Alan Ritchson Shines More in Playdate Than in Reacher

Alan Ritchson has been working in film and television for decades, moving from early comedy parts to more muscular turns. You might recall him as Raphael in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the small guy on New Girl, or even a pre-fame appearance serenading Paula Abdul on American Idol.

These varied beginnings help explain why his recent breakout as Jack Reacher feels like only one facet of a long career. His best role in years arrived in an unexpected place: the 2025 Prime Video action comedy Playdate. The premise leans into its own ridiculousness—Kevin James plays a stay-at-home stepfather trying to connect with his wife’s son, and he meets Ritchson’s Jeff, a hulking, oddly cheerful dad whose own son, CJ, is targeted by armed attackers at a Chuck E.

Cheese–style attraction. Between wacky chases and action set pieces, Jeff reveals he’s an ex-special forces soldier on the run after breaking CJ out of a secret government facility.

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