The Lincoln Lawyer Season 3 Review – A Reliable Courtroom Drama

Fast-talking, high-profile lawyer Mickey Haller is back for more in the third season of the popular Netflix series The Lincoln Lawyer. Based on Michael Connelly’s novels of the same name, the ten-episode series sees Manuel Garcia-Rulfo return as Haller, as the death of a former client has caused a stir in his firm. The third season is based on Connelly’s fifth book in The Lincoln Lawyer series, The Gods of Guilt.

The Lincoln Lawyer Season 3 Review

Season 3 of The Lincoln Lawyer sees Mickey Haller take on the case of Julian La Cosse, who is accused of murdering Gloria Dayton. Dayton, known on the streets as Gloria Days, had been in out and trouble with the law between prostitution and drugs, with Haller helping her get out of sticky situations. However, instead of fleeing to Hawaii as she had planned, Gloria stayed in the city and ended up dead. Haller knows that La Cosse is innocent, but to prove it, he must do unethical things to clear his name.

Having a solid foundation of Michael Connelly’s books has given the writers of the series plenty of options when developing each season. The progression and evolution of Mickey Haller through the first two seasons was impressive, but the writers developed Haller further in season three. Haller is a powerhouse in and out of the courtroom, but within that is his weakness for broken people. As those around him that he cares for start to struggle, it puts the character to the test, as we’ve yet to see.

The Lincoln Lawyer. (L to R) Devon Graye as Julian La Cosse, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo as Mickey Haller in episode 301 of The Lincoln Lawyer. Cr. Courtesy Of Netflix © 2024

Manuel Garcia-Rulfo plays Haller with precision. The confidence he gains the deeper he digs into the role is impressive. With the writers continuously developing the character, Garcia-Rulfo is forced to change how he plays the character. In the early stages of season one and the beginning of season two, Haller was somewhat unlikeable, yet you root for him because he stands for the people who can’t. This season, he comes full circle, and it’s within the courtroom that Garcia-Rulfo stands tall and delivers.

This was hands down the best we’ve seen the writers develop the ancillary pieces of The Lincoln Lawyer. Cisco and Lorna are two vital characters in the story, and as Lorna grows into becoming a lawyer of her own, she stands differently, and her character and the story are for the better. The uncharacteristic relationship between Lorna and Cisco shouldn’t work, but the chemistry is everything. I also loved seeing more out of Izzy within this season, which gave her character more meat to the bone.

The Lincoln Lawyer. (L to R) Manuel Garcia-Rulfo as Mickey Haller, Jazz Raycole as Izzy Letts, Becki Newton as Lorna Crane, Angus Sampson as Denis “Cisco” Wojciechowski in episode 301 of The Lincoln Lawyer. Cr. Lara Solanki/Netflix © 2024

One thing I loved about this season was the writers not honing in on Mickey’s relationships. Although we see a little relationship blossom in the season, it wasn’t the vocal point. As they shifted away from that, it allowed for more drama to unfold and even more courtroom drama.

Speaking of the courtroom drama, how they build these sequences makes it feel like we are watching Haller go 12 rounds in the courtroom. The sprinkle of Lorna being a great assistant in the latter half of the season only made them that much better. The continued focus on making the courtroom battles a central aspect of this show is why it succeeds. I would watch three or more seasons of this show.

Is The Lincoln Lawyer Season 3 Worth Watching?

If you were a fan of the first two seasons of The Lincoln Lawyer, you will love this season. The writers have found the best parts of Michael Connelly’s books and brought them to the small screen to develop a courtroom drama worthy of binging. Manuel Garcia-Rulfo doesn’t get nearly enough credit for what he has done in the role of Mickey Haller. This type of performance should be in the conversation yearly at the Emmys. For me, season three of The Lincoln Lawyer is the best to date.

The Lincoln Lawyer Season 3 is streaming on Netflix.

Written by Ricky Valero

Articles Published: 35

Ricky Valero is based in Nashvile, TN. He has a huge passion for film and tv. He is a proud member of the Critics Choice Association . While not watching movies, he has a huge love for crappy reality dating shows.