Bosch is indeed another L.A. cop show, but don’t let that stop you. With six seasons on Amazon Prime on the books and a seventh and final season due in 2021 now’s the time to check this series out if you haven’t already.
Titus Welliver (Lost, Deadwood, Sons of Anarchy) plays Harry Hieronymous Bosch. I didn’t regularly watch any of his previous shows, but he is a recognizable actor from many roles in TV and film. He shows here that he can carry the lead role in a series now going on 70 episodes. He is a tireless homicide police detective; a little gruff on the surface and relentless in pursuing and catching the bad guys. Bosch has a lot of life to carry around; a prostitute for a mother, an upbringing in orphanages and foster homes, a cop girlfriend (Annie Wersching, 24), an ex-wife (Sarah Clarke, the classic Nina from 24), and a daughter (Madison Linz, whose plays namesake daughter Maddie).
As good as Titus Welliver is, the show really comes together with the outstanding supporting cast. Among the many standouts are Jamie Hector (The Wire) who plays Bosch’s partner, Jerry Edgar, or “J” Edgar and the always formidable Lance Reddick (The Wire, Fringe) as Chief of Police and L.A. mayoral candidate. The veteran actress Amy Aquino (Picket Fences, ER) is Bosch’s direct supervisor, Lt. Grace Billets, who is challenged by his sometimes renegade tactics, but always has his back nevertheless. Bosch’s daughter (Madison Linz playing namesake Maddie) has it together. She’s smart, not prone to teenage drama, hasn’t let the divorce mess her up too much, and loves her Dad despite being let down on a regular basis. How many times have we seen this on TV… the work consumed Mom or Dad promises to attend one of the children’s school events and gets tied up late at work. Maddie puts up with a lot of that (and sometimes doesn’t). Lastly, there are a couple of cops on the team named Crate and Barrel. Gotta love it.
The show does the city of Los Angeles proud. The series is based on the Michael Connelly novels and the author’s past as a L.A. Times crime reporter shines through in the authentic portrayal of the city. The show weaves through the city’s suburbs, inner city, Hollywood, and the beach. You feel that L.A. searing sunshine and the constant traffic. The show is not reliant on the usual L.A. iconic landmarks, but season 4 incorporates the historic funicular, Angels Flight, as a key location in the crime (as does HBO’s Perry Mason).
Bosch’s house deserves a special mention. It’s insane! It’s in the Hollywood Hills with spectacular views of L.A. courtesy of an acrobatic form of architecture that hangs on stilts way down the hillside. You can’t look at it from below without some form of trepidation. Befitting Harry’s profession and style, it’s a small, simple two-bedroom.
Each season focuses on one case while taking side trips through Bosch’s personal life. The show is genuine and human as it focuses on Bosch, other character development, and the City of L.A. There’s no nudity, gratuitous violence, or nasty hip hop. Before you know it, you’re groovin’ to jazz along with Harry as he spins his cherished vinyl collection up at the hillside nest during rare downtimes (his dog’s name is Coltrane). The show will take you in, and if you grew up in L.A. like me, consider yourself hooked. If you’re all caught up, enjoy the final season.
This just in…Amazon Prime Video in conjunction with its streaming service IMDb TV have announced a Bosch spinoff featuring Titus Welliver, Madison Linz, and Mimi Rogers reprising her recurring role as defense lawyer, Molly Chandler. It seems likely the show will start airing next year.
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Trivia ? – In what show did Madison Linz play a tween named Sophie:
Answer: The Walking Dead