Before he was the hard-edged detective fans know, Harry Bosch was a 26-year-old rookie in uniform. MGM+ has now shown us that version of him. On Thursday, October 29, the network released first-look images from “Bosch: Start of Watch,” a prequel series about the origins of Michael Connelly’s famous LAPD detective, and confirmed it will premiere on Sunday, January 10, 2027.

Here is everything we know so far, based on the official MGM+ announcement and a roundup from TV Source Magazine.

When and where to watch

“Bosch: Start of Watch” opens with two episodes on January 10, 2027, then releases weekly until the finale on Sunday, February 21, 2027. The season runs eight episodes.

It will stream on MGM+ in the United States, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Ireland, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Latin America, so viewers in many markets will be able to watch at the same time.

Who plays young Bosch

Cameron Monaghan, known for “Shameless” and “Gotham,” stars as rookie cop Harry Bosch. Omari Hardwick, whose credits include “Star Trek: Section 31” and “Army of the Dead,” plays veteran officer Eli Bridges, the experienced partner who sees Bosch through his first days on the job.

Series regulars also include Ariana Guerra as Rosa and JD Pardo as Cory. The wider cast includes Kathleen Wilhoite, William Fichtner, Rafi Gavron, Raphael Sbarge, Azita Ghanizada, Kenneth Miller, Seamus Dever, Ryan McPartlin, Marco Rodriguez and Shelli Boone.

The story: Los Angeles, 1992

The prequel goes back to 1992 Los Angeles, which MGM+ describes as “a city on the edge, teeming with racial tension, gang violence, and a fractured LAPD.” Between routine calls and growing unrest, the young Bosch is drawn into a high-profile heist and a web of criminal corruption that tests his loyalty to the badge.

The network says these early experiences shape the detective he becomes, one who lives by the code fans of the books and earlier shows know well: “Everybody counts or nobody counts.”

The setting is a big change for the franchise. Instead of the seasoned investigator working homicide cases, viewers will meet a patrol officer learning the city street by street, at one of the most turbulent times in its modern history.

Who is behind it

“Bosch: Start of Watch” comes from Fabel Entertainment. Tom Bernardo and Brian Anthony co-created the series and serve as executive producers, with Bernardo as showrunner. Michael Connelly, whose best-selling novels started it all, is an executive producer, along with Henrik Bastin, Jamie Boscardin Martin, Stephen Kay and Jasmine Russ. Mark Douglas is co-executive producer, and Theresa Snider is co-executive producer for Hieronymus Pictures.

Connelly’s involvement matters to longtime fans. The author has stayed closely involved with the screen versions of his characters, and his books also inspired Prime Video’s hit “Bosch” franchise, in which Titus Welliver played the older detective.

Why a prequel makes sense

Origin stories are a natural next step for long-running crime franchises. Viewers who have followed Bosch for years already know the man he becomes: stubborn, principled and often at odds with his own department. A prequel can show how he got that way without competing with the existing shows.

It also gives newcomers an easy way in. Because the series starts at the very beginning of Bosch’s career, someone who has never read a Connelly novel or watched an episode should be able to start here and follow along.

Casting is the big question. Monaghan has to play a younger version of a character audiences know well without simply copying an earlier performance. The first-look images are the first chance to see how he and Hardwick look in the roles, and the partnership between a rookie and a veteran cop will likely drive the series.

The bottom line

“Bosch: Start of Watch” premieres January 10, 2027 on MGM+ with two episodes, followed by weekly releases through February 21. With Cameron Monaghan as a 26-year-old Harry Bosch, Omari Hardwick as his veteran partner, and 1992 Los Angeles as the backdrop, it is one of the more intriguing crime dramas of early 2027. Mark the date if you’ve been missing Bosch.

Image: Los Angeles City Hall 2013 by Michael J Fromholtz via Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain Mark 1.0