As Harry Bosch, the character, begins to recede into the background, both in writing and on screen, I’m taking the opportunity to revisit the Prime series with my wife. She’s new to the series, and after watching several seasons of The Lincoln Lawyer, I was able to interest her in Bosch. She’s hooked as we’re binging the early seasons. After binging the seven seasons of Bosch, we moved on to the succeeding series, Bosch: Legacy.
Bosch: Legacy returns to Prime in the concluding season. A total of 10 seasons is a great run! Bosch is a character that is difficult for me to see phased out. In print, author Michael Connelly has paired Bosch with Renee Ballard, LAPD cold case detective; Bosch become a supporting player. However, Connelly is on record as saying that he has one last Bosch-centered mystery somewhere in the future, which I took to mean it would be the end of Bosch.
Season three of Bosch: Legacy is a difficult watch. Bosch is setup in the murder of Dockweiler. Ex-cop Frank Sheehan returns with a vendetta, even though he’s responsible for his own problems. Meanwhile, Bosch is hired to find a missing family. LAPD’s Jimmy Robertson is assigned to see if Bosch was involved in Dockweiler’s death. Bosch saves Robertson, then Robertson saves Bosch’s life.
Bosch and Robertson worked together, crossed swords a few times, but endured a mutual respect. The final season brings back a few other Bosch characters, so it’s nice as Boschworld wraps up. But does it?
I’m not going to spoil any of the plots in season three, but I will say it was a letdown. The Bosch story was left at an odd juncture, as was Honey Chandler, the new D.A. Episode ten, as the concluding episode in the Bosch series, served to introduce Renee Ballard, which felt forced and anti-climactic. Bosch and Ballard work together to solve a cold case that has warmed up again. The people behind the series cobbled together a story that cut a lot of corners to fit it into the time allowed. My opinion, the series deserved a better way to wrap up Harry Bosch.
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Titus Welliver was destined to play Harry Bosch. I wasn’t familiar with his career 10 years ago, but I can’t imagine anyone else playing the character. While Bosch was written as a Vietnam era character, the TV adaptation makes him of the Gulf War era.
When I read the Bosch books now, it’s Welliver that I picture, saying Connelly’s words, and bringing the character to life. Harry Bosch is a complex character, and not just because he is an LAPD detective. I made a comment last night that Bosch didn’t make being friends easy. My wife said that they respected him though. That’s true. It’s not Bosch’s personality that keeps people in his orbit. He’s brash, rude, inattentive, short-fused, refuses to make nice, and doesn’t care what people think of him. He’s not egotistical, but is convinced he’s right most of the time. Few people would claim to really know him, but they can size him up for his somewhat predictable behavior. The hurt he’s carried around since his youth, has defined him, and keeps most people at arms length, or further away. Only his daughter Maddie is able to penetrate all of his walls, and her sharpness and own hurt sting him at times. Maybe in those instances he can more clearly understand himself. Maybe not.
Bosch’s reputation as a good, thorough and dedicated detective are what keep him on-track. Those qualities keep him employed because he is a pain in the ass and many police officials would love to see him bounced off the force. The subject of numerous complaints and lawsuits, his public reputation is quite tattered, and although Bosch won’t admit it, that’s a liability.
Five decades ago, Dirty Harry Callahan was breaking the rules and administering justice on the big screen. Harry Bosch is no Dirty Harry, even if many want to paint him with that brush. Bosch wants to operate within the lines, and mostly does. In one book he has set up surveillance on a man he suspects of several killings, but he was not brought to justice. The man is later murdered in a very cruel fashion and Bosch sees it unfold, but takes no action. He is later caught up in the murder, but framed for it until he can clear himself. Unfortunately, the fallout from his doggedness and stepping across the line, have ramifications with colleagues. Mess with daughter Maddie, and Bosch’s anger and actions totally ignore the line.
Harry Bosch is known for the phrase, “everybody counts, or nobody counts,” means everyone deserves justice, even if it takes years. Connelly has crafted a flawed and deeply wounded, but laser-focused character. Bosch, like several law enforcement officers I’ve known, lives and breathes his job. It’s often bumpy with command, and officers who take the easy out rather than knock more doors or challenge an assumption, but he’s got a deep reserve for victims.
There are photos under the glass on his desk, unidentified young victims, unsolved deaths. They are a constant focus for Bosch. Time after time, he is drawn back to these victims who need justice, closure.
For a deep dive on all things Harry Bosch, visit the fandom site.
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