Reprisal is an American television drama series that premiered on Hulu on December 6, 2019. In June 2020, the series was canceled after one season.
Contents
Premise
Reprisal follows "a relentless femme fatale who, after being left for dead, leads a vengeful campaign against a bombastic gang of gearheads."
Cast and characters
Main
Abigail Spencer as Katherine Harlow / Doris Quinn, originally a member of the Banished Brawlers who was left for dead, reinventing herself as a respectable Detroit caterer named Doris. After being threatened by mobsters, she returned to her roots to wage a calculated war of revenge against the men who betrayed her
Rodrigo Santoro as Joel Kelly, Burt’s pragmatic second-in-command and a former bare-knuckle champion. While he struggles to maintain the peace between gangs, he is a violent man who uses his daughter, Lyla, to justify his continued involvement in the gang's exploitative lifestyle
Mena Massoud as Ethan Hart, an employee in Tommy's restaurant, recruited by Katherine to act as her mole within the Brawlers. Though loyal and protective, he struggles with his identity as he finds a sense of belonging among the Phoenixes
Rhys Wakefield as Matty, one of the Three River Phoenixes, idealistic and intensely devoted believer in the Brawlers' mythology. He views the gang as a sacred family that saved him from his own lack of direction
Madison Davenport as Meredith Harlow, Burt’s daughter and a prominent Pin-Up at the Bang-A-Rang. Sheltered and restless, she sells illegal drugs on the side while longing for a life beyond the confines of the Brawler compound.
David Dastmalchian as Johnson, the silent and observant third Phoenix. He is a reliable foundation for his brothers and understands the dark truths of the compound better than anyone else.
Gilbert Owuor as Bash Brannigan, a high-ranking Brawler and Katherine’s former husband who participated in her attempted murder. Ever since, he has retreated into a solitary life of self-pity and old records after betraying the only person he truly cared about.
W. Earl Brown as Witt, a location scout for the Brawlers and Katherine's initial informant. He romanticizes his involvement with Katherine but also questions her more dangerous plans.
Recurring
Lea DeLaria as Queenie, the emcee and financial manager of the Bang-A-Rang and manager of the Pin-Ups. She is a veteran of the criminal world, prepared to use extreme violence to protect her girls and her home.
John Ventigmilia as Tolly, the manager of Mr. Bolo's bowling alley after his disappearance, who aids Big Graham in tracking down the Monster Ring.
Bethany Anne Lind as Molly Quinn, Doris's mousy step-daughter-in-law and a former war nurse, who finds her own strength after plotting the murder of her abusive husband and becoming a getaway driver for the Monster Ring. Lind also plays Grace, Molly's twin sister.
Scarlett Blum as Lyla, Joel and Rita's young daughter, who processes the violence around her by creating sophisticated mythological stories that often mirror real-life events.
Louise Barnes as Rita, Lyla's mother and a former River Phoenix, struggling with PTSD while protecting her daughter from the current violence.
Bill Sage as Jukes, the leader of the Ghouls and a longtime secret confidante of Joel until their relationship is destroyed by the escalating gang war.
Blake Sheldon as Avron, an unpopular Brawler fast-tracked for membership, constantly harassing the Phoenixes until he takes things too far by accusing Matty of being the mole.
Ron Perlman as Big Graham, a notorious and physically imposing Detroit mobster who uses Tommy's restaurant as a front and attempts to steal it from Katherine through intimidation.
Production
Development
On June 18, 2018, it was announced that Hulu had given the production a pilot order. The episode was written by Josh Corbin and directed by Jonathan Van Tulleken. Corbin also served as an executive producer alongside Warren Littlefield and Barry Jossen. Production companies involved with the pilot were A+E Studios and The Littlefield Company. On February 11, 2019, it was announced during the Television Critics Association's annual winter press tour that Hulu had given the production a series order. The series premiered on December 6, 2019. On June 10, 2020, Hulu canceled the series after one season.
Casting
In August 2018, it was announced that Abigail Spencer, Mena Massoud, David Dastmalchian, and Rhys Wakefield had been cast in the pilot's starring roles. On July 10, 2019, it was reported that Craig Tate, Wavyy Jonez, Shane Callahan, and Rory Cochrane were cast as series regulars. On July 22, 2019, Lea DeLaria was cast in a recurring role.
Filming
The pilot episode was filmed in Wilmington, North Carolina, and the rest of the first season was filmed in Wilmington.
Reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds an approval rating of 44% with an average rating of 7/10, based on 16 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "Solid performances and a fast pace move Reprisal along, but its style over substance approach is all pulp, little juice." On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 53 out of 100, based on 7 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".