Despite having a varied directory of content, different streaming services tend to have a certain genre specialization, which is considered to be their USP. With Netflix’s thrillers, mysteries, and true crime, HBO’s is mostly about innovative dramas that tackle a variety of themes set in different backdrops. Apple TV+ delves deep into grand-scale sci-fi, and Amazon Prime aces the grounded crime drama genre. One of the series that catapulted Amazon Prime’s popularity among fans of the said genre was Bosch, a procedural detective drama that is possibly the longest-running series on the streaming service as well.
Adapted from a series of novels written by Michael Connelly, Bosch revolved around the titular calculative, upright, hardboiled manhunter, Hieronymus ‘Harry’ Bosch, an war veteran and LAPD detective with two decades of experience on the force, as he skillfully untangled some of the riveting mysteries and conspiracies of Hollywoodland. After the series ended, a spin-off series titled Bosch: Legacy, chronicling a shift in Bosch’s career and life, released its first season last year. As its second season airs later this week, let’s go through some of the key plot points you need to remember to easily get into the flow.
Spoilers Ahead
What Do We Know About Harry Bosch?
As a veteran police detective, what sets Harry apart from the rest of the bunch is his personal code of justice and his effort to uphold his strict morals, even if it means going against the system he is serving. Growing up, Harry had a rather rough childhood as his single mother had to turn to prostitution to make both ends meet, and she was later murdered. Since then, Harry has had a soft spot for the powerless and strongly adheres to his personal ideology that either every life matters or none does. In fact, disgusted with the department’s failure to serve justice to downtrodden families, in the series finale of Bosch, Harry quits and decides to become a PI.
Ever since the death of his ex-wife Eleanor Wish, Harry has lived with his only daughter, Maddie, who is another protagonist of the spin-off series Bosch: Legacy. The series takes place a year and a half since the events of the finale of the original series and builds on the premise hinted at as viewers follow Maddie as she follows in her father’s footsteps to start operating as a rookie cop in the LAPD. In his new, more independent career, Bosch is being assisted by his occasional adversary, the cunning attorney Honey ‘Money’ Chandler.
New Developments: How Did Carl Rogers’ Trial Go?
The last season of Bosch had a side plot where Chandler was targeted by corrupt millionaire Carl Rogers; an attempt on her life was made by the hitmen hired by Carl; and Maddie, who shared an apprentice/student relationship with her, almost got herself caught in the collateral crossfire as well. Despite surviving, Chandler was mostly inactive for a major part of last season due to being in a comatose state, recuperating from her injuries. In the first season of Bosch: Legacy, she, along with Maddie and Bosch (who are practically her family at this point), try to bring Carl Rogers to justice when he is able to go scot-free by manipulating the judiciary system. Suffering from PTSD due to the last attack, she is still struggling to get a grip on her mental state. In the midst of her mental struggle, Chandler tries to pin down a civil case on Rogers and takes Bosch’s help to investigate the millionaire’s connection with the Russian mob.
Bosch gets involved in three separate cases at the same time. On one hand, he looks into Rogers’ fuel-stealing scheme against the Russians to pay them off in the first place and exposes him, which helps Chandler pressurize him to negotiate a deal for a civil suit against him. However, the Russians kill Rogers, which doesn’t help in assuaging Chandler’s PTSD bout at all; instead, she gets further entangled in the mess with the Russian mafia, which, thanks to Bosch and other operatives, gets resolved later. Bosch also gets busy investigating the murder of a certain Dr. Basu, for which a schizophrenic patient has been incriminated, who later gets acquitted due to a contradiction in the evidence. Probing further into the case, Bosch learns about his previous workplace’s involvement with the situation.
After being hired by an elderly billionaire, Whitney Vance, to find out his secret heir, Bosch rummages through a maze of conspiracies and cover-ups to finally learn about his biological son, Dominick Santanello. Unfortunately, Dominick had passed away previously, and Vance gets killed by his company’s profiteer execs, whose position remains at risk if a legitimate heir of the business tycoon indeed claims his legacy. However, Bosch manages to track down Dominick’s girlfriend Vibiana and their child, who were living in ignominy, and races against time to save them from the exec-sent hitwoman. After all is said and done, Bosch advises Vibiana to put her exorbitant wealth to good use.
What Happened To Maddie At The End?
Bosch: Legacy works as much as a spiritual continuation of Bosch as it does as a story about his legacy through his daughter, Maddie, as she tries to fit in with the force by accepting all the mentally agonizing stuff that her trade entails. Harry occasionally helps her with procedural intricacies, and she looks up to her father’s ideal while serving the downtrodden ones as well. Despite initially struggling to make a positive impression in the department, Maddie learns from her surroundings, adapts fast, and proves her mettle, leading to her getting acknowledged among her peers. As Maddie gets to know about the treacherous arena of crime up close and personal, her fear and anxiety about the well-being of her father increase, and similarly, Harry can’t help but worry about her safety amidst the brutal, merciless world. However, his worst fears manifest as, through the course of events, Maddie delves deep into a case of serial rape, and during the final moments of the first season, it is revealed she has been abducted by the suspected perpetrator.
What Can We Expect From Season 2?
The second season will pick up directly from the harrowing cliffhanger of the previous season, as Harry and Chandler will utilize every resource at their disposal to rescue Maddie from the clutches of the miscreant. It’s tragic enough that Maddie has to face the vicious reality so early in her career, and with her life at stake, Harry will undoubtedly find himself at his lowest, given his history of losing people close to him. It remains to be seen how he manages to pull himself up for the sake of his daughter and whether he can serve true justice in a situation that practically demands he become vengeful. All in all, the second season is definitely going to be the most emotional tale involving Harry Bosch, and viewers are more than eager to learn how that unfolds.
