Jack Ryan season 2

The first season of Amazon's Jack Ryan series was a serviceable action thriller even though it was hampered down by one too many unnecessary subplots that dragged the show out. Season two appeared to have learned its lesson and runs at a learner eight episodes but has the series improved or is just more content in the streaming age? 

Using Tom Clancy's 1989 novel, Clear and Present Danger, as the starting grounds for season two, the story sees Jack and James Greer reunited again in Venezuela where they are caught in the middle of a political war that is rife with corruption. Fans of Clancy's work will be familiar with the start of this as much is shared with Harrison Ford's second outing as JR before the show breaks away from South America. This season introduces new faces with the likes of Michael Kelly, Benito Martinez, Noomi Rapace, and Jordi Mollà as the Venezuelan president so you know he's the good guy, surely. 

Coming to this series several years after it released, I was aware that not all fans were pleased with this season but I couldn't find any issues at the start where the story moved along at a nice pace before all hell breaks loose. It didn't seem like it would be the most original but it was entertaining enough with plenty of spies and political intrigue so I thought maybe the team behind this were on to something until the story takes a wrong turn which sees us back to unnecessary subplots and characters that are seemingly only there to pad out the show. 

It's a shame as what worked in the film, Clear and Present Danger, could easily translate well to a show like this but the excitement at the start falls away to make room for a formulaic, average action thriller that goes through the motions without any twists or suspense before ending on a forgettable conclusion. Krasinski, Wendall Pierce and Kelly all turn in fine performances though and I enjoyed their group dynamic, even if it felt rather basic, so I will look forward to seeing what the next season has in stall there, but the show wastes Rapace's British agent who might as well been cut out from the entire story.

Jack Ryan season two is a functional couple of hours of entertainment but misses the target to be anything more than that sadly. If the first season didn't grab your attention then I can't say there's much here for you, particularly when the film did a better job.