BALLARD: Episode 1.1: “Library of Lost Souls”
The Past Is Always Present
What You Need To Know
BALLARD: “Library of Lost Souls” is the pilot episode for a Prime Video series on Amazon based on a series of police procedurals by bestselling author Michael Connelly. Detective Renèe Ballard and her team of volunteers are part of the new cold case unit started by the Los Angeles Police Department. Their task is to solve the large collection of cases that sit unsolved in LAPD’s basement.
After completing her first successful case, Ballard takes on a new investigation involving an anonymous vagrant who was murdered and last seen with a baby in his arms. Upon reopening the case, Ballard tries to recruit the former officer on the investigation. The officer had left the police force shortly after the murder and isn’t answering any of Ballard’s calls. Things start to get mysterious when she finds the officer and discovers that something fishy might be going on in the LAPD.
There’s another case, the whole reason the cold case unit was birthed in the first place, the Sara Pearlman murder. Sara was one of a councilman’s sisters. She was strangled to death on her 16th birthday. Her killer was never found, and the councilman, still in anguish, is putting strong pressure on Ballard to find the killer and bring him to justice.
There isn’t much evidence on either case, but things start to take a turn when shocking new discoveries are made.
The first episode of BALLARD sets a good foundation for the series, but it has its problems. The storyline doesn’t have a lot of originality. There isn’t anything special that sets it apart from other shows in its genre, which is important, especially for a pilot episode. Also, the acting is good but not great, and there isn’t a lot of emotional connection with the characters thus far. That said, this is the first episode, and there’s lots of room for a more interesting storyline to unfold and for some great character development. That said, the first episode still works. So, although it doesn’t start out as something special or unique, it still holds the viewer’s attention and makes them want more.
BALLARD: “Library of Lost Souls” has a strong moral worldview. The heroine has a strong commitment to justice. Also, teamwork within her unity is stressed. However, there are many grudges between other officers outside the cold case unit who can’t seem to forgive past grievances and unite together. This jeopardizes some of the investigations. Finally, “Library of Lost Souls” has strong violence and four strong profanities and obscenities. So, MOVIEGUIDE® advises strong or extreme caution.
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements
Strong moral worldview about finding justice for murder victims in cold cases, with some feminist elements where the series focuses on a female detective in the LAPD, with police work being held up as a service to the community, but there are many grudges between law enforcement officers within the different departments who can’t seem to forgive past grievances and unite together, thus jeopardizing some of the cases (the upper echelon in the LAPD are depicted as playing politics too much, and this is a running theme in the novels on which the series is based), plus a supporting character working in a police unit says she gets weird energy from a figurine she has on her desk, and when her female boss asks her whether she thinks she’s psychic (her boss is afraid the woman could taint their cases), the woman responds that she has supernatural intuitions and knows things about people like an empath
Foul Language
Nine obscenities (including one “f” word), one profanity using the name of Jesus, two GD profanities, and three light profanities
Violence
Strong violence with some blood includes a police chase with gunshots fired, female detective hits perp in the head with the butt of her rifle, multiple crime scene photos of murdered people (includes a video of a strangled teenager), a girl is seen lying dead under a sheet at a crime scene with just her hair shown, a man grabs a woman forcefully by the arm, rival cops speak threateningly to one another
Sex
No sex, but heroine’s grandmother tells her she should relax and spend the night with her lifeguard friend, trying to convince her, “a roll in the hay” would be good for her
Nudity
Upper male nudity is seen, woman takes off her shirt and reveals a sports bra, woman in a bikini is shown from the midriff up
Alcohol Use
Woman drinks a beer with her grandmother
Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse
No smoking or drugs
Miscellaneous Immorality
A man is seen giving a woman a tattoo on her back.
