“From Reacher To Terminator 2: The Fascinating Origins Of An Iconic Reference Revealed ”

“I paid off the concierge, he ID’d Neagley as checking in under ‘Sarah Connor.’ Who’s Sarah Connor?“
“I don’t give a s—t.”

The interaction in Season 2 of Reacher, involving henchman Saropian and boss Shane Langston, resonated strongly with Terminator 2 enthusiasts. This is especially noteworthy since Shane Langston is portrayed by none other than Robert Patrick, known for his role as the T-1000 in Terminator 2.

Before showering praise on Reacher’s showrunner, Nick Santora, and his writing team for crafting this clever meta reference delivered by Patrick, there’s an interesting backstory.

In a Season 2 post-mortem interview with TVLine, Santora was questioned about the origin of the Terminator 2 homage. Was it a suggestion from Patrick himself, or how did he react to the callback?

Santora responded with a chuckle, admitting, “You’re asking the question I don’t want to answer because everyone thinks we’re so smart and funny for doing it, but it was in there before Robert Patrick came in. I don’t want to lie; that’s the truth.”

Going back to May, there was news that Rory Cochrane had to step down from the role of NYPD vet-turned-New Age security chief Langston. This led to Patrick taking on the role of Season 2’s primary antagonist.

Due to scheduling conflicts, Santora had to make a last-minute call to Patrick, who, without even seeing a script, agreed to join the talented cast in Toronto. Santora praised Patrick’s work ethic and talent, emphasizing how he seamlessly integrated into the production.

Santora confessed that he initially forgot about the Terminator 2 reference after the recasting. It was only when reviewing the dailies that he realized, “Oh, man.”

In contemplating whether to keep the iconic Sarah Connor line in the script, Santora considered alternatives since it was a phone call scene. However, he ultimately decided to keep it, anticipating that fans would appreciate the nod to the iconic movie franchise and the presence of Robert Patrick, making the viewing experience a bit more enjoyable.