S02E08 – A finale that rushed to wrap up!
What makes a great series stand apart from a good or very good one? My friends often ask me that question. My answer is always the same: its final episodes. You see, my friend, as you read my articles, TV series (just like movies and video games) all suffer from one particular element: how to bring a story to an end!
There are endings you absolutely loved, and others that made you think, while watching or playing, that they were rushed, poorly written, and unworthy of everything that came before. There are series that disappointed many of us (if not all) in the end, such as Lost or, of course, Game of Thrones, and others that felt like they ended exactly as they deserved to, such as Sons of Anarchy or Uncharted 4!
Watching the eighth episode of The Terminal List, I experienced something I have felt with other TV series and video games over the nearly 30 years I have spent watching and playing them. And that feeling can be summed up in one word... rushed!
The entire development surrounding Vasili Andrenov, part of a plan that the series claims had been in the making for decades, feels to me completely unworthy of the way the first season ended, as well as everything the show had built up to that point. An operation in Ukraine, involving a potential president of Moscow in a warehouse... I don't know, guys, that feels like a very rushed way to wrap things up. Even his actual death at Reece's hands feels somewhat difficult to understand. Let's say he was about to make a move and Reece killed him in self-defense. He grabs his axe and Reece kills him in cold blood? I don't know, it just feels unjustified! Then comes his return to the United States with a pardon for everything, and, of course, an ending that seems to point towards a third season. I honestly expected something much better!
Andrenov's Death and the Problem with the Finale
I want to spend a little more time on the way Vasili Andrenov's story comes to an end, because I believe this is where one of the episode's biggest problems lies.
Reece doesn't simply kill another enemy. The revelation that he and his family are part of a revenge plot that began decades earlier, with his father at its center, completely changes the dimension of the story. Andrenov is connected to a plan rooted in the Vietnam War, and Reece chooses to kill him with his own axe.
I understand James's anger. We are talking about a man who has lost friends, spent months being hunted, and discovers that even Freddy's death was part of a much bigger story. What I don't understand is why the series chooses to wrap up such a confrontation so quickly when it could have been one of the most important moments of the entire season.
Andrenov was a man with enormous influence, political connections, and access to information that could have exposed the entire plan. Reece had an opportunity to learn more about the Colonel and his own father. Instead, he kills him, and the story simply moves on.
I'm not saying Reece necessarily had to capture him. I'm saying that a moment like this deserved more time, more tension, and, above all, greater emotional weight.
And the worst part? Shortly afterward, he returns to the United States, receives the presidential pardon he had negotiated with the CIA, and finds himself in a position to carry on with his life. All of this feels far too easy for someone who has just taken part in such a major international operation and killed such an important political figure.
The Revelations About Reece's Father
Of course, the episode is not without some significant revelations. On the contrary, James's father's story is perhaps the most interesting element the second season leaves behind.
We learn that Thomas Reece, during an operation in Vietnam in 1972, killed two Russian military advisers. One of them was Victor Zarkov, the brother of the man we know as the Colonel and the father of Vasili Andrenov.
Ivan Zarkov hadn't simply organized an operation to put his nephew in power in Russia, with the aim of overthrowing President Drozdov. He had built a revenge plan that had been connected to the Reece family for decades.
And this is where the story takes on a different dimension. James is no longer facing just an international conspiracy. He is essentially the recipient of a conflict that began before he even became a Navy SEAL.
We also learn that Thomas continued working with the CIA until his assassination in Buenos Aires in 1997. His name now appears on the agency's memorial wall, alongside Freddy's.
This is a revelation I personally wish had been explored further. Reece's father's story could have served as an excellent narrative backbone for the finale in its own right, rather than functioning mainly as a setup for the next season.
Freddy, Katie and James's Future
Amid all this, there is also a more human moment worth mentioning.
Reece returns to the United States having lost Freddy Strain. He takes the reward money for the elimination of Amin and places it in a trust for Freddy's son, Samuel. It's a small but meaningful gesture, reminding us that behind the soldier there is still a man who hasn't forgotten those closest to him.
Katie Buranek, meanwhile, completes her book about James, titled James Reece: Our True Believer. She personally hands it to him and essentially asks him to stop postponing his treatment.
And here we have one of the finale's most significant unanswered questions. Reece finally decides to proceed with the medical examinations and surgery for his brain tumor. The series, however, doesn't show us the outcome. We don't know whether the treatment will succeed or what condition his health is actually in.
This is a cliffhanger I can accept. It's personal, it concerns the main character himself, and it leaves genuine room for his character to develop.
Katie also appears to be returning to field journalism, something I personally would like to see more of in the next season. Her relationship with Reece has developed considerably, and their partnership is one of the show's strengths.
What Did the Critics Say About Fathers and Sons?
There is an interesting contrast here with my own opinion. The reviews I found for this particular episode were quite positive, mainly regarding the action, performances, and the way it sets up the next chapter.
Action Reloaded gave the episode 5/5 stars, describing it as a satisfying conclusion that simultaneously opens the door to a much bigger chapter for James Reece. It particularly highlighted the helicopter sequences, the authenticity of the military operations, and the chemistry between Chris Pratt and Tom Hopper.
On the other hand, We Have Issues approached the finale from a more balanced perspective. It praised Chris Pratt's performance, Constance Wu's presence, and the intensity of the final operation in Ukraine. However, it also identified an issue that comes quite close to my own criticism: the episode feels more like a carefully planned transition towards the next story than a complete, standalone conclusion.
And I think that distinction is important. You can appreciate the action, production, and performances while still believing that the writing didn't make the most of the revelations it introduced.
Some Interesting Details from the Final Episode
The title, Fathers and Sons: It doesn't refer only to James's relationship with his father. It is essentially the central theme of the entire story, as the actions of one generation determine the lives of the next.
The helicopter sequence: The low-altitude flights and aerial scenes during the final operation add impressive cinematic scale to the episode.
The Terminal List Season 3: Will James Reece Return?
As of November 3, 2026, Amazon Prime Video has not officially announced the renewal of the series for a third season. However, there are several encouraging signs.
In an interview with TV Insider, showrunner David DiGilio revealed that, should a third season be approved, there is already another Jack Carr novel that could serve as its foundation.
That book is Savage Son, the third installment in the James Reece series. Jack Carr has spoken about the darker side of human nature and the relationship between hunter and prey, themes that could give the next television chapter a different direction.
Even more interestingly, Chris Pratt has expressed his desire for the series to continue. There are ideas for the future, but the decision depends largely on how audiences respond to the second season.
And, of course, the finale has already put the pieces in place for what's next:
Colonel Ivan Zarkov remains at large.
Oliver Grey is still in the game.
Reece's father's story has now been revealed, but many questions remain unanswered.
James has returned to the CIA and now accepts that his mission isn't over.
His health condition remains unknown.
If we do eventually get a third season, Savage Son is the most likely direction. However, there is no official release date or confirmed production schedule.
And one last thing: I genuinely hope we won't have to wait another four years. The second season premiered on October 21, 2026, more than four years after the first season, which was released on July 1, 2022.
What Can We Expect from Savage Son?
If Amazon gives the green light for a third season, the most likely scenario is a television adaptation of Savage Son, the third book by Jack Carr.
In the story, James Reece tries to return to a normal life in Montana, with Katie Buranek and his former fellow SEAL Raife Hastings by his side. However, Oliver Grey joins forces with Russian mafia boss Ivan Zharkov and organizes a new attack against him.
Things become even more personal when Hanna Hastings, Raife's sister, is kidnapped. The investigation leads Reece to a remote island in the Bering Sea, where a twisted Russian businessman organizes human hunts for the rich and powerful. The captives are used as prey in a real-life survival game.
What follows is an extremely dangerous rescue mission, with Reece and a team of former special operations forces operating without official American support. The story develops into a ruthless game of hunter and prey, while James continues his pursuit of Oliver Grey and the man behind everything.
What's interesting is that the book isn't limited to action. It explores the psychology of a man who has spent his entire life hunting and is now forced to face the possibility of becoming the prey himself.
Of course, we don't know whether the series will follow the book faithfully. Given the changes already made across the first two seasons, it's quite possible we'll see a different version, connecting the story of Savage Son with everything that has already happened in the television adaptation.
I'll finish where I started. With the word rushed.
The second season of The Terminal List had plenty of good elements. It featured strong action sequences, interesting new characters, a Chris Pratt who has now become completely synonymous with James Reece, and a story that tried to expand the show's universe beyond its original tale of revenge.
But when you reach the final episode, you expect something more. You expect the stories that have been building over eight episodes to come together in a way that makes you say, "That's it!" Instead, I felt that several things were simply rushed through so the series could move on to its next story.
I have absolutely no problem with an open ending. Quite the opposite. I like it when a series leaves questions unanswered for what's next, as long as it has satisfactorily concluded the story it has been telling up to that point.
And here, I believe it fell short to some extent.
I would have liked more time with Andrenov, greater intensity in the revelation about Reece's father, and an ending that did more justice to everything that had come before. We don't always need more explosions, more deaths, and bigger military operations. Sometimes, all we need is good writing.
I remain a fan of the series, and I'll certainly be there when James Reece returns. But this time, the finale didn't give me the satisfaction I was hoping for.
