Ballard (Season 1/USA/2025) Series is a contemporary crime drama set in Los Angeles, wherein the protagonist, Detective Renée Ballard (Maggie Q), heads a newly formed cold-case unit primarily comprising a team of interns and volunteers. It seems that not many in the LA Police Department want her to succeed.
It is worth mentioning that the fascinating lead character of Detective Renée Ballard has been created by author Michael Connelly. In his book series, as a seasoned police detective, she is known for her relentless determination, deep empathy, and skilful talent in solving complex crimes and hidden conspiracies.
Notably, Renée Ballard comes from the world of Harry Bosch and the Lincoln Lawyer Mickey Haller created by author Michael Connelly. So, go ahead and also read the reviews of the Bosch: Legacy, The Lincoln Lawyer (S1 & S2) and The Lincoln Lawyer (S3) in our magazine.
“Ballard” Takes On The Cold Cases, A World Dominated By Quite A Few Male Chauvinists & Unknown Criminals
Spoiler Free Review of the Ballard (Season 1/USA/2025) Series
Trailer & Synopsis
Detective Renée Ballard (Maggie Q) plunges into a web of murder and corruption as she hunts a ruthless serial killer and uncovers a sinister police conspiracy that threatens everything she stands for. With her own demons nipping at her heels, Ballard must outwit both criminals and colleagues to bring long-overdue justice to the victims and their families.
The introduction
Ballard (Season 1/2025) is based, at least in part, on the author Michael Connelly’s novel, “Desert Star.” Notably, the book series penned by Michael Connelly centres around LA Police Detective Renée Ballard as she relentlessly seeks justice through a range of intriguing cases. Now in this series, she has been asked to head a cold-case unit, which has an office in the basement. Besides, the majority of the people working alongside her in the cold-case unit lack the formal police training of any kind. So, in a way, the top police brass have set her cold-case unit for certain failure. But can she prove all of them wrong?
Compelling & suspenseful collection of eold cases
In this police procedural series, LA Police Detective Renée Ballard and her inexperienced cold-case team are trying to solve a bunch of intriguing crimes from the distant past. Most of these cases have gone cold because either they were deliberately sabotaged by the bad cops or perhaps the cops were not up to the challenge. Anyways, like the above-mentioned shows from the said author, there is one primary lead cold case of murder to be solved by her team. But, with ten episodes, there are a bunch of other cold cases, belonging to the missing, accidental death, police corruption, me too, etc. Then, there are murders and grievous attacks, too.
Not to forget, the usual action sequences, with the usual guns blazing shots. All of these police cases have been stitched together in a captivating manner, making it an entertaining watch as her small team tries to solve them.
Maggie Q leads an appealing pack of the ensemble cast
Maggie Q plays the principal character, Renée Ballard, in her charming way. She portrays a battle-hardened police woman who has been wronged and demoted by the police department. But her inherent qualities like boldness, intelligence, immense willpower, fighting spirit, persistence, etc., help her fight back hard and solve the unsolvable criminal cases. But then she is not alone. She is actively assisted by her motley group of cold case unit members, consisting of Michael Mosley (Ted Rawls), Rebecca Field (Colleen Hatteras), Victoria Moroles (Martina Castro), John Carroll Lynch (Thomas Laffont), and Courtney Taylor (Samira Parker). Besides, Titus Welliver (Harry Bosch) makes a surprise guest appearance. We liked all of these ensembles cast in action.
The conclusion
Like any top-class murder mystery, even in this show, the main murderer hides in plain sight. However, the justice catches up with the killer, finally. So, the small unit led by Ballard is able to solve a bunch of cold cases mentioned above. Most of the criminals got what they deserved, as their bad karma catches up with them in the end. However, we were not at all prepared for the shocking cliffhanger ending in the season finale episode. And this kind of surprise ending means that they are planning a few more seasons of the show. This LA police drama is certainly a stimulating and thrilling police drama to watch, with a bright future.
Q: So, what could happen in the upcoming seasons of the Ballard?
A: Well, the answer lies in the book series written by author Michael Connelly featuring Renée Ballard. As of now, it comprises the following six titles: The Late Show (2017), Dark Sacred Night (2018), The Night Fire (2019), The Dark Hours (2021), Desert Star (2022), and The Waiting (2024).
Key Details
| Genre | Crime, Drama |
| Original Language | English (USA) |
| Season | First (1) Season |
| Episodes | Ten (10) Episodes |
| Based On | Renée Ballard novels by Michael Connelly |
| Show Creators | Michael Alaimo & Kendall Sherwood |
| Music Composer | Jeff Russo |
| Cinematographers | Gavin Kelly & Cynthia Pusheck |
| Directors | Jet Wilkinson, Patrick Cady, Tori Garrett, Nefertite Nguvu, Jon Huertas, Sarah Boyd, & Logan Kibens |
| Cast | Maggie Q (Renée Ballard), Michael Mosley (Ted Rawls), Rebecca Field (Colleen Hatteras), John Carroll Lynch (Thomas Laffont), Courtney Taylor (Samira Parker), Victoria Moroles (Martina Castro), Amy Hill (Tutu), Michael Cassidy (Aaron), Noah Bean (Jake Pearlman), Ricardo Chavira (Robert Olivas), Hector Hugo (Captain Berchem), Alain Uy (Nelson Hastings), Colin McCalla (Manny Santos), Sharif Atkins (Damani), Kevin Dunn (Gary Pearlman), Titus Welliver (Harry Bosch), etc. |
| Taglines | She’s the last chance for lost hopes. |
| Network | Prime Video |
Poster
FM Rating
| FM Rating | 3.85/5 |
Spoilers Alert: Summary of its Ten (10) Episodes
Peek into the Ten Episodes of the Ballard (Season 1/USA/2025) Series
Episode 1: Library of Lost Souls (S1, E1)
Ballard reopens a mysterious John Doe case while pursuing justice for a councilman’s murdered sister. As she navigates reluctant witnesses, department politics, and her own demons, Ballard and her team uncover buried secrets that suggest corruption within the police force.
Episode 2: Haystacks (S1, E2)
Ballard and Parker investigate housekeeper Yulia Kravetz’s murder. Meanwhile, the hunt for the serial killer’s latest victim reunites Ballard with retired Detective Harry Bosch.
Episode 3: BYOB (S1, E3)
The 2006 death of fraternity member Nick Thatcher was initially ruled an accident. When a video goes viral accusing the fraternity of murder, Ballard and her team are forced to reopen the case.
Episode 4: Landmines (S1, E4)
Ballard uncovers an LAPD conspiracy with connections to a Mexican cartel. The Pearlman case heats up when clues lead to a dangerous showdown with a potential suspect.
Episode 5: What’s Done in the Dark (S1, E5)
When the team uncovers disturbing new information in the Pearlman case, they focus in on a new suspect.
Episode 6: Beneath the Surface (S1, E6)
Ballard’s serial killer investigation takes a high-stakes turn. With 72 hours to secure the case before it’s transferred to Homicide, the team races to find connections between the victims.
Episode 7: Fork in the Road (S1, E7)
Bosch delivers a shocking lead in the LAPD corruption case. Ballard and team dive into the mysterious murder of a teenager with ties to a local gang.
Episode 8: Last Call (S1, E8)
The Ibarra case turns personal as Martina discovers someone close to her is part of the corrupt LAPD ring. The team races to identify the remaining corrupt officers before time runs out.
Episode 9: Collateral (S1, E9)
A fresh lead turns into a shocking revelation as the team learns their serial killer has been in their grasp the whole time.
Episode 10: End of the Line (S1, E10)
A city-wide manhunt begins for Rawls’s shooter. Ballard receives an unexpected update on the LAPD conspiracy case.
Poster and Featured Image of the Ballard (Season 1/USA/2025) Series are credited to Prime Video.
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