Ballard Review
Director: Patrick Cady, Sarah Boyd, Jet Wilkinson, Logan Kibens, Nefertite Nguvu, Tori Garrett and Jon Huertas
Date Created: 2025-07-09 14:13
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Ballard Review: Directed by Patrick Cady, Sarah Boyd, Jet Wilkinson and others, this Prime Video’s newest crime thriller series, created by Michael Connelly and similar to his popular Bosch series, this spin-off focuses on the gritty and smart detective Renée Ballard. The series stars Maggie Q in the lead role with the support of Michael Mosley, Rebecca Field, Victoria Moroles, Titus Welliver, Courtney Taylor and John Carroll Lynch, and others. Season 1 has 10 episodes, each approximately 45 minutes, so it is not that hard to see the entire series over a weekend if you are a crime drama enthusiast.
Based on Michael Connelly’s best-selling novels, Ballard is the LAPD’s newest Cold Case division. Renée Ballard, the commander of this underfunded and underappreciated division, is trying to make progress on cold but not quite dead-end cases that have never been solved. With the help of the retired detective Harry Bosch and her small team, she digs up dark secrets, like a serial killer case and police corruption within the force. The series adds psychological heft to hard-boiled police work and suspenseful storytelling.
Ballard Review
As a fan of detective dramas, I was interested in seeing what Prime Video’s Ballard had in store. Cold cases are inherently mysterious and intriguing, and this show does a good job of conveying that attraction. Maggie Q is the star of the show. Her portrayal of Renée Ballard is subtle but forceful, cool but with some fire behind it when needed. She wasn’t hamming it up for the camera or overacting, and that’s why she’s believable as a hard-boiled detective.
She has this sort of quiet strength that keeps the entire show grounded. At the moments when she’s defying a superior officer or consoling a grieving family, Maggie Q has this quality of being so realistic that you’re not just watching a character; she makes you feel like you’re watching a person.
But for all that, I loved her great work, but I could not keep up with the series. My biggest complaint against Michael Connelly’s Ballard was its pace. Some episodes were gripping, and I did not want to miss the next episode, but some were slow and plodding. I think there were just so many instances when I felt that the show was trying to give us too much at one time in a season. We had the side-cases that were not part of the overall story, and they would kinda stall the flow when things were starting to build up.
Instead of feeling suspense, these were interruptions that made the overall mystery less significant. The cast is the show’s biggest weakness. Some of the actors manage to do well with what they’re given, but the others are wasted or unnecessary. We don’t care about them, since we don’t know anything about them, where they’re from or why they would be doing what they’re doing. In some scenes, their actions don’t make any sense or are over-the-top, and it detracts from the tension the show is trying to create. I wish that the writers had developed these people more and given Ballard’s crew more depth.
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The main mystery that we discovered throughout the season was well set up. I was interested to see Ballard solve it, and what other secrets would be revealed. But by the final episodes, the plot had escaped me. Without revealing too much, I’ll just say the finale was rushed and not very believable. Or something ingenious, at least, something emotional, but no, it just left me feeling let down. There needed to be a better punchline.
There is also an attempt to depict Ballard’s private life, particularly how close she was to her grandmother. And while I appreciate the show’s attempt to give her an emotional journey, these scenes didn’t really work for me. The family scenes were more of a distraction to the rest of the storyline and didn’t contribute much to her character development. I believe authors could have delved more into this subplot or emphasised more of her working life.
But Ballard still has many strengths that make it worth watching. The overall tone of the show is gritty and realistic, and this is not just a cops and crooks show (though it is that as well). Bosch’s world is name-dropped with a little subtlety. Viewers of the show will appreciate the chance to see Harry Bosch again, but he does not overwhelm Ballard. It’s her show, naturally, and the show does her the honour.
Though Prime Video’s Ballard was not exactly what I could have hoped for, I can see a great future in store for upcoming seasons. Give the women credit where credit is due, because the lead actress, location, and premise are all top-notch. If the writers can allow themselves some time to reel in the story a bit, develop the supporting cast and hone the pacing, Ballard could very well be one of the best crime dramas in a sea of them.
Prime Video Ballard Review: Summing Up
Overall, I’d call Ballard series a decent beginning to season one of the Bosch saga. It has flaws, no doubt, but it’s got its share of strengths, enough of them to keep an audience engaged. It’s a good bet for fans of detective procedurals or slow-moving mysteries. Just don’t expect fireworks in season one.
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