WARNING! This article contains SPOILERS for The Lincoln Lawyer season 3 & The Law of Innocence book, on which season 4 is seemingly based!The book story underlining The Lincoln Lawyer season 4 has been confirmed after Mickey’s (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) latest twist, but adapting that novel has an added challenge connected to Prime Videos Bosch series. The Lincoln Lawyers characters and stories are based on Michael Connellys Mickey Haller novel series, following the titular defense attorney, his personal life, legal teams dynamics, and grueling cases that he takes on. However, The Lincoln Lawyer was given a notable problem to overcome from the offset, as the novels are connected to Connellys Harry Bosch book series, which Prime Video adapted into a show in 2014.
Though Harry Bosch and Mickey Haller are half-brothers in both book series, neither character has appeared in the TV show adaptation of the other. Therefore, Netflixs The Lincoln Lawyer can’t directly adapt Mickeys subplots with Harry, and vice versa on Prime Videos Bosch. Both shows have been able to skillfully avoid including the other brother so far, with Mickey being written as an only child in The Lincoln Lawyer. However, The Lincoln Lawyer season 4 now has a bigger challenge in adapting Michael Connellys The Law of Innocence novel, as Harrys book role has an increased emotional presence.
Mickey stands in the courtroom with a picture of Glory Days in the background in The Lincoln Lawyer season 3 episode 6
At the very end of The Lincoln Lawyer season 3, Mickey Haller is pulled over by the police and opens his trunk to find Sam Scales body there. Clearly, Mickey wasnt the one who killed his client, and is being framed for Sams murder by some unknown enemy. That conflict is at the center of Michael Connellys The Law of Innocence book, indicating that this novel will be the primary inspiration for The Lincoln Lawyer season 4s story.
With Mickey being accused of Sams murder, this becomes his most personal and daunting case yet, so it shouldnt come as a surprise that his half-brother Harry Bosch plays a sizable role in The Law of Innocences conflicts. Not only does Harry have an increased presence in The Law of Innocence, but it also sees greater input from Mickeys ex-wife Maggie McPherson compared to The Gods of Guilt. Considering Neve Campbell was only in two episodes of The Lincoln Lawyer season 3, the upcoming outing may have to adjust the book story to deal with both Maggie and Harrys absences.
In The Law of Innocence, Harry Bosch becomes more closely involved in Mickeys defense as the legal teams co-investigator. The Lincoln Lawyers character “Cisco” is the one who tries to convince the rest of the team to bring Harry into the fold as the co-investigator in the novel, so the detective plays an integral role in divulging the truth about who framed Mickey. Additionally, since Harry and Mickey are brothers, his role in the book adds a more emotionally charged personal and familial layer to the case.
The Lincoln Lawyer & Bosch: Legacy are both based on Michael Connelly novels. Are his characters as connected in the shows as they are in the books?
With Harry Bosch being unable to appear in The Lincoln Lawyer, the show will have to conceive a compelling way to replace his novel role. Whether that means getting Neve Campbell in more episodes to help Mickeys case, involving Hayley more to replace Harrys familial connection, or giving Cisco far more to do as the sole investigator, Harrys absence creates a more difficult challenge for adapting The Lincoln Lawyer season 4s emotional murder case.
Mickey Haller looking off to the side in The Lincoln Lawyer.
Harry Bosch cant appear in The Lincoln Lawyer because the rights to that character are owned by Amazon, whereas Mickey Haller cant appear in Bosch or its spinoff shows because the rights to that character are held by Netflix. If Netflix was the studio behind both Bosch and The Lincoln Lawyer, there wouldnt be a big problem in having the two shows crossover. In order for Harry Bosch to appear in The Lincoln Lawyer, Amazon would have to reach a deal with Netflix to license the character, similar to how Sony leases out rights for Spider-Man/Peter Parker to Disney.
TV Show
Overall Rotten Tomatoes Score
Bosch (2014-2021)
97%
The Lincoln Lawyer (2022-Present)
90%
However, considering The Lincoln Lawyer has already gone three seasons without introducing Harry Bosch and has yet to directly mention any of Mickeys siblings, it seems unlikely that the two characters will get a TV crossover. Netflix has successfully written around Harrys involvement in the previously-adapted Mickey Haller books so far, and The Lincoln Lawyer season 4 isnt apt to be any different.
Titus Welliver as Bosch walks down the street in a scene from Bosch.
Following season 3 finales twist ending and set-up for season 4s take on The Law of Innocence, co-showrunner Ted Humphrey addressed how The Lincoln Lawyer intends to deal with Harry Boschs absence. According to Humphrey, Boschs appearance is not a possibility, noting that if the opportunity ever arises to introduce the character, theyd have to deal with the issue to backfill the relationship between [Mickey and Harry].
Harry Bosch has been portrayed by Titus Welliver since 2014 in Amazon’s TV show adaptations. In the novels, Harry Bosch and Mickey Haller are half-brothers who share the same father, Mickey Haller, Sr.
Rather than get rid of Harrys role altogether, it appears The Lincoln Lawyer season 4 will introduce a new character to replace his story contributions. Humphrey compared their plan for Bosch to the role of Neil Bishop in The Lincoln Lawyer season 3, an original character for the show who replaced Detective Lankfords (played by Jamie McShane in The Lincoln Lawyer season 1) return in the book. So far, The Lincoln Lawyer seemingly plans to deal with Bosch‘s titular detective by repeating their past strategy of creating new characters and potentially drawing from other novels stories.
The Lincoln Lawyer – Season 2 | Season Poster
The Lincoln Lawyer
The Lincoln Lawyer: This legal drama follows Mickey Haller, a Los Angeles defense attorney known for operating from his Lincoln Town Car, as he revives his career after an accident by taking on a high-profile murder case. The series explores challenges within the justice system and Hallers pursuit of truth.
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Bosch
Bosch is a crime drama series created by Eric Ellis Overmyer that ran for seven seasons on Prime Video between 2014 and 2021.The series centers on Harry Bosch, an LAPD homicide detective that is juggling the case of a 13-year-old murder victim while standing trial after murdering a serial killer. After season 7 Bosch was followed by Bosch: Legacy in 2022.
