The Terminal List Season 1 Series Review

This post is both a review and a summary of The Terminal List. That is to say, it may contain spoilers.

The Terminal List is a 2022 series about Navy SEAL Commander James Reece whose platoon, Alpha Platoon is ambushed and killed in battle. James Reece, played by Chris Pratt, and his teammate Booker are the only ones who survive but Booker too is taken out shortly after coming home. James Reece feels that the ‘Odin’s Sword’ mission was a trap and he’s keen on finding those responsible for the massacre of the 12 Navy SEALs.

The Terminal List

As James Reece discovers more about the plot and keeps digging, his family is murdered. His wife Lauren and daughter Lucy are killed by a mercenary. All this while, Reece has terrible headaches and fuzzy memory. Alpha Platoon had died after an IED went off in Syria and James Reece was himself knocked out pretty badly.

James later discovers that he has a tumor the size of a walnut in his brain and not that long to live. As he goes on discovering the people connected with the attack, he writes them on a list, that he crosses off when he takes out one of his targets. That list is ‘The Terminal List’.

Capstone Industries

James Reece discovers that a company by the name of Capstone Industries, led by Steve Horn, is behind the attack on Alpha Platoon. Capstone Industries owns Nubellum Pharmaceuticals, a company that develops nootropics for the Department of Defense.

Nubellum Pharmaceuticals

With the help of journalist Katie Buranek, played by Constance Wu, Reece discovers that Nubellum had developed a drug – RD4895 – a nootropic that was still in animal trials and hadn’t been approved for human testing. The drug was meant to sever the link between the amygdala and the hypothalamus and it was meant for use as a drug for reducing trauma in elite soldiers.

RD4895

RD4895 is, however, not approved by the FDA or for use on humans. Reece and Buranek discover that it had been injected into the entire Alpha Platoon, legally even, via Emergency Use Authorization (EUA). Terribly, the drug didn’t work and caused all of Alpha Platoon to develop brain tumors. The platoon being taken out in Syria was, therefore, a ploy to wipe them off the face of the earth, as they were walking tell-tales of the failure of the drug.

Nubellum on Sale

Steve Horn, played by Jai Courtney, CEO of Capstone Industries, is in a rush to sell Nubellum and the RD4895 drug to another company. He rushes through the deal, despite the concerns of Nubellum Pharmaceuticals CEO.

Reece catches up with Steve Horn, however, and takes him out in broad daylight in New York, with the help of an EFP bomb. An EFP bomb is an explosively formed penetrator that’s used to pierce through armored vehicles. Epic.

Going for WARCOM

James Reece then sets his eyes on the beneficiaries of the experimentation of the RD4895 drug on soldiers. He discovers that his generals and commanding officers were also involved. He first takes out Commander Cox, mano-o-mano by placing a huge 400-pound log on him at the seashore, and tells him to hold it up or otherwise drown.

For the other two, including Captain Howard and General Pillar, he uses a bomb attached to one of them and blows them up to smithereens. He then now goes after the Secretary of Defense, Lorraine Hartley, played by Jeanne Tripplehorn.

Going after SecDef

With the help of his former teammate and dear friend Ben Edwards, who’s a CIA agent, Reece goes after Secretary Lorraine. Lorraine had approved the use of RD4895 on Alpha Platoon and had watched on as they were killed in battle. Reece, despite her house being barricaded and with private security all around the compound, goes for her.

He tactically takes out most of the security team and heads up to Lorraine’s safe room. There, she opts to take herself out instead and shoots herself in the head. Reece walks out and meets with FBI agent Luyan who lets him go, as he feels Reece is the victim, albeit having been regarded as a domestic terrorist for his vengeance.

It was Ben All Along

Most shocking is that Reece realized that Ben, played by Taylor Kitsch, had also been a beneficiary of the RD4895 experiment on Alpha Platoon. Like the others, he’d been paid a sweet $20 million for his participation in the conspiracy through shell companies. Reece confronts his dear friend Ben and shoots him off-camera in his boat. He then discards his list in the ocean and sails off to Mozambique.

Our Rating

The Terminal List is an eerily good Thriller/Action series the likes of which will have you mindblown. It does a fabulous job of weaving out James Reece’s story bit by bit as he goes on to cross off adversaries on his list. We loved the series for just how good and thrilling it is and we give it a 9.5/10. Yes. It is that good. Be sure to watch and enjoy it!

FAQ

Will there be a Season 2 of Terminal List?

Well, there has been talk of a prequel to the series. Therefore, instead of a Terminal List Season 2 continuing the events of Season 1, we would be getting another season touching on events that happened before those of Terminal List Season 1.

What will The Terminal List Prequel be about?

It was announced this February that there was approval for a prequel series to The Terminal List that will focus on the character Ben Edwards. Taylor Kitsch is expected to reprise (repeat) the role.

Which book is The Terminal List based on?

Terminal List is based on one of five books by Jack Carr. Terminal List Season 1 is based on Carr’s book of the same name. The other four books could be the source of the prequel to the series. There’s also optimism that The Terminal List could be made a franchise as the five books offer enough material for several series or series seasons.

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