448. Web-series Reviews – 246

More web-series reviews…

Ballard – Came in 2025. Based on Michael Connelly books which include Bosch and Lincoln Lawyer. Detective Renée Ballard runs a small rag-tag LAPD team that investigates cold cases. At an influential congressman's insistence, her main focus is a 24-year-old murder case; the victim was the congressman's sister. Not least among her problems is the ongoing feud with certain members of her old squad, the reason she was consigned to cold cases.

A review from iMDB...

The project is pitched as a spin-off of the iconic Bosch, and it shows right away: the atmosphere, narrative structure, and visual style are carefully carried over from the original. Everything works in the familiar key - restrained, dark, and refreshingly unflashy.

Casting deserves special mention. In the role of Renée Ballard is Maggie Q - an actress who masterfully combines steely resolve with emotional depth. She's magnetic, compelling, and perfectly at home in the action genre. Her character isn't just a narrative device but the emotional and dramatic core of the story. On a personal note, I've been a fan since Nikita, and she doesn't disappoint here.

Narratively, the show doesn't reinvent the wheel. It's a procedural machine: clashes with the system, cold cases, bureaucratic rot, personal demons - the playbook is well-worn. The clichés are not hidden, but rather presented openly. And that's fine - because what matters is the execution. It's solid, measured, and stylishly done.

Not a masterpiece. But far from a failure. A confident, competent crime drama made with respect for the genre and its legacy. For Bosch fans, it's a must-watch. For everyone else - a decent one-evening binge, as long as you manage your expectations.

My Take – Worth a watch! I have read all the novels😊!

 

Accused: Did I do it? – Came in 2025. First person accounts from the accused themselves, law enforcement and witnesses take viewers into the crime itself, walking through every step of the proceedings, to answer the question: did I do it?

A review from iMDB...

I binged seven episodes and was hooked. However, I was also somewhat aware I was being subjected to straight up propaganda. The show is told 100% from the defensive position. And in most episodes you get manipulated and misleading information from the accused and their attorney. It's only when you see the prosecution evidence that the defense is dealing with that you realize you are quite often being spun and the "angel" on trial is anything but, regardless of their alleged story. In summary, is the show entertaining? Very much so, it will hook you. However, is the show somewhat dishonest and manipulative? Very much so.

My Take – Worth a watch!

 

Accused: Guilty or Innocent – Came in 2020 and has run for 7 seasons. An intimate account of what happens when someone is formally charged with a crime and sent to trial as told by the perspective of the accused, their legal team and their family members.

A review from iMDB...

It's a show that only follows the accused and the defense team. The accused wants on the show to tell his/her side of the story. So basically the show is used to plead innocence in the media and defend your name.

Of course the accused look fairly innocent here. It can even look like some cases are a tiny bit frivolous at first glance. The defence lawyer of course wants to present the prosecution as angry, irrational, and unfair. On the other hand you really don't want to present the other side as incompetent lawyers with little to no evidence as that would make you look terrible if you lose the case. So that does motivate the defense team to at some point show that the prosecution actually has some good evidence on some points - but the overall case is unfair!

You do need to understand what side of the story is presented. But even besides this they leave out a ton of evidence and statements as these are short episodes. We only get a few minutes from the courts themselves and if there are for example 4 huge witness statements they will only show 2 to not make it too long. Even if the statements are only shown for 20 seconds. It's just that they don't have much time because overall it focuses on family member interviews, emotional interviews showing the accused in sorrow, and then a few defense attorney scenes where the attorney gets to brag and show confidence.

It's a very fun show! I'm for sure addicted to the episodes. The music is great and for some episodes the tension is top notch. But overall the cases are often with losers of society. Not that popular people who got into trouble because they couldn't control their anger or fear. So emotional people. They claim self-defense and are otherwise not criminal people so you never know what actually happened. It's a huge shame they only show a tiny bit of the evidence and often leave out big parts of the cases. I would have loved to just look at everything and make up my mind based on the technical stuff. But this show is about the emotions related to a court case. The suffering it causes to the accused and the family. Podcast episodes are better at presenting more of the evidence as they don't have clips of the people involved and can just explain everything fast. I think you kinda need to know where to draw the line. Men would like a ton of evidence and technical details. Women would like to see the family members cry and the accused feeling down. This is a bit of a mix, but I feel like I, as a man, am getting a bit overlooked anyhow. At least present all the technical things fast. Don't just fully ignore some of them!

Fun show though.

My Take – Worth a watch!

Adios till next time😊!!