The TV landscape is heavily populated by crime dramas. It’s a genre that’s become a cash cow for mainstream networks as well as fast-growing production houses operating in an online space.
As a diehard fan of the whodunit genre, I tend to gravitate towards offerings that pique curiosity with their stories while, at the same time, retain their entertainment values with the casting and direction.
Bosch has been such a series for me. It ticked all my boxes. It’s a crime drama. But the leads are wonderfully flawed à la Broadchurch and The Bridge.
It’s not an overtly glamourised cop show either. It is underpinned by grittiness and the looming threat of danger.
While Titus Welliver is at the helm of the show as LAPD Detective Harry Bosch, he isn’t the only lead. Jamie Hector, who plays his partner Detective Jerry Edgar, has complemented him since the start of the series.
Of course, fans of The Wire immediately recognised Hector in Bosch. He was a badass drug kingpin by the name of Marlo Stanfield. So convincing was he in that role that Rolling Stone magazine ranked him at #2 on their list of 40 Greatest TV Villains of All Time.
In a chat with Tonight, Hector explained how he came to bag the part of Edgar.
He says: “I auditioned on tape first and sent it in. Then I received a callback where I met with Michael Connelly, Eric Overmyer and Henrik (Bastin). We sat down and had a conversation. They asked me about my past roles, where I worked on shows such as Blood Ties – and from that they were able to tell that I could channel the role of detective. Eric Overmyer and I had a relationship from The Wire, so after that I got the call and the part.”
In the first two seasons, Bosch wrestled with past demons while confronting dangerous criminals. His disregard for protocol often sees him veer into habitual terrain. And he’s landed himself in more than a few tricky spots.
For the third instalment, fans of the show will get to see more of Edgar’s backstory.
The 41-year-old Hector said: “Viewers will get to see his backstory with his children; his mindset and where he gets his strength.
“They will get to see how he really operates in a different way as well as what he stands for.
“You know he is not just there to be a detective and solve crimes, he is there because he is passionate about what he does.”
Shedding light on his character, he said: “My character is forever finding himself but he is also very focused on who he is. What I mean by that is that it’s always a growth process, especially as a detective and a human being. The focus is to find out who you really are based on the decisions you make, especially when it comes to friends, family, relatives and co-workers.
“You will know who you are when the pressure is on. Viewers will also notice he loves the finest things in life. You will see he really loves his cars, clothes and work.
“Whether he is a good husband, not a good husband or even a great husband, he will always love women. And at the same time he can be an extraordinary man at work, which you will see as you get to travel the entire journey.”
On working with Welliver, he said: “My first time crossing paths with him was on Bosch. But playing with him is wonderful, it’s also an education. We learn from each other.
“I learned from him, his love of music, his love of action figures, his love of model cars, and obviously, his work ethic. I really enjoy just working with him, and knowing we are going to get the job done.”
On the show, there appears to be a brewing distrust between the partners.
Hector hints: “It boils down to; can I trust you or can’t I? Are you loyal or aren’t you? Are you going to hunt me down? Are you going to protect me even if I am wrong? It’s going to be very interesting; you’re going to be blown away. Season three is also complex in a way that there are so many different storylines, but it’s going to leave you on your feet.
“I mean, I was on a flight recently and the stewardess said she was so immersed in the season, she didn’t realise that she finished watching the last episode. She pushed to go on to episode 11, but unfortunately for her, that suspenseful ending was where it ended.”
There are bound to be new faces cropping up in a new season. He said: “Yes, there is Paul Calderon. He is playing the character of Robertson. He is an amazing actor, and there are many more joining, but right now, Paul is the one to look out for.”
* Bosch 3 airs on Universal Channel (DStv Channel 117) on Sunday at 8pm.