Prime Video had the opportunity to have another incredible detective series, like Bosch, under its belt. Even though the streaming service wasted this opportunity, it still has the time to fix things and redeem itself.
Although Prime Video has become the hub for some of the best dad shows, like Reacher and Jack Ryan, none of its additions to the genre have been as compelling as Bosch. With Titus Welliver as its titular lead, Bosch had an incredible seven-season run and almost earned unanimous critical acclaim throughout its runtime.
The seeds of cultural influence sown by the series are still paying dividends as its spin-off, Ballard, is also performing quite well on Prime Video. A new crime thriller on the streaming service also had the potential to recreate Bosch‘s success. Unfortunately, the show’s first season struggled to capture the elements that made Bosch stand out.
Cross Could Have Been Prime Video’s Next Big Thriller, But Its Adaptation Approach Weighed It Down
Prime Video’s adaptations of the original HarryBosch and JackReacher books turned out to be major wins for the platform, establishing its dominance in the crime thriller genre. Considering how Cross, too, is based on James Patterson’s highly acclaimed books, the show could have achieved the same critical and commercial highs as Reacher and Bosch.
However, criticism surrounding the show’s first season suggests that many viewers were disappointed with its portrayal of the titular protagonist. Instead of depicting him as a genius detective like the novels, the Prime Video show often reduced him to a conventional action hero. Alex Cross in the series also makes several impulsive and inconsistent decisions, which do not align with the traits that should define him.
Although no show is free from plot holes, some of Cross‘ story beats are a little too contrived to overlook, holding the show back from finding its place among some of the greatest detective thrillers. If Prime Video’s take on Cross had been true to the source material, it could have had the potential to be the streaming service’s next big win in the crime thriller genre.
Following Reacher’s Adaptation Style Can Still Fix Cross In Season 2
After Countdown‘scancellation on Prime Video, it is evident that not all shows get a second chance. Fortunately, for Cross, it has been renewed for another season and has the perfect opportunity to make up for everything it did wrong in season 1. Cross struggled in its first season because it tried to tread the same path as Bosch.
Cross season 2 is scheduled to be released on Prime Video on February 11, 2026.
Instead of picking one original book per season, the show tried to adopt story beats from several novels to deliver an original story. Since Bosch‘s “mixed” adaptation approach clearly did not work well for Cross, it should probably try Reacher‘s adaptation style by staying loyal to its original books and only focusing on one novel per season.
James Patterson’s books already have the perfect narrative roadmap for the show. The Prime Video series could really benefit from staying true to them instead of trying to be too original like Bosch.
