This article has spoilers for Reacher Season 3, Episode 4, “Dominique”
The first three episodes of Reacher season 3 were solid. They laid the groundwork for the story, while better action scenes amped things up and increased the tension. The challenge for Reacher is always that double-edged sword. Fans know what they are in for and enjoy it, but how do you keep things fresh and interesting while not alienating said fans? For this, we have episode four, “Dominique,” a trip back to Reacher’s (Alan Ritchson) past and a deeper understanding of what drives him so hard to find Quinn (Brian Tee) and take him down in any way possible.
On this trip down memory lane, we meet Sergeant Dominique Kohl (Mariah Robinson), who is assigned to Reacher to help him with his caseload. Reacher notes how her file is impressive, but their first one-on-one interaction proves to him that it’s more than just words. (When she asks for her coffee black, you can almost see Reacher stifling a smile.) She comes on board and is soon hip-deep in a case that eventually leads to Quinn. He is feared by many who sell state secrets yet keeps a low profile, minus some of his spending habits (which is an interesting contradiction in his routine).
The investigation proceeds to the point where they have enough evidence for an arrest, and Reacher, being the man he is, lets Kohl make the arrest on her own, which will help her career. Besides, she earned it, and Reacher is all about people earning respect, so this was not a surprise.
However, both Reacher and Kohl severely underestimated Quinn, who killed a private and took Kohl hostage. Reacher found out where he was holed up, but by the time he got there, it was too late; Kohl was dead. Tortured and left hanging in a barn, Reacher remained focused and chased down Quinn, shooting him, killing him, or so Reacher thought. The body went over a cliff and was washed away in the river, but obviously, he survived and has resurfaced on Reacher’s radar one more time.
The redemption arc is not anything new, but the fact that DEA agent Duffy (Sonya Cassidy) is also struggling with her own redemption adds an interesting twist and some weight to the story. While neither Duffy nor Reacher are big on showing emotion, both situations push their emotions to the limit. Granted, it’s hard to tell what Reacher is thinking most days as he keeps his facial expressions pretty neutral and his emotions reined in. But you can tell this is different. Credit to Ritchson for giving Reacher just enough extra facial emotion to let the audience know how much this means to him.
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Flashback episodes can be tricky. Sure, important information must be had, but it can come across as filler if not done with care. There is no question there was a lot of focus on details here, from something as simple as how Kohl took her coffee to more complex issues like interrogations and how they filmed that particular sequence.
There seems to be more attention to detail this season, not just in this episode. This is especially seen in the way fights are shot/lit and how much tighter the dialogue is to help complement the show’s fast pace. It’s a credit to everyone involved that they weren’t content with keeping the status quo and instead took care of the little things that make a huge difference.
Those things, and the chemistry between Ritchson and Robinson, made “Dominique” seem more than a filler flashback episode. It made everything more personal for Reacher, which can only make things more intense. The way those in front of and behind the camera are approaching things so far this season bodes well for the story as we move forward and the stakes get even higher.
