(Left) Cameron Monaghan in ‘Paradise Highway’. Photo: Lionsgate. (Right) Titus Welliver as Harry Bosch in season 2 of ‘Bosch: Legacy.’ Photo Credit: Warrick Page.
Preview:
Cameron Monaghan will play Detective Harry Bosch in a new prequel series.
‘Start of Watch’ will be set in 1991.
Omari Hardwick co-stars.
Amazon is continuing to visit the ‘Bosch’ well. With two shows featuring author Michael Connelly‘s LAPD detective character Harry Bosch, played by Titus Welliver and a spin-off around the character of Renée Ballard (Maggie Q), the company now has a third in the works.
A prequel series that will explore Harry Bosch’s younger days with the LAPD is has the greenlight, with Cameron Monaghan (‘TRON: Ares’) as Bosch and Omari Hardwick (‘Army of the Dead‘) portraying his training officer, police veteran Eli Bridges.
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Monaghan makes the latest person to play a younger Harry –– both of Welliver’s sons have appeared in the role on ‘Bosch’ in the past.
And just in case you weren’t already confused where to find Bosch’s cases (since Amazon has released the main show to Prime Video and spin-off ‘Bosch: Legacy’ to the since-defunct Freevee, ‘Bosch: Start of Watch’ will debut on MGM+.
Omari Hardwick in ‘Xeno’. Photo: Blue Fox Entertainment.
The new series, which is not based directly on any of Connelly’s books, sets the clock back to 1991 Los Angeles and follows 26-year-old Harry Bosch during his earliest days as a rookie cop.
The series will explore a city on the edge, teeming with racial tension, gang violence and a fractured LAPD. Amid routine calls and growing unrest, Bosch finds himself drawn into a high-profile heist and a web of criminal corruption that will test his loyalty to the badge and shape his future as the detective who lives by the code, “Everybody counts or nobody counts.”
‘Bosch: Start of Watch’: his creator talks
Author and ‘Bosch: Legacy’ Season 2 executive producer Michael Connelly.
This was Connelly’s statement on the new series:
“I’m deeply grateful to Michael Wright and the team at MGM+ for championing this next chapter in Bosch’s journey with such remarkable care and integrity. Being able to see how Harry Bosch became the man we have loved for 10 seasons is a gift to me and his many fans. I can’t wait to dig in with Cameron and the writers to explore this uncharted character territory.”
When will ‘Bosch: Start of Watch’ be on screens?
MGM+ has yet to specify when the show will debut, but like its sibling series, it will shoot in Los Angeles, especially having received a tax credit from the California Film Commission.
‘Butterfly’ receives 7 out of 10 stars.
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Launching on Prime Video with all six episodes on August 13th, ‘Butterfly’ sees Daniel Dae Kim (‘Lost’) in a starring role as an intelligence operative working within the shadowy boundaries of the law after faking his death.
Prime Video hasn’t exactly had the best luck in the spy genre. It looked to launch the ambitious, globe-trotting (and spin-off-generating) ‘Citadel’ with a starry cast and the backing of the Russo brothers. The result was a giant shrug by viewers, and the next season of the show is effectively being burned off.
You can imagine, then, that hopes are higher for ‘Butterfly’, which adapts the Boom! Studios graphic novel by Arash Amel. It also has the appeal of a Seoul-set story and the considerable charisma of Daniel Dae Kim in the lead. Is it enough to win back audiences who didn’t seem to be in the mood before.
Steph Cha created the series based on the graphic novel source material, and Ken Woodruff (‘Gotham’) serves as showrunner.
The writing team has spliced enough heart into the story to keep it interesting (helped by Kim in particular in front of the camera), but there are still an awful lot of spy clichés lurking within it.
If you’re tired of watching tech teams track people using banks of monitors or lethal assassins turns out to have quirkier sides, then ‘Butterfly’ will tick a few too many boxes on that front. And the villainous, powerful organization at its core is full of the sort of stock threat we’re all too used to.
At least on the visual an action front (with directors Kim Jin-min, Kitao Sakurai and Jann Turner handling two episodes each), the show has more to impress, with shiny/gritty Korean backdrops and stunt moments that are top tier for TV.
Daniel Dae Kim is, of course, great in the lead role –– whether he’s trading punches with enemies or trying to bond with family members he had to leave behind when he faked his death.
He’s easily matched by Reina Hardesty as Rebecca, the lethal agent sent to track him down, who also has a chance to show some vulnerability.
Piper Perabo, meanwhile, despite a striking introduction interrogating an agent for intel, struggles to make the role of Juno more than a basic villain.
‘Butterfly’ isn’t perfect, but it’s perfectly adequate espionage entertainment, with a compelling lead role and some solid action moments.
Will it stand out from the pack? Only time will tell, but it does at least have some elements to recommend it.
What’s the plot of ‘Butterfly’?
David Jung (Daniel Dae Kim), an enigmatic, highly unpredictable former US intelligence operative living in South Korea, whose life is blown to pieces when the consequences of an impossible decision from his past come back to haunt him.
He finds himself pursued by Rebecca (Reina Hardesty), a deadly, sociopathic young agent assigned to kill him.
Yet it shares more in common with one of their lesser known projects, ‘Bunheads,’ which starred Sutton Foster as a Las Vegas showgirl who marries someone on a whim and ends up in their small home town, working with her mother-in-law at a ballet school. In ‘Étoile’s case, however, the setting is much grander, the stakes are higher and with a two-season order, its fate is much less dramatic.
(L to R) Dance performance from Etoile and Gideon Glick in ‘Étoile’. Credit: Philippe Antonello/Prime Video.
Amy Sherman-Palladino has made no secret of her love for, and connection to, ballet. She trained as a dancer in her youth and was considering a career in the medium before TV writing and producing took over her life.
So with the success of ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ and her overall deal at Amazon, she and husband/creative partner Dan Palladino have gone all in on the new series, filling it with their usual rat-a-tat screwball comedy dialogue, plenty of crackling comebacks and enough drama to cross the Atlantic and travel between both New York and Paris.
And given their love for dancing, it’s naturally also a showcase for some truly superb artists, choreographers and others. Depending on your own appreciation for the wild world of creative types and the giant egos in the ballet sphere, chances are this will be your next binge watch.
Script and Direction
(L to R) Taïs Vinolo as Mishi Duplessis and Gideon Glick as Tobias Bell in ‘Étoile’. Credit: Philippe Antonello/Prime Video.
The Sherman-Palladino duo are known, as we said before, for their script work, and here, gifted with a cast that can pull it off (including one who learned English for the role and manages to pull off the quickfire chat), their words are the highlight.
With a much-expanded canvas (previous shows were largely set in one locale, though ‘Mrs. Maisel’ had New York as its playground and sent its title character on tour in one season), the transatlantic storyline of two famous ballet companies trading stars to bolster both their futures offers ripe opportunities to explore an even wider group of characters.
The creative pair has not lost their touch for creating compelling roles and finding entertaining ways into the story, leaning on the funny but also adding plenty of heart as the various struggles and romances come into play.
And with just eight episodes here, they handle the lion’s share of directorial duties, finding interesting ways to shoot both the big performances that anchor a couple of episodes but also focusing on the people behind the scenes.
The different cities’ settings provide appealing backdrops for the various story machinations.
Cast and Performances
(L to R) Yanic Truesdale as Raphaël Marchand and Charlotte Gainsbourg as Geneviève Lavigne in ‘Étoile’. Credit: Philippe Antonello/Prime Video.
The series’ cast is a mixture of players who have worked with the creators before, some acting veterans and interesting people who American audiences might not be so familiar with.
Luke Kirby, who was so good in a supporting role as Lenny Bruce on ‘Maisel’ here shoulders the lead role of Jack McMillan, the harried head of the New York Met ballet company. His family legacy is tied to the building and those who learn to dance within its walls, and he’s endlessly trying to figure out how to manage the gargantuan egos around him (his own is not exactly tiny).
Kirby is fantastic in the role, a mixture of stressed live wire and head cheerleader for the company, and he’s our guide into the world (his mother is played to perfection in a supporting turn from ‘Gilmore Girls’ Kelly Bishop).
Charlotte Gainsbourg is Geneviève Lavigne, Jack’s opposite number in Paris, who has her own issues to deal with. Gainsbourg brings energy and brio to the role, and her chemistry with Kirby is palpable.
Lou de Laâge as Cheyenne Toussaint in ‘Étoile’. Credit: Philippe Antonello/Prime Video.
Lou de Laâge provides a bubble of French sarcasm as ace dancer Cheyenne Toussaint, the lead at the Paris company who is traded for a season to New York. She’s a tornado in a tutu (though rarely seen in one, since her dance costumes are much more subtle) and steals a number of the season’s best scenes, including one where she scares off prospective male dance partners by regaling them with a shocking story about her mother cutting off men’s genitals.
Elsewhere, there are reliable, funny turns from veteran British actors Simon Callow (as Crispin Shamblee, the billionaire of questionable ethics who funds the big trade) and fellow cast member from 1994 rom-com classic ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’ David Haig as Nicholas Leutwylek, Jack’s hard-living, jovial creative director whose health and partying ways are a constant source of comedy.
And ‘Gilmore Girls’ fans will be happy to see the return of Yanic “Michel” Truesdale as Geneviève’s right hand man Raphaël Marchand. And yes, he displays nuclear levels of sarcasm himself at times.
Final Thoughts
Luke Kirby as Jack McMillan in ‘Étoile’. Credit: Philippe Antonello/Prime Video.
‘Étoile’ should instantly delight fans of the Sherman-Palladino-verse, and at a time when the arts are under attack in funding terms, it’s nice to celebrate the power of music and dance.
And with another season already commissioned, there’s more to look forward to, and hopefully it’ll undo one of the few mistakes of the season, a final episode plot twist that doesn’t quite make sense.
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What’s the plot of ‘Étoile’ Season 1?
Set in New York City and Paris, the eight-episode ‘Étoile’ follows the dancers and artistic staff of two world-renowned ballet companies, as they embark on an ambitious gambit to save their storied institutions by swapping their most talented stars.
Michelle Yeoh in ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’. Photo: Sony Pictures Classics.
Preview:
A new ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ TV series is in the works.
It’ll adapt Wang DuLu’s Crane-Iron Pentalogy novels.
Jason Ning and Ron Moore are working on the show.
Back in the year 2000, Ang Lee brought sweeping romance and impressive fight scenes to screens, adapting Wang DuLu’s Crane-Iron Pentalogy series of books to Oscar-winning effect in ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.’
But since then, there hasn’t been much movement on other adaptations, at least until now, with word via Deadline that Prime Video is moving forward with its TV take, which has been in development since 2022 with Jason Ning involved as executive producer.
Ning, who created ‘The Brothers Sun’ for Netflix, is under a deal with Sony Pictures Television, which owns the rights to the ‘Crouching Tiger’ novels after releasing the Lee movie, and they in turn are partnered up with Prime Video.
What’s the story of ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’?
(L to R) Chow Yun-fat and Michelle Yeoh in ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’. Photo: Sony Pictures Classics.
Here’s the official logline from the series:
“Amidst stunning landscapes and spectacular action, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon follows Shu Lien and Mu Bai, two star-crossed warriors, as they struggle between forbidden love and the pull of modernity — caught between preserving their way of life or embracing a future together.”
And with five novels in existence, there is plenty of material for the series to draw from –– the 2000 movie, in fact, took elements from several books in Wang DuLu’s work.
Who could star in the ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ TV series?
(L to R) Chow Yun-fat and Michelle Yeoh in ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’. Photo: Sony Pictures Classics.
The show has yet to reach the casting stage; or at least to the point where deals are starting to be made.
While it’s likely that the series would want to start afresh with a group of new talent or rising stars, but given that Yeoh was one of the leads in Ning’s ‘The Brothers Sun,’ there’s a good chance she’ll be involved in some way, even if she doesn’t reprise her role from the movie directly.
Whoever does end up in the ensemble will need to be ready for extensive training and preparation, since a hallmark of the movie –– and therefore presumably the show –– is the complicated, balletic wuxia fighting scenes.
What else is Jason Ning working on?
Ning had been part of the team developing Marvel Comics property ‘Silk: Spider Society’ into a series alongside ‘The Walking Dead’ veteran Angela Kang, but that was scrapped by Sony and Amazon last year.
Ning’s previous TV jobs include writing gigs on ‘Lucifer,’ ‘The Expanse and ‘Mrs. Davis,’ and he’s also developing a series based on Wesley Chu’s novel series ‘War Arts Saga,’ set in a world where martial arts are magic, and a grandmaster takes a spoiled would-be hero under her wing to fulfill his destiny of defeating an immortal god-king and ending a centuries-long war.
Uta Briesewitz is attached to that one as director, but it’s in limbo right now.
What else does Ronald D. Moore have in the works?
The busy Moore has several projects that’s either helped to launch or is overseeing right now, including ‘Outlander’ prequel series ‘Blood of My Blood’ (due on Starz this year) and ‘Star City,’ a spin-off that re-imagines the ‘For All Mankind’ alt-history story through the lens of the Russian space service.
He’s also the head writer on a series adaptation of the ‘God of War’ video games and has been developing a show that offers a fresh take on the ‘Swiss Family Robinson’ story for Disney, with ‘Wicked’ director Jon M. Chu board.
When will the ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ TV series hit screens?
With the deal just done and no word on casting or any date for shooting, expect this one to wait a while before arriving on Prime Video’s servers.
Chow Yun-fat in ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’. Photo: Sony Pictures Classics.
List of Movies in the ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ Franchise:
Currently available to stream on Prime Video is the third and final season of ‘Bosch: Legacy’, which is based on characters created by author Michael Connelly and is a continuation/spinoff of the groundbreaking seven season series, ‘Bosch’.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with actor Titus Welliver about his work on ‘Bosch: Legacy’ season 3, the decision to end the series, playing the character for the final time, if he is happy with how Harry’s story ends, if he will reprise his role on the upcoming spinoff ‘Ballard’ starring Maggie Q, and bringing back fan favorite characters like Paul Calderón’s Jimmy Robertson.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.
Moviefone: To begin with, as a hardcore fan, I’m heartbroken by the ending of ‘Bosch: Legacy’. Can you talk about the decision to end the series now, and what was it like for you to play this character for a final time?
Titus Welliver: Well, here’s the thing. I did not know that. Nobody knew that. We were already talking about what we were going to be doing in season 4. So, as Harry would say, “That’s above my pay grade”. I don’t know all the different machinations or reasons. Am I saddened by that? Deeply. You know, I love the people that I work with. I have formed a very close, deep bond with the character, even though he’s a fictional character. There’s a part of that that penetrates you to a certain degree when you do that. When you breathe life into a character, they become some sort of odd manifestation. So, I miss Harry. I really missed him. I know if I could get on the phone and call him, I would. I really do miss the character. I miss working with this group of people and the joy that it’s brought me for a decade was such a tremendous privilege.
MF: Without giving away any spoilers, can you talk about crafting Harry’s final moment on screen? How involved were you with that, and are you satisfied with how Harry’s story ends?
TW: No, because we were not aware at that point when we shot that. There’s no closure at all. That’s not atypical for ‘Bosch’. We would leave things kind of hanging. But as far as when you see the final scene, it’s not a ride off into the sunset. It’s not a so long. It feels like the end of a season, but it doesn’t feel like the end. As Harry would say, “Closure is a myth”. There is no closure. What it does do is it introduces the character of Renee Ballard, who’s played brilliantly by Maggie Q. She fully embodies the character, and it was such a tremendous pleasure working with her. We got to do some solid work together and laughed our asses off. She’s very deeply funny, and very gracious and generous as an actor. That relationship is introduced, and I think very well realized. So, in that regard and that they are doing this ‘Ballard’ show, I think it tees it up well for that, but it will not feel like this is teeing up for a spinoff. The only finality is that it’s the 10th episode, but there is no closure.
MF: So, here is the million-dollar question: With the ‘Ballard’ series in the works, is it possible that we could see you return as Harry Bosch on that series at some point?
TW: You never know. Hollywood is a strange and aerial place, right? There’s talk. Since this season has come out and it’s the final season clearly even on the poster and all the ads and everything. I have people coming up to me on the streets very vexed and not happy about it at all. But they’re also really enjoying this this season, which always makes me feel good because that’s what it is for. It is meant to entertain and to give our audiences that which they have invested so much time in, not only the viewers of the show, but the readers of the books. They get that it’s a kind of mutual gratification there. But the temperature in the public over the years has been very warm, and there’s a kind of personal connection that people feel with this character, which I find interesting. They feel a connection and a kind of ownership of the shows. I was just in in New York, and I had this one guy who was a New York cop say to me, “This is our show. We’ll let you know when we’re tired of watching it. So go back to these guys and tell them we’re not ready to go. We’ll let you know.” I was very moved by it, but it was also great because it was coming from a cop, and it had a genuine emotional tone to what he was saying. He wasn’t doing it with a smile. He was kind of emphatic in a way, which I was touched by.
MF: Finally, can you talk about how this season ties up loose ends from not only ‘Legacy’ but the original series as well, and having the opportunity to bring back fan favorite characters like, for example, Paul Calderón’s Jimmy Robertson?
TW: Paul Calderón and I have known each other for 30 years. Prior to even knowing him, I was always very aware of Paul. You know, we both come from New York. We’re New York theater guys and then we worked together a million years ago on a show called uh, ‘New York Undercover’. So we go that far back. His realization of the Jimmy Robertson character is an absolute chef’s kiss of work. First, you get an actor who brings a level of gravitas and we’ve been blessed over the years to have actors on the show that have a certain caliber. Obviously, any opportunity to see Crate (Gregory Scott Cummins) and Barrel (Troy Evans) again always brings a smile. I love those guys so dearly. I never had to really act with those guys. First, Troy Evans and I have known each other also for probably about 30 years and he and I are extremely close. Playing any element of humor or buoyancy with them, the hardest part of my job doing scenes with Troy and Greg was not losing it and cracking up because that was the banter that existed in between takes. We were all crying laughing. But to bring back Jimmy Robertson and then to circle back and that relationship between he and Bosch, their contemporaries, they are from the old school, and their relationship in the past has been contentious. He’s investigated Bosh once before and now he’s thrust into this. So, there’s mutual respect that exists there, but he saves Bosch’s life, and we see the beginning gestation of a different kind of relationship between those two characters. But Bosch maintains his silence about certain elements of things. Robertson respects that, but they move past that and the fact that Harry says, “Let’s do this again sooner than later”. So, as an audience remember, you go, “Oh, that’s cool. These guys, it’s not a love fest, but it’s a genuine relationship”. But we never get to see it realized and then his character is so suddenly taken out and that infuriates Bosch. So, then you see Bosch ignited into this parallel investigation, which leads and connects other threads. All cases are personal with Bosch, but I think in this season, when he’s hired to find this family that’s disappeared, any detective will tell you that all cases that they work, and I’m speaking particularly about murder cops, takes a piece of them. We see that with Harry and him looking into the abyss, but they will all say unanimously, the cases that haunt them are cases that involve children. So, Harry investigates the darkness probably deeper than he’s ever looked, maybe except for the times where he confronted the killer of his mother, and when he confronts Dockweiler, who kidnapped Maddie. We see an element of that with this. It penetrates him in a way. I think the audience will really worry and or question if this is something that will push Harry into a place of compromising his moral compass, which we know to be flawless, right? “Everybody counts or nobody counts”. But this one is very specific, and we see him unravel a bit.
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What is the plot of ‘Bosch: Legacy’ Season 3?
Season Three of ‘Bosch: Legacy’ is based on Michael Connelly’s best-selling novels ‘Desert Star’ (2022) and ‘The Black Ice’ (1993). The murder investigation of Kurt Dockweiler (David Denman) brings dangerous secrets to light and threatens to ruin the lives of our three principal characters. The disappearance of a family haunts Harry Bosch (Titus Welliver) and forces him to confront the limits of justice. In a hotly contested race, Honey “Money” Chandler (Mimi Rogers) is poised to become the next District Attorney of Los Angeles, and Maddie Bosch (Madison Lintz) gets entangled in a series of violent follow-home robberies.
Premiering March 27th on Prime Video is the third and final season of ‘Bosch: Legacy’, which is based on characters created by author Michael Connelly and is a continuation/spinoff of the groundbreaking seven season series, ‘Bosch’.
As a hardcore fan of both ‘Bosch’ and ‘Bosch Legacy’, it is bittersweet to think that season 3 of ‘Legacy’ will be the end of Harry Bosch’s story and the last time we’ll get to see Titus Welliver (pound for pound the best actor working on TV today) in his signature role … at least for now (more on that later).
The third and final season of ‘Bosch Legacy’ picks up with a four-episode arc (which is all that we were allowed to see for this review), that completes the cliffhanger that season 2 ended with, as well as tying up loose ends from both this series and the original ‘Bosch’.
The first four episodes will lead the audience to begin to question everything they know about Harry Bosch, concluding in a redemption of sorts for the character. It also introduces another mystery, that presumably, will be the main plot in the remaining episodes.
Welliver once again gives a powerful performance as Harry Bosch, and brings the character full circle while dealing with the demons of his past. Madison Lintz, who we’ve practically watched grow up on screen as Maddie Bosch, continues to stretch the character in new directions and her relationship with her father is still the heart of the series. While Mimi Rogers’ Honey “Money” Chandler, runs for District Attorney, and fends off a threat of her own, with Bosch’s assistance.
There are two different stories that run through the first four episodes of ‘Bosch: Legacy’ season 3. The main story involves an investigation into the death of Kurt Dockweiler (David Denman), the man who kidnapped Maddie (Lintz) at the end of ‘Legacy’ season 1. It is revealed at the end of season 2, that convicted criminal Preston Borders (Chris Browning) may have been involved, and that Harry (Welliver) may be involved too. With the current District Attorney, who is running for reelection against Honey Chandler (Rogers), eager to pin Dockweiler’s death on her friend Harry, Detective Jimmy Robertson (Calderón) and his new young partner (Miles Gaston Villanueva), are assigned to the case and begin investigating Harry.
Meanwhile, Chandler gets a threatening visit from former Detective Francis Sheehan (McShane), and asks Bosch for protection. The secondary story, involves a new case Harry is working on involving a missing family. Along with his client – Orla Brady (Siobhan Murphy), and his associate Mo Bassi (Stephen Chang), Bosch begins to unravel the conspiracy behind their disappearance, while at the same time trying to defend himself and protect Maddie from Robertson’s investigation.
At this point, ‘Bosch: Legacy’, and the entire franchise, is like a well-oiled machine. That’s not a criticism, but rather a fact. The tone, style, dialogue, locations, and music all fall into place perfectly and feels like an old familiar friend from the first frame of the new season. While season 3 does not start off with the same urgency that the previous season did, with the search for a missing Maddie, it is just as captivating watching past characters like Robertson and Sheehan return, and Harry have to defend his actions throughout his career.
Harry Bosch has always walked a fine line between the law and justice, but has never crossed over it. ‘Legacy’ season 3 explores that notion and allows the audience to really question the character in a way we never have before. More importantly, it allows the character of Maddie to wonder if she really knows what her father is capable of and question his tactics for herself. But this threatens her relationship with Harry, as well as her own career, and is fertile dramatic ground to explore.
Make no mistakes, ‘Bosch’ and ‘Bosch: Legacy’ have always been Titus Welliver’s shows, and a brilliant showcase for the veteran actor. Welliver fits the character of Harry Bosch like a glove, and I believe is now synonymous with the role created by Connelly in his popular novels.
In my opinion, this is Welliver’s signature role, and the part he will be remembered for. I also believe that he has continually been the best actor on TV for over a decade now and it is an absolute travesty that this man has not at least been nominated once for an Emmy for playing this role. Shame on you Emmy voters!
Welliver’s performance in the first four episodes is so reserved and layered, that if that isn’t an example of great acting, then I don’t know what is. And while he is certainly comfortable in the role after all these years, season to season, he is always growing the character in new and unusual ways, and never hesitates to take a risk or explore the different aspects of Harry’s complex personality.
The heart of the series is still Harry’s relationship with Maddie, who we first met as a teenager and is now a member of the Los Angeles police department, just like her dad. Madison Lintz continues to shine as Maddie Bosch, and watching her relationship grow with her father over the course of the franchise, has been one of the highlights of the series. However, that relationship is truly tested this season, and Lintz is terrific navigating those emotions as Maddie questions her father’s legacy for herself.
Mimi Rogers is given a lot to explore this season with Honey Chandler’s run for office, which I assume will carry through most of the season and resolve in the finale. Chandler was first introduced as an adversary to Harry, but part of the fun of the series has been watching them become close friends. She’s like a surrogate mother to Maddie now, and one of Harry’s closest allies. Rogers has been excellent in the role from day one, but she is given more to do this season, including introducing Chandler’s own daughter into the mix.
As a fan, its great seeing Paul Calderón and Jamie McShane return as Detective Jimmy Robertson, and former Detective Francis Sheehan, respectively. It’s kind of like a high school reunion or seeing old friends. But with this being the end of the Harry’s story, at least for now, I hope that the finale includes a few more familiar faces from the franchise like Grace Billets (Amy Aquino), and of course, Jamie Hector as Jerry Edgar. Dear Producers: You can’t end the series without J. Edgar!!!
Which brings us to the big question: Is this really the last we’ll see of Harry Bosch? Maybe, and maybe not. Season 3 of ‘Bosch: Legacy’ also promises to introduce a new character, Detective Renée Ballard played by Maggie Q (‘Live Free or Die Hard’). She is a cold case investigator, and while the character does not appear in the first four episodes provided for review, she does appear in a scene with Harry that was included in a preview of the remainder of the season. Presumably, she and Harry will team up together before the season’s end.
Prime Video is also developing a spinoff for Q and the Ballard character, so the “Bosch Legacy” really will live on, but it is unclear if Harry himself will appear on the proposed new series. In fact, it was recently announced that Titus Welliver has signed on for a potential spinoff of CBS’ ‘The Equalizer’, which could indicate that he is not planning to return to the character anytime soon, but never say never.
While it is sad to think that we will never see Titus Welliver play Harry Bosch again, fans still have the new season to enjoy and will not be disappointed. After eleven years of playing the character on TV (if you count both series), Welliver’s performance is just as powerful and complex as ever, and the final season is a fitting send off to one of the best TV cops of all time.
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What is the plot of ‘Bosch: Legacy’ Season 3?
Season Three of ‘Bosch: Legacy’ is based on Michael Connelly’s best-selling novels ‘Desert Star’ (2022) and ‘The Black Ice’ (1993). The murder investigation of Kurt Dockweiler (David Denman) brings dangerous secrets to light and threatens to ruin the lives of our three principal characters. The disappearance of a family haunts Harry Bosch (Titus Welliver) and forces him to confront the limits of justice. In a hotly contested race, Honey “Money” Chandler (Mimi Rogers) is poised to become the next District Attorney of Los Angeles, and Maddie Bosch (Madison Lintz) gets entangled in a series of violent follow-home robberies.
Landing on Prime Video on February 20th with the first three episodes, the third season of ‘Reacher’ plunges audiences back into the often violent world of Lee Child’s hulking former military police officer, who has a knack for finding trouble –– and solving it with either his fists or the nearest available weapon.
The first two seasons of the show, which stars Alan Ritchson as the title character, have been met with praise from critics and fans (not least because the tall and muscular Ritchson better fits the mold of the character than Tom Cruise did in his twomovies), so can the third keep the momentum going?
The biggest secret to ‘Reacher’s working so far is that it never treats the books like some sort of example of high art; instead, the feeling is more a nostalgic throwback to the sorts of shows that used to litter TV in the 1970s and ‘80s, such as ‘The A-Team’ and ‘The Incredible Hulk,’ where the heroes would travel to different places and sort out problems, including corrupt law enforcement or crime bosses. This concept these days is also explored to some degree by the CBS network series ‘Tracker.’
Of course, that and especially the older shows certainly didn’t have the freedom that streaming brings in terms of language and violence, nor do they have the budget of a ‘Reacher.’ All this, combined with a likeable (if sometimes limited, more on that below) lead performance by Ritchson.
Nick Santora, who developed the show and serves as head writer and showrunner, has a history on high-concept procedurals with some sense of humor –– and he’s also recently created action comedy series ‘FUBAR’, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.
‘Reacher’ could never be described as an out-and-out laugh-fest, but it certainly manages to avoid being so self-serious that it’s less fun to watch. The stakes are certainly high (even if we know that, no matter how punishment he takes in the scope of one of his missions, our hero will survive to walk –– or drive –– off into the sunset), and the twisty action keeps you guessing, and there’s enough action and drama to be found within.
For this season, Reacher has more reason than usual to be careful. Not only is he required to watch his back in the usual sense as he wades into trouble, he’s also aware that he has to make sure no one really guesses what he’s up to, as opposed to previous missions where he’s got an out-in-the-open enemy to battle.
The writing team isn’t necessarily looking to keep you guessing, more on the edge of your seat as you wonder whether the truth will be uncovered. And there are layers upon layers of storyline that work effectively if simply.
Reacher’s not exactly a character who is quippy every other line; he’s more of the silent warrior type, but he does have a good line in grim humor –– witness his reaction to learning where the coffee he’s drinking comes from (hint: it’s a very expensive brand that has a history with feline digestive systems).
And Santora is careful to make sure that this season doesn’t come across as a carbon copy of what has gone before –– last time Reacher had a team to work with, this time it’s a scrappy collection of DEA agents operating without major military backing.
There is still some welcome connective tissue from seasons past, though; not the least of which is Maria Sten’s Frances Neagley, who is getting her own spin-off.
‘Reacher’s directing team, led by Sam Hill, keeps the show looking interesting and stylish, while the action scenes are always handled effectively.
Alan Ritchson is our returning central hero, the no-nonsense former officer who these days spends his time wandering the country and living by his own rules. While the character doesn’t exactly brim with charisma, he’s got his own style, and if it doesn’t lead to Oscar-winning work, it definitely gets the job done, just like Reacher.
Season 3 highlights include Sonya Cassidy’s smart-mouthed, sassy DEA agent Susan Duffy, one of the few people to earn Reacher’s begrudging respect. Cassidy is great in the role, providing the right amount of assured capability and human vulnerability.
Anthony Michael Hall is also solid as Zachary Beck, the corrupt businessman that Reacher comes into contact with this season. While the character might initially come across as a gruff, limited rich a-hole, Hall has more to work with when interacting with his son Richard, played with nervy energy by Johnny Berchtold.
And because the biggest problem for a show featuring a character as imposing as Jack Reacher comes in finding someone who is actually a challenge for him to face, Season 3 brings us Olivier Richters’ Paulie, a hulking giant of a man who is more than a match for the taciturn title character. It’s highly entertaining to see someone Reacher can’t simply knock out, and their eventual clash is one for the ages.
‘Reacher’ continues to be an entertaining action series with a solid sense of humor and a compelling central figure.
Some darker-hued flashbacks add an additional layer of emotion and tension.
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What is the plot of ‘Reacher’ Season 3?
In season 3, Reacher (Alan Ritchson) delves into the dark underbelly of a vast criminal enterprise when he attempts to rescue a DEA informant. There, he encounters a world of secrets and violence and is confronted with issues from his past.
Premiering on Prime Video beginning February 20th is the third season of the popular series ‘Reacher’, which is based on the series of books by author Lee Child. The new season is specifically adapted from the novel ‘Persuader’, and once again stars Alan Ritchson in the title role.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Alan Ritchson about his work on ‘Reacher’ season 3, the direction the new season takes his character, Reacher’s partnership with Duffy, working with Sonya Cassidy, shooting the fight scenes with Olivier Richters, and how it feels to now be the second biggest guy on a ‘Reacher’ set.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Ritchson, Sonya Cassidy, Brian Tee, Olivier Richters, and Anthony Michael Hall.
Moviefone: To begin with, what can you tell our readers about season 3 and the direction it takes Reacher?
Alan Ritchson: Yeah, season three is the best one yet. I’m just going to say it. I don’t think anybody’s going to disagree once they’ve seen it all. We go back to the roots of what we love about Reacher, which, you know, he’s a lone wolf, and sometimes he gets involved in situations where he gets backed into a corner and that’s what happens this season. It’s fun to watch what he has to do with that. So, ‘Persuader’ is the book that this is this season is based on. It’s one of the fan favorite books for a reason. I think anybody who hasn’t read the books, just hold on tight because this this one’s a roller coaster.
MF: Can you talk about Reacher’s partnership with Duffy and working with Sonya Cassidy?
AR: Let me start by saying Sonya Cassidy, who plays Duffy is one of the best actresses I’ve ever worked with, and I’m so rooting for her in her career. The only other person I’ve worked with that’s truly on that level is Willa Fitzgerald, who played Roscoe at season one and rightly so, audiences really fell in love with her. I want to see her come back somehow. if I’m right, I think audiences are going to feel much the same way about Sonya. Duffy is an incredible character. She’s somebody who, like Roscoe, is unafraid to tell Reacher how it is and she’s trying very hard to get him to do some undercover work for her, and Reacher reluctantly agrees because there’s something in it for him. It just makes for a great tension between these two characters that are reluctantly working together.
MF: Finally, can you talk about shooting Reacher and Paulie’s fight scenes with Olivier Richters, and what is it like being the second biggest guy on set?
AR: Yeah, I don’t mind at all. Look, I want to really earn it at the end of the day. I don’t ever want it to be easy for him. If it ever starts to feel like Reacher is invincible and untouchable, I think that’s going to be boring for audiences, and we should give him a run for his money. Olivier does that in spades. He’s a monster of a human being. He really put it all out there. He gave it everything he’s got, and he we went for it. The production of the fight that culminates at the end of season three, took three weeks to shoot. It was the toughest, most brutal three weeks of my entire life. I was barely able to walk at the end of it. He was like, “This is the hardest thing I’ve ever done”. Hopefully it shows in some way and the audience really can appreciate how much he put out there. But he was he was great to work with.
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What is the plot of ‘Reacher’ Season 3?
In season 3, Reacher (Alan Ritchson) delves into the dark underbelly of a vast criminal enterprise when he attempts to rescue a DEA informant. There, he encounters a world of secrets and violence and is confronted with issues from his past.
Titus Welliver as Harry Bosch on ‘Bosch: Legacy’ season 2. Credit: Tyler Golden/Amazon Freevee. Copyright: Amazon Freevee.
Preview:
Prime Video and Freevee have announced that ‘Bosch: Legacy’ is to end.
Titus Welliver stars in the show as former LAPD detective Harry Bosch.
The series’ final season will be on screens next year.
We recently learned that Prime Video has decided to wrap its Freevee ads-based service in with its main offerings (especially now that all of Prime Video carries commercials unless viewers pay an extra fee).
With that, we’re also now getting word that one of Freevee’s biggest shows is coming to an end.
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‘Bosch: Legacy,’ which continued the story of novelist Michael Connelly’s veteran LAPD detective Harry Bosch –– brought to life with winning grumpy power by Titus Welliver across seven seasons of original Prime Video series ‘Bosch,’ launched in 2022.
Its third season, due in March next year, will be its last.
What’s the story of ‘Bosch: Legacy’?
(L to R) Officer Reina Vasquez (Denise G. Sanchez) and Harry Bosch (Titus Welliver) in season 2 of ‘Bosch: Legacy.’ Photo Credit: Warrick Page.
‘Bosch: Legacy’ follows Bosch, the retired homicide detective-turned-private investigator, as he embarks on the next chapter of his career; attorney Honey “Money” Chandler (Mimi Rogers), who struggles to maintain her faith in the justice system after surviving a murder attempt; and Maddie Bosch (Madison Lintz), as she discovers the possibilities and challenges of being a rookie patrol cop on the streets of Los Angeles.
‘Bosch: Legacy’ Ends: The Producer and Studio Talk
Author and ‘Bosch: Legacy’ Season 2 executive producer Michael Connelly.
Here’s executive producer Connelly’s statement on the show:
“I am so proud of what we have accomplished with this show. Ten years ago I asked Titus Welliver if he could stick with Harry Bosch for five seasons, and he said he could do it forever. Well, five became 10, and the character, thanks to Titus, will live forever in the hearts of viewers and in the streaming world as the detective who knows that everybody counts, or nobody counts. The good news here is that we have not seen the last of Harry Bosch. As in the books, Bosch is part of the Renée Ballard world, and I can’t wait for the next chapter to open.”
And this is what Vernon Sanders, Head of Television at Amazon MGM Studios said in a statement:
“For 10 years, Bosch and Bosch: Legacy have been two of our most defining series for Prime Video, Freevee and Amazon MGM Studios. They are a testament to the enduring power of the storytelling universe that Michael Connelly built for the fans. We are proud of the impact these series have made, and we are excited that Michael, Titus, Henrik and the creative team have more engaging stories to tell in the Bosch world with the final season of Bosch: Legacy, our new Ballard series and more to come.”
Is this really the end of ‘Bosch’ on TV?
Titus Welliver as Harry Bosch in ‘Bosch: Legacy.’ Photo: Tyler Golden. Copyright: Amazon Freevee.
Of course not! As Connelly alludes, the next iteration, which will follow the character of Renée Ballard (played by Maggie Q), is due in 2025.
The untitled series follows Detective Ballard, who is tasked with running the LAPD’s new cold-case unit — a poorly funded, all-volunteer unit with the largest case load in the city. Ballard approaches these frozen-in-time cases with empathy and determination. When she uncovers a larger conspiracy during her investigations, she’ll lean on the assistance of her retired ally, Harry Bosch (Welliver), to navigate the dangers that threaten both her unit and her life.
‘Bosch: Legacy’ season 2 premieres October 20th on Freevee.
List of Movies and TV Shows Based on Michael Connelly Novels:
John Krasinski and Prime Video changed all that with TV series ‘Jack Ryan,’ which aired four seasons between 2018 and 2023. It offered the chance for longer, more nuanced adventures for Ryan (well, as nuanced as a show based on a Tom Clancy character truly gets) and was a big success.
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Amazon MGM Studios is looking to keep that going but is switching tracks to send Ryan back to movie form (likely so that Krasinski can keep playing him but doesn’t have to commit to another season).
What’s the story of the ‘Jack Ryan’ movie?
John Krasinski as Jack Ryan in Prime Video’s ‘Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan’ Season 4. Credit: Attila Szvacsek/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
There are zero details on what Ryan might be up to in the movie, though it’s a fair guess that it’ll involve some big, probably terrorist or rogue state-sponsored threat that Ryan has to A) figure out and B) take down.
Given that Amazon also owns the rights to the Ryan-adjacent John Clark character (as portrayed by Michael B. Jordan in ‘Without Remorse’, and aboard to return for ‘Rainbow Six,’ might we get a fan-pleasing crossover, if only for one scene?
Who else is working on the ‘Jack Ryan’ movie?
Wendell Pierce as James Greer in ‘Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan.’ Credit: Sarah Shatz. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
With Krasinski starring and producing, we’ll also see the return of Wendell Pierce, who plays James Greer, Ryan’s superior in the series.
And Michael Kelly, who had a sizeable roles as Mike November, is in talks.
Behind the scenes, Andrew Bernstein, who served as an executive producer and director on Season 2 of the series, is directing the film from a script by Aaron Rabin, who served as a co-executive producer and writer on Season 4.
John Krasinski as Dr. Jack Ryan in Prime Video’s ‘Jack Ryan.’
There is no word on when the movie will land on the big screen. And it might also be an “if” situation –– Amazon could still decide to release it via streaming to keep the Prime Video audience watching.
Still, with Krasinski in the lead, the studio may well decide to leverage his film star status to turn this into more of an event.
(L to R) John Krasinski as Dr. Jack Ryan and Wendell Pierce as James Greer in Prime Video’s ‘Jack Ryan.’
