Netflix Releases a First Look at ‘The Lincoln Lawyer’ TV Series

Manuel Garcia-Rulfo as Mickey Haller in Netflix's 'The Lincoln Lawyer.'

Novelist Michael Connelly’s ‘The Lincoln Lawyer’ series of crime books were most famously brought to screens by 2011’s eponymous movie, directed by Brad Furman and starring Matthew McConaughey as Mick Haller, the titular legal eagle.

Though the movie was a success, and chatter about a sequel followed, nothing has emerged on the big screen since. Still, fans of the car-loving lawyer are about to get the next best thing: a TV adaptation from Netflix.

As a show, ‘The Lincoln Lawyer’ adapts ‘The Brass Verdict’, the second book in Connelly’s series. Legal show veteran David E. Kelley – who has brought us the likes of ‘Boston Legal’, 'Ally McBeal’ and ‘The Practice’ – created the new series, while ‘The Good Wife’s Ted Humphrey is running the show.

There’s no McConaughey here, though ‘The Magnificent Seven’s Manuel Garcia-Rulfo is taking on the role of Mickey Haller, the iconoclastic idealist lawyer who runs his law practice out of the back seat of his Lincoln Town Car (which is where he gets the name). He drives the streets of Los Angeles helping those who most need it with cases big and small (and bending one or two rules along the way).

Mickey is trying to find his footing again after spending time away from practicing law. He returns to Los Angeles where he finds himself dragged back into the business with a mystery to solve. He is also working on rebuilding relationships.

(L to R) Neve Campbell and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo in Netflix's 'The Lincoln Lawyer.'

Mickey has two ex-wives: He most recently divorced Lorna (Becki Newton) who is part secretary and part therapist, and supportive and encouraging of Mickey. Then there’s his first, Maggie (Neve Campbell), with who he shares a daughter named Hayley (Krista Warner).

The 10-episode series also stars Jazz Raycole, Angus Sampson, Christopher Gorham, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, Michael Graziadei, and Jamie McShane.

Kelley and co. originally set up the show in 2020 at the more traditional network CBS, where Kiele Sanchez was cast to play Lorna. The CBS version saw Mickey returning after spending time in rehab for opioid addiction, and it’ll be interesting to see if that element remains in the Netflix incarnation (though given the usually edgier content on streaming services, we’d be shocked if it didn’t).

The one vague disappointment here? That Prime Video owns the rights to the connected ‘Bosch’ book series – Haller happens to be the younger half-brother of Harry Bosch - which means a crossover is supremely unlikely, even given the continued presence of Titus Welliver’s Bosch in new IMDb TV series ‘Bosch: Legacy’. Who wouldn’t want to see Bosch bring his grumpy detective wisdom to his younger half-sibling?

Still, if it’s anything like the movie (and, of course, the novels), ‘The Lincoln Lawyer’ could well be worth taking a ride with, especially if it’s successful and leads to more of the books hitting screens. The series will drive on to Netflix on May 13th.

Manuel Garcia-Rulfo as Mickey Haller in Netflix's 'The Lincoln Lawyer.'