Los Angeles, CA – In a recent interview, Nick Santora, the showrunner for “Reacher” Season 2, shed light on the surprising story behind a killer “Terminator 2” reference in the show. The reference, involving the line “I paid off the concierge, he ID’d Neagley as checking in under ‘Sarah Connor.’ Who’s Sarah Connor?” has caught the attention of many fans. The line is delivered by henchman Saropian to boss man Shane Langston, played by none other than Robert Patrick, who portrayed the iconic T-1000 in “Terminator 2”.
During a post mortem Q&A with TVLine, Santora revealed that the “Terminator 2” nod was actually written into the script before Patrick was even cast in the role of Langston. Santora joked about viewers thinking they were “so smart and funny” for including the reference, but clarified that it was in the script from the beginning.
The casting of Patrick came about due to scheduling conflicts with the original actor, Rory Cochrane. Santora reached out to Patrick, whom he had worked with on “Scorpion”, and asked if he wanted to join the talented cast of “Reacher” Season 2. Patrick readily agreed, not needing to see a script beforehand. Santora praised Patrick’s work ethic and talent, emphasizing that he “just jumped in” and delivered a great performance.
Santora admitted that he had actually forgotten about the “Sarah Connor” line after the recasting occurred. However, when he saw the dailies, he realized that the line was still included in the episode. Santora had a brief moment of consideration about whether to cut the line since it was a phone call and could have been easily replaced. Ultimately, he decided to keep it in, believing that fans would enjoy the nod to the iconic film franchise and Patrick’s involvement.
This revelation from Santora sheds light on the behind-the-scenes decision-making process and the collaboration between the writers and cast of “Reacher” Season 2. The inclusion of the “Terminator 2” reference adds an extra layer of enjoyment for fans and showcases Patrick’s involvement in the series. As “Reacher” continues to captivate audiences, these behind-the-scenes insights provide a deeper understanding and appreciation for the show.