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Ballard is a police procedural drama series that debuted on Amazon Prime Video on July 9, 2025. Created by Michael Alaimo and Kendall Sherwood, the series features 10 episodes with a runtime of 45-50 minutes. It's a spin-off series to Bosch (2014-2021), and is based on the Ballard book series written by Michael Connelly.
The show is written by Michael Alaimo, Kendall Sherwood, Thania St. John, Julissa Castillo, Brandi Nicole, Liz Hsiao Lan Alper, Ralph Gifford, Galeesa Murph, Thania St. John, and John Coveny. Furthermore, Jet Wilkinson, Patrick Cady, Tori Garrett, Nefertite Nguvu, Sarah Boyd, Jon Huertas, and Logan Kibens serve as its directors.
The series centers on LAPD Detective Renée Ballard and is filmed entirely in Los Angeles, California. The show's official synopsis, as per Amazon Prime Video, reads:
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"Detective Renée Ballard plunges into a web of murder and corruption as she hunts a ruthless serial killer and uncovers a sinister police conspiracy that threatens everything she stands for. With her own demons nipping at her heels, Ballard must outwit both criminals and colleagues to bring long-overdue justice to the victims and their families."
A look at all the filming locations of Ballard in Los Angeles
Ballard was filmed between July and November 2024, on location in Los Angeles, California, where it is also set. Several shots of local streets, restaurants, and famous landmarks have made it into the series, lending it an authentic and vibrant feel.
Los Angeles, California
Production began at the popular Venice Beach, with the crew capturing the picturesque two-mile Boardwalk for establishing shots. The neighborhood of Mar Vista in the Westside of Los Angeles was used as a filming location for the crime drama series. One of the scenes features Rutt's Hawaiian Café situated at 11707 Washington Place.
Filming also took place at several locations around the neighborhood of Arleta in the San Fernando Valley. Among them is the Lady of the Valley mural and its surrounding area situated at the intersection of Arleta Avenue and Van Nuys Boulevard.
Furthermore, the city of Malibu, located in the Santa Monica Mountains, features heavily in the series. Renée Ballard's residence is filmed on Paradise Cove Road, a highly sought-after filming location known for its coastal views. Also, the scenic Paradise Cove Beach was used as the setting for most of the beach scenes.
Santa Monica's famous diner, Patrick’s Roadhouse at 106 Entrada Drive, and the section of the Pacific Coast Highway that passes through Malibu and Santa Monica are other filming sites used in the series.
Plot summary
Detective Renée Ballard (Maggie Q) leads LAPD's cold-case division and teams up with Samira Parker (Courtney Taylor) to bring the long-forgotten criminals to justice. Both women have a troubled past with the department's corrupt officer, Robert Olivas (Ricardo Chavira).
While working on a John Doe case involving the death of a young man, they uncover a network of corrupt cops inside the LAPD working closely with members of the mafia. John Doe is revealed to be a cartel coyote named Luis Ibarra, who worked as an informant for the LAPD.
The investigation leads the detectives to Anthony 'Montana' Driscoll (Brendan Sexton III), a dirty cop who killed Ibarra before he could expose his illegal activities. Furthermore, Driscoll's close ties to Robert Olivas also come to light, leading to his arrest.
Renée and Samira investigate a serial killer targeting career-focused women. They follow a lead on one victim, Sarah Pearlman (Emily Czajowski), and discover the killer is her stepfather, Gary Pearlman (Kevin Dunn).
Gary killed women to punish them for choosing careers over family. He murdered Sarah after she found out about his affairs and threatened to tell her mother.
In the series finale, Renée is arrested for the suspected murder of Officer Robert Olivas, as she was the last person seen with him before his death.
Viewers can watch all episodes of Ballard on Amazon Prime Video.
