Is Detective Jimmy Robertson Dead? Did Paul Calderon Leave Bosch Legacy?

Detective Jimmy Robertson’s return in ‘Bosch: Legacy‘ has been one of the major highlights of season 3, especially as we see him go head-to-head against Harry Bosch in an attempt to find out the truth behind the latter’s suspected involvement in Kurt Dockweiler’s death. However, the fifth episode delivers a shocking moment as we see Robertson in a life-threatening situation at the end of a botched robbery attempt. While he and Bosch have been on opposite ends of an investigation, the third season also shows how both Robertson and the titular lead are cut from the same cloth and hold each other in high regard. Thus, the likelihood of his death provides a stinging blow for the central characters and the season moving forward. SPOILERS AHEAD.

Jimmy Robertson is Killed Unexpectedly

The fifth episode of ‘Bosch: Legacy’ season 3 tackles the aftermath of Borders’ death and Bosch’s name being cleared from the investigation. Detective Robertson is the first person to believe that Bosch had nothing to do with Dockweiler’s death, even though the district attorney, Emmett Archer, wants to continue an investigation into Bosch for political reasons. Subsequently, Robertson displays his integrity by ignoring Archer’s games and finding out the party is truly responsible for framing Bosch and helping Borders escape. He manages to find his answers in due time, much to the chagrin and ire of Archer. By the end of the episode, Bosch even has a meeting with Robertson to discuss how he may have gotten entangled in it all. Thus, it comes as a brutal shock when Robertson is shot through the head just moments later while trying to get some tacos from a food stall.

The reason Robertson’s death feels final is owing to the swiftness of the murder and its lack of finesse. The masked robber takes some cash from the food stall before turning his attention to Robertson. The detective decides to give in to the demands of his aggressor by reaching into his back pocket for his wallet. However, while doing so, the robber shoots him point blank through the head. He falls to the ground as blood pools out of his mortal head wound, leaving a bitter taste in the mouths of fans of the series. Considering his vibrant presence throughout multiple seasons of ‘Bosch’ and his renewed entrance in ‘Bosch: Legacy,’ it seemed that Robertson could have contributed to more stories. However, the creative team clearly had other plans as his murder sparks a whole new storyline into existence moving forward – one related to finding the killer’s identity.

Robertson’s Murder Means Paul Calderon Has Said Goodbye to His Character

One of the tragic consequences of Robertson’s brutal death could be the end of Paul Calderon’s relationship with ‘Bosch: Legacy.’ While the series occasionally uses flashbacks, it remains concentrated on portraying each character in their day-to-day environments with as much realism as possible. As such, the use of such narrative plot devices is often kept at a minimum whenever possible, which narrows any possibility of Robertson reappearing in some contextual flashback scenes. Additionally, the fact that the story skips a month ahead in the following episode confirms that the character is likely not returning, ending Calderon’s longstanding role as the detective. It leaves Bosch and his close circle with a lot to chew upon for the rest of the season.

As season 3 of ‘Bosch: Legacy’ could be the final entry to the titular lead’s story, it makes sense for a personal loss like Robertson’s to fuel the last stretch of episodes. While Bosch may not have been a very close friend of Robertson, he still held a great deal of respect and admiration for the detective and his sense of nobility. In some ways, the protagonist likely saw himself reflected in Robertson’s professional demeanor, not to mention the latter’s ability to think on his feet when faced with a complicated case. Thus, his murder is sure to affect Bosch and the rest of Los Angeles, California, in a massive way. We see this in abundance in episode 6 as the police grow incredibly territorial about the fact that one of their own was gunned down in cold blood, leaving the newly appointed DA, Honey Chandler, in a difficult spot as she tries to pin the blame on the right person.