The Lincoln Lawyer (2022)

Sure, there’s always a hard edge underlying these frothier elements—this is ex-L.A. Times crime reporter Michael Connelly’s Los Angeles, after all—but aesthetically, it’s those frothier bits in The Lincoln Lawyer that rise to the top. Given how dark the four central cases of the series’ first season are, this frothy aesthetic proves a nice counterbalance.

Season 4 starts slowly, builds up a head of steam with Manuel Garcia-Rulfo in the role of his career and ends as a slam-bang twister of a legal thriller, full of whiplash energy, tasty acting and a satisfying sense of justice served.

This is a slick, easily digested and well-acted legal thriller featuring an outstanding ensemble cast and a juicy, lurid murder mystery that keeps us guessing throughout—not that we can’t see some of the twists coming a mile down the road. That’s even part of the fun of shows such as this one.

“The Lincoln Lawyer” doesn’t manage all its elements perfectly, but it’s got enough going to make for pleasurable, glossy entertainment.

The show, written by David E. Kelley (“Big Sky”), still feels fairly broadcast network-y, albeit slightly elevated.

Kelley’s belief in the inherent intrigue of the legal process helps him along; one can sense enthusiasm undergirding, say, an episode built around the jury-selection process. But others of the creator’s tricks fail him, like a tendency to lean hard on the quirkiness of bit players studded through the story, seemingly intended as a sort of comic relief that doesn’t consistently land.

It goes through the motions with the enthusiasm of a nap, occasionally jarring us into paying attention before falling back into a deep slumber of mundanity.

The Lincoln Lawyer for Netflix is a brilliant adaptation full of thrilling, and at times chilling moments anchored by the warmth and frailty of its characters. Their relationships, tensions and bonds revealed through clever conversation, shared meals, meetings, impossible schedules and human limitations all set against LA’s iconic skyline. None more intriguing than, the main character Micky Haller, a conflicted tall-dark handsome lawyer. He doesn’t mince words which he delivers with a soft intonation of a Mexican accent [true to Connelly’s book]. Haller may be the quirkiest of the bunch. All the confidence, bravado and charisma of a defense attorney in the courtroom. Reflective, questioning and searching for redemption outside of one. Preferring to work out of any one of his Lincolns rather than an office. Considering this show originated years ago pre-Covid for CBS and is based on a novel by Michael Connelly published in 2005, it is incredible that so many references in conversation connect to current affairs [e.g., Russian oligarchs, tech giants and their proclivity toward excess]. The undercurrent throughout the series reveals the imperfection of our justice system despite the best efforts, idealism and heroism of those who practice. Hoping for a second season.

I liked Season One, but quit Season Two halfway through because of contrivance and a far less interesting premise. But I went back, partly because of the central characters - definitely not for the writing. It does feel like network television.

admirable [ ad-mer-uh-buhl ] adjective worthy of admiration; inspiring approval, reverence, or affection.

If you enjoyed the dark twists and profound observations of Ally McBeal, you'll love The Lincoln Lawyer. The Lincoln Lawyer is bereft of anything that would make it a good series. Living at the farthest edge of the Bosch universe, it has none of the wit, style, acting or tension of that series.

It's a highly bingeable show, but the worst kind of bingeable. It's got all the usual lawyer TV show tropes, including music bed playing in every other scene. Neve Campbell is about the best thing in this show but the rest of the actors and the characters they play are downright terrible - especially the lead, Mickey, his second wife, Lorna, and his investigator Cisco. Everything feels forced, rushed and dragged out at the same time. Only spent the 10 or so hours to see this season's conclusion, but I knew right from the first episode that it wasn't going to be the best TV ever created.