logo
Ballard could hardly have been worse than Bosch Legacy, but it's actually great – here's why I'm loving Prime Video's hard-hitting crime drama

Ballard could hardly have been worse than Bosch Legacy, but it's actually great – here's why I'm loving Prime Video's hard-hitting crime drama

Yahoo18-07-2025
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.
If you weren't a fan of police procedural Bosch or its subsequent spinoff Bosch: Legacy, there's a good chance you're ready to write off Prime Video's latest installment, Ballard. Despite only being released on July 9, the new TV show has already got an astonishing 100% critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes…and that's excellent news for the franchise as a whole.
But it isn't just the smashing review score that's responsible for Ballard's success. If you've not already spotted it on our everything new coming to Prime Video in July 2025 list, the series follows LAPD detective Renée Ballard (Maggie Q) as she oversees a cold case in a new department. As you might imagine, it's all not as straightforward as that. Don't let Bosch: Legacy dissuade you from trying Ballard as it hasn't set an amazing example for crime fans wanting to tune in. Sure, the critic's score still stacks up (it also had 100% on Rotten Tomatoes), but Harry Bosch's (Titus Welliver) retirement was more of the same, and that got tired and stale as the years passed. Even though we drove a cop car head-first into a snooze fest, don't tarnish Ballard with the same brush.
Don't write off Prime Video's Ballard just because Bosch: Legacy was awful
Frankly, there's never been a better time to be a Bosh: Legacy hater than now. Ballard's return to the small screen has made stimulating and fresh crime drama look so effortless, it's difficult to see how the franchise avoided a new lease of life for so long. The fact we only briefly met Ballard herself during the finale of Bosch: Legacy doesn't hurt (she's a big part of Michael Connelly's original book series), but the new show's sprint towards success runs much deeper than that.
We start off strong with Maggie Q's casting – the actress is arguably underappreciated in the action movie genre she's cultivating as her own (Mission: Impossible III remains the best in my book, and she should have had a two-film arc at the very least). Her cold-case detective is sharp and commanding, relentless in the face of the city's challenges. So far, so good.
Then there's the storylines themselves. Ballard isn't choosing to play it safe, extending the danger we'd normally see within the department into the personal lives of characters we're growing attached to. Ballard beats up an intruder who enters her home, Samira Parker (Courtney Taylor) isn't afraid to be a voice for the most vulnerable victims, and corrupt police conduct is exposed and tackled without hesitation.
Prime Video has also played it smart by including Bosch as a cameo role in the new series. Those that did appreciate the main series and Bosch: Legacy don't have to do without him, but there's more than enough breathing room for Ballard to become its own programme. There are no shadows to stand in here.
So what are you waiting for? Ballard is the new TV show you need to be streaming this week. If nothing else, you might be inspired to kick a door down (or two).
You might also like
The Boys season 5: everything we know so far about the popular Prime Video show's final entry
Reacher season 4: everything we know so far about the hit Prime Video show's return
The best TV show on Prime Video? I can't stop coming back to this comfortingly cringey comedy series from the 2000s
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Hops and community are on tap at West Sacramento brewery, celebrating California Craft Beer Week
Hops and community are on tap at West Sacramento brewery, celebrating California Craft Beer Week

CBS News

time8 minutes ago

  • CBS News

Hops and community are on tap at West Sacramento brewery, celebrating California Craft Beer Week

Craft brewers statewide are showing off their brews to recognize California Craft Beer Week through Sunday, July 27. It's an effort to bring community and craft beer together while spotlighting California's best locally made brews. The special edition pint glass, designed by a Sacramento artist, is only $5 and supports the California Craft Brewing Association. Breweries like Jackrabbit Brewing Company are putting their best hop forward, putting a spotlight on their specialty beers and West Sacramento taproom. "You come in, have a pint of beer and get to know your neighbor," said Evey Ramos, the brewery's events coordinator. Jackrabbit's featured "Hop Stomper" beer was an instant best-seller, thanks in part to the familiar face on the can. The A's relocation to West Sacramento this season meant they met the moment by pitching an A's themed can -- with the mascot Stomper featured, it has already been a homerun. "It sold out of the taproom in a week and a half. It was crazy," said Ramos. The Hop Stomper is still sold out, but a new batch will launch in the taproom next week for purchase. With every pour, there's a purpose. The creative process starts in the brewhouse. "Tons of carbonation on this, which is what we go for," said head Brewer Mike Stone, pouring a glass directly from the tap in the cellar. The taste test is part of perfecting each brew. It comes after a lesson in Fahrenheit and fermentation. It's the science before the sip. "Our team just tweaks it one beer at a time," said Stone. The art is in creating something everyone can enjoy. "I worked corporate industry for seven years and found out I wasn't meant for a desk job and found my way into a brewery," said Stone."Watching other people enjoy something I've put a lot of time and effort into, that's the icing on the cake." Despite the dedication and drive, it's an industry in decline. In 2024, nationwide, more craft breweries closed than opened, according to the Brewers Association. In addition, last year the craft beer market also hit an all time low due to rising costs and declining sales. "I think any craft industry is difficult. You're making something with your hands, your heart, your soul and hoping people want to buy it. If you find somebody local who you love and want to support, then please, please do," said Ramos. Drinking and buying craft beer is what keeps the local taps from running dry. This Sunday, Jackrabbit Brewing is finishing off Craft Beer Week with a jazz concert fundraiser supporting local high school musicians. To purchase the West Sacramento-brewed beers, visit their website. Jackrabbit also recently launched a new venture creating custom craft beer cans for corporate of gifting needs. Customers can work with their in-house designer to create the perfect custom label.

Top 10 Podcasts for Managers and Mid-Level Leaders
Top 10 Podcasts for Managers and Mid-Level Leaders

Forbes

time8 minutes ago

  • Forbes

Top 10 Podcasts for Managers and Mid-Level Leaders

Brené Brown's "Dare to Lead" is one of the best podcasts for managers and mid-level leaders. Managers and mid-level leaders may have the hardest jobs in the workforce. They are tasked not with setting an agenda but with following one, motivating their employees to stay on task, focusing on the road ahead, and supporting the vision of leadership at the top. These managers are leaders in their own right but often limited in how much they can effect change, while also hearing complaints from above and below. Balancing all this can be a challenge, and so it helps to know that there are others experiencing the same difficulties and also reaping the many rewards that come with middle-management. This list of podcasts for new and seasoned managers and mid-level leaders can help you find inspiration, new approaches and joy in your job. The 10 Best Podcasts For Managers And Mid-Level Leaders This list was compiled based on podcast ratings on iTunes and other sites, social media presence of the podcast, expertise of the hosts, and quality and diversity of guests. Read on to find your next five-star listen. Hosted by renowned academic and storyteller Brené Brown and based on her book of the same name, Dare to Lead challenges listeners to innovate and create new approaches to leadership. Brown interviews celebrities, cultural tastemakers and thought leaders who give insights into finding your own leadership style and perfecting that approach. Some of her most popular episodes have focused on impostor syndrome, armored vs. daring leadership, creating brave spaces and defining daring leadership. Guests range from the incredibly famous, like Former President Barack Obama, to gifted communicators like author Ruchika T. Malhotra. This podcast is best for managers trying to define and hone their leadership styles. You can listen to Dare to Lead on iTunes, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio and Spotify. From Harvard Business Review, HBR IdeaCast features interviews with business leaders and managers and is hosted by HBR Executive Editor Alison Beard and Senior Editor Curt Nickisch. Each episode provides actionable tips for making day-to-day decisions easier and maximizing time. Topics range from finding ways to utilize artificial intelligence (AI) for training and project management to the wisdom of immigrant entrepreneurs. Guests include Moms Demand Action founder Shannon Watts, Harvard University President Emeritus Lawrence H. Summers and Amazon CEO Andy Jassy. This podcast is best for up-and-coming managers looking to establish their footing. You can listen to HBR IdeaCast on iTunes, YouTube, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio and Spotify. Host Adrion Porter started Gen X Amplified with Adrion Porter to give voice to the generation stuck between the Baby Boomers and Millennials. He focuses on mid-career leaders who have learned from both experience and observing those above and below them, offering unique insights into everyday leadership. Topics include reaching your full potential at work, creating a purposeful career path, recovering from burnout and how to cultivate empathy. Guests tend less toward celebrities and more toward authors, journalists and creators, such as CNBC's Jon Fortt, equity strategist and author Tara Jaye Frank and Ian Schafer, president of Issa Rae's Ensemble. This podcast is best for mid-career managers looking for inspiration as they aim even higher. You can listen to Gen X Amplified with Adrion Porter on iTunes, Audible, YouTube, Amazon Music and Spotify. Adam Grant, an organizational psychologist, delves into workplaces that have incorporated innovative strategies to make every day more productive and actually fun. His message on WorkLife with Adam Grant: Work doesn't have to suck, and anyone can play a role in changing the culture. Topics include improving meetings (oh hallelujah!), the pitfalls of charisma and how to avoid that trap, navigating bureaucracy, and how to stop chasing perfectionism. The guests include a mix of everyday people and workplace experts as well as the occasional A-list celebrity like Dolly Parton. This podcast is best for managers looking to encourage changes in their work culture but uncertain where to begin. You can listen to WorkLife With Adam Grant on iTunes, TED, Amazon Music, YouTube, iHeartRadio and Spotify. Radical candor is the idea of stating your honest opinion, the positive and negative, while exhibiting empathy for the other person. Kim Scott's book Radical Candor inspired this podcast, where Scott and Radical Candor co-founder Jason Rosoff speak to lead Radical Candor coach Amy Sandler about the concept and how to deploy it. Topics include deep dives on employee one-on-one sessions and how to improve them, the problem with vanishing vacations, how to become a boss, and how to give feedback to employees about their tone. Not every episode has a guest, but notable ones include Google Distinguished Designer Ryan Germick, The Economist's 'Bartleby' columnist Andrew Palmer. This podcast is best for managers looking to improve their communication skills. You can listen to The Radical Candor Podcast on iTunes, YouTube, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio and Spotify. You don't need to be an entrepreneur to benefit from EntreLeadership, from noted financial guru Dave Ramsey's Ramsey Solutions. Ramsey offers business and leadership coaching, with a generous dose of encouragement for those finding their footing in the entrepreneurial world—but these tips are also applicable to middle managers. Topics often touch on current events, such as the impact of tariffs on business, and managers can skip most of those. But the in-depth considerations of issues like when to intervene when someone you supervise is having a problem and when leadership structure becomes a problem are definitely worth your time. Ramsey uploads new episodes several times a week, too. This podcast is best for anyone looking for inspiration. You can listen to EntreLeadership on iTunes, YouTube, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio and Spotify. Hosted by twins identified only as 'The Recruiter' and 'The Expert,' The Career Salon With the HR Twins draws on their more than 38 years of combined experience in human resources and recruiting to advise listeners on critical aspects of business. Their fun rapport and curiosity make this listen fly by. Topics range from in-the-weeds breakdowns of performance improvement plans to hiring dos and don'ts from an attorney. The twins usually have at least one guest, often chief people officers or recruiters, but they also examine general trends in HR and offer insights based on their real-world experience. This podcast is best for managers involved in hiring. You can listen to The Career Salon With The HR Twins on iTunes, Overcast and Spotify. What have seasoned leaders learned over the years and how can managers put those lessons to work for them? That question drives The Global Leadership Podcast, hosted by Global Leadership Network executives Whitney Putnam and David Ashcraft. Whether you want to know how to manage conflict or increase productivity, they have answers. Topics include using science-backed theories that have helped high-level athletes in the workplace, how to focus on high-level work, and applying military strategies to the workplace. Guests are experts in their fields, which may be a Navy pilot, a bestselling author or a scientist, though sometimes it's just Ashcraft sharing his expertise. This podcast is best for managers struggling to focus their work who want to become more productive. You can listen to The Global Leadership Podcast on iTunes, YouTube, iHeartRadio and Spotify. LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock partner Reid Hoffman has experienced business success and knows how others can try to achieve it. His podcast, Masters of Scale, features other successful founders, CEOs and entrepreneurs who share how they overcame challenges and break down how they achieved their biggest triumphs. Topics include how to grow small businesses, navigating global expansion and ways AI can benefit managers. He also tackles timely issues in the news. Hoffman's list of guests is a who's who of the business world, including authors John Green and Suzy Welch, Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol and PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger. This podcast is best for managers looking for outside-the-box ideas. You can listen to Masters of Scale on iTunes, YouTube, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio and Spotify. No matter your identity, you can find inspiration and advice from Latina Leadership Podcast, an insightful show focused on navigating life and work with purpose and progress. Anjelica Cazares founded the podcast during the pandemic to help bring Latina women together. Other co-hosts are Olga Rodriguez, Susie Barrera and Andrea Diaz. Topics include maintaining mental health, the ups and downs of launching a new business, how to navigate working with family (a great niche topic that is hard to find honest coverage on), and finding reliable role models. Guests include a who's who of Latina women in business (plus many others), from IT executives to dietitians to health care providers. This podcast is best for managers looking for support and reassurance. You can listen to Latina Leadership Podcast on iTunes, YouTube, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio and Spotify. Grab your AirPods and plug in to any one of these insightful and often uplifting podcasts for managers and mid-level leaders to help you take your career to the next level.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store