TL;DR
- MGM+ has officially green-lit the new prequel series Bosch: Start of Watch, expanding the popular Bosch universe created by Michael Connelly.
- The show stars Cameron Monaghan as a 26-year-old rookie version of detective Harry Bosch and Omari Hardwick as his training officer, Eli Bridges.
- Set in Los Angeles in 1991, the series will explore Bosch’s early LAPD days, amid gang violence, corruption and a fractured police force—a storyline not directly sourced from Connelly’s books.
What is Bosch: Start of Watch and what will it cover?
The new series Bosch: Start of Watch will chart the early career of Harry Bosch, taking viewers back to 1991 Los Angeles when he was just 26 years old and newly assigned to the LAPD.
While Bosch’s later years and major investigations have been explored in the original series Bosch (2014-2021) and the spin-off Bosch: Legacy, this prequel delves into his rookie period, giving audiences insight into how the character developed his moral code of “Everybody counts or nobody counts.”
Notably, the series introduces a new character, his training officer Eli Bridges, portrayed by Omari Hardwick, which broadens Bosch’s origin beyond what the novels directly describe.
Why this Matters for the Franchise
This green-light is significant for several reasons:
- Expansion of a beloved universe: The Bosch franchise has had strong critical and fan support over its run. Extending the timeline back to Bosch’s beginnings opens fresh storytelling territory.
- New creative direction: Because the prequel covers “uncharted character territory,” it gives the creators and Michael Connelly room to explore aspects of Bosch’s character not previously dramatized.
- Deepening the mythos: By showing Bosch’s formative years amid social and institutional unrest in early 1990s Los Angeles, the show has thematic richness—gang violence, racial tension, and a fractured LAPD—all of which can give deeper context to the detective viewers know.
- Star vehicle: The casting of Cameron Monaghan as young Bosch positions the series to attract both existing fans and new viewers who may not have followed the earlier shows.
What We Know So Far—Key Details
- Lead cast: Cameron Monaghan (Bosch) and Omari Hardwick (Eli Bridges) are the announced stars.
- Production: The show is produced by Fabel Entertainment and MGM+ Studios, with Tom Bernardo and Brian Anthony as co-creators/executive producers. Michael Connelly remains an executive producer.
- Setting: Los Angeles, 1991 – a city under strain. Bosch is a rookie patrol cop dragged into a major heist and corruption web that shapes his future detective life.
- Source material: There is no direct novel adaptation for Bosch’s early years. The series is more interpretive, giving creative freedom to explore untold moments.
- Release timing: While no firm premiere date has been announced yet, the series was green-lit in mid-October 2025. Viewers can expect production to begin sooner rather than later.
