Bosch: Second Half: As Fine as the First

I saw the rest of Bosch on Amazon  Prime last night, and, like a fine bottle of wine, it was as good as the beginning, which I reviewed here a few days ago.

Speaking of libation, I even learned something new in the series.  Bosch orders a "flat tire" bottle of beer.  I looked it up, and I'm going to try one myself at the next suitable occasion.

The story continues with its two-edged plot - that is, two kinds of murders, which may or may not be related, but continue to intersect almost until the end of this first season.  I won't tell you the ultimate outcome, but will say it that we get a great ride, alternately harrowing and satisfying, to get there.

What is most memorable and appealing about Bosch the character, and therefore Bosch the series, is the integrity he's able to maintain amidst the corruption and lies and near-corruption all around him. And he does this not in a high-handed way, but as someone who truly struggles with the difficult decisions and choices constantly thrown in his way, and pertaining not only to his professional but his personal life, which are almost constantly intertwined in this story.

Indeed, we learn more about Bosch's personal story in the second half of the season, with more about his former wife - a former profiler now working the people and odds in Las Vegas - and their daughter.  The acting continues to be top-notch, even in the smaller roles, including Scott Wilson (the memorable Herschel from The Walking Dead) and Alan Rosenberg (L.A. Law).   And the story lines of the supporting characters are rich and intriguing, including at least one unexpected affair with a colleague.

In addition to all of this, Bosch provides a complex political chess game, the outcome of which we don't discover until the very end.   Bosch the character is almost perfectly situated on this board, right in the middle, between the street and the upper brass, each of which want a different piece of his soul.

I'd now rate Bosch as one of the best cop shows ever on television, right up there, in different ways, with The Shield and The Wire.

See also Bosch: First Half: Highly Recommended

                   another kind of police story 

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