Cop show Bosch chases only the truth

The show: Bosch, Season 1, Episode 6. The moment: The car meeting

Los Angeles, night. One black SUV rolls up to another on a garage roof. Smoked windows roll down. “Mr. District Attorney, thanks for coming,” says Deputy Police Chief Irvin Irving (Lance Reddick). “I don’t have much time,” replies the DA, Rick O’Shea (Steven Culp), flexing his power. “The DA and LAPD trading punches on the news, it undermines public confidence,” Irving says. “Which is why I’ve refrained from releasing my copy of the video.”

The cockiness drains from O’Shea’s face. That video shows him screwing up. He didn’t know Irving had it. “What do you want?” he asks.

“My endorsement of your mayoral campaign would go a long way in the black community,” Irving says.

“It’s crucial that our next police chief be a native Angelino who’s risen through the ranks,” O’Shea offers, describing Irving. Irving nods. They’ve reached an understanding. Windows roll up.

“He’ll f--- you if he can,” Irving’s driver warns. “No doubt,” Irving replies. I love TV shows that are based on journalism — The Wire, Treme — because sprinkled through the plots are facts to learn, moments of truth. Bosch is one of those. Michael Connelly, who wrote the source novels, was a crime reporter and he keeps an arm on the creative tiller. Bosch feels especially factual on the politics of police work, the relationship between catching criminals and elections. Harry doesn’t play that game. So we never run out of tension. Or information. Bosch can be seen on CraveTV. Johanna Schneller is a media connoisseur who zeroes in on pop-culture moments. She appears Monday through Thursday.