Fun fact: I binged almost all of the first three seasons of The Lincoln Lawyer on flights to and from Japan. Needless to say, I was hooked. The story, the dynamic among the characters, and Mickey Haller’s (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) suave and charm is tough to resist. That’s back in full force as the new season arrives, focused on Mickey in a more complicated predicament than he has ever been in. That’s saying a lot considering his career. Season 4 continues with the same mix of heart, humor, and terror as the others. With all episodes out at once, you’ll be binging it easily through the weekend.
Mickey Trades a Suit for a Jumpsuit
If you recall, Mickey was pulled over at the end of Season 3, the body of his con man client Sam Scales (Christopher Thornton) in the trunk of his car. It’s tough to get out of a situation like that with so much overwhelming evidence suggesting his seemingly definitive guilt. So, it’s no surprise that Mickey begins the season in prison, where he is serving time until a bail hearing. Naturally, his team is working ’round the clock, not only to help prove his innocence but also to keep the business afloat without him. Mickey is the lawyer that clients want, not, as one client calls Lorna (Becki Newton), “Legally Blonde.” The fact that the firm’s owner is in prison on charges of murder isn’t a good look either.
Even though he’s stuck in a cell, doing his best to stay alive, Mickey finds a way to be involved in his own case. He’s almost too confident that he can get himself out of this mess. But then again, that’s sort of his whole persona. The higher the stakes, the more interested Mickey is in the case. Even when he’s the one he has to defend.
The season progresses with fantastic legal work in both Mickey’s case and others. Is some of it downright unbelievable? Yes. But it’s nice to see that Mickey isn’t the only one who can think outside the box. This season, others get their moments to shine. It’s arguably all about the women for Season 4, and we’re so pleased to see Maggie (Neve Campbell) get a bigger role and her moment to prove why she’s so successful.
Constance Zimmer is a wonderful addition to the cast, playing a deeply unlikeable character so well that you can’t help but love to hate her. Scott Lawrence, meanwhile, who recently appeared in Hulu series Paradise but is perhaps best known as the late James Earl Jones’ voice double for Darth Vader in several Star Wars video games, is fantastic as Judge Stone. Both new actors are believable in their roles, an example of downright perfect casting. They go at it like cats and dogs in the courtroom, Judge Stone the fatherly mediator at times.
Lorna takes the Legally Blonde joke to new heights, leaning into her rookie lawyer reputation with a fierceness and determination that is to be admired. Cisco (Angus Sampson) remains as lovable as ever and Izzy (Jazz Raycole) the always dependable, increasingly sharp, glue that holds the firm together. They make a wonderful dream team, a pseudo family that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside. You feel that every one of them would take a bullet for the other.
It’s a Season Well Worth Watching
Based on Season 4 of The Lincoln Lawyer, this series shows no signs of slowing down. The massive twist character introduction in the finale suggests there’s an expectation that the show will continue. And I’m all for it. I’m curious to see how this revelation plays out for Mickey’s life.
The season marks a shift as we get to see Mickey at his most vulnerable. This time, he’s not a victim of his own vices, but of someone else’s doing. His fate lies entirely in the hands of others, and he’s never been in such a precarious position. At the same time, it’s lovely to see Lorna work towards getting her lawyer wings as well, and the others step up to the plate when the chips are down.
The Lincoln Lawyer Season 4 will keep you gripped all the way through as Mickey and his team work furiously to fight a formidable lawyer on the other side, pulling out every trick in their arsenal to prove the truth: Mickey didn’t do this. He not only has to save his life and his freedom, but also his reputation. It’s a tall order, but if anyone can do it, Mickey Haller & Associates can.
The pacing, tone, tense courtroom scenes, and the anguish of others as they grapple with the reality that Mickey could be locked away for life, is enough to keep you invested. Yes, there are side cases and stories through the season. These highlight other characters like Izzy and Lorna, but they’re more window-dressing than anything else. These side stories help maintain the flavour of the show that fans have loved since Season 1, even if Mickey isn’t the one heading up the cases this time in the same confident way he has in the past.
Overall, it’s a solid season that will likely keep the momentum going for the legal drama that has a 90% Rotten Tomatoes critics score for its first three seasons, Season 3 earning a perfect 100%. There are no dull moments, no lulls within the plot. It’s all action, intensity, or the reveal or clever presentation of exciting legal evidence that keeps you at the edge of your seat. Mickey always gets his clients out of jams, or in this case, himself. But it’s the way he is forced to go about it, the hurdles he has to jump, that makes the Season so exciting.