It’s been four long years since this Prime Video series – which feels like a mash-up between The Punisher and Sicario – debuted, and it’s finally returning for season two. It’s fair to say there have been many Taylor Sheridan TV shows and movies since he first broke out with Sicario, but the latter remains one of his best works.
Sheridan wrote this 2015 thriller as the first chapter in his American Frontier movie trilogy, which also includes Hell or High Water and Wind River. Sicario is one of the best thrillers of the 2010s, combining suffocating tension and intense setpieces with a great cast of characters. His later series, Lioness, feels very much in the same vein, though it’s not quite as bleak.
Those same vibes are present in Prime Video’s The Terminal List, starring Chris Pratt. Based on the Jack Carr novel series, the show casts Pratt as a Navy SEAL diagnosed with a terminal illness who uses his remaining time to take down the people who killed his family and SEAL team.
In short, he becomes a more grounded take on The Punisher, with Pratt’s James Reece working through his list using guns, explosives, and his trademark tactical axes. The show was a big hit when it arrived, but there has been a big gap between seasons.
After A Four-Year Wait, The Terminal List Is Finally Returning
The reason for the long wait between seasons one and two is simple: Chris Pratt is a busy man. In those four years alone, Pratt has starred in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, The Electric State, and loaned his voice to two Super Mario Bros. movies. Finding a gap in his schedule to film the second season, based on Carr’s True Believer, just took some time.
But thankfully, the new season is in the can and will hit Prime in October. The show’s producers also recognized it wasn’t the smartest move to have no Terminal List whatsoever for four years, which is why the prequel Dark Wolf hit the streamer in 2025. While Pratt’s Reece made a few guest appearances, the focus fell on his troubled best friend Ben Edwards (Taylor Kitsch) as he got sucked into the murky world of CIA black ops.
In truth, Dark Wolf was even better than The Terminal List. Whereas Reece is still ultimately a good guy, Edwards made for a more compelling antihero as he embraces the dark side of himself that he had always held in check. The story was also more propulsive, and even the action was better executed.
The Terminal List Deserves A Rewatch Ahead Of Season 2
Considering the wait, it would be wise for The Terminal List fans to revisit the first season before series two drops on Prime Video. True Believer picks up in the aftermath of Reece’s Punisher-esque massacre, but he’s soon called back into action. The show has the potential to run for years – just like Prime’s other major adaptation, Reacher – as the Terminal List books are still going strong.
Time will tell if the years-long wait for Reece’s return has hurt awareness of the show, but considering Dark Wolf’s strong performance, that shouldn’t be an issue. For newcomers, The Terminal List is ideal for fans of both Sicario and The Punisher, as it combines intense military action with real-world issues and politics. Plus, Reece himself is a very relatable hero, and it’s quite cathartic to see him tick off the targets on his list.
Assuming The Terminal List season two is another success for Prime, it would be a mistake to wait for another four years for the next instalment. Hopefully, plans are already underway for an adaptation of Savage Son, which is Carr’s riff on the classic survival thriller The Most Dangerous Game.
- Release Date
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June 30, 2022
- Network
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Prime Video
- Showrunner
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David DiGilio
- Directors
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Fred Toye, Sylvain White, Antoine Fuqua, Ellen Kuras, M.J. Bassett
- Writers
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Chris Pratt2, David DiGilio
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Jeanne Tripplehorn
Secretary Hartley