The show was developed for Amazon by Eric Overmyer,[1] and the first season takes its inspiration from the Michael Connelly novels City of Bones (2002), Echo Park (2006), and The Concrete Blonde (1994).
It was one of two drama pilots that Amazon streamed online in early 2014 (together with The After), and viewers offered their opinions on it before the studio decided whether to place a series order.
Bosch's investigation almost threatens the life of his family, as he is also brought into another case that leads to a ring of dirty cops.
Bosch is identified as a suspect in the recent murder of Ed Gunn (a person who fits the MO of his mother's killer), and is doggedly pursued by veteran Detective Jimmy Robertson.
Concurrently, Bosch is monitoring an ongoing criminal trial involving a powerful Hollywood movie mogul who is under house arrest.
The director employs for his security a former 20+ year police detective, who proves to be a meddlesome and worthy adversary against Bosch and LAPD.
Chief Irving is frustrated by Bosch's lack of communication about the murder, the old case with newly discovered evidence, and his undercover work.
After a medical physicist is executed and the deadly radioactive material he had with him goes missing, Detective Harry Bosch finds himself at the center of a complex murder case, a messy federal investigation, and a possibly catastrophic threat to Los Angeles—the city he has pledged to serve and protect.
When a ten-year-old girl dies in an arson fire, Detective Harry Bosch risks everything to bring her killer to justice despite opposition from powerful forces.
Maddie assists Honey Chandler on a high-profile case that draws Bosch in and puts them in the crosshairs of dangerous criminals.
The hour-long pilot stars Titus Welliver as Harry Bosch, and co-stars Annie Wersching, Amy Aquino, and Jamie Hector.
[9] According to Connelly, "a fair [number] of changes" were made "to the world of Harry Bosch" "in making the shift from page to screen.
"[10] In the television series set in 2013, Harry "is 47 years old and a veteran of the first Gulf War in 1991," when he was a member of a Special Forces team clearing tunnels.
The site's critics' consensus reads: "An uneven boilerplate police drama is sharpened by gritty atmosphere, solid acting, and some rousing, suspenseful turns.
[32] Cory Barker of TV.com wrote that the series is "rock-solid and generally enjoyable without ever making much of an attempt to push boundaries," and praised Amazon Studios for "producing a show based on a book that somehow reproduces the experience of reading.
"[33] Neil Genzlinger of The New York Times wrote that the series is part of a long "list of brooding, taciturn small-screen police detectives," yet Bosch "proves gripping" due to good "plotting and pacing".
Club remarked that "the best thing about Bosch is how well it captures Connelly's Los Angeles," while noting that "the series' biggest stumbling block is that it's stubbornly slow-paced".
[35] Brian Lowry of Variety wrote that "the series has the texture and tone of an old-fashioned detective yarn," but "the transition from page to screen… proves too talky in places and clunky in others".
The site's critical consensus reads: "Bosch hones its pulpy strengths in a superlative sophomore season, executing its procedural formula with a no-nonsense panache that befits its title character.
The critical consensus reads: "Bosch's third season maintains the series' mastery over mystery, deftly interweaving story strands as sprawling as a Los Angeles intersection.
The critics' consensus reads: "Bosch continues its steady thrills in a fourth season that successfully navigates topical controversies.
[51] On November 15, 2023, another spinoff was announced, centered around Michael Connelly's character Detective Renée Ballard investigating cold cases.