When Southland ended in 2013, I thought I would never see another L.A. cop show that good ever again. While I was partially right—nothing, for me, still has come close to Southland as a street beat cop show—the next year, Bosch started its run, and I have to say, it comes pretty darn close. Bosch is the best set-in-Los Angeles-detective show ever, and I dare you to challenge me.
Bosch, available on Prime Video, ran for seven seasons, from 2014 to 2021, and was one of the first Amazon Original television series. It stars Titus Welliver as an LAPD homicide detective who plays by his own rules, has trouble with authority, is a loner and is, of course, the best. He’s also got a troubled past, a complicated history with his ex-wife and a daughter 
he’s trying to figure out how to communicate with. All of this is tailor-made for Welliver, an actor who is clearly from the wrong decade, as is this show. This is such a ‘70s throwback, in all the right ways, minus the misogyny and racism. It’s all action and nitty gritty detective work, with Bosch hunting down the bad guys through good old detective work. This show is seriously catnip for all of us who miss shows like Magnum P.I. and Simon & Simon and Cagney & Lacey, where cops and detectives bantered and did real police work out in the field.
Speaking of out in the field, the best part about Bosch is the entire show is shot on location in Los Angeles, it’s almost a tourist’s guide to the town. If you’re from here, you spend every episode trying to figure out what street they’re on or which hole-in-the-wall eatery they are dining at now. The scenery is as delicious as the food and the on-location budget must have been staggering—and so worth it.
But if you’re not in L.A., you’re here for the pulpy, basic plots, easy to hate bad guys, easy to root for good guys, and the classic tropes along the way. This show is just so classicly enjoyable, you can binge it or just watch one episode and come back a month later and pick up where you left off, no problem, you’ll easily slide back into the groove.
Bosch is no great intellectual adventure, it’s not great “art,” but it is certainly one of the most enjoyable series I’ve ever watched, it was like slipping on that comfy pair of slippers after a long day. If you like a cop show that will remind you of your Dad and take you on a travelogue of Los Angeles, Bosch will make you feel right at home.
Addendum: If you want even more Bosch, in 2022 they reunited the cast for a sequel, Bosch: Legacy, which has had two seasons of its own already. You just can’t get too much of a good thing. Bosch: Legacy can be found on Freevee, which is also available on Prime Video.