Summary
Reachercreator Nick Santora’s spy thrillerScorpionhas become a hit on streaming more than six years after being cancelled by CBS. Santora has been a trusted guide for the action drama genre on the small screen in recent years.Reacherseason 3, adapted from the Lee Child novels and led by Alan Ritchson, is returning to Prime Video in 2025, while Arnold Schwarzenegger’sFUBARalso landed a season 2 renewal at Netflix. Prior to his recent successes, Santora createdScorpion,which lasted four seasons and ran for 93 episodes before ending in 2018.
Now,Collidershares thatScorpionis gaining viewership on Paramount+, previously coming in just behindYellowstoneon the streaming service’s global charts. The spy thriller iscurrently ranked as popular in 17 countriesand, although exact viewership numbers are not available, it was bested only by two other titles, the aforementionedYellowstoneand the long-running adult animated stapleSouth Park.
Scorpion
Cast
Scorpion follows eccentric genius Walter O’Brien and his team of brilliant misfits as they tackle high-tech threats in collaboration with Homeland Security. The team, known as Scorpion, includes behaviorist Toby Curtis, mechanical prodigy Happy Quinn, and statistics expert Sylvester Dodd, who together serve as a crucial defense against modern dangers.
Scorpionwas loosely based on the life of Walter O’Brien, a self-described computer expert, and the series followed a group of unlikely allies as they lean on their skills in an effort to solve a wide variety of problems. Those skills include coding, engineering, and psychology. Their work is frequently relied upon by the Department of Homeland Security, with Cabe Gallo serving as their liaison for the agency, but they also find themselves taking on general freelance cases.
Thecast of characters inScorpionwere led by Elyes Gabel, who is well-known for playing Bloodrider Rakharo in HBO’sGame of Thrones. Other main actors includedAmericanIdolandSmashstar Katharine McPhee,Marvelous Mrs. Maiselactor Eddie Kaye Thomas, Jadyn Wong ofBeing Erica, and Ari Stidham, who played Ian in the teen dramaHuge. Robert Patrick, who played T-1000 inTerminator 2and the villain Shane Langston inReacherseason 2, also starred as Cabe Gallo, Walter’s surrogate father figure and a Homeland Security agent.
The guest cast onScorpionfeatured everyone fromFrasierstar Peri Gilpin andLie to Meactor Brendan Hines toVeronica Marsalum Tina Majorino, among others.
Even though the procedural garnered lukewarm reviews, it nonetheless had a solid run on CBS. Given the smashing success ofReacherand the fact thatFUBARis coming back for season 2, there may be some conversations aboutScorpionseason 5if the show’s solid performance on Paramount+ proves to be durable and sustainable in the weeks and months to come. That said, with much of its cast having gone on to other projects and CBS currently focused on expanding itsNCISfranchise, fans of the show may just have to take satisfaction in its late-game streaming success.
Which Scorpion Episodes Are The Best To Sample On Paramount+?
These Examples Showcase The Show’s Formula Well
For those curious to check out the series for the first time,the best place to start would be the premiere episode. Santora wrote the episode, with Justin Lin directing. By the timeScorpiondebuted on CBS, Lin had already established himself as the director of severalFast and Furiousmovies. The premiere introduces Walter O’Brien and his team of super-geniuses as they are assigned by the government to help land airplanes following a communications shutdown.
From there, the top five episodes, as rated by IMDb, are as follows:The tenth episode of season 2, titled “Arrivals and Departures, comes in first with more than 800 votes. The installment sees a familiar character getting sick, but when the team come to visit her in the hospital, it emerges that there is a pathogen that threatens everyone. Coming in second isthe season 1 finale, “Postcards from the Edge”, which sees the team at odds. However, they are forced to work together to save Walter’s life.
“Arrivals and Departures”
8.6/10
“Postcards from the Edge”
8.4/10
“Toby or Not Toby”
8.3/10
8.2/10
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These episodes provide a good balance of the procedural and then the more personal character-based moments. There’s also “Toby or Not Toby”,the finale of season 2, which sees the team facing off against one of its ex-members who has turned to the dark side. The23rd episode of season 3, which balances a wedding and the usual procedural elements, also rates highly. Rounding out the top five is “Don’t Burst My Bubble”,season 3, episode 18, in which the team helps a young girl with no immune system.
Even though Santora is recognized these days for his work inadapting theReacherbooksandFUBAR, he’s a veteran of the small screen. After working on shows likeThe SopranosandPrison Break, he’s created several series, includingThe Most Dangerous Game, which he co-created and which starred Liam Hemsworth. He also created the action thrillerBreakout Kings. Running for two seasons, and led byThe Boysstar Laz Alonso, it’s currently only available to purchase, and it may be a good follow-up for viewers that are enjoyingScorpion.
