'Jack Ryan' Season 3: John Krasinski returns after more than 3 years, but was it worth the wait?

It's been more than three years since we last saw John Krasinski in the globetrotting spy drama Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan on Prime Video, and now he's back with the exciting addition of Betty Gabriel as CIA Rome Station Chief Elizabeth Wright and Nina Hoss as Czech President Alena Kovac for Season 3 of the series.

What is 'Jack Ryan' Season 3 about?

As we start Season 3 of the show Jack Ryan is working in Rome, essentially business as usual for your neighbourhood spy.

Ryan gives a presentation about the "Sokol Project," which he explains is a plan to restore the Soviet Empire, a plan that was thought to be shut down more than 50 years ago. As Ryan works to confirm this nuclear weapons program, he faces a Red Notice being wrongly accused of treason. He's trying to piece together what's happening alongside fellow CIA Officer James Greer (Wendell Pierce) and retired CIA Officer Mike November (Michael Kelly). This is all while trying to avoid the wrath of his boss Elizabeth Wright (Betty Gabriel).

Is 'Jack Ryan' worth watching?

Created by Carlton Cuse (Lost, Locke & Key) and Graham Roland (Dark Winds), with Michael Bay (Armageddon, Pearl Harbor) among the show's list of executive producers, at this point in the Jack Ryan series saga the show has really settled into its formula.

The eight-episode season operates a brisk pace for a sharp, politically-charged thriller. While you'll likely associate John Krasinski with Jim Halpert from from the comedy TV hit The Office, there's something that continues to be endearing about the actor's take on a lead character in a sort of traditional, action-packed drama.

While the men in Jack Ryan are solid, it's the women, particularly Betty Gabriel (Get Out) and Nina Hoss (Tár), who are the ones to watch for us. It's great to see the show add more sharp and accomplished women characters to its story, who continue to often be put under the pressure of their political and operational systems.

One person we want to continue to watch in this context, for as long as he wants to grace our screens, is The Wire alum Wendell Pierce. Could there be more of Pierce in Jack Ryan Season 3? Sure, particularly together with Krasinski, but the actor is certainly one of the greats and an absolute delight in every scene.

Overall, Jack Ryan Season 3 isn't really reinventing or innovating the genre, it comes through as more of a step into the familiar, which isn't necessarily a bad thing if you're a fan of a classic spy story. But it's not a show that's particularly focused on giving you something new. It's sitting on solid ground.

How are fans responding to 'Jack Ryan' Season 3?

As we look to social media to see how the fans of series are experiencing Season 3, it looks like the show continues to resonate with its audience.