Bosch: Legacy offers a whole new vibe while transitioning smoothly from the original series.
Imagine trying on a new shoe that offers the comfort of one you have worn for years. There is no stiffness, no blisters to suffer. You get to enjoy a brand new style without the pains of “wearing them in”. This is how I feel about the Bosch spinoff Bosch: Legacy streaming free on Amazon Freevee beginning May 6th.
Harry Bosch (Titus Welliver), daughter Maddie Bosch (Madison Lintz) and attorney Honey “Money” Chandler (Mimi Rogers) are returning characters with new circumstances in Bosch: Legacy. Harry is no longer a detective with the LAPD. Jaded and disgruntled with police department politics, Harry starts a new job as a private investigator. Maddie has been called to make a difference in the world. That call landed her in the police academy, and now in training at Hollywood Station, her father’s old stomping grounds. Honey Chandler is recovering from almost fatal gunshot wounds and practicing law with a new outlook.
All three characters feel the weight of the Carl Rogers trial. Rogers hired a hitman when Honey’s client Vincent Franzen accused Rogers of insider trading. Rogers is behind the hits on Franzen, Franzen’s mistress, Judge Donna Sobel, his own attorney Jay Reason Fowwkes, Maddie Bosch and Honey Chandler. Only Maddie and Honey made it out alive. Everyone awaits a verdict as the spinoff begins.
Credit: Tyler Golden
Copyright: Amazon Freevee
Description: Titus Welliver (Harry Bosch)
Top 5 things to watch for in Bosch: Legacy
#1 Bosch and Mo
We all know Bosch is not a technology guru. He employs old school methods with great success until the job calls for something more. Without the specialized resources of the police department at his disposal, Harry needs someone else to lean on when it comes to utilizing the power of the latest technology. That is where new character Mo (Stephen A. Chang) comes into play.
Mo offers knowledge of the latest and greatest gadgets and surveillance equipment. Bosch hires Mo to assist on cases, especially those that require more technical resources.
Mo is clever, quick-witted and unafraid to give Bosch a little good-natured ribbing. He’s a cool cat with just enough bravado to be likeable without seeming arrogant. Mo and Bosch share a love of jazz and a disdain for the bad guys. They are just enough alike to make it work while their differences make for some great comedy.
The chemistry is so dynamic between these two that it feels like the duo needs a nickname. MoBo? Mosch?
Credit: Greg Gayne
Copyright: Amazon Freevee
#2 New POVs
Harry, Maddie and Honey are facing life and work under new circumstances allowing us to see each one through a new lens. They are stretched and challenged in ways that shape their outlook on the world. We are introduced to new facets of these characters, which enriches the storytelling.
Maddie has gone from being Honey’s beloved legal assistant to being reprimanded by training officers. Her new office space is in a vehicle and on the streets. She has traded lattes for crappy coffee at the police station. While very capable in her new endeavor, Maddie does not excel right away in the way she did working for Honey. There is a different path to earning the respect of your fellow officers. While it may be a tougher environment than Honey’s legal office, Maddie’s passion for this work seems even stronger.
Harry has made a big shift as well. Leaving the LAPD after 26 years makes for a lot of adjustments, some desirable, others not so much. Of course, Harry has much greater autonomy as a private investigator, but he might also be missing some of the perks that a police badge offers. There is no more sharing the bullpen with fellow detectives, but instead a private office. He has a little more facial scruff and wears fewer button-down shirts. Definitely watch to see how Bosch adjusts to his new point of view.
Honey is facing post-traumatic stress as she re-enters the legal world. It is a burden that no one should have to carry. Honey faces a myriad of emotions as she tries to move forward. The trauma will challenge that pristine level of composure she has historically been known for. Also, watch for a change of venue for Honey’s office space that will impact the types of cases she takes.
#3 Icing on the cake
Fans of the original Bosch series cannot stand the thought of no longer seeing some of their other favorite characters from Hollywood Station. Thankfully, Harry did not cut ties with his network of trusted colleagues when he chose to separate from the department.
Watch for Harry to call upon some familiar faces as he learns to operate without a badge. These cameos are blended with care into the storytelling, both a welcome nod to the fans and a big help to Harry who is now working solo. Maddie’s assignment at Hollywood Station also brings back memories of the original series giving us that icing on our new cake.
Credit: Greg Gayne
Copyright: Amazon Freevee
#4 Eclectic caseload
Executive Producer Henrik Bastin talked about the new opportunities that would come with Maddie being a patrol officer in our interview with him last year. Viewers have become accustomed to the often-lengthy process of investigating a homicide case. Now with Maddie sharing a patrol vehicle with Officer Reina Vasquez, we get to see cases at ground zero. Watch for Maddie to wrestle with the fact that patrol officers do not normally keep cases. They are either resolved or passed on to the appropriate department for further investigation.
Of course, you never know what Harry may be investigating as a P.I., anything from mundane paperwork to a full-blown investigation. Add Honey’s legal cases to the mix and you end up with an eclectic caseload.
#5 Strategic storytelling
The opening scene shows you right away that some time has passed and reflects a new energy to the series. Madison Lintz really sells it! We are strategically dropped directly into the new spaces of all three returning characters to set the stage for their new stories.
The writing has always been exceptional on Bosch, and Bosch: Legacy continues that tradition. Granted, the source material from Michael Connelly’s novels is a fabulous place to start. But the nuance of balancing the emotion of relational stories with intense action scenes cannot be an easy task. Add the seal of approval of law enforcement consultants Tim Marcia and Mitzi Roberts, and you end up with a rich portrayal of law and order in Los Angeles.
With Bosch: Legacy‘s ad-supported format on Amazon Freevee, watch for carefully planned transitions. Tom Bernardo, one of the showrunners on the series, shared in his interview last year that ad breaks would be a specific consideration in the writing room.
Finally, watch for nostalgia and callbacks sprinkled throughout the episodes. They are not so much Easter eggs as they are nods to diehard fans of the books and the TV series. Watch carefully, listen intently to the dialogue, and you will reap the rewards of some very clever insertions of Bosch days gone by.
Credit: Tyler Golden
Copyright: Amazon Freevee
Get ready
It is definitely hard to pick just 5 favorite things about the spinoff series. Can I add the new opening credits music in there somewhere, too? And how about Maddie and Harry relating on a whole new level with shared experienced in law enforcement? There is so much to appreciate in Bosch: Legacy, so get ready to watch.
Speaking of which, here are a few reminders on how to watch:
- Bosch: Legacy will stream free with ads using the Amazon Freevee app or via the Freevee channel on Prime Video. If Freevee is not available in your country, you can watch via Prime Video. Amazon Freevee is currently available in the US, UK and coming soon to Germany.
- Episodes 1-4 will be available for steaming on May 6th.
- 2 more episodes will be available on each of the next 3 Fridays (5/13, 5/20, 5/27) for a total of 10 episodes.
- All 7 seasons of the original Bosch series are also now available for free ad-supported streaming on the Freevee app or through Prime Video.
Stay tuned for ongoing coverage of Bosch: Legacy including interviews, recaps, and all new episodes of our
Everybody Counts Podcast on SoManyShows.com.
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