Amazon Prime's John Krasinski was great in the part as the first season followed Ryan's early career hunting down a Middle Eastern terrorist.
Before Season 1 had even aired, Amazon had ordered a second season which many fans have been waiting for eagerly. There is a lot of potential with where the new season can take the show, some things we hope to see more of, and some areas where they can improve. Here are some of the things we hope to see in Jack Ryan Season 2.
Jack & Cathy
Early in Season 1, Jack meets the brilliant and beautiful Cathy Mueller which sparks a romance between the two. Fans of the books will know that Cathy eventually becomes Jack's wife, so it's no surprise that Abbie Cornish will be reprising her role in Season 2.
In the books, Cathy is an ophthalmic surgeon, whereas the show made her into a researcher in the area of infectious diseases so she could be involved with the terrorist plot. This felt like a bit of a coincidence and we hope the show will find a more organic way to explore this romance between the two.
Jack & Greer's Friendship
Another very important relationship the show establishes in Season 1 is between Jack and his superior officer, Jim Greer (played by Wendell Pierce). In Clancy's work, Greer becomes Jack's mentor and his closest friend, working alongside him on some of his most dangerous missions. In the show, though, their relationship is shaky at best.
The two often butt heads throughout the first season, as Greer was a more cynical veteran of their line of work and Jack had a more optimistic view of the world. Despite their differences, they grew to respect each other by the end of the season. Hopefully, we'll see that relationship grow into a strong friendship.
Fewer Subplots
In only eight episodes, the first season maintained a fast pace for the most part. However, there was one glaring section of the show that ground the most interesting aspects of the show to a halt. We leave the action of the main story to focus on a drone pilot who is struggling with the guilt he feels from killing his unknown targets.
While such subplots can enrich a show, it was handled poorly in Jack Ryan. It felt like a pointless distraction and waste of time overall. It was also the kind of story we've seen told before and it didn't really have anything interesting to say. Hopefully, the show will avoid such detours going forward.
Ripped From The Headlines
While most of Tom Clancy's spy adventures deal with a Cold War-focused story, Jack Ryan sought to modernize the hero with a story that feels very timely. The villain and his attacks at the center of Season 1 felt eerily familiar to the kind of thing we see on the news all-too-often these days, which made it all the more impactful.
Hopefully, the show will continue to explore these kinds of modern threats that feel very real today. With a Russian focus hinted at, there is a lot of potential to explore the tensions between the US and Russia in recent years.
New Point Of View
In shows like this in which the villain is a ruthless Middle Eastern terrorist, it can often feel like people from that area of the world are depicted in a negative light. Jack Ryan did manage to shed some light on another way of life that we do not typically see depicted in Hollywood.
It would be great to see Season 2 continue this by sharing points of view that are underrepresented in movies and television. The focus can still be on Jack and his mission while showing the complexity and hardships that exist outside the world we know.
Jack's Struggle With Compromise
One of the main conflicts between Jack and Greer in the first season is their differing opinions on the need to compromise in their line of work. Greer might not like the dirtier aspects of the job, but he believes they are necessary for the greater good. Jack sees such compromises as a slippery slope and refuses to abandon his morals.
We see this as something Jack struggles with, especially given his past. Given the Boy Scout persona on Jack, it would be interesting to see how he can maintain that outlook in a world that is not as black and white as he might want to believe.
Intelligence Over Action
Jack Ryan has never been an action star. Yes, he's been involved in some dangerous situations and handled himself well, but he is pretty far from being Rambo. The show amps up that aspect of the character more than most versions, but the focus is mostly placed on his intelligence.
The show's action sequences were mostly entertaining, but the real thrilling moments were when Jack was using his knowledge to get fight the threat. We're sure Jack will continue to get in the occasional shootout in Season 2, but hopefully, that won't take away from his moments as a brilliant analyst.
Complex Villains
One of the best aspects of Season 1 was the show's main villain. Suleiman (played by Ali Suliman) is a terrifying and ruthless villain who proved to be a genuine threat throughout the show. However, he was made even more interesting because of his backstory.
The show depicted a realistic journey that put Suleiman on this dark path. He was a good man who was beaten down by an unfair system and radicalized when he was at his lowest. Hopefully, Season 2 will give us an equally complex villain who is both scary and human.
John Clark
Jack Ryan might be Tom Clancy's most famous character, but John Clark is probably a close second. He is a covert operative and sort of represents the darker version of Jack Ryan. He has starred in a number of his own books as well as appeared in some of Jack's stories. He's been portrayed on screen in the past by Willem Dafoe in Clear and Present Danger and Liev Schreiber in The Sum of All Fears.
It would be great to see him pop up in Season 2. The operative played by John Hoogenakker in Season 1 is likely inspired by Clark, but to have the actual character appear would be exciting. With Michael B. Jordan set to play him in an film, perhaps we could see a crossover.
Book Storylines
Season 1 of Jack Ryan took elements from Tom Clancy's work and was clearly inspired by his writing, yet it chose to tell its own story. But with so many classic Jack Ryan stories that are already established, it would be great to see some of them adapted for the show.
Imagine getting to see a modern take on The Hunt for Red October play out over a season. Or adapting Patriot Games to fit into today's political world. While they surely have their own stories to tell, seeing some more book inspiration would be a lot of fun.
