Latest news with #HarryBosch
Daily Mirror
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
'Must-see' crime drama with 100% Rotten Tomatoes score soars up streaming charts
Viewers have hailed the series as "one of the best shows of the year" A crime drama that fans have hailed a 'must-see' and even 'one of the best shows of the year' has climbed its way up Amazon Prime Video's charts. Ballard is a spin-off of Bosch, which aired between 2014 and 2021 and followed Los Angeles Police Detective Harry Bosch (played by Titus Welliver). This time, Maggie Q takes the lead role as LAPD Detective Renée Ballard, another character based on Michael Connelly's detective novels. The ten-part series sees her take command of the LAPD's new cold case unit within the Robbery-Homicide Division, as she leads a team attempting to solve decades-old murders. As she opens up the investigations, Ballard uncovers a web of corruption and secrets within the police department. The synopsis teases: 'Detective Renée Ballard plunges into a web of murder and corruption as she hunts a ruthless serial killer and uncovers a sinister police conspiracy that threatens everything she stands for. 'With her own demons nipping at her heels, Ballard must outwit both criminals and colleagues to bring long-overdue justice to the victims and their families.' Just days after it was released, Ballard has landed the number one spot on Amazon Prime Video's UK charts and scored a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes rating. One person praised on Rotten Tomatoes: 'It doesn't disappoint and lives up to all expectations. It should surprise no one that Michael Connelly has another winner. Must see TV!' Another said: 'I can't stop watching it. After every episode, I think, "I need to go do x," but then I watch another.' 'Very engaging, binged the whole thing without stopping,' someone else said. Over on X, a fan wrote: '#Ballard is amazing. It picks up the pace when needed but also slows down, giving you time to breathe without ever being boring. It's been so long since I've seen a show do that, and isn't just a sensory overload (even if you binge it in a day). Also Maggie Q is absolutely [fire].' 'What a rollercoaster! Ballard was worth the binge... So far, Harry Bosch's universe remains undefeated,' another added. As well as roaring reviews from audience members, critics have hailed the Amazon Prime series. 'Smartly acted, beautifully paced and genuinely engaging, 'Ballard' is a thrilling ride from start to finish,' a Variety critic said. A review from Paste Magazine added: 'Ballard is kick-a**, earnest, and extremely well-written, and may well be one of the best shows of the year.' Addressing the demands for a second season, Maggie Q revealed to Variety: 'The good news is we have a writers' room already, so that's very positive. That does not mean we're going to get greenlit for a second season! 'I wish it did, but I've had writers' room start and then get ended. But the good news is that we are breaking the second season, which is very exciting.' Ballard is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.
NZ Herald
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
Death becomes him: Crime writer Michael Connelly's long exploration of LA continues
Like his iconic Los Angeles sleuth Harry Bosch, crime novelist Michael Connelly's musical tastes lean strongly towards jazz. Miles Davis: Kind of Blue. Frank Morgan: Lullaby. John Coltrane: Soul Eyes. Chet Baker, Cole Porter, Art Pepper and many more. But it's the words of another timeless musician that leap to mind when surveying Connelly's own prolific creativity and his ongoing drive to write, to explore, to raise questions while entertaining. Bruce Springsteen, the New Jersey rocker, has repeatedly said of
Tom's Guide
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
Prime Video's new 'Bosch' spinoff has earned a perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes — and it's already crashed the top 10
"Bosch" fans, rejoice: it sounds like Prime Video's follow-up is going to continue the series' legacy as a compelling crime drama. On July 9, the Amazon streaming service dropped the full first season of "Ballard," a new spin-off that shifts focus from Titus Welliver's Harry Bosch over to Renée Ballard (Maggie Q), the detective introduced in April's "Bosch: Legacy" series finale. Despite only just premiering on Prime Video, "Ballard" looks to be another hit for the streamer; it's already the second most-popular series on the platform (behind the lackluster thriller, "Countdown"), and it's earned a coveted perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes. Ready to dive in? You can stream all 10 episodes of "Ballard" on Prime Video right now, or you can find a little more info — and hear what critics have to say — about Prime's newest release below. If you're not up to speed, "Ballard" is Prime Video's next series based on Michael Connelly's books. Here, we follow Detective Renée Ballard (Maggie Q), who is charged with leading the LAPD's underfunded cold case division and taking on some of Los Angeles' toughest long-forgotten cases. Per the series synopsis, we know the series sees her investigating layers of crime that go back decades, including a serial killer's string of murders; as she does so, Ballard unearths a deadly conspiracy within the force, and enlists the help of her team and Harry Bosch (Titus Welliver) to crack her cases, navigating personal and professional challenges along the way. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. In addition to Q and Welliver, "Ballard" also features Courtney Taylor, John Carroll Lynch, Michael Mosley, Rebecca Field, Victoria Moroles, Amy Hill, Ricardo Chavira, Noah Bean, and more. If you haven't already started binging the 10-episode series on Prime Video, you'll be pleased to know that the first "Ballard" reviews are in... and the new "Bosch" spin-off has been warmly received. As we mentioned above, the series has earned a rare 100% approval rating from critics on the review aggregate site, Rotten Tomatoes. Admittedly, that score's only aggregated from nine individual reactions, but it's still an encouraging sign to see every critic who's reviewed the series (at the time of writing) liked what they saw. Reviewing for Variety, Aramide Tinubu, for example, called "Ballard" "one of the best police procedurals on TV," adding: "Smartly acted, beautifully paced and genuinely engaging, "Ballard" is a thrilling ride from start to finish." Similarly, Sherin Nicole praised the series for its "well sculpted" characters and for being "grounded by grit, genuine leads, and complex cases," adding: "This series fits right in with 'Bosch' and 'Bosch: Legacy': strident, true-to-life characters doing emotionally crushing work while dealing with the people and things that make life harder." CBR's Brittany Frederick gave the series an 8/10 score, arguing it was "rougher around the edges" than the previous Michael Connelly shows, but was nevertheless entertaining in its own right. "While "Ballard" isn't as iconic as its predecessor," she writes, "it is a worthy addition to the "Bosch" universe and a high-quality crime drama that will keep viewers satisfied for hopefully years to come." So, yes, if you were sad to see "Bosch" come to an end, or you just love getting wrapped up in a fresh case, it absolutely sounds like you should go stream "Ballard" on Prime Video as soon as possible. However, if police procedurals and crime dramas just aren't your thing, we can still help you find your next must-watch show. Check out our round-up of the best shows on Prime Video for tons more top streaming recommendations fit for any watchlist.
India Today
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Ballard OTT guide: Cast, story, and what to expect from Bosch spinoff
The highly anticipated 'Ballard', a spinoff of 'Bosch', premiered today, on July 9. Adapted from Michael Connelly's novels, the series introduces Detective Renee Ballard, portrayed by Maggie Q, leading the Los Angeles Police Department's cold case ten episodes of 'Ballard' are available to stream on Prime Video. Viewers must be Amazon Prime members. The episodes were released at 3 pm ET (12:30 am IST). advertisementWhat is 'Ballard' all about?'Ballard' follows Detective Ballard as she tackles the city's most challenging, long-forgotten crimes with empathy and relentless determination. The series captures her pursuit of justice with her team. Detective Ballard races against time to solve the city's most challenging cold cases. Her journey reveals layers of crimes, including a serial killer's string of murders and a mysterious John Doe, leading to a conspiracy within the Los Angeles Police Department. The series features a strong ensemble cast, including Titus Welliver reprising his role as Harry Bosch, who aids Ballard in her investigations. Other cast members include John Carroll Lynch, Courtney Taylor, and Michael the help of her volunteer team and retired detective Harry Bosch, Ballard navigates personal trauma, professional challenges, and life-threatening dangers to expose the truth. This theme is central to the narrative, emphasising the challenges faced by those seeking justice.'Ballard' promises to captivate audiences with its exploration of crime and justice in Los Angeles. By diving into unsolved cases and hidden conspiracies, the series offers a fresh perspective on the complexities of law enforcement and the pursuit of justice.- EndsMust Watch
Daily Record
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
How is Prime Video's Ballard linked to Netflix's The Lincoln Lawyer?
Ballard is set to come out this week, delving into the complicated life of Detective Renee Ballard. Prime Video's Ballard has almost landed - but how is the drama connected to The Lincoln Lawyer on Netflix? Set in Los Angeles, Ballard is a 10-part drama that sees former homicide detective Renee Ballard (played by Maggie Q) start heading up the cold cases division with help from her team of volunteers. As well as trying to solve some of the history's most complicated long-forgotten crimes, Ballard is trying to overcome her personal issues with some within the LAPD. So as Ballard premieres on Wednesday, July 9, on Prime Video, fans are curious to know how it ties in with a hit Netflix legal drama. How is Prime Video's Ballard linked to Netflix's The Lincoln Lawyer? The Lincoln Lawyer, which revolves around the work of charming lawyer Mickey Haller (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), is a much-loved drama on Netflix which returned for its third outing earlier this year. Fans are now eagerly waiting for its fourth series to debut, although a release date hasn't yet been confirmed. Ballard and The Lincoln Lawyer are set in the same universe as the series are both based on books written by author Michael Connelly. In fact, Ballard is a spin-off of Bosch: Legacy, another creation of Connelly's with Detective Ballard first introduced in the Harry Bosch series' grand finale earlier this year. Another key tie between the two series is that Bosch, portrayed by Titus Welliver, is Mickey Haller's half-brother. It has already been confirmed in Ballard's trailer that Welliver will be reprising his role as Bosch in the Prime Video drama but it is very unlikely that fans are going to be treated to a Lincoln Lawyer crossover. The Lincoln Lawyer has been airing on Netflix since its debut while Ballard will be coming out on Prime Video. So as the shows are made by completely different studios, these characters are not going to cross paths despite their indirect link via the books. But as Amazon Studios owns both Ballard and Bosch, this is why these series are able to be connected on the small screen. Ballard was able to help Bosch with one of the most difficult cases of his career at the end of Bosch: Legacy so is he going to be able to repay the favour in the spin-off Ballard?
