I hope this isn’t some big trend. We’ve got enough of those elsewhere, we don’t need any new ones adding to the fray. Having a series come to an end is enough itself.
The Amazon Studios “Jack Ryan”, based on characters created by Tom Clancy”, gives you the kind of exciting action, adventure and suspense as you’ve come to love and shows why it’s going to be sad not to see another season.
The end of a series is always hard, but when you’re saying goodbye you’re hoping to not be doing so on the heels of another series finale. Perhaps it’s just weirder as this is the summer and there’s seldom that many shows ending for good in a short period of time. It’s not like I didn’t know they were coming. I just hadn’t pieced it all together. Now that these endings have arrived, I’m feeling unprepared. Fortunately I got to watch them rather quickly and won’t have to avoid social media, lest I end up being spoiled. I do hate spoilers or even the hints of them. So, with that in mind, I’ll work on not completely ruining things for those who haven’t seen this one yet and wish not to have the fun ruined. However, this is an action series with a very well known hero, will anyone be overly shocked by how it does end?
All American Hero
If there’s one bad thing to this, it’s how it ended. It’s far more in line with the “happy ending” aspect, but that’s not even the problem. It’s that it too is very open ended. If not for being told this was the final episode, I’d be convinced and excited for the next season that would arrive next year. Sadly, contrary to the ending, that’s not what’s going to happen. Is this a new thing? Very broad endings that don’t feel like an ending or is it just me? It could be seeing as, like with “The Blacklist”, I’m feeling a bit off with this one. I can’t pinpoint it, not even a little, but something about this series finale just doesn’t sit well with me.
As for the finale itself, well, it wrapped up the season long story. Plenty of action, some suspense, thrills and surprises. The usual things that easily keep any viewer’s attention. I was plenty worried for many characters and surprisingly sad to see some go. Which brings me to another issue, which could also be a clear statement about me. How did I miss a team up? Next thing I know, two sets of characters are working together and I can’t figure out why. Sure it’s made clear, but where was the connection? How did I miss this beat from the previous episode? And, of course, it ended on a happy note. The world is safe once more, if not a tiny bit upside down. Happy endings are fine, but this kind is doesn’t really give me feelings of closure. I guess that’s what happens when you know the studio is hoping to do at least one spinoff.
I thought I’d been paying attention. Perhaps that’s part of the problem. Even though the distribution model is a bit more in line with how I’d like to see most streaming shows, somehow I still don’t like it. The previous seasons all came out on the same day, but this unfolded over three weeks. One wouldn’t think this an issue and yet, it seems to be. The overall thrills and adrenaline were there plenty with individual episodes, but somehow (and this may be the issue) it wasn’t quick enough as a whole. The usual level of speed and intensity that made bingeing previous seasons fun wasn’t present. Maybe that’s just another telling aspect of how and why some shows are released the way they are. If you’ve seen season two of “The Bear”, I have a feeling you’ll understand.
I just don’t know. The more I think about this ending, the more I feel like I didn’t like it. I didn’t hate it, nor feel it was truly wrong, but it didn’t feel like an ending. When I did a rewatch of the previous seasons a few months back, that whole experience was surprising. I was wrapped up completely and felt like I hadn’t seen it before. Was it also that there were only six episodes so much more of the plot had to be quickly gotten to? Like in a rush? Was it rushed? It’s not like things felt all that convenient, but over the three weeks it aired I couldn’t help but feel like there were missing pieces. Maybe in a few years when I do another rewatch I’ll see something new. See it for the proper and only logical sendoff this series could have.
Originally Aired: Aug. 31, 2018 – July 14, 2023 on Prime Video
Creator: Carlton Cuse and Graham Roland
Starring: John Krasinski, Wendell Pierce, Abbie Cornish, Okieriete Onaodowan, Louis Ozawa, Zuleikha Robinson, Ryn Greenwell, Michael Peña, Betty Gabriel and Michael Kelly
...Everything in Between 