Bosch Series Overview
Bosch is based on the series of detective novels written by Michael Connelly featuring the eponymous detective Hieronymus Bosch. Connelly is one of the best mystery novelists out there today having served as the first President of the Mystery Writers of America from 2003 to 2004.
Each of Bosch’s seasons are based off a mix of 2 to 3 Bosch novels, with Connelly himself serving as co-creator and producer, this is one of the reasons why the show has featured consistent high-quality writing over the last 7 years – compare to Game of Thrones – when the show went on a path away from the books it mostly faltered – glad this is not the case with Bosch as the final season, season 7 to be exact, is approximately a week away.
Bosch Season 7 Release Date
All of Bosch’s seasons have released in April, but even with shooting for the final season concluding in February of 2021, that too after a delay due to the Coronavirus, Bosch’s release date was pushed up to the summer of this year.
Bosch Season 7’s release date is June 25, Friday, and all 8 episodes will be available to view on the premiere date only on Amazon Prime Video.
Bosch Season 7 Trailer
I haven’t watched the trailer as one of my rules of movie or series watching especially pertaining to the thriller and mystery genres, is that nowadays a trailer gives up 80% of the story. But you can check it below as of course to each their own.
Looking Back at Bosch
As this article is not only a preview of what’s to come, let’s look back at Bosch’s first 4 seasons and why I hold it in such high regard. Unfortunately, I was not able to write reviews for seasons 5 and 6 as I had taken a break from writing reviews when both of them respectively aired. But I will still be assigned scores to them in the ratings box at the end of the article along with the scores for seasons 1 to 4.
Bosch Season 1 Review
If True Detective is the number one hard-boiled crime show, then Bosch is undoubtedly the second. A gripping neo-noir investigative series. It follows Detective Harry Bosch as he goes against a trial, a cold case and a serial killer.
With immaculate pacing and slick dialogues, Bosch is critically strong as Titus Welliver portrays the chainsmoking bloodhound to emotional perfection. And there’s a unique balance (a rarity in other crime shows) between the 3 major phases of his life.
The series is based on the books by legendary suspense-author Michael Connelly.
If you’re into inquisitive thrillers then Bosch is the epitome of them.
Bosch Season 2 Review
Bosch’s sophomore run is just like that Hollywood sequel that doesn’t quite match the success of the original. Although, to be fair, is a hit on its own terms.
The Plot: It follows two major storylines: 1. Detective Bosch trying to solve the murder of an adult-entertainment producer. 2. The Deputy Chief of Police’s son is assigned to work undercover in a gang of dirty cops.
The Good: The cinematography of both LA and Las Vegas fulfills the noire genre of this show. Picturesque bird-eye view shots and especially the nocturnal takes on cities bursting with artificial lighting are all breath-taking. Kudos to the director of photography for s2.
Acting is again exceptionally done by Titus Welliver who reprises his role as the titular character. He’s truly an underrated actor or it’s just that he embodies the part so perfectly. His bad-ass dialogue delivery and tough-guy stature reminded me of Bruce Willis in the earliest Die Hard entries.
The supporting cast of Sarah Clarke (from 24), Madison Lintz, Lance Reddick, Robbie Jones, Jeri Ryan and Brent Sexton are also talented. The latter two are welcome additions to this outing’s troupe. I missed Annie Wersching, who played Bosch’s love interest last time around, and only appeared briefly in one episode here.
Aside from acting, another notable factor is the handling of two diverse plotlines. It’s not only about Bosch because each and every individual is given their chance in the limelight. There are a minority of action scenes but those that are present, primarily the shoot-outs, are filmed in high-adrenaline.
Bosch is high on drama. From the fifth chapter onward it’s a thrilling ride through corruption and greed. Discourses are well-written and overall characterization is top-notch. The predictability aspect is on a medium level.
The Bad: Firstly, the series took a lot of time to put the pedal to the metal. The initial four chapters are the epitome of slow. So, a major improvement would’ve been kickstarting at a former period.
Secondly, the lack of a good villain was prominent throughout the totality of the ten episodes. S1 was brilliant for its main evil-doer. Here, we get multiple antagonists, but quantity above quality doesn’t work for this TV serial. Another negative point is how the comprehensive story is just above average. S1 succeeded in that area as well.
The Verdict: Bosch’s s2 suffers from a delayed beginning, and an absence of a leading criminal, yet it made up for all that with a memorable finale. This season is worth binge-watching after going through the first four episodes. Hopefully, the next one makes better on its flaws.
Bosch Season 3 Review
This third season would’ve been perfect if the pace hadn’t been so gradual. It’s slower than the last two seasons but has a much superior storyline overall.
Unparalleled acting by Titus Welliver as the eponymous character. It was no doubt the finale was awesome owing to Michael Connelly, the literary creator of Bosch, being the co-writer of the last chapter.
To end with, this season felt dragged, especially in the middle. But the last two episodes were its saving grace. I would rate this almost to the level of True Detective’s debut season, but TD’s directional quality and timing cannot be rivaled within this TV genre.
Recommended to those who prefer substance over style. And can survive through the turtle-like speed of majority of the parts.
Bosch Season 4 Review
In a world where superheroes are getting softer, and the concept of right and wrong is largely derived from your newsfeeds, the concept of good-old police-work has become redundant. Rejoice! Bosch’s season 4 proves that the eponymous character is the epitome of a proper, gritty detective; a show that highlights true grit over other factors.
Netflix’s Jessica Jones s2 proved that it’s being manipulated by media itself, but Bosch is the other way around. An Amazon Original (I don’t know their other shows), without showy set-pieces or a flashy budget, it was still better entertainment than seeing Jessica Jones’ origin story in her sophomore season.
Season 4 does fall short of season 3 though. There’s less action though you feel that each character, minor or major, had something to contribute to the overall storyline. The plot is also spread too thin. Titus Welliver led the charge though; his lead performance showcases how underrated he truly is. And maybe it’s better to be less recognized than uber-famous, especially in regards to the stellar production of this show.
To end with, we still have George R.R. Martin to thank for a revival of novelists writing episodes for their own source material. Michael Connelly, whose other popular visual adaptation includes The Lincoln Lawyer, introduced Hieronymus “Harry” Bosch to the world with his novel, The Black Echo. He shares co-producing credits with Eric Overmyer, a veteran of crime-TV writing/producing. And the experience in storytelling is visible in each of s4’s 10 episodes.
What to Expect from Bosch Season 7
As Season 7 is the final season, and with Michael Connelly still attached to the project, we can expect what is going to be one of the best final seasons ever made in the 21st century. Again, what separates Bosch from contemporary detective shows like True Detective and The Mentalist is consistency. The former anthology series had a disappointing sophomore season while the latter (which the showrunner admits) had a rushed ending. So, I am looking forward to Titus Welliver reprising his role as Hieronymus Bosch, but no need to shed any tears as this won’t be his last outing as the titular detective, as he is slated to continue as Bosch in an upcoming IMDb TV original (which still falls under Amazon) as-of-yet unnamed Bosch spin-off along with 2 other main cast members namely Mimi Rogers (Honey Chandler) and Madison Lintz (Madeline Bosch).
