kitsch is another SEAL who helps Reece in his new mission. Riley Keogh and Arlo Mertz are his slain family, who get plenty of screen time in the flashbacks. Jeanne Tripplehorn is the Secretary of Defense, who has a personal mission in all this. Jai Courtney is one of the more prominent bad guys, a cocky billionaire CEO.
final word: Not a perfect adaptation, but good violent fun nonetheless.
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