Titus Welliver, Jamie Hector and Amy Aquino in Season Five of ‘Bosch’

The Michael Connelly character Hieronymus (Harry) Bosch first premiered in a series of books begun in 1992. As this is written, the character has led to 24 distinct books and two distinct television shows. We focus here on the fifth season of the series Bosch (2014-2021), starring Titus Welliver in the title role. This season is based on Michael Connelly‘s book Two Kinds of Truth.

(From left, Chris Vance as Dalton Walsh and Titus Welliver as Harry Bosch in season 5 of the Amazon original series Bosch).

Season five of Bosch picks up fifteen months after season four, with the dust having settled from the Elias case led by Harry Bosch, the exemplary accomplishment of having solved a case with ingenuity for Detectives Moore and Johnson, Eleanor Wish’s murder and its aftermath, and finally some firm knowledge underpinning precisely why Harry Bosch‘s mother in fact died. The season quickly moves past this into a pharmacy murder by men in masks pitted next to the review of an old case from early in Bosch‘s career. The case, investigated by Chief Irvin Irving and Harry Bosch, could raise uncomfortable questions about several closed should things go badly. The late Lance Reddick portrayed Irving.

(From left, Jacqueline Pinol as Detective Julie Espinosa and Jamie Hector as Jerry Edgar in season 5 of the Amazon original series Bosch).

The old case up for a review leads Bosch to hire attorney Honey Chandler, the attorney opposing Bosch‘s professional interests in the season 4 Elias case, to defend him against charges of planting evidence. Hector Bonner does much of the investigation on Bosh’s behalf. Meanwhile, Maddie Bosch is working in the Los Angeles Police Department through the summer, with an interesting balance for her between loyalty to her father, personality traits of her mother, and potential romantic feelings budding through the season. Mimi Rogers portrayed Chandler as Ryan Hurst portrayed Bonner.

(From left, Gregory Scott Cummins as Detective Crate Moore and Troy Evans as Detective Barrel Johnson in season 5 of the Amazon original series Bosch).

An interesting side story, as Bosch investigates the pharmacy murder turned pill mill undercover case with Jerry Edgar, becomes the ongoing story of the age of partner detectives Crate Moore and Barrel Johnson, as portrayed by Gregory Scott Cummins and Troy Evans. The response the two had to a crime in progress made a situation worse, led to a punishment for the detectives, and in the process created a headache for Lieutenant Grace Billets. Billets, as portrayed by Amy Aquino, work to defend Johnson and Moore while the two uncover an unethical yet real world practice of reporting borderline felony crimes as misdemeanors to improve the departmental records.

(Madison Lintz as Maddie Bosch in season 5 of the Amazon original series Bosch).

This headache for Billets happens in parallel to the pill mill case that sees Harry Bosch lose contact with Jerry Edgar. This off the books methodology functions well outside the chain-of-command, with Billets sticking her neck out in not escalating this up the chain when she first catches wind of the judgment calls that would be sure to ruffle the feathers of Chief Irving, who has been managing his involvement with the Christina Henry investigation of Bosch, oversite of impropriety by police in their manner of contact with the public, and a further recommendation that he, Irving, consider a run for mayor. Bianca Kajlich portrayed Henry.

(From left, Amy Aquino as Lieutenant Grace Billets and Scott Klace as Sergeant John Mankiewicz in season 5 of the Amazon original series Bosch).

The ninth and tenth episodes of this ten-episode season were the best of this season, which originally released in 2019. The truth underpinning the individual characters continued to be spot on to the truths that had come before, while giving us new developments and character paths that help me wish to keep on coming back. I give season five of Bosch 4.25-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Saturday, September 16, 2023

Titus Welliver, Jamie Hector and Amy Aquino in Season Three of ‘Bosch’

The Michael Connelly character Hieronymus (Harry) Bosch first premiered in a series of books in 1992. As this is written, the character has led to 24 distinct books and two distinct television shows. We focus here on the third season of the series Bosch (2014-2021), starring Titus Welliver in the title role for the series.

(From left, Jamie Hector as Jerry Edgar, Titus Welliver as Hieronymus (Harry) Bosch and Peter Douglas as Tom Jay in the third season of Bosch).

Season three of Bosch picks up with a 16-months on time between the second and third seasons. Harry copes with the truth of the Los Angeles Police Department‘s role in his mother’s death, and that the guilty party had died without facing the truth. Harry‘s daughter, Maddie Bosch, as portrayed by Madison Lintz, has moved in with him as Maddie’s mother and Harry’s ex-wife, Eleanor Wish, has moved to Hong Kong with her current husband, Reggie Woo. Sarah Clarke portrayed Wish as Hoon Lee portrayed Woo. The conclusion to the Father Tabakian murder charges against Veronica Allen, with Tabakian portrayed by Jack Topalian and Allen portrayed by Jeri Ryan, intersects with Bosch‘s fragile emotional state right from the beginning of the season.

(From left, A.J. Tannen as Middle Aged John and Bridger Zadina as Thomas ‘Sharkey’ Niese in the third season of Bosch).

Three other cases gain Harry Bosch‘s interest in this season, one being the death the homeless Billy Meadows as witnessed by Army Green Beret Thomas ‘Sharkey’ Niese. Another is the murder of Donatella Speares, which has led to a trial against Hollywood movie director Andrew Holland. A complicated alternate theory has former LAPD detective Rudy Tafero helping Holland to deflect guilt. A third case, the death of suspected serial killer Edward James Gunn, leads to Detective Jimmy Robertson, as portrayed by Paul Calderon, pursuing Harry for criminal charges. Chad Van Allen, Bridger Zadina, Ana Flavia Gavlak, John Ales, Arnold Vosloo and Frank Clem portrayed Meadows, Niese, Speares, Holland, Tafero and Gunn, respectively.

(From left, Titus Welliver as Hieronymus (Harry) Bosch and Amy Aquino as Grace Billets in the third season of Bosch).

A degree of slick handling through much of the storylines above, and what this means to different relationships between cops and for cops and their families, come to pass with this season. What will the appearances of corruption do to Harry Bosch and his partner, Jerry Edgar. Will Lieutenant Grace Billets get the promotion to captain that she has been seeking? Will interim chief Irvin Irving, with Mayor Hector Ramos getting reelected after Irving leaked a video that damaged Richard O’Shea, stay on as police captain? What happens to Harry Bosch, Maddie Bosch, Eleanor and Reggie. Jamie Hector, Amy Aquino, Lance Reddick, Yancey Arias and Steven Culp portrayed Edgar, Billets, Irving, Ramos and O’Shea, respectively. This season draws from the Michael Connelly books The Black Echo of 1992 and A Darkness More Than Night of 2001.

(Lance Reddick as Irvin Irving in the third season of Bosch).

The depth of storylines and detail packed into season three is accomplished remarkably well. Some storylines are resolved with this season while others are not. As with the Father Tabakian and Veronica storyline, clarity for a previous season comes into play with this third season. That Bosch, the Amazon original series, does this so well makes we want to keep coming back for additional seasons. I recommend this series, granting 4.75-stars on a scale of 1-to-5 for season three.

Matt – Saturday, October 29, 2022

Matthew Rhys, Juliet Rylance and Chris Chalk in season one of ‘Perry Mason’

Matthew Rhys, Juliet Rylance and Chris Chalk starred in the first season of HBO Original Series Perry Mason (2020- ). The updated series is set in the 1920s based on characters created by Erle Stanley Gardner. This incarnation of the Perry Mason series was developed and written by Rolin Jones and Ron Fitzgerald. That there would be a second season was announced in July, 2020.

(From left, Matthew Rhys as Perry Mason and Chris Chalk as Paul Drake in the HBO Original Series Perry Mason).

The opening season of Perry Mason offered a decidedly contemporary look into the origin stories and existing human relationships for existing characters known to many familiar with the original Perry Mason (1957-1966) television series or the series of detective novels. This series offers much in terms of offering backstories of characters in ways that would be borderline taboo even on modern day late night network television. Included in this would be the origin story of Perry Mason, as portrayed by Matthew Rhys, his complicated love interest Lupe Gibbs, as played by Veronica Falcón, and the stories involving Paul Drake, as portrayed by Chris Chalk. Diarra Kilpatrick portrayed Clara Drake, the wife of Chris Chalk.

(From left, John Lithgow as Elias Birchard ‘E.B.’ Jonathan, Juliet Rylance as Della Street and Shea Whigham as Pete Strickland in the HBO Original Series Perry Mason).

The story of the opening season of Perry Mason begins with some seedy investigations pursued by detectives Perry Mason and Pete Strickland pursuing seedy private investigation work. Pete Strickland, as portrayed by Shea Whigham, secondhand through lawyer Elias Birchard ‘E.B.’ Jonathan, as portrayed by John Lithgow. E.B. Jonathan, a lawyer down on his luck with his glory days in the past, employed Mason, Strickland, and substantially more than secretary Della Street. Street is portrayed by Juliet Rylance. Street is in a relationship with Hazel Prystock, as portrayed by Molly Ephraim, in the opening season.

(From left, Gayle Rankin as Emily Dodson, Tatiana Maslany as Sister Alice McKeegan and Lili Taylor as Birdy McKeegan in the HBO Original Series Perry Mason).

The case at the center of involves the kidnapping and death of Emily and Matt Dodson’s son Charlie Dodson. Gayle Rankin portrayed Emily Dodson as Nate Corddry portrayed Matt Dodson. The circumstances and political mechanization behind the ensuing investigation, along with the odd circumstances occurring at a radio religious ministry inextricably tied to the happenings of the death become connected to the events. Birdy McKeegan, as portrayed by Lili Taylor, Sister Alice McKeegan as portrayed by Tatiana Maslany, and Herman Baggerly as portrayed by Robert Patrick all have a hand in the prospects within and without the ministry connected to this case.

(From left, Robert Patrick as Herman Baggerly and Andrew Howard as Detective Ennis in the HBO Original Series Perry Mason).

Regarding the disappearance, death, and subsequent trials of Emily and Matt Dodson, police detective Ennis and policeman Paul Drake run afoul of each other in formulating the official theory of the crime. Andrew Howard portrayed Detective Ennis. The theory of the crime, and the subsequent prosecution of it by Maynard Barnes as portrayed by Stephen Root, who aims to make sure the facts to be presented at trial at a minimum will not be derailed due to clever investigation and mechanization by the investigations of Perry Mason, Pete Strickland, and others. The sense of desperation in what motivates some through the investigation and conduct of the trial, in addition to the self-motivation and crime that underpins how justice was operating through the season, certainly offered a grit to the storytelling that I do not recall from the original television series that I remember.

(Stephen Root as Maynard Barnes in the HBO Original Series Perry Mason).

The first season of the HBO series Perry Mason was an intriguing re-imagination of the original characters that were present. That the season chose to focus on a single case with deeper looks into the relationships of the people and the drama does service to a series airing on a premium cable platform. I’m all for additional seasons, acknowledging that the edge this series brings both in violence and sexual content will not be for all viewers. I grade for season one of Perry Mason at 4.0-stars on a scale of one-to-five.

Matt – Wednesday, August 26, 2020