Netflix’s popular legal thriller, The Lincoln Lawyer, is back for season 4, and the stakes are higher than ever. This time, the rules of the game have changed for Manuel Garcia-Rulfo’s Mickey Haller. He’s behind bars and must defend himself after being falsely accused of murdering a former client.
Since its premiere in May 2022, The Lincoln Lawyer has performed solidly and consistently on the streaming service, becoming popular for its charismatic protagonist and his penchant for working from his Lincoln Navigator, defending his clients tooth and nail, and eating with infectious enthusiasm. Created by the legendary David E. Kelley (Ally McBeal, Big Little Lies) and based on the best-selling novels by Michael Connelly (who’s sold over 85 million books that have been translated into 45 languages), the series has been a global phenomenon and is only getting better with time.
Now, the highly anticipated The Lincoln Lawyer season 4 adapts The Law of Innocence, the sixth novel in Connelly’s series, which places the Mexican-American defense attorney in the darkest chapter of his life. “This time Mickey is the client. With his very life and reputation on the line, he’ll need the strength and support of his entire team, and his entire family, to fight for his future,” co-showrunners Ted Humphrey (who also directs two episodes) and Dailyn Rodríguez explained to Tudum.
With far-reaching conspiracies, devastating ethical and legal dilemmas, a relentless institutional witch hunt, and Mickey’s inner demons coming to the surface, this edition of the Netflix legal drama will be – I promise you – one of the most talked-about releases this month, if not the year.
The People Versus Michael Haller: 7211956
The season three finale of The Lincoln Lawyer (which premiered on October 17, 2024 and is based on the novel The Gods of Guilt) left fans in a state of absolute shock. Viewers will recall that, after winning a nearly impossible legal battle and celebrating the freedom of Julian La Cosse (Devon Graye), the plot took a wild turn: Haller getting arrested for the murder. As García-Rulfo himself described it to Tudum: “You’re expecting the season to end with Mickey saying goodbye to his friends and driving off and then – boom. It’s a dead body in the trunk.”
In this pleasantly tense new season, Mickey goes from being one of Los Angeles’ most sought-after lawyers to the prime suspect in a gruesome murder, even fearing for his own life. Not only has the judicial system turned against him, but shadowy enemies are setting up an impeccably organized ambush.
“For every man not guilty of a crime, there is a man out there who is,” our hero declares early in the season. Under this premise of the Law of Innocence, he lays the groundwork for what is to come. Mickey Haller, who used to rely on legal technicalities to win his cases, now understands that he must prove his innocence absolutely and irrefutably. His reasoning is clear: to regain his identity and the life he knows, a “not guilty” verdict is not sufficient. He must find the real killer and bring him to justice.
To dismantle the prosecution’s case, the Haller & Associates team embarks on a frantic race against time. While Lorna (Becki Newton) works hard to prevent the firm’s financial collapse, Cisco (Angus Sampson) delves into the victim’s dangerous past, uncovering links to organized crime. The situation becomes even more complicated when Izzy (Jazz Raycole) stumbles upon a complex biofuel fraud and attracts the FBI’s disapproving gaze. As usual, the characters are messily human, and the cast is more than convincing.
The fourth season marks the return of Maggie McPherson (Neve Campbell), who takes on a vital role in Mickey’s defense. Confident and skilled in her craft, Maggie delivers a dazzling performance in court. The chemistry between García-Rulfo and Campbell remains, quite simply, pure gold.
The real challenge for Mickey is prosecutor Dana Berg (Constance Zimmer). Known in the courthouse corridors as “Iceberg Dana” or “Death Row Dana,” she spares no effort to secure a guilty verdict. At her side, Detective Kent Drucker (Jason Butler Harner), a veteran of Robbery and Homicide, thwarts every defense strategy.
The story, skillfully adapted by Humphrey, Rodríguez, Ryan Williams, Matthew Lieberman, Katy Erin, and Lisa Quintela, raises poignant reflections on freedom as a sacred right, the gap between absolute innocence and non-guilt, civil and professional death as a consequence of social stigma, and the fragility of the legal system. Although the entire series is exciting, the pace becomes especially breathless in the final episodes, when the traps and lies dissipate, and we discover everything we need to know.
Should I Watch It?
There are series that demand your full attention and then reward you generously for it. Season 4 of The Lincoln Lawyer is undoubtedly one of them. Netflix’s legal drama remains a reliable and entertaining offering, armed with clever revelations and scathing observations about the cracks in the judicial system.
Ultimately, the series succeeds because it possesses an enviable self-awareness: it knows exactly what it is and doesn’t pretend to be anything else. Although this is Haller’s most intensely personal journey, the new batch of episodes does not lose its essence or consistency. Throughout its ten episodes, the showrunners maintain their mastery of courtroom battles, plot twists, and fast-paced action. They also demonstrate a palpable affection for their characters’ evolution.
This show is so successful that Netflix announced its renewal for a fifth season, even before the premiere of the fourth. This next installment will be based on Connelly’s book Resurrection Walk, published in November 2023. I love knowing that Mickey Haller and his cases will be back on our screens too, even as I stop to enjoy this installment.
