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Based on the beloved novels by Michael Connelly and adapted for television by Kendall Sherwood and Michael Alaimo, Prime Video's "Ballard" - a spinoff of "Bosch" and "Bosch: Legacy" - is one of the best police procedurals on TV. Set in Los Angeles, "Ballard" follows Detective Renée Ballard (an outstanding Maggie Q).

Recently ousted from the Robbery and Homicide division for blowing the whistle on a popular cop, Ballard finds herself sequestered in the basement, in command of LAPD's newly formed Cold Case Division. As the only full-time staffer in the severely underfunded unit, Ballard must rely on her own experience, moxy and a motley crew of volunteers to weed through the countless long-forgotten, decades-old homicides. However, when Ballard is tasked with solving the murder of a politician's sister, she uncovers some truly devastating twists and a shocking web of corruption that threatens to bury her. Smartly acted, beautifully paced and genuinely engaging, "Ballard" is a thrilling ride from start to finish.

The 10-episode season begins amid a gun chase. Ballard runs full-force, shotgun in hand, down a darkened street. Following the culprit into a cleaners, she clocks him in the head with the butt of her gun, ending the pursuit. With the arrest, she and her newly formed team mark their first solved murder. The hodgepodge crew includes Ballard, Thomas Laffont (John Carroll Lynch), her old partner whom she's dragged out of retirement; reserve officer Ted Rawls (Michael Mosley), assigned to keep an eye on Ballard, Colleen Hatteras (Rebecca Field) an overly enthusiastic but intuitive volunteer and Martina Castro (Victoria Moroles), a legal intern. A mere two weeks into operation, the Cold Case Division appears to be making progress, but not everyone is pleased.

With one case in the black, Ballard chooses the next one, John Doe #38, a man last seen on CCTV seven years prior carrying an infant at a bus station. However, Councilman Jake Pearlman (Noah Bean), whose political prowess helped establish the Cold Case Division, is unconcerned with this unnamed victim. Brash and disruptive, Pearlman wants Ballard and her team to focus on the 2001 strangulation of his sister, Sarah, which has remained unsolved. Determined to work her John Doe angles while keeping Pearlman at bay, Ballard approaches Samira Parker (Courtney Taylor), a former LAPD officer who was initially assigned the John Doe case just before she exited the force. Banding together with Samira, and with a bit of help from several familiar faces from the "Bosch" Universe, Ballard and her squad doggedly begin pursuing leads in both cases, uncovering shocking evidence and perilous paths.

"Ballard" works so well because Maggie Q is so deeply believable as Ballard. Though her commitment to justice is front and center, having been burned previously, the detective is under no illusion about the rot within the police force. Thoughtful and reserved, she keeps both her personal life and the clues about her cases close to her chest. As a result, "Ballard" offers viewers an honest look at corrupt policing and its effects, similar to HBO's stellar miniseries "We Own This City." Moreover, with Q and Taylor leading the charge as women of color, the series showcases what it means to be "other" in a homogeneous profession, one that tends to welcome only a specific type of person.

The crime drama is also superbly paced. While the John Doe case and solving Sarah Pearlman's murder remain front and center as throughlines across the season, other forgotten investigations get their time to shine as the team chases forgotten links and questions witnesses' ancient testimonies. Dogged and agile, Ballard isn't afraid to bend the rules to get answers, determined to see a way forward when no one else can. Yet, as her grandmother Tutu (Amy Hill) tells her, she doesn't always dare to face her own past. Moreover, with the superb writing, audiences will be thrilled to learn that even if certain storylines might seem predictable, things never quite pan out as expected.

Police dramas are one of the most saturated genres across network television, cable and streaming services. Though viewers generally love them, they rarely offer anything fresh. Full of mysteries, intriguing characters and some truly unexpected plotlines, "Ballard" quickly rises above as one of the best of the bunch. By the Season 1 finale, it's quite clear that Ballard and her Cold Case Division are only just getting started.

Krish Kapoor (Ahaan Panday) is an egoistic, short-tempered musician in search of a big break. He meets Vaani Batra (Aneet Padda), a shy, aspiring journalist who was once left at the altar. Krish chances upon her diary, filled with lyrics. He turns them into songs-and they're a hit. Love follows. But fate plays spoilsport, and the two are separated. Will they reunite, or are they destined to be star-crossed lovers ?

Story-wise, Saiyaara doesn't offer much novelty. Sanam Teri Kasam, which found a second life with its re-release in 2024, followed a very similar path. And most of Mohit's romantic films follow familiar beats-you can often guess what's coming next.

The first half here sets the tone quite well, and the film is naturally emotional in the second half. Mohit knows his audience very well: he knows the majority would comprise either couples or groups of friends. Writer Sankalp Sadanah keeps things conventional yet appealing.

So, if it's a story we've heard before, what works in the film's favour ? Three things: a talented cast, soulful music, and some beautifully crafted scenes.

When Mohit recently said that Saiyaara is what Aashiqui 3 could have been, he wasn't wrong. The film feels like an organic fit into the Aashiqui universe. And perhaps it's for the best that it didn't carry the franchise name-it gives this story space to shine on its own.

Ahaan Panday makes a confident debut as Krish. He pulls off an intense role in his very first outing, and that deserves praise. He emotes well and carries the spark of a romantic hero. It'll be interesting to see how he handles other genres in the future. Aneet Padda gets a complex part, and she fits the role. She looks great on screen, and together, Ahaan and Aneet share convincing chemistry. Their performances keep Saiyaara afloat.

Music has always been a strength in Mohit's films, and this time too, he doesn't disappoint. Tanishk Bagchi, Arslan Abdullah, and Faheem Nizami compose genuinely moving tracks. Personal picks: the title song and the beautifully shot Tum Ho Toh, sung by Vishal Mishra.

Overall, Saiyaara may not break new ground in terms of storytelling, but it strikes the right emotional chords. It's a film that understands its audience and delivers with sincerity. It offers just enough to make you feel-and that, sometimes, is more than enough.

The story of Ballerina is basically a sidequel and takes place before the events of Chapter 4, so whatever happened in that film hasn't happened yet. The ballerina Eve is training to be a Kikimora assassin in the Ruska Roma organisation under The Director (Anjelica Huston), with protection from Winston and Charon from the New York Continental Hotel.

She gets here because, as a child, her father was killed by the Cult that Eve's mother belonged to, led by a man called the Chancellor (Gabriel Byrne). She is saved by Winston and given to the Ruska Roma, and Eve chooses to become an assassin, training under there. She wants revenge on this mysterious Cult and the Chancellor, who no one can exactly locate, and she is repeatedly told not to get involved with them because they don't live by rules and exist in isolation.

The first half of the film follows Eve trying her best to train, including an extremely clichéd montage about becoming stronger not by brute force but by being clever -- though later it's shown she's as strong as any of the men attacking her. Eve finds leads and connections in the underground world, and this part does a good job building up the plot as she inches toward her goal.

The second half of the film contains most of the action, as Eve discovers the Cult's hidden village in snowy mountains. That doesn't mean the first half is slow or dull. Director Len Wiseman keeps the story tight, and Shay Hatten's script keeps you engaged. Even without constant action, you stay invested in Eve's journey and care about her character.

The action scenes are solid and consistent with what John Wick fans expect. You won't feel like you're watching a side project. One difference here is that in the midst of realistic action, de Armas is often thrown around brutally by her opponents, but she convincingly fights back and cuts through people.

Ballerina brings something fresh to the action sequences with more use of explosives like grenades. Some grenade sequences are actual epic moments. There's also a flamethrower fight with bodies burning, adding to the variety of action involving guns, blades, and heavy weapons.

Yes, John Wick appears in Ballerina. There are some fanservicey action scenes involving him, too, which should satisfy franchise fans. Ballerina respects the tone of the series and doesn't feel out of place.

Ana de Armas delivers a strong performance both in terms of acting and physicality. Gabriel Byrne as the Chancellor is a good enough villain for a spin-off, and the recurring cast from the main series continue to feel right at home.

Ballerina is an engaging and well-directed spin-off that honours the tone of the John Wick series. Ana de Armas carries the film well, and the action stays entertaining constantly. It does include some clichés and unnecessary subplots, but this is a solid entry in the franchise that sets up the character of Eve Macarro for a strong future.