Bosch
Bosch
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Bosch centers on a hardened Los Angeles homicide detective with a complicated past and a strict sense of justice, a man who may or may not be a hero. Violent imagery includes shootings, dead bodies, and autopsies, plus some physical combat and depictions of child abuse. The main character drinks socially and smokes cigarettes, and characters use strong, unbleeped language like "f--k" and "s--t." There's also female nudity in some episodes and some light sexual banter between male and female characters.
What's the Story?
While standing trial for the murder of a suspected serial killer he shot in self-defense, veteran LAPD homicide detective Hieronymus "Harry" BOSCH (Titus Welliver) discovers the bones of a 13-year-old boy who was brutally murdered. But as the facts of both cases unfold, Bosch must come to terms with his own dark past.
Is It Any Good?
Inspired by Michael Connelly's bestselling crime novels, Bosch blends plot lines from two different Harry Bosch books with new material to create an ultimately compelling original series that's part crime drama and part character study. But whether you enjoy Amazon's take on Bosch will largely depend on how much you enjoy Bosch himself, because, in many ways, it's all about him.
Welliver effectively shoulders that burden with a portrayal that's both gritty and playful, and he generally makes the dialogue work -- although some of the show's secondary characters are less than believable. What really sells the series though are the cases themselves, which hook you with their horribleness and haunt you with their humanity.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Bosch's complex lead and whether he's a positive or a negative role model. Does a person have to be perfect to be worthy of praise? Is Harry Bosch a hero, an antihero, or something in between?
How important are jazz and the city of Los Angeles to Bosch's overall tone, and why are they so prominently featured? Can inanimate elements like music or location actually function as secondary characters?
How does Bosch compare to other dramatic series about violent crime? Does the fact that it airs on Amazon allow it to do things other crime dramas can't?
TV Details
- Premiere date: February 6, 2014
- Cast: Jamie Hector, Annie Wersching, Titus Welliver
- Network: Amazon Prime Video
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Book Characters
- TV rating: TV-MA
- Last updated: February 26, 2022
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Sherlock
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For kids who love drama
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