Bosch: Legacy – we didn’t watch. Could we have? Sure. But the thing is, it really just wasn’t something that interested us. However, when we heard that Maggie Q was headlining a new procedural – Ballard– you had our attention. We’d accept our ignorance of whatever had to do with Bosch: Legacy, and we’d embrace whatever Ballard would be about.
Nikita was once our favorite show, and we loved every single moment of it. It was a show that would have us jumping off the couch, screaming at the television, hanging on every word and action. Then there was Designated Survivor, which had her also kicking butt and taking names. It should be of no surprise that we’d be interested in Ballard.
We know that you are probably asking yourself if you have to watch Bosch: Legacy to know what is happening. The great thing is – you don’t. Ballard does live in the Bosch world – but on the periphery. It is its own world.
Ballard stars Maggie Q as Rene Ballard, who was once rising through the robbery and homicide division. She was banished to the basement to head up the underfunded cold case department. She’s the only full-time staffer, and everyone else with her is a volunteer. She’s asked to solve the cold case of a politician’s sister, and it’s that case that leads her to something a lot bigger than she could ever imagine.
But Ballard is up against a lot – because after whistle-blowing on a popular detective, her fellow officers turn their backs on her. She broke the code of silence, which, quite frankly, she was right in doing.
Even with the underfunding of her department and the way that everyone treats her, Ballard is committed to her job. She wants to solve cases, and whatever anyone thinks of her, they can think. The people who were supposed to be there for her weren’t. Yet, her team of volunteers is there for her unconditionally.
Thomas Laffont (John Carroll Lynch) was Ballard’s first partner and is retired, but volunteers to help her. Colleen Hatteras (Rebecca Field) doesn’t know what to do with her time, as she’s a recent empty nester and has spent her life devoted to her family. Now, Colleen is a true crime Reddit expert and needs to put away the computer. Martina Castro (Victoria Moroles) is an intern and has a unique perspective that helps the team. And lastly, there is Ted Rawls (Michael Mosley), who is annoying but is in private security and is basically watching over everything while trying to act like a cop. He’s buddies with the politician, and that means that we always have to worry about him ratting people out.
While some would say that procedurals are all the same, Ballard breaks the mold a bit. It’s unpredictable, captivating, and not afraid to push the boundaries. It’s filled with secrets and corruption, as well as a lot of action. Said it before and will say it again – couldn’t be in a procedural because of all the cardio. Not capable of it over here.
The team is looking into the politician’s sister’s murder, and that leads them to a John Doe case. At first, we were a little confused as to what the team was seeing and how it was all interlocked, but that’s part of the genius and inviting nature of the show.
As the team investigates, they come across the book of all the murders, and that leads them to Zamira Parker (Courtney Taylor), who was the original investigator of the case. She left the LAPD, and no one knows why. However, Ballard is not giving up on getting her to be part of the team.
What we do learn over time is that Parker left the LAPD due to trauma that she experienced from the same detective that Ballard reported. Ballard and Parker have that in common, but it does motivate them in different ways.
The 10 episodes of Ballard have good pacing – so much so that before you know it, you’ve gone through all 10 episodes. It seems that everyone is covering up something, and all of the LAPD is holding secrets. They’ll do anything to undercut Ballard and her team.
The twists and turns of Ballard are something that left us on the edge of our seats, wanting to figure out what was going to happen next. With Ballard, you get what feels like an inside look at the police department corruption and the people trying to solve the issues and weed it all out. Only the corruption goes higher and wider than expected.
The team solving cold cases is the heart and soul of the show. Each one is looking for a place to belong, a difference to make, and friends to have. Their different personalities balance each other out. Who you hate, love, dislike, and just wish you knew – that all changes with every episode.
The standouts for the 10 episodes are Q and Taylor. Each one of them feels relatable and brings their characters to life with such strength and vulnerability.
While we love Q and seeing her on the screen. She’s proven herself over and over as an actress, and this role – though it sounds like things she’s done before – is anything but. Q plays Ballard close to her chest. Yes, she’s experienced in the action and the drama, but I would definitely put Ballard in her top three roles of all time. The portrayal isn’t perfect, but that adds to it, as it makes Ballard a more relatable character.
Taylor is a phenomenal actress who we’re going to have to look up and see her other roles. She commands the screen, even when playing against Q. Taylor is meant for big things. Watching her, I felt like she was hiding something, but I also couldn’t wait to see her solve cases.
While procedurals seem to be a dime a dozen these days, Ballard manages to be less predictable and offer something new to the viewer. From the characters to the storyline to the cast and crew – everything felt fresh and new.
The cold case team is out to change the way that the game is played, and they don’t fail. They are rewriting the rules.
