I loved Bosch and the Bosch spinoff, up until Amazon pulled the rug out under it on that last season. Ballard picks up where the excellent string of shows left off. A lot of similar shows (The Lincoln Lawyer, Perry Mason) leave you waiting for the one or two good plot lines, but this season I was bought in on every single case they covered.
At first I was surprised by some of the negative reviews, but reading through a few on Rotten Tomatoes I’m pretty sure most of the negativity just comes from neckbeards being mad about the new female lead and some of the female-focused plot lines. So, If you think life is hardest for straight white dudes, this is probably not the show for you. Maggie Q is great as a protagonist, and Michael Mosley, John Carroll Lynch and Amy Hill excel every time they are in a scene.
Spoilers
The main plot line with the city councilman’s sister is excellent. I was surprised by the major twist, but it did not seem unbelievable. The subplot with the LA police officers was probably my favorite. It was more predictable, but still felt satisfying. The steps along the way also didn’t feel manufactured or unnecessary. The ending with Rawls makes me so mad. He’s the comedic centerpiece of the show, and I do not know if they’ll be able to replace that missing element next season.
My Score
IMDB Score
RT Critics
100
RT Audience
77