Love Reacher? These 1990s Action Series Hit Just as Hard

So, you’re binging Reacher and now you’re stuck in that waiting room hell for season 4. If you’re like me, you probably want something that scratches that same “unstoppable loner takes no crap and solves crime” itch. There are a ton of modern options—both on streaming and in theaters—but what if you’re fine with a detour into the ‘90s? Turns out, that decade was an absolute playground for action TV, and honestly, some of these shows might be way better than you remember—or ever knew existed.

To save you the 'what should I watch next?' scrolling spiral, here’s a rundown of nine ‘90s action shows that capture that Reacher vibe, but with floppier hair, weirder theme songs, and a lot more high-waisted jeans. These are in no particular order, but I saved my favorite for last. Let’s get into it:

The ‘90s Action TV Starter Pack

1. Tropical Heat (aka Sweating Bullets) (1991 – 1993)
   The show’s opening song by Fred Mollin is massively catchy—like, “somewhere in the universe, it’s always playing” levels of catchy. Just try not to get it lodged in your head. “Anywhere the wind blows… it blows right back to me!” To the actual plot: Nick Slaughter (Rob Stewart), an ex-DEA agent with a killer ponytail and a fondness for bold shirts, heads to Key Mariah, Florida—a fake resort town—to become a private eye. People call it a Magnum P.I. clone, but honestly, Slaughter’s got way more game with women, and the show leans way into glossy cinematography and truly bizarre villains. It’s three goofy, sun-drenched seasons of tropical noir, and yes, it looks stunning.
2. Cobra (1993 – 1994)
   No, not the Stallone movie. This Cobra stars Michael Dudikoff (of American Ninja B-movie legend) as ex-Navy SEAL Scandal Jackson—yes, that's really his name—who goes AWOL after a botched op and gets recruited by a secret anti-crime squad called (wait for it) COBRA. The show’s got wild camera tricks, saturated colors, and more dramatic shadows than a Batman fan film. Unsurprisingly, this became a kind of visual template for a bunch of later Stephen J. Cannell action shows, but Cobra only got one season, which is kind of criminal if you’re an action completist.
3. La Femme Nikita (1997 – 2001)
   Don’t bother with the 2010s remake—this is the Nikita you want. Based on the Luc Besson movie, the show stars Peta Wilson as a wrongly-accused drifter who’s forced to work as a government assassin. It’s gritty, it’s paranoid, and it constantly asks: “Are shadowy cabals running society?” (probably yes). Joel Surnow, who also gave us 24, was behind this one, so the action is sharp, and the cast is—no exaggeration—all killer, no filler. Roy Dupuis nearly steals the show as Nikita’s partner.
4. The Sentinel (1996 – 1999)
   The basic premise: what if your local ex-Army Ranger came back with superhuman senses after surviving a plane crash in the Amazon? That’s Jim Ellison (Richard Burgi), who can literally smell cocaine from miles away (because sure). It’s not remotely realistic, but hey, neither is Reacher, so just go with it. What keeps The Sentinel from being pure cheese is its focus on teamwork and personal trauma. Jim zones out and his sidekick has to snap him back to reality—half crime show, half buddy comedy, with a ton of action on top.
5. Counterstrike (1990 – 1993)
   Here’s a weird one: Christopher Plummer as billionaire Alexander Addington, who assembles a private anti-crime squad after his wife is kidnapped. The plot is usually just there to service the wild action and trippy visuals. Slick camerawork, explosions, a ludicrously capable team—frankly, this show is overdue for a streaming reboot. Plummer, as usual, is a king.
6. Martial Law (1998 – 2000)
   You think cop shows are formulaic? Well, not this one. Martial Law puts Sammo Hung, a martial arts legend from Hong Kong, at front-and-center as a cop who barely speaks English but communicates just fine via spinning kicks. At the time, Hung was literally the only East Asian actor leading a U.S. primetime network series. It’s a blast to see his physical comedy and brawling style on TV, and the supporting cast leans right into the lovable chaos.
7. Pointman (1995)
   The recipe: ruin a successful exec’s life with a fake criminal charge, exonerate him, then drop him in Florida as a fixer for the desperate and oppressed. That’s Connie Harper (Jack Scalia), reinventing himself while slowly unraveling. This one’s all style (and some substance): directors get to show off plenty of cool visual tricks, and the show blends reality with just enough surrealness to keep you off balance. Created partly by Joel Surnow, by the way—guy had a serious crime-and-redemption streak.
8. The Marshall (1995)
   Jeff Fahey stars as Winston MacBride, a deputy U.S. Marshal/family man determined to catch fugitives (sound familiar?). The show’s best asset is just how cinematic it feels—apparently, most of the whopping $1 million-per-episode budget went into picture and sound, not paychecks. That paid off: one episode, “Hitwoman,” even scored an Emmy nom for sound editing. Fahey's performance sells the whole thing; not quite Liam Neeson, but close.
9. Walker, Texas Ranger (1993 – 2001)
   Chuck Norris doing roundhouse kicks, big hats, and rangering all over Texas. This show went global—aired in more than 100 countries and landed in the Nielsen Top 25 for four years running. The slow-motion takedowns and righteous monologues owe a lot to Norris' old movies, but it’s also pure TV comfort food. That theme song, 'Eyes of the Ranger'? It’s still stuck in my head.
10. Renegade (1992 – 1997)
    If we’re ranking action TV intros, this one’s a certified classic. You get the epic “He was a cop… and good at his job… but he committed the ultimate sin and testified against other cops gone bad” voiceover, courtesy of Donald LeRoi LaFontaine (a.k.a. the ‘In a world…’ guy). Lorenzo Lamas, in peak flowy-hair form, rides a Harley as the ex-cop-turned-P.I. hero. Plus his sidekick Bobby Sixkiller roams around in a Humvee. You don't see enough shows with heroes on bikes—this one goes all-in, and it’s absolute guilty-pleasure TV. Honestly, I could write a whole piece just about Renegade's pure, unfiltered awesome.

So, if you crave the same rough justice, not-too-complicated plotting, and the unique charm of late-20th-century television, you have plenty of shows to tide you over until Reacher gets back to business. And if you need more, you know where to find me. Time to dust off those shoulder pads and get weird with ‘90s action TV.

"Anywhere the wind blows… it blows right back to me!"