‘Neagley’ the new Amazon Prime spin-off series of ‘Reacher’ wastes no time in its season premiere episode “L Train” quickly immersing viewers into a tangled, convoluted plot with little time for a breath. In the first episode of this new series, the foundation for the coming stories are laid, and the building blocks for the A and B plots are told. Though this show is a spin-off, it is an entirely new story, and completely capable of being understood if one has not watched the original show ‘Reacher.’
As becomes quickly apparent, Francis Neagley is a stubbornly independent private investigator, with a vast military history and a complex, troubled past that – although she refuses to acknowledge – seems to haunt her in the form of haphephobia (fear of physical touch). When her estranged childhood friend is killed in a freak, psychedelic-induced accident on the train tracks after becoming more engrossed in his commune Echo Canyon Farm, Neagley becomes increasingly convinced that it was not wholly accidental, and begins investigating the farm in question. Though she makes it apparent she prefers to work alone, she is aided by a cop (not-so-affectionately nicknamed “Rats” by his colleagues) and a career petty criminal.
“L Train” serves as a near perfect example of what a first episode should be. It does not drag its feet getting into the action, and rather works aspects of Neagley’s personality into the problem-solving itself, making the dialogue appear human and natural. In just fifty minutes, a viewer is introduced to all of the main elements that will be shown in a show such as this – drama, death, fight sequences, and conflict. Yet, somehow, it does not feel forced or shallow. Each beat feels intricately chosen, giving a taste of the show, but still leaving plenty unresolved, fostering questions and yet providing enough answers so as not to leave the plot completely unravelled.
In all, “L Train” manages to capture Neagley’s complex personality and characterization without having her say it outright, showcasing her behavior in such an expert way one would assume it to be a character study, not a Prime television show.
9.5/10
