With all the drama in the news in regards to password-sharing and subscription-dropping, Netflix is in desperate need of fresh quality content. In comes Mickey Haller and his 120 cubic foot mobile office. Ok, so The Lincoln Lawyer isn’t exactly new and fresh. Popular author Michael Connelly has written six best-selling novels about the character, and many people have already seen Brad Furman‘s prominent 2011 film of the same name starring Matthew McConaughey that lead to what many call “The McConaaissance.” But this series explores more of the lawyer’s Hispanic side, something we haven’t been fortunate enough to see on screen until now.
The creators of this show are no strangers to entertainment, especially in the legal drama department. Former Boston lawyer David E. Kelley has already built an illustrious television career with major hits such as L.A. Law, Doogie Howser, M.D., Ally McBeal, The Practice, Boston Legal, and Big Little Lies. And we have seen plenty of Ted Humphrey‘s work as well in things like The Unit and one of my wives’ all-time favorites, The Good Wife. With a team like this, it is sure to be something special.
The show (just like the book series) is set in Los Angeles, CA, and it follows the idealistic and altruistic criminal lawyer Mickey Haller (played by the charismatic Manuel Garcia-Rulfo). Mickey is the half-brother of Harry Bosch, who has already had his own seven-year run on the hit Amazon series – Bosch. He is just getting back into the game as an attorney when his former colleague, Jerry, passes away and leaves Mickey his practice. Now Mickey is charged with the heavy task of taking on every loose end that his dearly departed friend left behind, all while trying to put back the pieces of his relationship with his fifteen-year-old daughter Hayley and maintain his newfound sobriety with help from his new client-turned-driver Izzy.
Mickey’s biggest and most important client from a financial standpoint has also become his greatest challenge. Mickey suspects that he has something to do with Jerry’s death, so he has to approach everything in his case very carefully. With help from his second ex-wife Lorna, his investigator Cisco, and his first ex-wife and Assistant District Attorney “Maggie McFierce,” Mickey embark on an exciting and dangerous journey into the world of white-collar crime, possible mob entanglement, a corrupt justice system, and the joys and fears of fatherhood.
This is the drama that we needed from Netflix, with heavy themes of love, justice, addiction, family, infidelity, honor, loyalty, and trust (in our loved ones and in the government). It may not push the boundaries as many people would expect from a Netflix original, but it is a throwback to the legal thrillers we had on network television for so many years. Sometimes it’s good to go back to an old model that worked in the past, and just put a current spin on it. Here’s to hoping that Netflix wises up on the goldmine it has here and keeps this long-overdue courtroom drama going for years to come.
4.5/5 stars.