"Reacher Semantics:" Prime Video's Reacher Finally Gives A Name To The Character's Most Infuriating Habit

By Padraig Cotter

Published Mar 23, 2025

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Warning: Major spoilers for Reacher season 3, episode 7 "L.A. Story" below!Duffy finally had it with Lee Child's Jack Reacher novels is that the main character is both fiercely intelligent and able to snap limbs at a moment's notice. Reacher might not be great with casual chitchat or social norms, but is able to think his way out of danger in (almost) every circumstance. Reacher is smart and he knows it - which can be one of his most irritating traits.

Reacher can weaponize his intelligence for both good and bad. As Alan Ritchson himself put it during an Reacher states he's a hobo instead of a vagrant. His natural pedanticness annoyed Finlay (Malcolm Goodwin) to no end throughout season 1, and Agent Duffy (Sonya Cassidy) called him out on it during season 3's "L.A. Story."

A closeup of Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher in Reacher

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"Reacher Semantics" Is Duffy's Name For Jack Reacher's Strange Logic (& It's Perfect)

Duffy has had enough of Reacher's wordplay

Jack Reacher (Alan Ritchson) assembling his rifle as Duffy (Sonya Cassidy) looks at him, upset in Reacher Season 3 Ep 7 — Image via Prime Video

The ending of Reacher's "L.A. Story" sees Jack preparing to snipe his mortal enemy Quinn during an exchange. This is after Duffy brought the ATF into her operation, but the thought of Quinn merely going to prison is unacceptable to Reacher. As he assembles a massive sniper rifle he bought from a pawn shop, he and Duffy get into an argument about his plan. She recalls Reacher saying he understood her position regarding Quinn's arrest, but in classic Reacher fashion, he responded "I did understand it. I just don't agree with it."

This causes an understandably furious Duffy to bite back with "Don't pull Reacher semantics bulls*** with me!" While Reacher's habit of twisting people's words can be cute, pulling that move as he plans to blow Quinn's head off is an obnoxious one. Finlay may have called him out on smartassery several times during the first season, but "L.A. Story" is the first time a character has put a label on it.

Reacher star Sonya Cassidy's previous TV credits include The Man Who Fell to Earth, Lodge 49 and season 5 of The Last Kingdom.

Reacher's bluntness and tendency to condescend can be a big source of humor but it can also be his most annoying quirk. At least the showrunners are self-aware enough to point this out, especially as it comes during one of the most dramatic moments of the season.

Season 3's "Reacher Semantics" Line Proves Duffy Is The Perfect Match For Jack Reacher

Duffy is Reacher's first romantic interest to call him out on his nonsense

Duffy calling out one of Reacher's worst habits underlines what season 3 has shown about her time and again: she's Reacher's equal. This could seen in their first meeting in "Persuader," where Duffy predicted Reacher would jump out his hotel window to avoid meeting DEA agents and was already waiting for him; she also calls him out on his stubbornness, and for "answering questions like an a******."

Duffy is done with "Reacher's semantics" and self-justification for blowing her operation to get revenge...

"L.A. Story" saw them finally act on their mutual attraction, but theirs is no great love story. They share similar morals and codes, but Duffy is fully aware of Reacher's vigilante ways and calls out his "bulls***" when she catches him preparing his rifle. He may have been invaluable to her operation, but Duffy has had to put up with Reacher's smug observations and bending (or outright breaking) of the rules too.

She's done with "Reacher's semantics" and self-justification for blowing her operation to gain revenge - even though killing Quinn sounds like a smart move in the long run. It's doubtful the season 3 finale will feature Duffy and Reacher riding off together, but they've made a fun duo. Duffy feels like the first love interest who fully understands how Reacher ticks, so it will be interesting to see how their relationship resolves in the season's finale.

Source: Empire