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Titus Welliver's newest role is setting the stage for a Rotten Tomatoes record.
Though he's arguably best known as the titular lead of the Bosch franchise, first playing the character in February 2014 and continuing to today through the spinoff Ballard, Welliver is a veteran performer with over 70 television credits in his filmography. They're as varied as Beverly Hills, 90210, and an early episode of The X-Files.
Welliver had significant recurring parts in shows like Lost, Sons of Anarchy, and The Good Wife, while playing the pivotal role of Silas Adams in the acclaimed HBO drama Deadwood. But even in a career that spans over three decades, beginning as a one-off guest in the original Matlock, his latest is still managing to break new ground.
The Westies, which features Welliver as one of the main cast members, has debuted with a 65% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Although it's a solid score in isolation, it is actually the lowest audience score ever tabulated for any show that the Bosch star has appeared in.
There is good news, though. The Westies likely won't remain as Welliver's worst-scoring show for long. The crime drama releases weekly episodes, streaming Sundays on MGM+, so it's likely to improve its standing. The previous record-low series belonged to the short-lived Kiefer Sutherland drama Touch, which aired on Fox for two seasons and featured Welliver in three episodes as a former firefighter. That has an audience score of 67%.
Welliver's best TV shows with audiences are Deadwood and Life, both at 95%, followed by the original Bosch at 94%.
The Westies debuted on MGM+ with two episodes on July 12. It is inspired by the real-life Irish gang of the same name and takes place in the early 1980s. The story centers on the construction of the Jacob Javits Convention Center in Hell's Kitchen, which comes with the promise of a financial windfall for the titular group. But they have to deal with the Five Families of the Italian Mafia, as well as their own generational divides within the group itself.
Oscar winner J.K. Simmons, Tom Brittney, and Jessica Frances Dukes star alongside Welliver in main cast roles. The MGM+ Original fares better with critics. It currently sits at 71% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 14 reviews, with an average rating of 6.60 out of 10.
Greg MacArthur's review of The Westies for ScreenRant agrees with several critics. The eight-episode crime saga, which is created by Narcos vet Chris Brancato and Michael Panes, may feel familiar. But it boasts exceptional performances from the likes of Simmons and Welliver, the latter of whom plays an NYPD officer with a complicated history and potentially torn loyalties.
The Westies premiered on MGM+ on Sunday, July 12, followed by weekly episode releases each Sunday throughout August.
