“Dope Thief.” / “Ballard.” / “Blue Ridge.”

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“Dope Thief” (AppleTV) crime drama based on the 2009 novel by Dennis Tafoya. Two Philadelphia friends who pose as DEA agents to rob drug dealers face the consequences of their actions when they steal from an organized narcotics operation under surveillance by the actual DEA.



       From the Pilot episode, directed by Ridley Scott, this thriller, photographed in grim and grey tone, is no let up adrenaline ride. Acting is stellar. Brian Tyree Henry as Ray Driscoll, a recovering addict and former drug dealer; and this friend Manny Carvalho, his conflicted and panicky accomplice, portrayed by Wagner Moura. 

       Mr Henry is no steely Denzel Washington's banger or inventive Idris Elba's slick player. Brian is a trapped rat, in denial of his vulnerability but not giving up. And Wagner's Manny is right there to complement the dead-end run. 

       A revelation is Marin Ireland as Mina, a veteran DEA agent posing as a drug cook who survives a bullet to the throat during Rick's botched robbery. We should see more of her. 🎥💻📽


“Ballard” (Amazon Prime) police procedural, based on the Renée Ballard novel series by Michael Connelly, and spinoff to “Bosch.” Set in Los Angeles, Ballard follows Detective Renée Ballard as she takes command of the LAPD's newly formed cold case unit of the Robbery-Homicide Division (RHD).



       Maggie Q fits the title role. Seemingly physically lighter than the average cop, female or male, Maggie compensates by projecting a stoic but focused cop. No kung fu chops here but all emotional grit and mental armor. 

       And Ballard is surrounded by an unordinary but effective crew of volunteers, too. If you enjoyed the series “Bosch” and “Bosch: Legacy,” as I did, you'd enjoy this. And Harry Bosch also intermittently shows up.

       Season 2 is deservedly coming. 🎥💻📽


“Blue Ridge” (Amazon Prime) action-crime series, a direct follow-up to the 2020 film, revolves around former Green Beret and now Sheriff Justin Wise, in a small mountain town in the Blue Ridge Mountain/s region, somewhere in North Carolina. 



       I saw the series because <>I live in the Blue Ridge, <>it reminds me of a similar small-town, tough sheriff, “Longmire.” But then, Johnathon Schaech's Justin Wise is no Robert Taylor's Walt Longmire. 

       And although the unsmiling, stoic A Martinez as in both series, with almost the same character role, “Blue Ridge” doesn't have “Longmire's” team of interesting and fun to watch crew. 🎥💻📽

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