Reacher Season 2 Features A Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Connection Fans May Miss
Amazon Prime Video dropped the first three episodes of "Reacher" Season 2 on December 15 before transitioning to a standard weekly release schedule. Near the start of the third episode of this supersized premiere, Jack Reacher (Alan Ritchson) deploys both a deep knowledge of state gun laws and a bundle of cash to convince a pawn shop owner to let him purchase a handful of firearms without having to undergo a typically requisite waiting period. What some viewers might not realize is that this scene introduces a new link between "Reacher" and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise.
Notably, playing Episode 3's shopkeeper is an actor named David Fraser. One of Fraser's very first acting roles, and still arguably among the most notable gigs of his career, is the part of Michelangelo in the 1993 feature "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III." The turtles in this film are each portrayed by two separate actors, one of whom is physically wearing a turtle suit, while the other delivers his voice lines. In "TMNT III," voice actor Robbie Rist reprises the role of Michelangelo from the prior two entries. However, whereas an actor named Michelan Sisti physically portrays Michelangelo in its predecessors, Fraser debuts as the character in the threequel.
Since Fraser is in a full-body suit for the film's entirety, it's likely only TMNT diehards will recognize that he and the shopkeeper in "Reacher" Season 2, Episode 3 are one and the same.
David Fraser is a movie and TV regular
"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III" isn't the only highlight of David Fraser's career. That said, much of his early film and TV work consists of relatively brief appearances rather than leading roles. For instance, in 1995, he worked on a single episode of the "Kung Fu" sequel series, "Kung Fu: The Legend Continues." This could likely be considered one of his more prominent parts from around that time.
In contrast with his entirely silent contribution to "TMNT III," between 1995 and 2000, he voiced Sailor Mars Rei Hino's grandfather in the English-language "Sailor Moon" dub. Meanwhile, one of his meatiest roles to date is that of lawyer Jon Albano in the 2015 best picture winner, "Spotlight." Just after that film's release, he debuted as a reporter on Kiefer Sutherland drama, "Designated Survivor," and appeared in a total of 10 episodes.
Of course, Fraser's cameo isn't the first link between "Reacher" and the TMNT franchise. Series lead Alan Ritchson has also played a Turtle, portraying Raphael in the 2014 and 2016 movies. However, given its presumably older audience, it's Fraser's contribution to the older incarnation of the Turtles team, as well as perhaps even his work on "Spotlight" or "Designated Survivor," that "Reacher" fans are more likely to remember.