NEAGLEY

4.85* Great, other than the attempt-at-a-romance ending that felt inorganic.

I was a fan of Reacher in seasons 1 and 2, was caught in the trap by season 3, but found season 4 a bit hard to believe, especially in the finale when despite lacerations and bleeding out to the point of losing consciousness, he's up and out of hospital within a few hours, not even limping, no surgery,  barely any bandages. I think that may be the last episode I watch. Then comes along Neagly, releasing all 8 episodes at the same time and WOW. She blew Reacher out of the water. 

The things we find out about her make her believable and make her strong and a little vulnerable. They make her human. And, her takes-no-prisoners female character is more believable than Reacher. Not as strong physically but mentally and with cold, detached logic and female intuition, she wins the day. Maria Sten is tall and well-built, believable in the role as a former soldier who's not lost her skills nor techniques. 

Great storyline. Baddies you love to hate and who absolutely get their comeuppance, especially Judith and Cole . Yesssss! But, there was no onscreen dealing with the boss who'd stuck his neck out for her and met a grisly end. Nor was the floorboards stuff dealt with realistically. But, those are niggles because, hey, me and my obsession with details. 

At the end, she has a new team and a new appreciation of a tribe. Different to the 110th. But...

Her haphephobia, immediately diagnosed by crush-guy was integral to the series, but, did that tie in with a military career where you do have to touch others in the line of duty? Not sure it does, but that's a small niggle.

The ending felt a bit forced with crush-guy. It didn't feel organic, didn't feel necessary. Made for an awkward ending, and yes, there NEEDS to be another series. 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

HER BEAUTIFUL LIFE by Brianna Labuskes

4* What a read. Started off with something mundane, turned into something totally shocking. I wasn't sure I'd like this tale of a former roomie/bestie going to interview a trad wife, some 10/11 years after their lives diverged, following a fallout, for a celebrity piece. I was a bit surprised at the lack of awkwardness and tension between the former friends, and didn't expect the tension from the actual eventual source. I absolutely didn't expect the plot, which was really, really well done, if you can cope with the plotting, the (occasionally) flawed rationale, the not-really-likable journalist/writer, Holland, and the iceberg-type trad wife, Cat/Catriona. Add in various very, very good red herrings (staff, scared kids, a creepy teen, a domineering husband, a mysterious death - still not clarified at the end, cops that don't have big-city cop instincts or mistrust, mental health, a possible psychopath), and you have a very, very well-done, well- dovetailed tale tha...
Read more

IRONWOOD by Michael Connelly

3.5* It plods, but it's detailed and the lead guy, Stil, has a cop's instinctive intuition. But, the ending is REALLY annoying. There's nothing too overt about this tale, although if I mentioned a single noun, I'd be giving the whole thing away. But it's a good police procedural if only for Stil, exiled to a backwater that cops go to if they've been deemed to have messed up. I don't recall his back-story, but there's back-story to the guy who gets...'killed' at the start, leading to a cold-case team and the FBI getting involved. There's posturing and veiled threats from higher-ups, but Stil is pretty adept at climbing out of windows, literally, to get out and do what needs to be done to get the bad guys. Ish. The 'ish' is where the book loses 1.5* for me, because all that footwork, all that putting himself in danger, all that following the trail of breadcrumbs and finding the bakery, and the book ends as it does?? Unsatisfying. Not un...
Read more

THE FIX by Mia Sheridan

4* Wasn't prepared for that opener, but a good tale, especially as an intro to this author. The opener to this tale is brutal but leads to an ultimately happier event 11 years down the line. I wasn't expecting what I read, so it was a bit of a shocker, although it was great to see both Cami's mental strength and her physicality saving her. I think the author did well to skip the years in between, not dwelling on the pain, trauma and loss.  The tale does need a bit of a dose of suspension of disbelief that in only 2 days, Cami and Rex saved the day, but then again his past, expertise and contacts made things believable.  The ending is a big of a POW! The kind of thing that can only happen in America with their ridiculous gun laws. But, the victim deserved it. And, if only there were more hot mics IRL in 2025 USA, and if only people were prepared to find their big girl and big boy pants and speak up. Sorry, I digress, but there's just so much that's wrong with that co...
Read more