Netflix released season 4 of The Lincoln Lawyer on February 5, after a two-year hiatus, and millions of fans instantly locked in. According to Variety, the show hit the No.2 spot in the Top 10 shows, reaching 23.4 million views in the first couple of days.
Needless to say, fans couldn’t wait to see how Mickey Haller would handle a murder charge—against himself! If anyone can defend their own case and win, it would be Haller, but will his unconventional methods of fighting high profile cases prove successful this time around? Set aside ample time to find out, because once you press play, you will find yourself glued to your seat, soaking in episode after episode (I may have watched the whole season in a day).
Normally, Mickey Haller can get out of a pickle in no time, but he’s up against some pretty big players in season four, so yes, the entire season will focus on his defense case against the murder of his former client, Sam Scales. Fortunately for Mickey, Sam’s con-artist reputation gives him somewhat of an advantage in court, because the reasonable doubt is present off the rip.
What makes Mickey’s case particularly challenging is finding out who framed him, why they framed him, and how to proclaim his innocence when the FBI does everything in their power to silence him. If that weren’t enough, Mickey also has to do much of his prep work behind bars, with corrupt officers out to get him at every turn.
Why is Mickey a murder suspect and who would want to frame him?
If you remember how season 3 ends, Sam Scales’ body is found in the trunk of Mickey’s car, causing his immediate arrest. What’s automatically suspicious is that Mickey is pulled over without being given a solid reason for the search of his trunk. This already screams set-up, but who is out to get Mickey Haller?
The Lincoln Lawyer season 4 reveals that there are quite a few people whom Mickey has wronged in the past, and they don’t hesitate to testify in court against his lack of character and ethics in how he handles his legal cases. The number of people who want him locked up increases as the season goes on. Could Mickey actually be capable of the murder?
In the world of legal television, a juicy defense case leaves viewers suspecting a number of people and ultimately questioning the defendant themselves. Likewise, conspiracy theories require viewers to pay attention to every detail and trust no one. This is exactly the vibe that season 4 brings to the show. It’s not difficult to believe that someone powerful would want to frame Mickey, but it’s awfully difficult to prove amid the mounting evidence against him. Even more so, why did the alleged murderer target Sam Scales?
Mickey is a proven undefeated defense lawyer, but with eyes on him for murder, he needs a trusted co-counsel to help him prove his innocence. Lucky for him, he has two capable ex-wives and a dedicated team to help. It really is a team effort to help investigate and gather evidence while Mickey is locked up. For the first couple of weeks, Lorna (ex-wife number 2) serves as Mickey’s co-counsel. She does a decent job, but she isn’t as skilled as Mickey, and she is overwhelmed between his case and all her other cases that she must focus on to keep the lights on at the firm.
When Lorna hits a dead-end with the case, she calls in “the big guns”—Maggie McPherson— ex-wife number 1, criminal prosecutor, and hot-shot District Attorney. Taking a seat on the defense side of the court is new for her, but she knows all the tricks that the prosecution will try to pull, which makes her even more useful to Mickey’s case. As you can imagine, this involvement also brings some romantic challenges for Mickey and Maggie.
Aside from the body in his car, the prosecution also finds a fax from Mickey to Sam Scales, threatening to take extreme action if he doesn’t pay his overdue legal fees. The prosecution claims that Mickey knew Sam had an account where he was keeping certain funds, and that he put a lien on those funds to receive them if Sam passed away.
There is also the issue of the murder weapon—the bullet casings and blood were found in Mickey’s garage, which is pretty solid evidence to convict him. Nevertheless, Mickey’s fate rests in the hands of the jury, a confused judge, and his ex-wives-turned-legal-team.
The Lincoln Lawyer season 4 is now streaming on Netflix.