Featured Image Credit: Amazon Prime Video
Topics: Amazon Prime, Streaming, Film and TV, US News, Los Angeles
Liv Bridge
Topics: Amazon Prime, Streaming, Film and TV, US News, Los Angeles
A spin-off of a cult cop drama has raced to the top of Amazon Prime's chart, with fans calling it ‘proper binge-worth stuff’.
When it comes to a nail-biting, binge-worthy drama, there are few that do it better than a police crime show based on Michael Connelly's novels.
The best-selling author has been behind some blockbuster hits in the past two decades, from Blood Work, starring Clint Eastwood in 2002, to The Lincoln Lawyer, starring the iconic Matthew McConaughey in 2011, and Netflix's own adaptation of the movie into a TV series featuring Manuel Garcia-Rulfo in 2022.
Now, fans are raving about a hidden gem that's just dropped on Amazon Prime.
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The show is based on a spin-off of Bosch, a US police drama series that drew inspiration from the work of the GOAT and bestselling author of detective novels, Connelly.
Ballard is set in Los Angeles and without giving any spoilers away, follows the story of LAPD Detective Renée Ballard (played by Nikita's Maggie Q), as she commandeers a newly formed cold case unit.
There is police corruption, cover-ups, conspiracies, mysteries and scandal a' plenty, so it's clear to see why fans are binging through it all in one sitting.
Check out the trailer below:
"Anyone looking for a good new TV show to watch, I'd highly recommend Ballard on Prime Video. Proper binge worth stuff," said one fan on Twitter.
Since its premiere on the streaming platform on July 9, the show has shot to the top of the Prime's viewing charts in the US and boasts a perfect 100 percent Rotten Tomatoes score to boot.
"Ballard felt different from the start," penned another critic. "The show gradually adds layers that unfold as the story progresses, and by the end, it all comes together nicely.
"I also really appreciate shows that release all episodes at once, so you can choose your own pace. I ended up watching quite a few in a row and it's a solid ride."
The reviewer further praised Maggie Q for her 'strength' in her character, to which another agreed writing: "As a longtime Maggie Q fan, I've always felt she hasn't been given nearly enough roles that showcase her full range.
"Outside of Nikita and the criminally short-lived Stalker, we rarely got to see her dig deep into a role that matched her capabilities. Ballard changes that-and then some.
"As Detective Renée Ballard, Maggie Q doesn't just lead the show-she owns it. Her performance is a compelling mix of grit, intelligence, empathy, and quiet resilience. It's the kind of nuanced, powerful work that reminds you just how underutilized she's been until now. This is the role she's long deserved, and she meets it with both power and grace."
Others said they liked how the show keeps it real - as in injuries that don't magically disappear throughout the series.
"It's a small detail, but it adds a lot of realism, something many shows skip, and it was refreshing to see here," another critic noted.
Rating the show a whopping nine out of 10 stars, another viewer confessed they are a 'huge Bosch fan' as well as Maggie Q and Connelly and so were anxiously awaiting for the season to be released.
Well, the wait was apparently worthwhile as they said it the show is worth 'every single minute of your time.'
Ballard is available to watch on Amazon Prime.