SERIES REVIEW – The legal profession often finds itself under scrutiny, yet it serves as the crucial barrier between an individual under accusation and the ruling authorities. Netflix’s “The Lincoln Lawyer,” now in its second season, advocates effectively for the necessity of more legal television dramas from the vantage point of defense lawyers. Fortunately,The Lincoln Lawyer returns with more riveting legal storytelling.

The season, consisting of 10 episodes, is split into two releases. The first half, culminating in a suspenseful cliffhanger, is currently available, while the concluding half, which remains unseen by me, is set for release on Aug. 3. This unusual scheduling doesn’t seem driven by the narrative, but rather represents Netflix’s peculiar balancing act between binge-watching and weekly releases. While it doesn’t enhance the storyline, there’s likely some analytical evidence at Netflix suggesting this strategy boosts viewer numbers.

The series is an adaptation of Michael Connelly’s novels and is brought to life by David E. Kelley and Ted Humphrey, both well-versed in this genre. So, it raises eyebrows when this new season feels a tad unsure of itself.

Caught in the Middle: The Lawful Tightrope Walk of Attorney Mickey Haller

Chronicling the professional journey of criminal defense attorney Mickey Haller (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), we encounter a character who straddles the line between nobility and sleaziness, landing as a realist and a strategist. He’s riding the wave of two significant victories from the first season: an acquittal for a morally questionable tech entrepreneur (who was subsequently shot dead), and an overturned wrongful conviction for a client framed by law enforcement for a murder he didn’t commit.

The new season consistently harks back to these cases early on, offering little in the way of a retrospective recap. I struggled to remember these plot points, prompting a reluctant revisit of the previous season’s climax. This is an inherent challenge when the second season arrives a year and a half after the first. Despite Kelley and Humphrey’s extensive network TV experience, they and Netflix have struggled to adapt traditional storytelling techniques to the unpredictable scheduling of streaming services.

In the wake of these legal triumphs, Mickey has become a prominent figure. While it’s hard to envision these cases catapulting him to celebrity status outside legal circles, that’s the reality the show is selling. His actions have also inadvertently sabotaged a sex trafficking case his prosecutor ex-wife (Neve Campbell) was working on, leading to her demotion and subsequent tension between them, which he attempts to resolve with money – to predictable results.

Meanwhile, back at his newly and inexplicably revamped office – reminiscent of an Ikea display; would a man previously operating from his Lincoln really be so invested in office aesthetics? – Mickey’s other ex-wife and office manager, the energetic Lorna (Becki Newton), is scrambling to manage the surge of new clients. As she simultaneously wraps up law school and organizes her wedding to Mickey’s seasoned private investigator, Cisco (Angus Sampson), he’s trying (and failing) to distance himself from his former biker gang ties. And then there’s Mickey’s driver, Izzy (Jazz Raycole), who the writers appear to be struggling to weave into the storyline meaningfully.

Complex Cases and Character Dynamics: The Uphill Battle in ‘The Lincoln Lawyer

Once again, the series attempts to balance a substantial ongoing case alongside ones that Mickey resolves relatively quickly. While it’s conceivable for the show to maintain this dynamic, its execution seems somewhat disjointed this season. After becoming romantically involved with a chef who is subsequently charged with murder, Mickey steps in as her defense. The situation hints at classic noir tropes: Is she an innocent victim or a deceptive femme fatale drawing Mickey into her web of deceit? The character’s ambiguity is deliberate, but her lack of appeal raises questions about rushed writing – a common issue among streaming shows, further evidenced by the ongoing Hollywood writers’ strike.

Despite these criticisms, my interest in the show and its genre assures that I will be tuning in for the latter half of the season. “The Lincoln Lawyer” harks back to a time when shows with such premises would receive 22-episode orders, each week presenting a fascinating legal conundrum. While the lead character and performance are sufficiently intriguing but lack deeper complexity, the supporting cast’s problem-solving abilities and the compelling nature of the cases largely compensate for this, albeit they are given less prominence this time around.

Television should offer a space for engrossing, well-crafted legal dramas, even if the genre seems to have quietly slipped from the limelight. Given the times we live in, witnessing intelligent characters wrestling with a corrupt system, their ethical dilemmas, and delivering a stirring speech or two, feels more relevant than ever.

-BadSector-