It’s been four years since The Terminal List first took Prime Video by storm; since then, fans have been waiting patiently for the return of Chris Pratt’s James Reece. Last year’s prequel, The Terminal List: Dark Wolf, held viewers over for a while, but the flagship series has finally returned — and brought plenty of action with it. After his life was shattered by shadowy government forces, Reece took it upon himself to avenge his family and his unit as the lone survivor of a targeted attack. While Season 1 adapted the novel of the same name by former Navy SEAL-turned-author Jack Carr, Season 2 infuses its sequel, True Believer, with timely geopolitical commentary and setup for the future that make this action-thriller more vibrant and conspiratorial than ever.
‘The Terminal List’ Returns With a Serious Bang in Season 2

On the heels of last season, The Terminal List Season 2 opens with Reece still at sea, haunted by what occurred between himself and Ben Edwards (Taylor Kitsch). Suffering the effects of the tumor that resulted from the experimental RD4895, Reece drifts through his life unable (and unwilling) to fully put himself back together — until his country calls once more. After an Al-Qaeda attack on London, Reece is brought in by an old friend, Freddy Strain (Gabriel Luna), who relays an offer on behalf of the U.S. government: a full presidential pardon in exchange for his help in tracking down Mohammad “Mo” Farooq (Dar Salim), who has seemingly become radicalized as an Al-Qaeda operative. Meanwhile, Katie Buranek (Constance Wu) teams up with Reece’s old buddy Raife Hastings (Tom Hopper) to discover just how the latter’s weapons shipments ended up in the hands of terrorists. If there’s one area where Season 2 of The Terminal List delivers, it’s in the action, which outshines sequences in most feature-length productions. Whether Reece is up against poachers in Africa or an Al-Qaeda cell in Europe, what the Prime Video series achieves on an episode-by-episode basis is truly remarkable. Of course, Reece is no longer motivated by revenge, but rather by personal redemption, seeking to protect the country he swore to defend, even if it means setting his sights on those he loves. The spectacle of it all is undoubtedly one of the major draws of the series, and if you thought that the spy-adjacent Dark Wolf thrived in the action sphere, then this is the show for you. The plot follows the basics of True Believer while adding culturally relevant ties to the current Russia-Ukraine conflict. For some, this may feel like a stretch, but those links feel internally consistent with this world — one not entirely unlike our own — that Carr has invented. Unsurprisingly, James Reece is ultimately the thread that ties it all together. His return comes just in time for the plot to kick off, as dark forces previously unknown to the former SEAL operator converge, ready to strike the moment he reveals himself. If there’s one thing we could say about The Terminal List Season 2, it’s that, despite a slow-burn beginning that re-establishes where Reece is after Season 1, there are no dull moments.
Chris Pratt Delivers an Even Better Performance in ‘The Terminal List’ Season 2

Chris Pratt as James Reece in ‘The Terminal List’ Season 2Image via Prime Video

In 2022, Pratt may have been the last person many thought would work as James Reece, but after two seasons with the character (including Dark Wolf), that casting should no longer be in question. The star holds himself with a dignity and code of honor that translates masterfully to the screen, allowing Reece to wrestle with his past actions while struggling to keep hold of reality. Unlike last season, Pratt has more time in these eight episodes to unravel Reece’s psyche before the character is thrust into his next mission, and even then, there’s a sort of laser focus that provides further insight into the man the series has been following all this time.

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Some of this comes from Pratt’s performance itself. The former Guardians of the Galaxy star has no trouble turning on Reece’s dogged determination and mission-driven worldview, juxtaposing those traits with smaller personal touches that reveal a bit more about his inner life, both psychologically and spiritually. But the way Season 2 utilizes Reece’s backstory also adds more layers to both the character and the world itself. Reece’s father (whom Carr has written about previously in the prequel novel Cry Havoc) plays a part here as well, and The Terminal List expands its complex mythology by weaving Reece’s own family history into the plot. However, those connections aren’t what tie this latest international conspiracy together; Reece is drawn in initially because he shares personal history with certain survivors. “All of us caught up in the same thing,” Raife notes in the trailer. “Starting to sound like the common thread is you.”
‘The Terminal List’ Season 2 Is the Next Step for the Larger Franchise

Raife Hastings (Tom Hopper), Sergeant Major Otatkay (Martin Sensmeier), and James Reece (Chris Pratt) in ‘The Terminal List’ Season 2Image via Prime Video

While some hardcore fans may struggle with the changes the show makes from True Believer (especially in the third act), Season 2 feels quite consistent with the rest of Prime Video’s budding action franchise. To that point, if you haven’t seen The Terminal List: Dark Wolf, you may be at a loss regarding some of Season 2’s newcomers, from main cast members like Tom Hopper’s Raife Hastings to recurring characters like Mo Farooq and Jules Landry (Luke Hemsworth). Although you can certainly watch Season 2 without having seen the prequel, it’s recommended viewing that lays the foundation for many of the relationships we see here. Just as Dark Wolf set up future Terminal List storylines, Season 2’s True Believer adaptation plants seeds for future seasons — namely, the events of Carr’s third Reece novel, Savage Son.

Season 1 was famously quite divisive, ending with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 42% and boasting an audience score of 94%. Meanwhile, Dark Wolf was far better received, earning a 75% fresh rating against an 80% audience score on RT. Where does The Terminal List Season 2 fare in all this? Well, as Carr noted when the first season dropped, it feels like a show made for the fans. Whether you followed James Reece first on the page or on screen, Season 2 leans into everything that makes the franchise work and refuses to walk back everything else. International conspiracy, personal redemption, journalistic integrity, and plenty of thrilling action sequences define this new chapter of The Terminal List, setting up an exciting continuation. The Terminal List Season 2 premieres October 21 on Prime Video.

Release Date

June 30, 2022

Network

Prime Video

Showrunner

David DiGilio

Directors

Fred Toye, Sylvain White, Antoine Fuqua, Ellen Kuras, M.J. Bassett

Writers

​Chris Pratt2, David DiGilio

Jeanne Tripplehorn

Secretary Hartley

Pros & Cons

Chris Pratt is on fire as James Reece, offering a more layered performance than before.
The off-the-charts action should be the envy of most Hollywood blockbusters.
The Terminal List makes Dark Wolf essential viewing, using its returning cast members to its advantage.

Season 2 is far less self-contained, with a plot that’s a bit more muddled than its predecessor.
The initial slow burn may be a turn-off after the way Season 1 hit the ground running.