Television Series Review of Bosch – Season 7

Television Series Review of Bosch – Season 7 – Amazon Prime

Like any police procedural book or television drama, the underlying theme is definitely justice. Season 6 had vengeance in it, with Jerry Edgar killing Jacques Avril. Season 7 explores the implications for a cop who takes vengeance and crosses that line. Throughout the season we see the negative effects on Edgar as he deals with his guilt. I found this a welcome addition to the main story lines.

This season follows three dominant threads. The season is loosely based on Michael Connelly’s novel, The Burning Room. The opening thread is about an arson in an apartment building that kills five people, including a ten-year-old girl. Harry Bosch takes the case very personally, wanting to get justice for Sonia Hernandez, the little girl killed in the fire. He and Edgar quickly find those responsible for the arson, but they want the one who ordered it. And that’s where the complications come in as Bosch and Edgar fight department politics.

The second thread involves the lawyer Honey Chandler and Bosch’s daughter, Maddie. So, while Bosch is busy trying to get justice for “the little tamale girl”, the name the press hangs on Sonia Hernandez, he also has to protect his daughter who has become caught up in a high-stakes Ponzi scheme gone wrong.

The third thread is internal police politics involving harassment of Lieutenant Grace Billets by an embedded white supremist group. One thing I found odd about this group, though, was that one of the prime perpetrators was Asian American. I’m not that familiar with white supremist groups, but from what I’ve heard, they are pretty much all white. Maybe I missed something on this, but I found that a little strange. And to be honest, I’m not sure this thread was necessary. I believe it was a political statement given Lieutenant Billets’ sexual persuasion.  The producers had to figure out something to weave in wokeness.

I think the production studio toned things down for this last season. The violence was muted. The only nudity was a trumped-up photograph. All sex was suggestive and off screen. Language was still an issue. I didn’t count, but probably ten to fifteen f-bombs per episode. I guess that’s just the way cops talk. Don’t tell that to Brian Shea, though.

I enjoyed this final season probably better than most. The three threads kept things hopping. And for the two main threads, there were plenty of sub-threads. I did keep waiting for them to somehow come together, so that heightened the anticipation. Plenty of twists. I do like Titus Welliver who plays Bosch. I’ve only read three of Connelly’s books, and those were a while ago, so I don’t really have an opinion on him as far as fit for the character, but I enjoyed his portrayal.

I read there is a spinoff series coming. I will probably have to check that one out. Even if you’ve never seen the first six seasons, you can watch this season and not be too much in the dark. The overall rating on IMDB was 8.5. I would agree with that rating.