How Alan Ritchson Feels About Potentially Directing An Episode Of Reacher

Alan Ritchson is the star of the Prime Video TV series "Reacher," but he's also thought about taking on another role behind the camera. In a 2021 interview with Collider, he spoke about the possibility of directing an episode of the series himself. It's something that's more realistic than it sounds: not only does Ritchson already have some directing credits behind his name — "Dark Web: 3301" in 2021 and the short "Tree House Time Machine" in 2017 — but it's not uncommon for actors to direct an occasional episode of their own show. Ayo Edebiri, for instance, made her directorial debut in season 3 of "The Bear," while Bryan Cranston directed three episodes of "Breaking Bad."

"I would direct anything," Ritchson told Collider. "I feel very, very comfortable behind the lens."

Despite this, Ritchson hasn't directed any "Reacher" episode even three years later. He may get to direct one with the upcoming season 4, but nothing's been announced yet. Ritchson seemed aware this might happen, and in his '21 interview, he explained why a Ritchson-directed "Reacher" episode might be more trouble than it's worth:

"To direct yourself when you're in every scene is not easy. I think to get into a flow is probably wise for them. I'm fine with directing myself, but it's about quantity. If you're in every single scene, it becomes very difficult to monitor what's going on inside the lens and performances, at the same time. For me, if I can limit my exposure as an actor, if I'm in the director's seat, then it's better for everybody, myself included. Just a little goes a long way."

Ritchson noted that the show was doing just fine without his help behind the camera: "They've got some really, really talented directors who deserve to be in that chair. The way it's heading right now, it's shaping up to be a beautiful show," he said. 

The most common director for "Reacher" so far is Sam Hill, who's previously directed countless episodes for shows like "CSI: Miami" and "Scorpion." He has plenty of experience with action-oriented series, making him a natural pick for a show like "Reacher." Other recurring directors include Omar Madha (who also worked prominently on "Scorpion") and Carol Banker, who was a script supervisor for over 50 episodes of "The X-Files" before she started directing for TV.

The directing style of "Reacher" can be best described as perfectly competent. There are no major artistic flourishes, and the show doesn't have its own distinct style like "Mr. Robot" or "Succession," but it never feels like the camerawork is distracting from the story at hand. Letting Ritchson direct an episode could be a fun experiment for the series, but there's certainly nothing wrong with the current dynamic.