Spy thrillers are increasingly becoming the rage, a reality that an executive producer of Black Doves mentioned when the Netflix original was renewed ahead of its premiere. But, as viewers fall for the twisting, geopolitical messes their new faves are tangled up in, we can't help but think about the series that came before this boom. The ones that helped pave the way to the abundance of action-packed streaming programming that's really going to hit its stride in 2025. One such series is Prime Video's Jack Ryan.
The four season long drama introduced a new audience to a character that's been in the pop culture lexicon since the '80s. Jack Ryan, a CIA analyst who is more brain than brawn (but still has plenty of brawn when he needs it), is often caught in the kind of nail-biting, race to prevent World War III, enthralling plots that leave you wanting to follow him to the ends of the globe and back. It's no wonder his story has been told on both the big and the small screen. But which seasons were the show at its best and which needed some work?
We consulted the reviews on IMDb for an answer as fans shared their thoughts from episode to episode on what was exceptional about the series and whether it held up to its exciting beginnings. Here's how they ranked the seasons from worst to best!
Jack Ryan season ranking
Season 4
Average rating: 7.5
Episodes: 6
It's difficult landing the plane of a series. We all know this and have had qualms about how the show's we fell in love with ended. Jack Ryan is no different as its fourth season wasn't well-received by fans which has a lot to do with its convoluted plot. The central conflict revolves around the convergence of a drug cartel and a terrorist organization. It's a dangerous situation to be in but it also makes for a narrative that hinges upon this union making sense.
According the fans on IMDb, the storytelling was nonsensical and the writing suffered. With Jack working as Deputy Director in the beginning of the season, there were a lot of dialogue heavy scenes and explanation that didn't work for them. It slowed down the action, made the interactions clunky, and if fans weren't confused then they were bored. For them, season 4 was an unfortunate end to a series they'd enjoyed when it began.
Season 2
Average rating: 7.6
Just like final seasons, sophomore runs are also difficult to land well. If your first season was a hit, the second needs to reach the same heights, if not higher, and tell just as compelling of a story. Unfortunately, fans didn't think Jack Ryan season 2 achieved this goal. The narrative follows Jack as he's investigating a conspiracy by the Venezuelan President that's so far-reaching that it pulls in the US, the UK, and Russia. But, while the plot was entertaining, much of the criticism had to do with the style over substance that the series fell into.
Bouncing back-and-forth between the unraveling of the president's plans and the action sequences set in the beautiful locales of the season, the series slipped into spyfare that works on an entertainment level but not in a realistic sense. It caused viewers to get pulled out of the plot as they questioned why characters would take actions that they reasonably wouldn't. But, overall, the season was serviceable even if the writing didn't hold up to the first season.
Season 3
Average rating: 7.8
Jack Ryan's third outing is very action-driven as our lead is on the run and trying to stop a conspiracy to re-recreate the Soviet Union in the Czech Republic via the detonation of an untraceable nuclear bomb. Fans found the season to be entertaining but, just like with the second season, disbelief had to be suspended and realism was sacrificed for the dramatic plot. There were also issues with lighting as more than one episode received criticism for how dark some of the scenes were.
The show's strength seems to lie in its ability to draw viewers into the action even if they're raising their eyebrows at some of the writing choices and dialogue. The performances of the actors were repeatedly praised and the driving force for why viewers continued to tune in when they had serious questions about the sense regarding the countries Jack was running through in his quest.
Season 1
Average rating: 8.2
It should come as no surprise that Jack Ryan's first adventure on Prime Video claims the top spot of this ranking. First seasons tend to draw high praise from fans as it's their first encounter with the story and therefore the beginning of their love for it. Though, admittedly, Jack Ryan holds a unique position as this live-action adaptation of the beloved Tom Clancy books isn't the first of its kind outside of its medium. Its predecessors were all movies so the audience had material to compare the series to, still it won people over. The first season clearly shows why.
Season 1 is about Jack's first time out from behind his desk. He's thrown into the mix after his insistence that suspicious bank transfers be paid attention to pans out, and he begins to unearth the terrorist Suleiman's operation. The blend of action and Jack's quick thinking drew viewers into this twisting world that has a complex and complicated story about the lengths nations will go to protect their interests and how those events can shape the threats that they'll have to contend with in the future.
Fans did have issues the writing in areas, a complaint that plagued the series during its entire run, but the consensus is that the first season is the best out of four. It has the tightest storytelling, is more consistent in its balance of action and plot development, and had a clearer point of view than the seasons that followed.
All four seasons of Jack Ryan are streaming on Prime Video. A movie is in the works. Stay tuned to Americans Undercover for coverage. Follow us on X for more content!