Titus Welliver skyrocketed to prominence when he took on the lead role of LAPD detective Harry Bosch in the Prime Video smash hit police drama Bosch, starring as the tough and determined character from 2014 to 2021. Barely a year later, Welliver reprised the character for the acclaimed show’s sequel Bosch: Legacy, with the follow-up once again becoming a streaming knockout and spawning two buzzed-about seasons, with a third already currently in the works.
The neo-Western crime drama Longmire is also based on a popular book series and takes place in a remote Wyoming county where the tenacious sheriff Walt Longmire (Robert Taylor) fights to keep the community safe from both internal and external threats, doing so with the help of his loyal deputy and childhood best friend. The lauded series spawned six exciting seasons and is definitely worth a look by viewers awaiting the highly-anticipated newest season of Bosch: Legacy, as both compelling characters and shows share impressive similarities.
A Compelling Crime Western Knockout
Based on the popular Craig Johnson mystery novels following the titular lawman, the 2012 neo-Western crime drama Longmire is set in the fictional Absaroka County in Wyoming and focuses on the unflappable sheriff Walt Longmire (Robert Taylor), who makes it his mission to keep his community safe and secure at all costs while struggling to cope with the devastating loss of his wife the year prior. Despite growing disenchanted by the state of his personal and professional life, Longmire begins to feel reinvigorated in his career after being encouraged by his daughter Cady (Cassidy Freeman) and ambitious new deputy Victoria “Vic” Moretti (Katee Sackhoff), and pursues being re-elected as sheriff.
Longmire often confides in his longtime friend and confidante Henry Standing Bear (Lou Diamond Phillips), a Cheyenne who runs a local tavern and helps him deal with navigating the nearby Native American reservation and tribal police. Throughout the course of the acclaimed series, the determined protagonist investigates an array of violent and shocking crimes, doing so with a steadfast attitude and sense of humor that continuously earns him the respect of his community. He fights to rebuild his life and turn a new leaf after the death of his wife Martha, with the profound grief causing him to spiral and isolate himself from his friends and loved ones.
Longmire & Bosch Share Striking Similarities
Walt Longmire was modeled after the legendary heroes of classical Westerns, as the tenacious sheriff possesses a powerful sense of justice and duty and isn’t afraid to skirt the laws of propriety in his quest to solve a case and protect his community. He has a laconic approach to investigating crimes, is not afraid to get his hands dirty in the pursuit of the truth, and is old school in the way he operates and conducts himself. Much like Longmire, former LAPD detective-turned-private investigator Harry Bosch (Titus Welliver) is also driven by his strong impression of right and wrong and frequently finds himself at odds with authority because of his tenacious attitude.
Like Bosch and Maddie in Bosch: Legacy, Longmire has a complicated relationship with his daughter Cady, which is further strained after she discovers what truly happened to her mother, a secret he kept in order to protect her. Maddie follows in her father’s footsteps and becomes a rookie Los Angeles police officer, just like Cady is compelled to pursue a career in law enforcement and run for sheriff in the series finale of the Western. Both Bosh and Longmire are complex characters who adhere to a strict moral compass that can’t be shaken, which attracts both appreciation and frustration from those closest to them.
Longmire struggles to balance his personal life and professional ambitions, and he often becomes completely consumed by a case and won’t rest until justice is served and the offender is in cuffs, a sentiment that Bosch also shares. Both fearless lawmen are exciting to watch on screen and instantly make audiences become invested in their courageous crusades, and their colorful colleagues, friends, and family only add to the impact and excitement of the popular crime dramas.
Why Audiences Should Give Longmire a Look
Upon its captivating premiere on June 3, 2012, on A&E, Longmire became a certified hit and quickly became the highest-rated original drama series on the network, with both critics and audiences being blown away by Robert Taylor’s phenomenal performance as the strong-willed sheriff. The series debut attracted an impressive 4.15 million viewers and the first season received a stellar 86% Rotten Tomatoes score and 92% Popcornmeter, with The Wall Street Journal declaring the Western, “the best of two worlds: a modern crime drama with dry wit and sometimes heart-wrenching emotion that’s also got a glorious setting under the big sky of Wyoming.”
Praised for its finely crafted characters, unhurried storytelling, and gorgeous cinematography, Longmire swiftly emerged as a Western must-see and delivered three sensational seasons on A&E before it was shockingly canceled by the network despite bringing in consistently strong viewership numbers. A&E later claimed the decision was made because Longmire appealed to a more mature demographic and therefore didn’t attract many advertisers. Just three months later, the streaming juggernaut Netflix picked up the program (much to the delight of fans), and three subsequent seasons were produced on the platform.
Audiences will have no problem becoming immersed in the engrossing Longmire world and the sprawling Wyoming landscape, as they root on the self-assured sheriff as he hunts down dangerous criminals and fights to make a positive impact on his community. Those searching for something to check out while they await the latest season of the streaming hit Bosch: Legacy should binge-watch the riveting Western, as it too features a complex lead character on a mission to pursue justice and thrilling seasons in which he takes on formidable foes.
Stream Longmire on Netflix.
