Author Michael Connelly’s fans get a double dose of his mysteries on screen in May with the new Lincoln Lawyer series on Netflix and IMDb running a variation on the Bosch program. Readers know that the two title characters often work together; however, both got licensed separately for movies, so must stay apart on screen. That approach continues to work well for the Bosch: Legacy series, which picks up with the detective quitting Hollywood Homicide but staying in the area as a private eye.
This switch in work connections means losing some favorite people from the previous seven seasons — not a problem since Titus Welliver stays on board; his determined manner capturing the bulldog investigator whose strong moral code cuts him off from the mainstream. Basics of the former series’ appeal remains even though specifics change.
Similarly, change proves no problem with the book-to-screen modifications, including the loss of the Lincoln Lawyer and his ties to Bosch. The lawyer gets a stand-in, with Mimi Rogers filling in as a defense attorney who blends qualities of a sleek shark with those of a mother grizzly. Add in Madison Lintz returning as the detective’s daughter, and the revamped Bosch: Legacy feels like a natural continuation of the well-made mystery series.
The biggest change comes with distribution — Amazon Prime members find it on their IMDb tab. The newish channel, whose letters stand for Internet Movie Database, includes commercial breaks — another alteration to the program and one that interrupts the flow of action. My only other complaint comes with the end of episode 10: a cliffhanger geared to lure viewers back for another season. Bosch, the character, would snarl at greedy producers, knowing that a well-made show can stand alone on quality and needs no tricks and gimmicks to earn a return audience.
This review aired on KUNR FM on Friday, May 13.
Robin Holabird is KUNR’s entertainment reviewer, author, and former film commissioner for the Nevada Film Office. You can browse a full archive of her reviews here.
