Krasinski’s ‘Jack Ryan’ returns to TV after 3-year wait
The third season of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, starring John Krasinski, returns to Amazon Prime Video with a storyline that may sound familiar.
We meet Ryan, now based in Rome, as he uncovers an underground conspiracy by Russia to invade surrounding countries and recreate the Soviet Empire.
The episodes were written three years ago and production was completed long before Russia invaded Ukraine.
Filming on Jack Ryan was delayed as the pandemic brought everything to a standstill. Krasinski focused on a weekly home-grown news show called “Some Good News,” where he shared positive stories during a dark time. Like many others, he didn’t focus on diet and exercise during quarantine.
Kraskinski jokes that his “Some Good News” form was ideal because he was never seen standing, as he always sat like a news anchor. “You haven’t even seen the bottom half of me. That’s where I felt most comfortable,” he says.
When it came time to pull himself together, Krasinski said he was motivated by the idea that the show would be a reason for many to finally get back to work after months of waiting.
“It was actually a very cleansing thing,” said Krasinski, who is also an executive producer and helps write the episodes. “I have taken on a great responsibility to all of these hundreds of people who have been brave enough to put their lives on the line to bring our industry back a little.
“It was almost like getting into my best possible shape and self, both physically and mentally, to prepare for something that we knew was going to be a lot different and a lot more upsetting, but hopefully worth a lot more.” “
In the new episodes that start streaming on Wednesday. Ryan’s attempts to alert the CIA to his discovery about Russia results in the agency attacking him and issuing a Red Notice calling for his arrest and extradition to the US to face charges. Ryan’s former boss James Greer (played by Wendell Pierce) helps out as much as he can from the inside, and Ryan seeks out his old pal Mike November (Michael Kelly), who left the agency at the end of season two to thwart Russia’s plan.
Krasinski and Kelly’s on-screen relationship provides some moments of lightness amidst all the action and looming catastrophe. Known for serious roles like House of Cards, Kelly says it’s a fun change of pace to have those lighter moments on screen.
“John will be writing a lot of these one-liners for me that day and I’m so grateful to have that sense of humor. Playing a little closer to me was such a pleasure,” Kelly said.
“Jack Ryan” has also thanked Kelly for the dedication of those who protect us every day, “from the Navy SEALs to the Port Authority police officers.” He says many are fans of the show and are happy to talk to him about the realities of the job.
“I tell my kids all the time, ‘(If) we pass a police officer, say thank you… You see someone in the armed forces. You say thank you.’ “Our veterans, they come home and they’re so underserved in this country. We need to do more and give more thanks.”
For Pierce, the role gave him a new perspective on his own brother, who served as a military attache in Belarus.
“I realized there was so much he did that I didn’t know about and he didn’t share it with the family. I just wanted to make sure he knows he can share it with me now that he’s out of the military and the effect it’s having. It gives me a lot to think about. And really the study of human behavior is what acting is all about.”
Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan is coming to a close with its fourth season, which has already wrapped. Its release date has not yet been announced.
Alicia Rancilio, The Associated Press
