Sorry, Reacher: Stephen King Crowns Bosch as Prime Video's Top Action Thriller

If there’s one thing Stephen King likes almost as much as scaring people to death, it’s tuning in for a good TV show. The guy’s not just a master of horror novels; he’s also a total screen fanatic. Makes sense—the entertainment world has adapted his books more than just about any other living author, and that’s left him with plenty of opinions about what works on TV and what doesn’t. If you ask him, prestige TV does it best. Movies, not so much. Here’s how he put it to The New York Times:

'That is the great thing about TV. You can take these things as they are and expand more. With a movie, you’re always cutting the meat off the bone to get it down to two hours. With a series, you can keep the marrow.'

I mean, who’s going to argue with Stephen King about story 'meat'? The guy would know.

Stephen King’s Detective TV Obsession: 'Bosch' Tops the List

King spends a surprising amount of time letting people know what he thinks about whatever he’s currently watching, usually through quick-fire posts on X. But when it comes to detective shows, he’s not just watching anything that flashes a badge. Forget the endless procedural fluff like CSI or Chicago P.D.—King saves his praise for the shows that dig into character flaws, noir vibes, and the kind of relentless casework that feels actually hard instead of just dramatic.

Exhibit A is Bosch. He’s called it the best thing on Amazon Prime Video—better, even, than Reacher (but we’ll get to that). Here’s what he had to say:

'There’s nothing better than BOSCH (Amazon Prime). The story is engrossing, the cast—led by Titus Welliver—is superb, and nobody is phoning it in. One of the best shows now on TV.'

I’ve got to agree: Bosch is a legitimately great cop show. It takes itself seriously, but not in an eye-roll way—it’s just actually good. Six of the show’s seven seasons landed a spotless 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, which is wild. The real surprise? The Emmys all but ignored it (just one nomination), proving once again that TV awards have a mind of their own.

The fans are loyal, though—which is why we’ve now got three different spin-offs: Bosch: Legacy, Ballard, and the next one up, Bosch: Start of Watch. Not every show gets that kind of devotion. King is on record about why he thinks it works: the realism isn’t just there for show, it’s baked in. With Los Angeles as a full-on character (just like King’s Maine towns), it’s got an atmosphere that feels way more lived-in than most.

How Much Does King Love 'Bosch'?

He loves it so much, he straight-up put Bosch in his novel Holly (2023). About 215 pages in, there’s a shout-out:

'She thinks of Harry Bosch... she likes his flat, uncompromising way of speaking. Most of all, she likes his motto: Everybody counts or nobody counts.'

Would it have killed Bosch showrunner Eric Overmyer to put King in as a cameo? Missed opportunity, in my humble opinion.

What About 'Reacher'? King’s Not Exactly Shouting It Out

Oddly enough, Reacher—the other big Amazon Prime crime series—hasn’t gotten any public love from Stephen King. He hasn’t weighed in on Alan Ritchson’s take, which feels like a pretty clear message if you read between the lines. This guy rarely stays quiet if he loves a show. We’re rolling into season 4 and… still nothing. Radio silence.

Now, that doesn’t mean he isn’t a fan of the character. In fact, he’s dropped Jack Reacher into his books. For instance, in Under the Dome, there’s a military plotline where Colonel Cox praises an officer by saying she was 'personally recommended by a man named Jack Reacher, the toughest goddamn Army cop that ever served, in my humble opinion.' There’s even a nod: 'Jack Reacher says hello.'

It turns out King has a lot of respect for Lee Child, Reacher’s creator—the feeling’s mutual, by the way. King toured with Child in 2015 and talks up his books all the time. Lee Child even blurbed one of King’s updated editions, saying:

'Seven words: The best yet from the best ever.'

But despite all the cross-promotion and buddy moments, King’s never called Reacher on Amazon 'the greatest show ever.' I’d guess he’s more into complex detectives pacing foggy city streets than superheroes hiding their badges. Or maybe he just likes his Jack Reacher on the page, not the screen.

The Takeaway

• Stephen King binge-watches TV—especially gritty cop dramas with soul, like Bosch
• He thinks TV, in general, beats out movies for storytelling (less bone-cutting, more 'marrow')
• Bosch gets top marks from King, fans, and (inexplicably) almost no love from the Emmys
• King sneaks the things he loves into his own novels—including Harry Bosch and Jack Reacher
• Even though he’s a big Reacher book supporter, he’s had literal nothing to say about the Prime Video show (which is probably telling)
• Oh, and if you find a mistake in this article, email [email protected]—but blame it on the badge under my pillowcase, not me