Summary
- Harry Bosch's role in Ballard series is reduced, despite being a co-lead in the books.
- Amazon's decision was likely influenced by target audience age preferences.
- Fans were disappointed as Bosch: Legacy was canceled, hoping for a joint Bosch-Ballard series.
Fans are preparing to say goodbye to Harry Bosch's solo stories in the third and final season of Bosch: Legacy, which is set to air on Prime Video in March 2025. However, this won't be the last time fans will see Harry Bosch as he'll appear in three episodes of the Ballard spin-off's first season. It seems strange that Titus Welliver will only be appearing in a recurring role, as Harry Bosch is a co-lead with Renee Ballard in Michael Connelly's recent books.
Ballard season 1 will be based on Connelly's book, Desert Star, with Bosch: Legacy also being partly based on this book, as well as The Black Ice. Renee Ballard is obviously the lead character in the spin-off, but she's only ever featured in one solo book, so it's a bit baffling why the show isn't actually a joint Ballard and Bosch series, especially as Bosch: Legacy has now been canceled.
Hollywood Needs To Support The Save Bosch: Legacy Petition
Hollywood could be the key to the success of the Save Bosch: Legacy petition, but they need to speak up.
It Makes No Sense For Harry Bosch To Be A Recurring Character In Ballard As He's The Co-Lead In Michael Connelly's Books
Fans were super excited about the expansion of the Bosch-verse with the upcoming Ballard spin-off series, but that was before Bosch: Legacy was canceled in September of this year. The Harry Bosch guest spots in Ballard initially felt like a bonus feature to compliment his solo stories in Bosch: Legacy. A bit more Bosch for your buck, so to speak. Well, this clearly isn't the case, and now fans are facing up to reality: Harry Bosch is now a side character in his own universe. Amazon knew for a while that they planned to ditch Bosch: Legacy after season 3, so surely they could have planned to migrate Harry Bosch over to Ballard as more than just Ballard's lapdog. If this is the future, they might as well just bring Bosch's dog, Coltrane, over to the Ballard series to help solve the cold cases.
Knock On Doors
Bosch and Bosch: Legacy are relatively faithful to the books, with each series adapting two of Michael Connelly's literary masterpieces. Of course, things change, and they aren't limited to a direct adaptation of the source material. However, there are some things that should never change and one of those is Harry Bosch's central role in the story. When fans thought Bosch: Legacy would crossover with Ballard, and the shows would act like a one-two punch every year, it made sense that Harry Bosch's role in Ballard would be smaller, as their stories would overlap. Now Bosch: Legacy is ending, Ballard doesn't appear to be following the main idea of Connelly's more recent books, which are billed as joint Bosch/Ballard adventures.
Save Bosch: Legacy Key Facts
- A petition to Save Bosch: Legacy can be signed HERE
- 100% Critics Score on Rotten Tomatoes
- Bosch: Legacy helped to launch Amazon's streaming service
Bosch: Legacy's Cancelation Should Make Harry Bosch's Role In Ballard Even More Important, But He Is Being Sidelined
Renee Ballard's first appearance in Michael Connelly's book series was in The Late Show back in 2017. This was Ballard's own story, but it was the first and last time she was the main solo lead. Ballard's next five book appearances were joint stories alongside Harry Bosch. So, if Ballard is to run as long as Bosch and Bosch: Legacy, surely Harry Bosch needs to get top billing alongside her in order to faithfully adapt the main beats of the story. It sounds like Ballard is going to have a similar problem to The Lincoln Lawyer on Netflix, where other characters have to be used to replace Harry Bosch's role in the story (in this case, due to issues with the rights being owned by Amazon). However, Amazon shouldn't have this issue with Ballard, as they own Harry Bosch. So, common sense would suggest they should just do a joint Bosch/Ballard series. Titus Welliver's schedule has been freed up after the cancelation of Bosch: Legacy, so why not?
Renee Ballard and Harry Bosch's Joint Book Appearances
- Dark Sacred Night (2018)
- The Night Fire (2019)
- The Dark Hours (2021)
- Desert Star (2022)
- The Waiting (2024)
Reading between the lines, based on Amazon's strategy with other shows on their platform, it appears there has been a shift in focus as to the kind of shows they think they should be making, as opposed to what the loyal fans want to see. So, this algorithm Amazon uses, which apparently tells them they must make shows aimed solely at a younger audience, is probably why a show like Bosch: Legacy has been canceled. Two of the co-leads are over 60 and this just doesn't fit in with their quota. Therefore, a joint series with Ballard and Bosch just doesn't fit their agenda either, and that seems to be why Titus Welliver has been relegated to a minor role, and the show is simply called Ballard.