Chris Pratt’s The Terminal List is finally returning to Prime Video in 2026, and here are some other action thriller recommendations for fans of the show. The Terminal List season two was delayed for four years due to Chris Pratt’s busy schedule. The 2022 thriller was a streaming success for Prime, but even though the streamer wanted a second series, Pratt was booked solid on gigs like The Electric State and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
It’s become something of a golden age for action thriller shows, thanks to the likes of The Night Agent, The Day Of The Jackal and many more. The Terminal List itself is notable for being just as focused on setpieces as it is on story, and like the Jack Carr novel that inspired it, the action flows organically instead of being jammed in for the sake of it.
That said, The Terminal List isn’t without its problems. The plotting could be very knotty and convoluted, and its dark, murky look drew some justified critiques. For those who enjoyed the show and are looking for something to fill the gap until season two – which arrives in October 2026 – the shows featured below are some of the best action thrillers around.
5
The Terminal List: Dark Wolf
That’s right, The Terminal List’s spinoff already improved on the main series. Dark Wolf was conceived shortly after producers realized it would take years for a second season to arrive and continue the adventures of Reece (Pratt). Instead, this prequel follows his former bestie and fellow SEAL, Ben (Taylor Kitsch), as he gets sucked into the world of CIA black ops.
The Terminal List: Dark Wolf feels like feedback in action, and improved on the original show in many areas. The action is slicker and hits harder, Ben is a more flawed and compelling protagonist, and the cinematography is, thankfully, much sleeker. While not based on any of Carr’s books, Dark Wolf still very much feels like part of the same world.
Its seven-episode run is more propulsive too. Pratt makes a guest appearance as Reece, though he only appears in a handful of episodes. Dark Wolf was another success for Prime, and showed that audiences hadn’t forgotten about The Terminal List after such a long break.
4
Lioness
Taylor Sheridan’s TV empire consists of heavy-hitters like Yellowstone or The Madison, but Lioness is one of his most enjoyable. This military thriller is fronted by Zoe Saldaña as a CIA operative attempting to living a normal family life whilst also running around the world taking down terrorists.
Lioness displays Sheridan’s gift for great characters and chewy dialogue, but feels like an eight-part movie. There are action setpieces on the show that would put Hollywood blockbusters to shame, with the raid sequence from the season three premiere “The Spider and the Fly” practically feeling like a Call of Duty battle.
The series can occasionally feel like it’s dragging its feet and its family subplot isn’t always gracefully integrated, but it’s never less than compelling viewing. Saldaña is also superb in the lead, and any show that boasts Nicole Kidman, Michael Kelly and Morgan Freeman amongst its supporting cast is not messing around.
3
Strike Back
Strike Back was one of the best action shows of the 2010s, but it sadly appears to have fallen through the cracks in recent years. That could be down to the fact it’s not easily available to stream in the U.S. currently, due to complicated rights issues.
From its second season onwards, the series was a co-production between Sky in the UK and Cinemax, and followed the British anti-terrorism unit Section 20. This group traveled the world, battling an assortment of colorful villains (often played by Game of Thrones alums like Charles Dance or Iain Glen) and generally saving the day.
Strike Back was renowned for its action sequences and stunt work, often eschewing CGI for practical effects. Great as the action was, it was anchored by a very likable cast, including Sullivan Stapleton, Philip Winchester and Alin Sumarwata, and it was often just as much fun hanging around with the team. The show ran for eight seasons between 2010 and 2020, and is absolutely worth seeking out for genre fans.
2
Reacher
No list of modern action thrillers would be complete without Reacher. This adaptation of the bestselling Lee Child novels follows the Alan Ritchson-shaped hero as he roams America, and somehow always runs into trouble. What makes Reacher such compulsive viewing is the way it straddles many different genres.
There’s often a murder/mystery element, mixed with lots of action, one-liners and even romance. Of course, Jack Reacher himself is the major draw. From Ritchson’s hulking physical presence to his deadpan delivery, it’s hard to imagine anyone else (apologies to Tom Cruise) doing a better job.
The standalone nature of each season also makes it easy to jump into from any point. Given that they’re both native to Prime Video, Reacher is arguably The Terminal List’s biggest rival. On that score, in terms of sheer entertainment value and variety of action, Reacher comes out on top.
1
24
24 is one of the most groundbreaking TV shows of all time, from its shocking deaths and plot twists to its unique, real-time format. On paper, this Kiefer Sutherland-fronted thriller sounded like a total gimmick, where each episode represented an hour in a given day. In practice, it made for addictive viewing, as Sutherland’s beleaguered CTU agent Jack Bauer (and his various allies) had to constantly beat the clock to stop terror attacks.
24 could be dark and unsparing, and became infamous for killing off beloved characters when audiences least expected it. Jack himself may have had plot armor, but given the amount of loss and trauma he suffered throughout the show’s run, it never felt like he walked away unscathed either.
The real-time formula brought issues to the show, including the occasional episode that felt like padding until the next big revelation. At its peak, 24 is a masterpiece; an elaborate, taut and addictive piece of television that was all the more impressive for how difficult it must have been to write and produce.
-
- Release Date
-
June 30, 2022
- Network
-
Prime Video
- Showrunner
-
David DiGilio
- Directors
-
Fred Toye, Sylvain White, Antoine Fuqua, Ellen Kuras, M.J. Bassett
- Writers
-
Chris Pratt2, David DiGilio
-
-
Jeanne Tripplehorn
Secretary Hartley
-
- Created by
-
David DiGilio, Jack Carr
- First TV Show
-
The Terminal List
- Latest TV Show
-
The Terminal List: Dark Wolf
- First Episode Air Date
-
July 1, 2022
- Cast
-
Chris Pratt, Constance Wu, Taylor Kitsch, Riley Keough, Arlo Mertz, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Tom Hopper, Luke Hemsworth, Dar Salim, Robert Wisdom
- Spin-offs
-
The Terminal List: Dark Wolf
The Terminal List is an American action-thriller franchise adapted from Jack Carr’s 2018 novel. Premiering as a Prime Video series in 2022, it follows Navy SEAL Commander James Reece (Chris Pratt) as he uncovers betrayals and conspiracies after his platoon’s ambush. A new prequel, The Terminal List: Dark Wolf, explores the backstory of Ben Edwards (Taylor Kitsch), adding depth to the expanding cinematic universe.
