Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan: The Wolf

September 10, 2018 6:51 PM - Season 1, Episode 4

As Jack and Cathy grow closer, Jack's double-life is put to the test. A show of force from Suleiman adds to his ranks and brings him one step closer to his next attack.

What seemed like an interminable slow-speed chase through the Alps ends rather predictably, but on the bad guy side, Suleiman takes out someone who though he was his boss, and gains the loyalty of his men by actually paying them.

Jack and Cathy hook up, and the doctor doesn't ask why the supply chain logistician looks like he's a fight club enthusiast.

And, oh yeah, a bunch of Suleiman's guys set off some fast-acting gas bombs in a church. (Will it prove useful that Jack is now dating a epidemiologist?)

posted by jimw (5 comments total)

For those who've read the books, help me remember. When Jack worked on Wall Street, he did work for Cathy's dad, right? I want to say that Jack quitting Wall Street and condemning Cathy to life as a historian's wife is why he and his FIL have a rocky relationship at the time of the books.
posted by Fukiyama at 6:49 AM on September 11, 2018

I was immensely bothered that Cathy didn't even NOTICE the trauma bandage. I mean, seriously.

I'm not sure how much the books will matter to this continuity. Literary Greer was an admiral, e.g., not a CIA lifer. Even so, per Wikipedia, Clancy's version on paper made money on a tip while working on Wall Street and left with a fat balance ("fuck you money," as they say) to pursue his history doctorate. His CIA adventures happened after that.

Plus, Cathy's no earnings slouch in the book, either -- she's an ophthalmologist and surgeon, not the public health researcher we see on Amazon.

For reference, the book continuity is Patriot Games (published '87) first, then Red Rabbit ('02), and only then Red October ('84), but the publication dates confuse people.

I have Many Other Questions I'll save until we get to the episodes they concern.
posted by uberchet at 1:18 PM on September 11, 2018

While I find myself not minding that while they're not true to the books, they have enough nods to them so I can kind of see the inspiration.

I like what I've seen so far, but I feel like there are too many characters and plot lines jammed in what is an eight episode series. I don't think I would have minded if the entire drone pilot subplot was left out, and I think I would have liked it better if he met Cathy during the investigation, not at a party where Jack gets literally whisked off.

I dunno, maybe I'm wrong, but I think the entire story could have used another trip through the editor.

I hope I'm not spoiling anything. I watched most of this in one sitting, and get confused about which plot points are in which episode.
posted by Sphinx at 3:38 PM on September 11, 2018 [1 favorite]

While I find myself not minding that while they're not true to the books, they have enough nods to them so I can kind of see the inspiration.

Yeah, this. Given that they're trying to do this now, about terrorism instead of about the Cold War, lots and lots of the specifics of the Ryanverse wouldn't work. They're using the bones of it -- Jack's Marine history and back injury; his friendship with Greer; Cathy; "I write books for the CIA" -- and leaving behind the rest.

There's a GREAT line in the finale that Greer delivers; I don't think it's much of a spoiler to quote. It's a retort to Jack about something he considers unlikely, and goes to the effect of "and someday my black Muslim ass will be head of the CIA." We lol'd.
posted by uberchet at 8:41 AM on September 12, 2018

I dunno, maybe I'm wrong, but I think the entire story could have used another trip through the editor.

That's not wrong, either. The whole thing with the drone pilot is just filler.
posted by uberchet at 8:41 AM on September 12, 2018