A Collider opinion piece argues that Alan Ritchson's finest acting work came not from his star-making role as Jack Reacher, but from his earlier turn as Hank "Hawk" Hall in HBO Max's Titans. The article traces Ritchson's long journeyman career, noting that he was repeatedly passed over for major roles, including a potential Aquaman spin-off, Thor, and Finnick Odair in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, before Greg Berlanti's Titans gave him a part that fully showcased his range and reportedly laid the groundwork for his success as Reacher.

The piece details Titans' run from 2018 to 2022, first on the DC Universe platform before moving to HBO Max, describing it as a gritty, mature reimagining of the Teen Titans built around a "found family" of young heroes led by Dick Grayson. It highlights the show's willingness to explore dark, dramatic storylines while still grounding its characters emotionally, with Ritchson's Hank Hall, alongside Minka Kelly's Dawn Granger as Hawk and Dove, cited as a standout example of the series' emotional depth.