Skip to content
The Lincoln Lawyer is a new Netflix series based on the writings of Michael Connelly, but I remember that in 2011, this made for a great movie with Matthew McConaughey.
The titular solicitor is Mickey Haller (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo – Sweet Girl, Greyhound, Sicario 2), divorced from feisty Lorna Crane (Becki Newton) – but with them still getting along almost fine; and right off the bat, he seems himself as a bit of a maverick, is very slick and wise-cracking, but rubs up a lot of people the wrong way. He’s also a former drug addict, addicted having been to painkillers, which comes up now and again. He also has a passion for jazz music, which his late father used to love.
Lorna isn’t his only ex, because lawyer Maggie McPherson (Neve Campbell), dubbed ‘McFierce’, was also once married to him.
The title comes from the fact that he works out of his Lincoln car, rather than an actual office, but early on is called to see the judge because a colleague of his, Jerry Vincent, has been murdered, and he’s left Mickey his practice. – So, before long, he’s actually got an office… although he’s having to get from A to B all the time in his car, hence the title still applies.
So far, I’ve seen the first five of ten episodes in the first series, and it largely moves at a lick and a pace because he has lots of cases to deal with, the main one featured being cocky videogame designer Trevor Elliott (Christopher Gorham), who crossed the ‘Uncanny Valley’ with the game Nocturna Legacy. He’s accused of murder, and is due in court next week, so Mickey hasn’t got long to get up to speed on the case.
Also coming into the story is young Izzy (Jazz Raycole), who owes Mickey money after a case, but since she’s broke, he hires her as his driver, and in one scene where she thinks they’re being followed, she has a plan of evasion using tactics she learned by playing Grand Theft Auto. Additionally, she will have her own story which develops along the way; and the same goes for Cisco (Angus Sampson), working for Mickey as an investigator, and also rather sweet on Lorna.
Also add in Mickey’s seemingly love-hate relationship with the cop Griggs, although it’s mostly hate. They can’t stand each other, but sometimes have to work with one another.
In The Lincoln Lawyer, there’s lots of briefly-shown cases, although I do sometimes wonder whether these characters will later show up again. Either way, the main cast are a mostly likeable bunch which certainly helps, since if you have a drama where you’re not rooting for anyone, then getting through it can be a tough row to hoe.
Overall, so far, it’s not exactly a taxing watch, but it is engaging to watch, and it’s like a typical Saturday night 9pm weekly drama, so makes for comfortable viewing.
Thanks to our friends at Netflix for the screener prior to release.
The Lincoln Lawyer is not available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD, but is on Netflix from Thursday May 5th.
Detailed specs:
Cert: 
Running time: 45-50 minutes per episode (10 episodes)
Release date: May 13th 2022
Studio: Netflix
Format: 2.00:1
Episodes 1-5 Score: 7/10
Series Directors: David Grossman, Alonso Alvarez, Bill D’Elia, Erin Feeley, Liz Friedlander
Novel: Michael Connelly
Devloped by: Ted Humphrey
Creator: David E Kelley
Screenwriter: David E Kelley
Cast:
Mickey Haller: Manuel Garcia-Rulfo
Lorna Crane: Becki Newton
Maggie McPherson: Neve Campbell
Cisco: Angus Sampson
Trevor Elliott: Christopher Gorham
Izzy Letts: Jazz Raycole
Detective Raymond Griggs: Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine
Kym Wagstaff: Paloma Esparza Rabinov
Jeff Golantz: Michael Graziadei
Judge James P Stanton: Lamont Thompson
Hayley Haller: Krista Warner
Teddy Vogul: Chris Browning
Angelo Soto: Reggie Lee
Jury Foreman: Anthony Elfonzia
Lara Elliott: Katy Erin
Jerry Vincent: Paul Urcioli
Charlotte Yeoh: Jordyn Chang
Janelle Simmons: Kim Hawthorne
Robert Cardone: Carlos Bernard
Joanne Giorgetti: Christine Horn
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.