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The thrilling conclusion of The Lincoln Lawyer Season 3 left viewers on the edge of their seats by stripping Mickey Haller (played by Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) of his usual knack for maneuvering out of tricky situations. Just when he was celebrating his firm’s success in the Julian La Cosse case and was looking forward to a vacation in Mexico, his plans took a shocking turn. The LAPD stopped him, and despite his protests about the legality of the search, Mickey found himself arrested for the murder of Sam Scales (Christopher Thornton), whose body mysteriously appeared in his trunk. The spacious 1963 Lincoln Continental trunk could indeed accommodate Sam’s body, wheelchair and all.
Sam Scales was a notorious con artist who deceived many, including Mickey, though he occasionally did some unofficial work for the lawyer. This implies that whoever framed Mickey for the murder knew about this clandestine connection. They understood Mickey’s penchant for working in the legal gray areas, exploiting the tiniest details to secure a victory. The murder was orchestrated with precision, turning Mickey’s usual legal system into his adversary. While we certainly don’t side with those who set him up, we are intrigued by how this situation challenges Mickey Haller, who now finds himself stripped of his usual resources. By the time Season 4 opens, Mickey is bearded and clinging to his case notes hidden under his jail cell cot. Gone are his usual assets, leaving him to rely solely on his wits. Can he rise to the occasion as inmate #7211956?
Meanwhile, back at Haller & Associates, Lorna Crane (Becky Newton) is keeping the firm afloat. She’s juggling Mickey’s caseload while he, as she puts it, handles his “murder thingy.” Her task is to assure prospective clients that having a lead attorney who’s also a murder suspect shouldn’t deter them. Joining forces with her new husband, investigator Dennis “Cisco” Wojciechowski (Angus Sampson), and office manager Izzy Letts (Jazz Raycole), Lorna spends considerable time in the conference room, trying to unravel the mystery. On one side of the whiteboard is “Who Hates Mickey,” listing past clients and disgruntled individuals, all with alibis for the night of Sam’s murder. The other side lists potential motives against Sam. Was he involved in a con that led to his death and Mickey’s setup? The team has scant evidence to work with.
The courtroom battle promises to be intense. Lorna and Cisco bring Mickey a suit, shirt, tie, and razor, joking that he looks like a “hobo riding the rails.” Once in front of Judge Lionel Stone (Scott Lawrence), Lorna stands beside “pro se counsel Michael Haller” and they encounter an unexpected adversary. A less formidable assistant district attorney is replaced by Dana Berg (Constance Zimmer), whom Mickey dubs “Death Row Dana.” She’s known for her tenacity. Later, when Lorna meets with Maggie McPherson (Neve Campbell), Mickey’s other ex-wife and a district attorney, Lorna expresses her frustration. Mickey’s incarceration is bad for business, they’re losing clients, and through Dana Berg, the prosecution is withholding evidence. Maggie’s nickname for Berg, “Iceberg,” leaves Lorna even more exasperated. “She has two nicknames?!”
Mickey remains unshaken, confident he can endure a few months in jail. He refuses to deplete the firm’s shrinking funds on a hefty five-million-dollar bail or tap into his daughter Hayley’s (Krista Warner) college savings. He assures Lorna and Maggie of his unwavering belief in his eventual acquittal. This is classic Mickey Haller, where he often finds his best solutions to complex legal challenges. However, this time, he’s without his beloved Lincoln and the comfort of his midcentury home. With minimal resources, a formidable opponent in the courtroom, and mounting evidence against him, including a ballistics report linking the bullet that killed Sam Scales to Mickey’s garage floor, he faces an uphill battle. Will he find a way to turn the tables?
Mickey can tell Hayley not to worry, that while the prosecutor will try to grow the case against him like a leafy tree, her father is the man with the axe. But back at the jailhouse, as the lights go out for another long night behind bars, and the ambient sounds of the incarcerated becomes like a buzzy noise beating into his brain, Mickey can’t stay as radically confident. He puts his arms over his face, and repeats a lone mantra. “I’m the man with the axe…”
Briefs for Season 2 Episode 1 of The Lincoln Lawyer (“7211956”):
- Izzy is taking paralegal courses, where she makes a connection with her classmate Grace (Gigi Zumbado). Iz tries to say her life is crazy, what with her boss being accused of murder and all, but Grace is persistent, and they agree to meet at a local spot full of vintage arcade games.
- Angélica María returns to Lincoln Lawyer for a little more light comic relief as Elena, Mickey’s actress mother. “You’re missing out on your life!” Elena says during a phone call with her son. “You are missing out on your daughter, and the possibility of finding a future wife!” Mickey’s like Ma, it’s not my choice to be in here…
- We love a nice location shot, and when Lorna Crane meets Maggie McPherson to discuss the predicament of their shared former husband, it’s inside the gorgeous atrium of the Bradbury Building in downtown Los Angeles.
Johnny Loftus (@johnnyloftus.bsky.social) is a Chicago-based writer. A veteran of the alternative weekly trenches, his work has also appeared in Entertainment Weekly, Pitchfork, The All Music Guide, and The Village Voice.