Prime Video’s ‘Ballard’ Recasts Harry Bosch With a Younger Actor — But for a Good Reason

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Because of how well has done on Prime Video, the beloved Harry Bosch isn’t going anywhere – but the character will be played by a new actor. The spinoff series, led by Maggie Q, is starting its second season. After Bosch: Legacy, viewers were happy to see Titus Welliver reprise his role as Bosch in a few episodes of Ballard earlier this year. Now, Bosch fans will get to see a different take on the character, with Vikings actor Jack Meade-Mullarkey playing a younger Bosch in flashbacks during the second season of Ballard.

Fans concerned about Welliver being replaced as Bosch can rest easy, as he will continue to play Harry Bosch in the current timeline of the upcoming season. However, the new episodes will focus more on the time jumps in the cases Renee Ballard handles within the LAPD cold case unit, and that necessitates some flashbacks to develop the narrative fully. According to CBR, this is where Meade-Mullarkey comes in, playing Bosch during years not yet explored in the TV series.

Many viewers are now wondering if this could signal the start of a new series featuring a younger version of Harry Bosch. Given Amazon MGM Studios’ role in the show, this isn’t an unlikely possibility. We’ve seen several shows recently try to expand their universes with prequel stories – Dexter gave us Original Sin, Supernatural attempted it with The Winchesters, and NCIS recently launched a prequel series focused on Gibbs – but currently, it appears the new casting is simply needed to move Ballard’s storyline forward.

Titus Welliver Wants to Continue Playing Bosch For as Long as He Can


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Even though Bosch: Legacy finished after only three seasons – much to the disappointment of many viewers – Ballard has successfully continued the story, creating another popular series for Prime Video based on Michael Connelly’s books. Connelly is currently developing a new crime drama separate from the Bosch universe, but he’s also still writing the Bosch novels, which leaves the door open for future Bosch projects. For now, Titus Welliver is pleased that the Bosch character lives on and remains beloved by fans.

He continues to live on through Michael’s books, and because Mike is such a productive writer, he’s still creating new Bosch stories. I truly believe this show has a lasting quality and a real depth that will endure. It will be enjoyed by both existing fans and new viewers who discover it over time. I often revisit television shows from the 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s – I re-watch them frequently. It’s like comfort food, but for your mind. You either want to be actively engaged, or you want to relax, but you appreciate knowing the content well enough to find it soothing. It’s reminiscent of being a child, falling asleep while your parents are hosting a party. You know the adults are nearby, and the sound of their voices is comforting, even while you’re in your own space.

The news of a new actor playing Bosch might suggest a change from Welliver’s portrayal, but it seems more probable that this casting of Meade-Mullarkey is an addition to, rather than a replacement of, the original. Welliver’s Bosch will definitely still be featured in Ballard, and it’s possible we might even see another independent Bosch project sometime down the line.

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2025-09-30 17:53