Latest news with #BoschLegacy
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
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
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
Time of India
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Is Ballard Season 2, with Maggie Q, happening? Here's the latest update
Ballard Season 2: Maggie Q's Ballard, which premiered on Prime Video on July 9, has created a buzz among fans for all the right reasons and received rave reviews. The series ended on a cliffhanger, leaving the audience eager to know if Ballard Season 2 is in the works. Unfortunately, there is no clarity about the same. Is Ballard Season 2 happening? Ballard has emerged as a hit and secured a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes, a review aggregator. However, despite being a success, it is yet to be renewed for a second season. However, Prime Video hasn't pulled the plug on it either. As such, the show is in limbo as of this writing. The streaming service will most probably decide its fate based on the viewership numbers and financial considerations. Maggie Q on Ballard Season 2 Ballard has proved to be a memorable release for Maggie Q. The actress received rave reviews with her layered performance. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, the actress said that she had 'no sense' of whether Ballard Season 2 would happen. 'Studios always have options. But we have a writers room, and they've been writing away. The arc for the second season is very exciting. But I've had a writers room hired before and then gotten canceled, she said. Ballard is a spinoff to Bosch and Bosch Legacy, which were cancelled after one season despite receiving positive reviews. When will Ballard Season 2 premiere if it happens? Ballard Season 2 might premiere on Prime Video sometime in late 2026 if it is greenlit. This of course is subject to production delays and logistics Ballard Season 2: Here's what may happen Ballard centres on the life of Renee Ballard, a compassionate detective, as he heads the LAPD's Cold Case unit. During the course of the show, she locks horns with and reprimands Olivias, a crooked cop. He is set to go to jail but that does not happen as he makes a plea deal. Following this, a furious Ballard confronts him over this development. He is soon found dead. Shortly thereafter, Ballard is arrested by her colleagues in connection with Olivias' murder. Ballard Season 2 may delve into the fallout of these events. It will also focus on the corruption prevalent the department
Daily Record
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Maggie Q's new project unveiled as fans demand season 2 of Prime Video's Ballard
Ballard has been a hit with Prime Video subscribers since it was released last week and lead actress Maggie Q is set to star in another thriller. Ballard star Maggie Q has been hailed as "absolutely fire" by avid viewers, yet she's already immersed in her next venture. The Bosch franchise creator Michael Connelly, who also penned Netflix's The Lincoln Lawyer, is the mastermind behind the new series Ballard, which shares the same fictional universe. Since its debut last week, fans have been captivated by the character of Ballard (portrayed by Maggie Q), an LAPD detective at the helm of the cold cases division, navigating professional tribulations. Social media has been abuzz with praise for the 46-year-old actress's portrayal, with numerous fans extolling her as "fabulous" and an "incredible star". Amidst the buzz surrounding the Bosch Legacy offshoot, Q has shifted her focus to a forthcoming project. Her IMDb page reveals that she's set to appear in the soon-to-be-produced series Can't Go Home. The crime thriller's synopsis hints at a gripping tale centred around "fugitive recovery agents Tom Desjadon and his partner KD Williams W.H.O. are in too deep." Set against the backdrop of Boston's criminal underbelly, the narrative follows two intrepid bounty hunters who opt for a life riddled with deceit and dread to evade retribution. Tom Mariano will embody Desjadon, while Jennifer Garner, renowned for roles in Alias, Juno, 13 Going on 30, and Daredevil, will play Williams. Q's role as Cam remains shrouded in mystery, with details of her involvement in the thriller yet to be disclosed. An official release date for Can't Go Home hasn't been confirmed yet, but it's anticipated to premiere later this year on Prime Video. As of now, there's no word on whether Q will return as Detective Ballard for a second series of Ballard. However, considering the show has garnered an impressive 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and received high praise on social media, it's probable that we'll see more from the programme.
Daily Record
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Everything Ballard star Maggie Q has been in from Nikita to Keifer Sutherland drama
Maggie Q has been making a name for herself in Hollywood for more than two decades and has won over a whole host of new fans with her leading role in Ballard. Ballard has finally landed on Prime Video, and viewers are raving about actress Maggie Q's portrayal of Detective Renee Ballard. Anticipation has been building for months ever since Maggie Q's Detective Ballard made an appearance in the final series of Bosch Legacy, assisting Harry Bosch (portrayed by Titus Welliver) with a case. Now, it's Ballard's turn to take centre stage as the drama premiered on Prime Video this week, much to the delight of subscribers who are captivated by the latest crime thriller. In the series, Ballard is charged with leading the cold cases department at the LAPD, supported by a team of volunteers. She grapples with some incredibly intricate cases while also dealing with her own internal battles within the force. As fans eagerly await news of a second series, let's delve into actress Maggie Q's career prior to her role in this Prime Video sensation. Maggie Q career so far Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Maggie Q, known for her role as Ballard, began her career modelling and acting in Hong Kong, where she starred in action films such as Gen-Y Cops and Naked Weapon. She later transitioned to major American productions, featuring in Mission Impossible III alongside Tom Cruise in 2006 and Live Free or Die Hard the subsequent year with Bruce Willis. Three years on, Q assumed the lead role in the iconic video game Nikita, playing a rogue assassin and spy rebelling against the secret government agency that trained her. Nikita ran for four seasons before concluding in 2013. The following year, she appeared in the sci-fi film Divergent, sharing the screen with Theo James from The Gentlemen and Shailene Woodley from Big Little Lies. In 2014, Q embraced the character of Lieutenant Beth Davis in the drama series Stalker, where she led a team delving into cases of stalking and cyber harassment. The show Stalker marked a pivotal moment for Q, as it was on its set that she encountered her now-husband and former colleague Dylan McDermott. Q's career took another significant turn in 2016 when she secured the role of CIA operative Hannah Wells in Kiefer Sutherland's acclaimed series Designated Survivor, following his success with 24. Since the release of Ballard on Prime Video, Q has been receiving accolades for her performance, with one enthusiast proclaiming she is "absolutely fire", accompanied by a fire emoji. Echoing the sentiment, another viewer expressed their admiration: "Only on the second episode of Ballard but OMG it's brilliant! Maggie Q is perfectly cast as Ballard". Using the "fire" emoji to emphasise their point, yet another fan praised: "Maggie Q is fire in Ballard - smart, serious crime drama done right."
Daily Mail
04-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Amazon announces massive change to streaming platform that will affect all customers
It's time for streamers to say their final goodbyes to Freevee. The ad-supported streaming service, that's home to originals like Jury Duty, Bosch: Legacy and Judy Justice and hit shows such as Schitt's Creek, will be discontinued in August. The Freevee termination comes after Amazon confirmed its plans to shut down the service and place all its content under the Prime Video brand. As a result, all Freevee originals will be moved to Amazon's streaming service and made available to non-Prime members under the 'Watch for Free' section. The company began taking steps to end Freevee last year by launching ads on Prime Video, which is included in a Prime membership for $14.99 a month, or as a stand-alone service for $8.99. Members can also pay an additional $2.99 to remove ads. Launched as IMDB Freedive in 2019, the service rebranded to IMDB TV before turning into Amazon Freevee in 2022. The ad-supported version of Prime Video later expanded to the UK, Germany, and Austria, and by November 2024, 44 percent of US Freevee viewers did not have Prime Video accounts, according to Ampere Analysis. While there are currently over 200 million Prime Video streamers, some members have been unimpressed with the company as a whole in recent years. Some of the fury was ignited after the company opted to raise its annual membership price to $139 from $119 in 2022. It started becoming 'unbearable' for some customers in January after they noticed the high number of ads in TV shows and films. Besides the streaming service issues, some shoppers have threatened to delete their Amazon accounts after the company axed a same-day delivery perk, raised the price of Amazon Music Unlimited, and discontinued its Try Before You Buy service. But Amazon is now expanding its same-day and next-day delivery services to over 4,000 small cities, towns, and rural communities. The move is meant to help shoppers who have limited delivery options. The company is now hard at work in preparing to launch its Prime Day sales event. The now four-day sales special has already begun offering early deals, including a $1/gallon discount on gas. Freevee is not the only streaming service to shut in recent years. Quibi, a service that featured reboots of Punk'd and Singled Out, crashed and burned eight months after its launch in 2020. Prior to its demise, Quibi was exploring potential sales options a month before announcing the shutdown and faced backlash for paying Reese Witherspoon $6 million to narrate a show on the platform. The Crackle platform ceased operations in 2024 after 20 years of operation. At the time, most of its stake was owned by Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, the owner of Redbox that filed for bankruptcy. With these streaming platforms biting the dust, Prime Video's primary competition includes services like Netflix, Hulu, Peacock, and HBO Max.
