FOR ONCE I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOU BOB!

My wife and I love Connelly and Bosch, and positivelty adore the audiobooks with Titus voice acting as Bosch. The ones that have Ballard have Christine Lakin doing the part of Renée and she IS the character, brought to life in full audio color. Ms Q is totally wrong for the part, not to mention the writing and production.  You nailed it!

Louis Judson

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Ballard merely a longform Law and Order. Predictable and dull. Wish more Titus Welliver. Commercials on Prime insulting. At least we get free shipping.

Oedipus

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I’m laughing. I watched 1 1/2 episodes and said, “this sucks.”

Was hoping for a “Bosch.” Not even f*cjing close!

John Hummer

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I was hoping this was going to be good. So disappointed. Couldn’t watch more than 2 episodes.

Loren Parkins

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I agree…give me Bosch

Jeff Laufer

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We enjoyed Ballard, flaws and all. For us, it was the writing. Bosch Legacy from the get go was so obviously underfunded. If you hadn’t watched either series and then watched any episode of Bosch and then an episode of Legacy,  you could see the difference in almost every aspect of the show. Just my opinion.

Bruce Greenberg

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Right on all accounts.

bepn

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Yeah but we got a cameo by J Edgar!

Tag Gross

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Bless you for going deep in this show. You’re a mensch. I watched 20 minutes and switched to something better. Ballard is Drivel.

Garrett Waltzer

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Nailed it!  I watched it all (mostly in the hope that some of the Bosch characters  would appear) but can’t really even remember whodunit.  Didn’t care.  Network cop show with wooden characters not even up to the level of The Rookie.  Sad, but maybe redeemable with a mostly new cast.  Sadly, most likely one and done.

Peter Burnside

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Ballard was a slog.

Josie Moore

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Wow.

Totally agree with you 100%.

Tom Cartwright

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Spot on

Doug Coleman

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But there WAS a J Edgar appearance! I think we loved Bosch so much that we like Ballard enough to keep watching it. But I really miss Bosch too.

Kevin Twit

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This show! I was so disappointed and like you, had to finish to see how it ended out of principal.

1. Knock off memes – the basement. Maggie Q is NOT Dept. Q.

2. The f*cjing car, seriously, another cop driving a vintage car???

3. The trailer at the beach. Okay, Bosch consulted on a film and made the big bucks to buy that mid century gem up in the canyon, but what is her backstory that her family has hung onto this million dollar park spot?

4. Wardrobe – former Hollywood Stylist here. First, those cut up t-shirts she’s wearing in her shed while she makes the surfboard…as carefree and independent as she attempts to be, these t-shirts were not aged at all. They look brand new. As for her trousers, well a little bit tight. The blouses are too high quality and custom fit for someone who lives in a trailer and drives a vintage car.

5. Rebecca Fields, the volunteer side kick. Sigh. I am tired of the chubby okay “fat girl” with the pretty face being the quirky, goofy side-kick. Such a trope.

And sneaking Bosch in for such a few moments, we never really get to remember what the issues were with them I barely recall the episode in Bosch where they meet and or clash. But his hair! That hair parted on the side…so odd.

Everyone I talk to about this is stunned. Yet we watched and are continuing to talk about it.

Thanks for always showing up and pulling back the curtain, Bob

Cheers,

Linda Zrroz

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I watched Ballard for the same reason as you, because I wanted to see the level in which Titus was involved.  The show was just ok.  There is too much available to spend time with “just ok.”

Clyde Bass

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I don’t pretend to have a critic’s skill or experience such as yours but perhaps sometimes it’s a blessing. In the case of the show “Ballard” I understand (I think) some of your issues with the series but I also think you are way off base with Maggie Q’s role. I have read every Michael Connelly book including all the Renee Ballard books. It is not clear from your review that you have. Renee Ballard, like Harry Bosch, is a very complex character with a lot of issues – and she is definitely NOT a warm and fuzzy person. Yes, I am a Maggie Q fan and I’m not sure how you think Ballard should be portrayed but I think she is spot on for the character. The fact that she has essentially the same ethnicity as the character is just a part of the deal and makes it that much more believable.

I agree that this series, so far, is no Harry Bosch but then what is? It may or may not go as many seasons but I think you need to just either give it a little more time or simply let it go.

Thanks for your newsletter – it always  invites a response!

D Roger Pederson

Mpls, MN

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Agreed: Ballard is awful. I couldn’t finish the first episode. But I think you’re too hard on Maggie Q. The problem is the terrible writing. I don’t think any actor can fix it.

Robert Saenz

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The very first time that Ballard appeared in a Connelly Ballard was at Green Lake in Seattle, I read a bunch of it and I swore even if Bosch appeared it couldn’t be held together. I have never have or or will read or watch that again.

Pat Mallahan

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I have to say, a big letdown from Bosch. As you say, formulaic and very ‘Mannix’-ish. I don’t dislike Maggie Q as much as you do, but it’s a far cry from Welliver in a leading role

bfletcher28

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You nailed it. Something is way wrong with Maggie Q on this show. She is so self-conscious.  Hair always perfect. Never a convincing moment in that role. Not for one second. They need to dump her. Then again, there is little else to care about in that basement. Hard pass for me.

“The Day of The Jackal” and “The Recruit” are so much better in every way:  casting, script, acting, action. They would both be huge if they had that kind of push “Ballard” is all hype. Nothing more.

Susan Levy Rash

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Thanks for warning me. I also started watching because of the connection to Bosch, but I just can’t even get through the first episode… 🙁

– Roy Liu

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Couldn’t even get through the first episode. 20 minutes in I was out.

Kelly Gross

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My wife and I gave up after the first episode, but part of it was also the partner. Having two big-nothings as the heart of a show signals failure on all fronts.

Christopher Hall

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As a big BOSCH fan and shows of that nature, I was pleased to watch this new show.
As I began watching it,I didn’t even realize that Bosch and company would even be involved.
I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to the new series.

Rita Gentry

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stop Asian hate

Borsch

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Sadly, gotta agree. Her character in the books is better drawn – with an actual inner life – and not totally devoid of humor

Steve Dougherty

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Well, you totally got this one right?.. we were sucked in waiting for something to happen.. we have no idea how this actress Maggie Q got the gig.. it was like watching a wet noodle.. and now there’s gonna be a season two… yikes

Peace,Jason Miles

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Hi Bob, I couldn’t agree more with your scathing review of Ballard.  It deserved it. I remember reading after Bosch Legacy was over that they  planned to do 2 shows. One was Ballard and the other one was the great J.Edgar. Two spin offs. We all know and love J.Edgar….aka Jamie Hector aka Marlo Stanfield and so many others. And then they pulled the J. Edgar show. Big mistake. Who knows why but whoever makes those decisions made the wrong one.  I desperately missed the Bosch supporting cast as well.  Ballard stinks.  For J. Edgar, I would have been counting the days for it to start.

Janice Rosen

Toronto

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I must disagree.

Maggie Q is good actress with martial arts skill. Your guy Titus is habitually self-conscious and although he’s improved over the years, he has trouble walking, never mind acting.

But the star of Bosch, Ballard and the Lincoln Lawyer is Michael Connelly and the key supporting actor in all three shows is Los Angeles.

Ballard is already a hit and its very strong female cast is a big part of the reason.

Keith Brown

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Sadisticly cruel and un-called for. Go ahead and criticize pointedly but leave the personal knife-twisting out, after  you’ve made your point. (Repeatedly). What did she ever do to you? So unnecessarily cruel.

I’m starting to worry about you, Bob.

Rosalie Howarth