When it comes to TV or streaming series, many don’t make it past a first or second season. Once a show gets past the third season, it’s usually because it has become a ‘hit’ with at least a good-sized audience. So, it’s notable when a season reaches the rarified air of a seventh season (not every show can be the Simpsons - now on season 32!). That’s exactly what fans of the Amazon Prime series Bosch were rewarded with during June 2021, as the series completed its 7th and final season.
An Old-School Police Procedural
Bosch debuted in 2014, delivering something a bit novel - a traditional police procedural show. The police procedural is a long-running story format where the plot delves into a crime or mystery, where the main character(s) are typically investigators (police, FBI, private detectives, etc.) who are on the case and working to solve the mystery, catch the killer, etc. These shows can still have plenty of action, but they are often more slow-moving stories, where the investigators uncover answers to the question of ‘whodunit’.
What made Bosch a bit novel, was that many contemporary series about law enforcement (NCIS, FBI, etc.) has shifted away from the slower format to either embrace more action. So, from its first season to its last, Bosch was both old and new in many ways.
Stories Adapted from a Long-Running Series of Novels
The characters and many of the plots for each season are adapted from the Harry Bosch novels, by Michael Connelly. The series began in 1992 and book #23 will be published in November 2021. This wealth of story ideas has clearly helped the series, as each season has been focused on adapting the plots from one or more of the novels. The built-in audience of Bosch novel fans no doubt helped the series remain popular throughout its 7 season run.
One interesting challenge the series has met is updating the timeframe of the stories. Similar to some of the more recent adaptations of Tom Clancy novels (like Amazon’s Without Remorse) faced similar hurdles, taking stories that were written decades ago and updating them to a contemporary setting. Fortunately for Bosch, crime and criminals have plenty of commonalities, no matter the decade.
Complex Characters and Shades of Gray
The main character and protagonist, Harry Bosch, can’t simply be described as the ‘hero’ of the books. He is a complex character, whose choices the audience may not always agree with, but are always consistent with his own moral code. The series also comes stocked with an abundance of interesting supporting characters, from Harry’s long-time partner J. Edgar, his boss Lieutenant Grace Billets, police chief Irvin Irving, daughter Maddie Bosch, criminal defense attorney Honey Chandler, and the numerous other homicide detectives and police officers that work with Bosch over the course of the series.
Over 7 seasons, and using the novels as source material, many of these characters become quite well-developed with plenty of human foibles, as they interact with Harry and each other over the course of the various investigations. Decisions from past seasons tend to have consequences and repercussions in future seasons, providing rewards for viewers who came on board early and stayed for the entire run of the series.
A Strong Cast
While the series hinges on the performance of Titus Welliver as Harry Bosch, the supporting actors are all excellent. Many of them (including Welliver) may be familiar as character actors in various shows, but for the key characters, the series represents their most prominent parts to date (with the exception of Mimi Rogers as Honey Chandler). Welliver, in particular, had been a supporting actor in numerous series and films but had never taken on a leading role. Safe to say that after 7 seasons, he came to truly embody the character.
What’s the Verdict?
If you enjoy crime drama, with a bit more focus on the investigation and the characters vs. non-stop action, then Bosch could be right up your alley.
