I had just completed Episode 6 of Season 2 of Jack Reacher and was curious about the differences between the show and the book. Therefore, I read the book before delving further into the TV Show.
Here are three differences in the second season that should have stayed true to the book (spoilers) -
The Crooked Cop and Senator
Minor characters in the book got elevated, and there were reworked roles in the story. This worked for some characters but didn’t make sense for others.
The crooked senator wasn’t even in the book. The writers needed to create conflict and action by including a double-crossing senator.
The crooked cop in league with Lawson was a surprise in the book. The crooked cop in the show wasn’t well built up, so his character couldn’t evoke any emotional response.
The Rescue / Revenge sequence in the helicopter.
The Bell Helicopter was substituted with a modified corporate Chinook to give more room for the fight action on screen. Unfortunately, this meant a long, drawn-out fight sequence and struggle.
This was a departure from the book’s signature solo action that is quick, pre-calculated, precise, and over in seconds. The “accidental” death of the helicopter pilot in the book sent a slight shiver up my spine. This was more of Jack Reacher’s careful pre-calculation.
The Foiling of the plot to arm the rockets.
The Series adds more complexity to the ending by including a feel-good revenge execution of the arms dealer, a helicopter explosion, and a near double-cross by agents of a crooked senator.
I preferred the ending in the book, which was simple - the arms dealer gets arrested by Homeland Security—no crooked senators.