Streaming series review - Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan: Season 4

Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Season 4 **** (out of 5) (TV-MA) The eponymous CIA superagent who headlined a series of novels before starring in successful films, and, since 2018, three season of streaming adventures, draws the latter to a close with this fourth and (for now, at least) final season-long, globe-trotting thriller. Fans of any or all of the preceding iterations will not be disappointed with John Krasinski’s continuing portrayal of their hero, or the six-episode plotline he navigates.

As usual, there’s a huge conspiracy afoot threatening the world we know, with the action alternating among far-flung arenas of action, and plenty of questions as to who (other than Ryan) is on which side of the crisis. The series opens by showing a bit of Jack being subjected to “enhanced interrogation” before going back three weeks and progressing to and past that point. Several characters from the first three seasons return for this new challenge. One newcomer (veteran character actor Michael Pena) turns in what may rank among his best performances.

No more about the plot. What you need to know is that if you haven’t watched the first three seasons (still streaming on Prime), you won’t fully appreciate the characters and their motivations, even though this is a stand-alone story. No expense was spared on locations, sets or effects in this top-quality production. The first three episodes are longer on talk than action, but that ratio reverses in the second half of the season.

Finally, since the initial release is only the first two episodes with the rest coming in pairs over the following two weeks, you might fare better by waiting until they’re all in hand for a big ol’ binge. If your memory and concentration are better than mine – very likely common among Clancy buffs – you may do fine piecemeal. For me, the chance to stream them all in a one-day spyfest splurge helped considerably in keeping track of who’s who and what’s what in this complex web of plotting, counter-measures, facades and shifting loyalties. All in all, the popular series bows out on a high note, with no one likely to think they stayed too long at the party.

(Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Season 4 starts streaming on Amazon Prime, with the first two episodes on 6/30/23; followed by two more on 7/7 and 7/14)