Eight episodes. One Navy SEAL. A conspiracy that reaches the highest levels of power. And a cultural divide so stark that critics and audiences might as well have watched two completely different shows.
I just finished “The Terminal List,” and I’m still trying to figure out how a Prime Video series managed to unite millions of viewers while simultaneously becoming one of the most critically panned shows of 2022. When professional reviewers give you a 39% and your audience hands you a 94%, something fascinating is happening—and it goes way beyond whether Chris Pratt can pull off a dark, brooding revenge thriller.
What Drew Me In
The show is based on Jack Carr’s 2018 novel of the same name, and you can feel that literary foundation throughout. The premise follows Navy SEAL Commander James Reece as he turns to vengeance, investigating the mysterious forces behind the murder of his entire platoon. Chris Pratt takes on this dark, brooding role—a far cry from his usual charismatic, comedic characters—and that shift alone made me curious.
What struck me immediately was the weight of it all. This isn’t your typical action romp. The story revolves around a former Navy SEAL officer investigating why his entire platoon was ambushed during a high-stakes covert mission, and as the episodes unfold, you realize there’s something deeply sinister at play. The conspiracy goes deeper than you’d expect, pulling in corporate corruption, government complicity, and the kind of betrayal that makes your blood boil.
The Production Pedigree
The show came together through some interesting circumstances. Carr’s SEAL teammate and friend, Jared Shaw, handed the book to Chris Pratt in December 2017, and from there, the pieces fell into place. Pratt executive produces through Indivisible Productions, alongside Antoine Fuqua and Kat Samick through Hill District Media, Carr himself, former Army Ranger Max Adams, and former Navy SEAL Jared Shaw. That real-world military expertise shows in the authenticity of the tactical sequences and the weight the characters carry.
Antoine Fuqua directing the series brings a particular visual grit. The show has this dark, almost oppressive cinematography that some people complained about, but I found it fitting. When you’re following a man spiraling through grief, trauma, and rage, the shadows feel appropriate.
The Heart of the Story: Trauma and Revenge
What makes “The Terminal List” more than just another revenge thriller is how it handles James Reece’s psychological unraveling. The series tells the story of a Navy SEAL who seeks to avenge the murder of his family, but it’s also about a man questioning his own mind. The show plays with unreliable narrator territory—Reece suffers from headaches and memory issues, leaving both him and us wondering what’s real.
There’s a terminal list, literally. Reece keeps a list of people responsible, and as he works through it, you’re forced to grapple with questions about justice versus vengeance, about what we owe to the fallen, and about whether some sins are beyond redemption. The show doesn’t really apologize for its violence, which will either resonate with you or turn you off completely.
The Controversy That Followed
Here’s where things get interesting. The show became a cultural lightning rod almost immediately. The series has a 94 percent audience score but a 39 percent critics score on Rotten Tomatoes. That massive gap tells you everything about how divisive this show became.
Critics relentlessly panned the series, while audiences gave it a near-perfect score. And the discourse around it? Exhausting. Carr suggested critics disliked the show because it avoids a “woke” agenda, while critics countered that it glorified vigilante violence and offered a simplistic worldview. Honestly, watching the debate unfold was almost as intense as watching the show itself.
Chris Pratt celebrated the viewership numbers by clapping back at critics on Instagram, and whether you think that was warranted or petty probably depends on where you stand on the whole thing. The show was watched for 1.1 billion minutes across its eight episodes, according to Nielsen’s data, so clearly audiences were invested, even if professional critics weren’t.
What I Actually Thought
Look, I’m not going to pretend this show is perfect. The pacing is genuinely a problem. Eight episodes sounds reasonable on paper, but it often feels like the story could’ve been told in five or six. Scenes linger too long, conversations meander, and there were moments where I found myself checking how much time was left in an episode. The show stretches itself thin at times, padding what should be taut thriller moments with unnecessary drawn-out sequences.
But here’s the thing—I still found myself invested in the story. Despite the pacing issues, the core narrative about conspiracy, betrayal, and one man’s descent into vengeance kept pulling me back. And watching Chris Pratt commit fully to this darker role? There’s something undeniably compelling about it. He brings a quiet intensity that works, even if it’s not always what you’d call “subtle.”
The supporting cast is solid. Constance Wu, Taylor Kitsch, and Riley Keough all bring their A-game, and the ensemble feels lived-in, like these are real people who’ve known each other for years. Taylor Kitsch’s character Ben Edwards was compelling enough that he got his own prequel series, which tells you something about the depth they gave these roles.
The action sequences are brutal and well-choreographed. If you’re looking for sanitized, bloodless violence, this isn’t it. The show respects the lethality of Reece’s training, and every confrontation feels consequential. It’s not John Wick-style ballet; it’s grounded, ugly, and often hard to watch—which, again, feels intentional.
The Bigger Picture
What fascinated me most wasn’t just the show itself, but what it revealed about where we are culturally. The fact that critics and audiences could be so completely at odds says something. Maybe critics were reacting to the show’s politics, real or perceived. Maybe audiences were hungry for a straightforward story about a warrior seeking justice in a corrupt system. Maybe both things are true.
The show was renewed for a second season in February 2023, which means we’ll be getting more of James Reece’s story. And honestly? I’m curious to see where they take it. The first season wrapped up its central revenge plot, so a second season will need to find new ground to explore.
Final Thoughts
“The Terminal List” isn’t for everyone, and it doesn’t try to be. It’s a show that knows its audience and delivers exactly what they want: a dark, unflinching revenge story with authentic military action and a conspiracy that goes to the highest levels. Whether that’s what you want from your entertainment is entirely personal.
For me, it was a gripping, if occasionally flawed, eight hours. I appreciated the willingness to go dark, to sit with difficult emotions, and to not apologize for what it wanted to be. Chris Pratt proved he can carry a dramatic lead, the production values were top-notch, and the story kept me hooked even when I could see some of the twists coming.
Would I recommend it? If you enjoy military thrillers, conspiracy stories, and don’t mind violence that’s often unflinching, absolutely. If you’re looking for something light, nuanced, or politically neutral, maybe give it a pass. But if you do watch it, go in knowing what you’re getting, and try to judge it on its own terms rather than what you wish it was.
Sometimes a show is just what it is, and there’s something refreshing about that kind of clarity, even—or especially—when it’s controversial.
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