For one reason or another, presumably COVID and/or John Krasinksi’s booming fame, it’s taken over three years for season three of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan to release. To be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect from this series after such a long hiatus, especially after being underwhelmed by season two all the way back in 2019. Thankfully, it appears the show’s writing staff used that extended gap as an opportunity to hone in on what makes this series work and double down on those elements. At the same time, they also wrote an intricate but followable storyline that’s quite relevant to today. Combine that with top-notch work from the cast members, both new and old, and you end up with a thoroughly thrilling eight-episode yarn.

As I already said, the latest installment of Jack Ryan feels quite relevant in a somewhat disconcerting way. Season three portrays a version of Russia that has already invaded Ukraine and is encroaching further west, putting pressure on the president of the Czech Republic, Alena Kovac (newcomer Nina Hoss, always reliable) to side with them instead of NATO. Meanwhile, a secret cabal of Soviet hardliners is intent to provoke World War 3, as if things weren’t unpleasant enough. Nevertheless, Jack Ryan and James Greer (Wendell Pierce) are on to them, and they bounce around Europe to impede the baddies at every turn. And bounce around they do, as they travel to Prague, Rome, Santorini, and even into Russia. I certainly didn’t complain, since it made this season an action-packed, eye-catching globetrot to some of Europe’s most iconic locations.

As fun as it was to travel from gunfight to gunfight with Ryan and Co., it was even more fun getting to know perhaps the best character on Jack Ryan ever, Luka Goncharov, played by the always terrific James Cosmo. Goncharov is a mysterious ex-Soviet officer who advises the Russian president and has a reputation that frightens even the most stoic of his countrymen. Cosmo is the perfect actor to play such an intriguing character, demonstrating a skilled hold on his character with an understated accent and a cool, intimidating demeanor. I say he’s “perhaps” the best character because Mike November (Michael Kelly) is still around and helping out. November is just as charismatic and wry as he was in season two, and I’ll always enjoy watching him feign reluctance before happily getting back in the action. Seeing as Jack Ryan is ending after its fourth season, I figure it’s time to start pushing for a Mike November spin-off. Get it done, Amazon.

Ultimately, supporting characters like Luka and Mike are why I come back to Jack Ryan. See, the primary problem with this series is that we all know its titular protagonist is safe and likely going to win, given the magnitude of the character and the actor playing him. This remains an issue in season three, but like in prior seasons, the writers lean on the supporting cast to raise the stakes. Luka, Mike, Alena, and so on are all original characters, and therefore they’re open to any sort of development the writers see fit. I imagine that’s quite freeing for the creatives, as they can take their subplots in any direction they want, no matter how stressful that direction might be for the viewers. Also, while the writers can’t truly threaten Ryan and Greer’s lives, they do find ways to threaten their careers and reputations. The only drawback to all of this is that the leads, Krasinski especially, occasionally come off as a bit bland when juxtaposed with some of the supporting players. Still, I was very impressed with the character work and storytelling; it was savvy stuff.

To wrap up, I found season three of Jack Ryan to be a riveting watch and a notable step up from its previous run. Sure, I have some nitpicks (too many shoddy CGI muzzles flashes!), but overall, its action and story were satisfyingly suspenseful. At the end of the day, what else could one want from a show like this?

If I had to score it, I’d give season three of Jack Ryan an 8/10.