Warning: This article contains spoilers for seasons 1 and 2 of Jack Ryan
Based on the wildly popular Tom Clancy novels, Prime Video’s Jack Ryan returns for its highly anticipated third season next month. After a three-year hiatus, fans couldn’t be more excited about its return. The show follows the title character as he saves the world from impending global turmoil on more than one occasion. A Marine veteran turned CIA analyst turned field operative by mere happenstance after discovering suspicious financial transactions in Yemen during season 1, Jack Ryan (John Krasinski) is skilled in more ways than one when it comes to understanding the dynamics of the political and military conflicts he faces throughout the series. Since it premiered in 2018, the show has amassed a solid fan base and is already slated to return for a fourth and final season.
As the release of season 3 approaches, there is a lot that viewers can expect to see. Audiences last saw Jack Ryan in Venezuela, where he managed to untangle a web of corruption connecting the authoritarian Venezuelan government, run by Nicolás Reyes (Jordi Mollà), to a United States Senator, Mitchell Chapin (Michael O’Neill), and their mining operations in the jungles of the country. What began with the assassination of Senator Jimmy Moreno (Benito Martinez) on Venezuelan soil, the catalyst for the conflict of season 2, ended with Reyes losing the presidential election despite his efforts to rig it in his favor.
In the end, Ryan and the rest of his crew managed to flee Venezuela via helicopter while Reyes faced rioters on his doorsteps following the revelation of prison camps, corruption, and disappeared political prisoners under his regime. Once he was back on American soil, Ryan confronted Senator Chapin, whom he previously relied on throughout the season for advice when navigating foreign conflicts, before turning him over to the FBI and essentially leaving him in the proverbial dust.
Herein lies the lead-in to season 3, which is sure to keep audiences entertained.
Season 3: The Plot
The sophomore season of Jack Ryan was a more nuanced, complex story than that of its predecessor, and season 3 is sure to continue that trend. If the trailer is any indication, the newest season will keep viewers on the edge of their seats. Audiences can expect to see Ryan on the run as he’s wrongfully thought to be involved in a wider conspiracy involving a rogue faction of the Russian government and their efforts to reinstate the USSR.
As he attempts to evade capture from the CIA as well as other underground global agencies, Ryan makes his way through Europe as he seeks to prevent yet another massive international conflict.
As with most Tom Clancy adventures, Ryan is seemingly the only one ringing the warning bells of an imminent World War 3. The forthcoming season is no exception. While he makes futile attempts to convince government agencies of what’s to come, they play politics in the midst of the impending global conflict. They ultimately shun him to the sidelines before designating him culpable in the conspiracy he tried to warn them about. Alas, the only ones on his side yet again include his old boss, James Greer (Wendell Pierce), and CIA field officer Mike November (Michael Kelly).
The intensity will be palpable throughout season 3 as Ryan races against the clock to save lives and prevent another global crisis.
Season 3: The Cast
John Krasinski returns as the title character alongside other familiar faces, including Wendell Pierce, who plays James Greer, and Michael Kelly, who plays Mike November. The show has always managed to maintain a stellar cast and will continue to add to its ensemble with a few new faces, including Nina Hoss as Czech Republic President Alena Kovac as well as Betty Gabriel as CIA Roma Station Chief Elizabeth Wright.
Much to the delight of diehard Tom Clancy fans, the show appears to be diving deeper into the "Ryanverse" as Michael Pena is reported to be joining the cast as a colleague of Ryan. However, it's suspected that he will only be introduced in the final episode of the season. He’s slated to play Ding Chavez in preparation for the rumored spin-off series Prime Video is said to be considering. Given that Jack Ryan is scheduled to end with its fourth season, fans can prepare to shift gears toward Chavez once the Ryan saga comes to a close, at least on Prime Video.
Release Date
Season 3 of Jack Ryan will be available to stream just in time for Christmas on December 21, 2022, via Prime Video. In the meantime, catch up on the show's first two seasons, currently streaming on the platform.