Best of the Small Screen, Streaming Series No. 1

 


Welcome to this year's exploration of TV, the Best of the Small Screen. Throughout the year I'll be looking at my favorite shows in four categories: Network Sitcoms, Network Dramas, Cable Series and Streaming Series. We'll cap the exploration with my Top 10 shows of all time regardless of format. Check back each Saturday for another installment in the countdown!

Jerry Edgar: Golf is a great sport.
Harry Bosch: Golf is not a great sport. If you can smoke and drink while doing it, it's not a sport.

Bosch (2014-2021)
Starring: Titus Welliver, Jamie Hector, Lance Reddick, Amy Aquino, Madison Lintz, Troy Evans, Gregory Scott Cummins, Mimi Rogers, and Sarah Clarke
Favorite Episodes: "Chapter One: 'Tis the Season," Episode 1.01; "Chapter Nine: Magic Castles," Episode 1.09; "Chapter 10: Us and Them," Episode 1.10; "Heart Attack," Episode 2.06; "Exit Time," Episode 2.07; "Follow the Money," Episode 2.08; "Everybody Counts," Episode 2.10; "Clear Shot," Episode 3.09; "Ask the Dust," Episode 4.01; "Past Lives," Episode 4.04; "Rojo Profundo," Episode 4.09; "Book of the Unclaimed Dead," Episode 4.10; "Hold Back the Night," Episode 5.09; "Creep Signed His Kill," Episode 5.10; "Some Measure of Justice," Episode 6.10; "Por Sonja," Episode 7.08
About: While streaming platforms and series have exploded the past few years, there were still some gems in the early days. One of those is Bosch, which is old enough to have been part of the public pilot process Amazon Prime used to use to select series. That's actually how I first saw the show. It was one of few pilots I ever saw in that process that stuck with me, and one that I recommended go to series. Fortunately, I wasn't alone. It made it to series, and ran sever successful seasons. Based on the books from Michael Connelly, and adapted beautifully be Eric Ellis Overmyer, the series constantly delivered tense, well-crafted mysteries. And it soared thanks in large part to the work of Welliver in the lead role. He's incredible as Harry Bosch. The rest of the cast, particularly Hector and Reddick, are great in their roles, too. This was an incredible journey. It's a great series that never got enough hype. That's just one of the reasons it's my top pick for best streaming series.

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