This series is technically a spin-off of a sequel series, but it is still easy to dive straight into without having seen another episode in the franchise. If you’re a fan of fast-paced police-focused action thriller series like Reacher, then you’re going to love this new Amazon show.
Prime Video’s Ballard Has Brought Back The Bosch Franchise
Ballard is one of the most popular series of summer 2025 on Amazon Prime Video. Released on July 9, 2025, the series has remained in the Top 10 U.S. TV Shows list for nearly two consecutive months, right up there with other celebrated Prime Video series like The Terminal List: Dark Wolf and Gen V.
Ballard is an extension of the Bosch franchise with a brand-new protagonist for the first time ever. Bosch was the first original series ever created by Prime Video back in 2014 and produced seven seasons before concluding in 2021. The series was so well-received that Amazon ordered a sequel series, Bosch: Legacy, which ran for three seasons and recently ended earlier this year.
Ballard picks up where Bosch: Legacy left off, but it is very much the titular LAPD protagonist’s show. Played by Maggie Q, Renee Ballard investigates cold cases and begins to suspect a conspiracy related to the murder of a 24-year-old woman in the premiere episode. Bosch himself, played by Titus Welliver, appears in Ballard to help her crack the case.
How Ballard Compares To Bosch
Maggie Q in Ballard on the beach
Both Bosch and Ballard are based on characters from the best-selling novels written by Michael Connelly. It’s safe to say that the feel and tone of both series are quite similar, especially since there is so much overlap between characters across the franchise. Ballard is its own thing, but it is a firm extension of the Bosch universe.
Ballard season 1 earned a perfect 100% Certified Fresh Rotten Tomatoes score, a feat that is not as impressive as it may seem, considering the original Bosch series got perfect RT scores for six of its seven series. On top of that, Bosch: Legacy earned a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes score across all three of its seasons. Basically, Ballard would not have stacked up to previous Bosch seasons if it hadn’t earned perfect marks from critics.
Why Bosch Became Such A Successful Franchise
It can be difficult to figure out what went wrong with some series that don’t win over critics or audiences. With Bosch and Ballard, that’s not the case. A series doesn’t earn perfect RT scores for 10 of its 11 seasons coincidentally, so the reason for the show’s success is simple – it’s just that good.
Bosch isn’t the type of franchise that gets much love during Emmy season, but, like Reacher, it knows how to speak to and entertain a vast audience. Its elite viewership speaks for itself, and Ballard’s two-month streak atop Prime Video’s U.S. streaming charts is a testament to its popularity and quality.
If you’re really curious about the whole franchise, every episode of Bosch is streaming now on Amazon Prime Video. If you just want to see what all the hype for Ballard is about, then entering the action thriller franchise that way is also a highly entertaining bet and a great way to spend your weekend.
0 Comments