Amazon UK TV review: Bosch Season 6
Review Overview
The Overlook
10Coltrane
10Dark Sacred Night
7Neil Brazier | On 24, Apr 2020
Season 7 of Bosch premieres on Friday 25th June 2021.
This review contains spoilers for Season 6. Not seen it? Catch up with our reviews of Season 1 to 5 here.
Bosch is back, but his return is bittersweet. Not because the action is any less explosive, nor because the drama is any less emotional, but because Season 6 is the penultimate run for Amazon’s no-nonsense detective. The long-running series may be concluding with Season 7, but even that isn’t going to stop Harry Bosch (Titus Welliver), LA’s gritty and unconventional homicide detective, from delivering justice and truth the only way he knows how – with good, old-fashioned police work. If he happens to rub some of the other government agency bureaucrats up the wrong way in the process, so be it. Season 6 proves why Amazon consistently kept giving Bosch early season renewals: they had faith in this show and this season is another home run.
Bosch might be just another detective show, but it continues to excel in its realism, even if this year, the case Bosch is working on borders on the far-fetched – a routine murder embroils Bosch in a terrorist plot thanks to some missing radioactive material. Even though that sounds like something more akin to 24, when painted with the Bosch brush, it feels every bit as genuine as if it were a routine B&E (yes, you will still need that book of police acronyms handy).
That’s just one of the many threads that weave the Season 6 tapestry together, so many, in fact, that if we were to list them, you may feel overwhelmed – and yet they work. The show jumps from scene to scene, some lasting mere seconds that initially may not seem to hold any context, but as the show stitches its story together, everything becomes clear. The show never feels rushed or as if too much is being thrown at you, despite every episode being fit to bursting with crime and investigation. The pace and flow of the season is superb and inherently watchable, perfect for binge-watching during quarantine.
Entering the sixth season of any show runs the risk of repetition, but Bosch counters this by expanding its ensemble. The supporting cast have always had a key role to play but they are more fleshed-out than ever this season and it really helps give a greater sense of depth to both the police department and LA county. From Chief of Police Irvin Irving (Lance Reddick) and his campaign for mayor to Lt. Grace Billets (Amy Aquino) and the pressure of the workplace, every role feels vital to the show and each character matters – none more so than Jerry Edgar (Jamie Hector) and Maddie Bosch (Madison Lintz), who stand out more than in any previous season.
Edgar had always been one of the more rounded characters, but he now feels as much a lead on the show as Bosch – he’s almost deserving of his name in the title. Leading an investigation of his own into dirty cops, as well as the growing Haitian influence under the ever so creepy Jacques Avril (Treva Etienne), Edgar is getting worn thin in his quest for the truth. Hector excels, with every sly look or wrinkle on his brow invested into his character portrait. Having spent five seasons gushing over how much Welliver embodies Bosch, the same plaudits should be given to Hector, who is as much a part of the series’ success as its eponymous star.
At the heart of the show, Maddie continues to be the warmth and sense to ground events when everything else is in chaos. Interning with Honey Chandler (Mimi Rogers) – another ensemble cast member we love to see more of – Maddie is on her own quest for truth and justice. Although her relationship with her father seems distant, with the pair rarely at home together and their dialogue being so clinical, it’s a relationship built on trust and honesty, even when Harry’s dealing with top secret cases. If you were still in doubt about just how much Bosch is devoted to his daughter and her safety, just watch as he threatens a member of the sovereign citizens who flaunts her name. It’s this veracious passion that makes Bosch the great cop he is.
If you’re a returning viewer (able to pick up on the returning faces and cold cases) or new to the show, you won’t find Bosch any less brilliant. The series never seems to dip or wane. It might be just another detective show and even if you think you know what to expect, the journey and emotional investment in what you’re watching (and the dog, don’t forget the dog) is worth every minute of your time.
Bosch: Season 1 to 7 is available exclusively on Amazon Prime Video, as part of a £5.99 monthly subscription. For more on the show, read our reviews of Season 1 to 5 here.