When it comes to me needing to write up a review, I can always rely on Netflix to give me inspiration. The streaming service usually has something new released each month. Still, just because that may be the case, it has to be something that catches my eye. Well, this time around, Netflix did do just that as they released the Lincoln Lawyer, a legal/crime drama consisting of ten episodes. The reason that caught my eye is I vaguely remembered there was a movie called the Lincoln Lawyer way back when with the same name. Sure enough, there was one which had Matthew McConaughey starring as the aforementioned Lincoln Lawyer. Now, I don’t remember watching the movie and it’s not on Netflix in my location. So I decided to check out the Netflix series because, well, name recognition!

The Lincoln Lawyer, the series not the movie, has recovering addict and rather unscrupulous lawyer Mickey Haller inheriting the law practice of another lawyer who was murdered. One of the cases he inherited involves defending a tech billionaire named Trevor Elliot who has been charged with the murder of his wife and her lover. However, things in the case may not be so clear cut regarding his new client’s guilt of innocence.

Now, while this is actually a very late review as the entire series has been made available already on Netflix, this will still be a SPOILER FREE review. After all, some of you may not have given the show a chance or just didn’t think it was all that good. So, yeah, this will be a SPOILER FREE review, just in case.

I’m pretty much a sucker for crime dramas but not the overly serious ones. Things like Criminal Minds, FBI and Bull are generally more my speed. The Lincoln Lawyer does feel like those shows as, while the show does follow one big case, Mickey Haller has to also deal with the other smaller cases he inherited. In fact, it’s kind of important that he does because it’s during these earlier smaller cases where you can see how he operates. As in he’s smart, observant and is generally willing to bend the rules a little bit here and there to get his clients the best judgement. Oh, and another thing, he’s not any of those clean cut TV lawyers who always defend innocent people. He is, like any good lawyer should be, willing to defend those who are guilty as well. That did feel a little refreshing.

However, it’s important to note that, while there are smaller cases, most of the episodes does concentrate on the big Trevor Elliot case as well as Mickey Haller’s ex-wife’s case involving a possible human trafficker, a innocent client of his who was found guilty in imprisoned for life and the murder of the lawyer the Lincoln Lawyer inherited the case from. This is where things get a little problematic as it’s spreads out the focus between them. Instead of just focusing on the main Trevor Elliot case and the murdered lawyer, the show muddies things up by adding the other two side stories. It’s not like things become confusing because there’s a lot going but it does feel as if they were trying to do too much in those ten episodes.

And that’s not even including the other side characters who just so happen to have their own story arcs. While that’s generally okay, it does add to the things you have to keep track off. That wouldn’t be a huge problem if you actually cared for the characters but some of their story threads felt too disconnected to the main story. I’m guessing those bits are there because either they were part of the book or to set up a possible sequel. They just felt superfluous to the events of the main case.

However, the main cases, the Trevor Elliot double homicide and the murder of the lawyer who gifted his practice to Mickey Haller, were engrossing, especially the former. The writers did a good job in laying out the clues for the viewer so you can actually figure out what actually happened. The second main case, however, not so much. In fact, it’s almost as if they breezed through its explanation in something like fifteen minutes without really getting into the nitty gritty on the motive. You get a general idea of why the guy was killed but not to the extent that it was crystal clear as to what did that lawyer do to get him killed.

The acting in the Lincoln Lawyer is generally good. However, I will say my first impressions to the casing wasn’t all that good. It certainly took me some time to warm up to the cast of characters. Manuel Garcia-Rulfo does an admirable job as Mickey Haller. He does manage to pull off being clever and smart while also displaying a lot of anti-heroic traits, like doing somewhat unethical actions to get what he needs. Neve Campbell as Maggie McPherson, Haller’s first ex-wife and assistant DA, is also good as she gets to act tough but not tough enough she gets annoying. Becki Newton plays Lorna, Haller’s legal aide and second ex-wife, seems to be having a blast with her role as she gets to play a streetwise gal who relies on her charms to get others to underestimate her.

Probably my favorite character is played by Angus Sampson who gives life to Cisco, Haller’s in-house investigator and former biker gang member, for no other reason than his voice. It’s very distinct and I do like how he never uses force during his investigations. He actually uses his intelligence and good detective work. Sure, the people he talks to are intimidated by his size but he never directly says he’ll beat them up or anything like that. My least liked character is Izzy, Haller’s new driver, former client and recovering addict. It’s not like she’s a bad character. It’s just that the character herself doesn’t do anything but drive the Lincoln Lawyer around and be a sounding off board for Haller so that viewers get a little more insight on his style of practicing law.

All-in-all, I will say the Lincoln Lawyer was a fun watch but it’s more like a throwback to how crime dramas were done in the past. It’s not as sensational as today’s crime dramas so it’s not for everybody. I do wish there was a little more focus on the main case as it can bounce around from story to story, which can get annoying if you don’t care about them. I guess I will say the Lincoln Lawyer did grip me for the entire ten episodes but to say that it left a big impact on me would be stretching it. Let’s just say it did make me want to watch the film with Matthew McConaughey just to see how things stack up.

Welp, gotta see what streaming site has it. Thanks, Netflix for not having it in the Philippines!

Have you seen the Lincoln Lawyer television series by Netflix? What did you think of it? Let me know in the comments section below!