I’m more than happy to finally jump in and add my thoughts on The Lincoln Lawyer now that I’m on the Tomatometer. It’s a show I’ve enjoyed watching for four seasons now, and even though it’s heading into its fifth and final season, it’s remained one of Netflix’s most consistently entertaining dramas.
Season 4 picks up immediately after the cliffhanger ending of Season 3, with Mickey Haller becoming the prime suspect in a murder after a body is found in the trunk of his Lincoln. That storyline dominates the entire season, forcing Mickey to defend himself against all odds, first from prison and later while under house arrest, all while trying to figure out who set him up and why. The victim turns out to be one of Mickey’s former clients, leading the prosecution to argue that Mickey murdered him over an unpaid debt. Of course, the audience knows Mickey would never do something like that, but the prosecution is determined to make an example out of him, even bringing in a high-profile prosecutor known for winning difficult cases.
Initially, Mickey has Lorna helping with his defense, but eventually his wife Maggie steps in as well, finally giving Neve Campbell something substantial to do. She’s been a welcome presence on the show since the beginning, but she’s largely been relegated to the sidelines. Seeing Maggie finally get to stand up and fight for Mickey was one of my favorite aspects of the season, and it justified Campbell’s continued place in the cast.
The biggest issue with the central storyline isn’t that it isn’t compelling. It’s that there’s never really a point where you believe Mickey isn’t going to get out of this somehow. That’s always the challenge when your lead character can’t realistically be killed off or sentenced to life in prison because it would completely change the premise of the series. This feels like the kind of storyline you could save for a final season, where anything might actually be on the table. I suppose Netflix could have surprised everyone and ended the series with Mickey behind bars as a cruel irony, but with another season already planned, it’s difficult to believe the worst is actually going to happen. Even so, the writers do a respectable job squeezing as much tension as possible out of the situation.
The supporting cast remains as strong as ever. Cisco continues to be one of my favorite characters, always handling the jobs Mickey can’t while finding himself in plenty of danger this season. Lorna also gets her own case as she tries to clear a man wrongly accused of murder while struggling to keep the law firm afloat since Mickey has become legal poison during his trial. There are several new faces as well, including the doctor who briefly becomes a romantic interest for Maggie, a love interest for Izzy, and a handful of characters who mostly exist to serve this particular storyline. The FBI also becomes involved in some interesting ways, and I genuinely enjoyed both the mystery itself and the way everything comes together in the finale.
The ending also appears to set up what feels like Netflix’s workaround for adapting the novels that pair Mickey Haller with Harry Bosch. Since Bosch belongs to Amazon’s television universe and can’t legally cross over, the final moments introduce what feels very much like a surrogate version of that character. It’s an interesting solution, especially since this character doesn’t actually exist in the novels.
Manuel Garcia-Rulfo continues to do exceptional work as Mickey Haller. He’s carried this series from the beginning with a relaxed confidence that makes Mickey instantly likable, yet I still don’t think he’s received nearly the recognition he deserves. Hopefully, once The Lincoln Lawyer wraps up, audiences and casting directors continue giving him opportunities because he’s consistently been one of the show’s biggest strengths.
The audio description also changed this season, which felt like more of a lateral move than a dramatic improvement. Some viewers had complained that Season 3 occasionally missed subtitled Spanish dialogue, and that issue has been corrected here. The narration is now handled by Roy Samuelson, who, as always, delivers excellent work. I never had much of a problem with the previous team, who had done a nice job evolving Mickey’s character through the audio description over the years, but the new track from VSI is equally solid, and I certainly can’t complain.
The Lincoln Lawyer Season 4 delivers plenty of twists, courtroom drama, and entertaining character moments. If you’ve enjoyed the first three seasons, there’s every reason to stick with this one, even if it’s hard to believe Mickey himself is ever truly in danger. That doesn’t mean the supporting cast is safe, though, and the season finds plenty of ways to keep the stakes feeling real around him. Deep down, we all know Mickey is eventually going to end up back behind the wheel of that Lincoln because, after all, he is The Lincoln Lawyer. Netflix has announced that the fifth season will be the last, and honestly, that feels like a shame. Based on how much life this series still has left, it seems like there’s more than enough gas in the tank for several more rides.
Fresh: 8.0/10
