The Lincoln Lawyer Season 3 takes another dangerous turn for the protagonist Mickey Haller (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo). In it, he legally battles the corrupt systems and deadly foes.
As we mentioned in our 2023 article, The Lincoln Lawyer (S1 & S2) Series is based on Michael Connelly’s novel series of the same title. Interestingly, Connelly drew inspiration for this fictional character ‘Mickey Haller’ from a real individual, David Ogden, a Los Angeles attorney who died in 2020, who operated his legal practice from the back of his car. And it is worth noting that another series ‘Bosch: Legacy‘ that we reviewed was also based on Michael Connelly’s books. Not surprisingly, both these series from the USA are set in Los Angeles (LA), California.
“The Lincoln Lawyer Season 3” Series Is Riveting, As This Sharp & Slick Legal Drama Exposes The Corrupt Systems
Spoiler Free Review: The Lincoln Lawyer Season 3 (USA/2024) Series
The trailer
The synopsis
Mickey Haller (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), an idealistic and Hotshot LA defence attorney, operates his legal practice from the back of his Lincoln Town Car, handling a diverse range of cases throughout Los Angeles. About its title, The Lincoln Lawyer Mickey Haller is recognized for his affinity for Lincoln automobiles, which are regarded as a luxury car brand in the United States, representing the best of Ford Automobiles’ models.
The latest 2024 season is derived from Michael Connelly’s novel, The Gods of Guilt, which also serves as the title for the Season 3 finale. Now, in Season 3 (2024), the lawyer Mickey Haller takes on a case that is both personal and potentially dangerous, defending the individual named Julian La Cosse (Devon Graye), accused of murdering Gloria Dayton (Fiona Rene), a friend and former client.
While fighting Gloria Dayton’s murder case in the courtroom, Mickey comes across a conspiracy of corruption in the justice system that goes all the way to the top. As usual, Mickey is determined to employ every possible strategy to secure victory as he manoeuvres through the complexities of the criminal justice system.
Whenever Mickey Haller (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), a lawyer with two divorces, receives a call from one of his former wives, the caller ID reflects either "First Wife" or "Second Wife," depending on whether the caller is Maggie McPherson (Neve Campbell) or Lorna Crane (Becki Newton).
Manuel Garcia-Rulfo plays the protagonist Mickey Haller smartly and stylishly
We liked the way, the lead actor Manuel Garcia-Rulfo played the Lincoln Lawyer Mickey Haller smartly and stylishly. He is very well backed by his supporting cast members, Becki Newton (Lorna Crane), Angus Sampson (Cisco Wojciechowski), Jazz Raycole (Izzy Letts), Yaya DaCosta (Andrea Freeman), Neve Campbell (Maggie McPherson), Devon Graye (Julian La Cosse), etc.
A big shout out to the senior actor Holt McCallany (Neil Bishop), who played a complex character in the show. He was very impressive in the courtroom scene. And we loved his distressing redemption arc in the show. However, once again, the cliffhanger ends in the closing scene of Season 3. We were not ready for that kind of shocking finale.
Key details
| Genre | Crime, Drama, Legal, Mystery, Thriller |
| Original Language | English (USA) & Spanish |
| Season | Season (3) Three |
| Episodes | Episodes (10) Ten |
| Creators | Ted Humphrey & David E. Kelley |
| Taglines | Justice Hurts. Welcome to His Office. LA’s Hottest Defense Attorney Just Found a New Gear. |
| Cast | Manuel Garcia-Rulfo (Mickey Haller), Becki Newton (Lorna Crane), Angus Sampson (Cisco Wojciechowski), Jazz Raycole (Izzy Letts), Yaya DaCosta (Andrea Freeman), Neve Campbell (Maggie McPherson), Devon Graye (Julian La Cosse), Holt McCallany (Neil Bishop), Krista Warner (Hayley Haller), Elliott Gould (David ‘Legal’ Siegel), John Pirruccello (William Forsythe), Fiona Rene (Gloria Dayton), Allyn Moriyon (Eddie Rojas), Michael Irby (DEA Agent), etc. |
| Network | Netflix |
The poster
Spoilers Alerts:- Episodes Summary, Ending Explained & Bonus Information
Summary of the 10 Episodes of Season 3
La Culebra (S3, E1) | 52 minutes
La Culebra means The Snake
Mickey deliberates over representing the person accused of killing Gloria Dayton. Hayley asks her dad for help when her old babysitter is arrested.
Special Circumstances (S3, E2) | 53 minutes
With everyone rattled by his dangerous new case, Mickey faces a major blow when an armed robbery trial turns violent. Julian’s bail hearing hits a snag.
Strange Bedfellows (S3, E3) | 55 minutes
While Lorna takes the bar exam, Mickey deals with a long-shot motion, a surprise subpoena and a skittish source. Andrea contends with a sensitive case.
Rearview Blind Spots (S3, E4) | 49 minutes
Struggling with guilt as he tries to connect the dots in Gloria’s murder, Mickey seeks advice from an old friend. Andrea receives devastating news.
What Happens in Victorville (S3, E5) | 54 minutes
As Mickey devises a daring plan involving a cartel boss, Lorna urges him to contact a besieged Andrea. Cisco tracks a witness in Las Vegas.
Man on Fire (S3, E6) | 45 minutes
Mickey’s team sets a trap as Julian’s trial begins. Hayley blames her dad for a tragic loss, and Lorna receives her bar exam results.
Relevance (S3, E7) | 51 minutes
A brutal day in court throws Mickey off his game. Lorna’s new case sends her racing through the courthouse. Andrea confides in the wrong person.
Mystery Man (S3, E8) | 45 minutes
When the judge rules a pivotal witness can testify, Mickey hatches a desperate plan to get a video admitted into evidence. Izzy gets a huge opportunity.
Ghosts (S3, E9) | 50 minutes
With his client’s fate uncertain and the DA demanding a mistrial, Mickey goes out on a legal limb to help sway the judge into letting the case continue.
The Gods of Guilt (S3, E10) | 57 minutes
In a shocking twist, the missing pieces of Gloria’s murder come together on the witness stand — but one last surprise leaves the entire courtroom shaken.
Who is the actual killer of Gloria Dayton?
Gloria Dayton is brutally murdered at her home. And then, the police arrest Julian La Cosse and accuse him of killing her.
So, who is Julian La Cosse and what happened?
Acting as a technology-based facilitator (or an IT pimp), Julian verifies the identities of individuals (clients) who book escorts, contributing to the safety of sex workers like Gloria Dayton, while also earning a 20% share of their financial gains. Although Julian and Gloria were friends, a late payment prompted him to visit her residence, resulting in a tense exchange. In a moment of anger, Julian grabbed her by the neck to force her away, but he departed without causing her any serious harm.
So, who murdered Gloria?
Her actual murderer was a corrupt agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) named James De Marco (Michael Irby) in the show. After De Marco had his private investigator, Neil Bishop (Holt McCallany) determine Gloria’s address, he arrived shortly after Julian left, proceeded to strangulate her and then set fire to Gloria’s residence.
And why did he kill Gloria?
For more than ten years, James De Marco has been in partnership with the Juárez cartel, obscuring their crimes and taking part in their feud with the Tijuana cartel.
When De Marco arrests Gloria for prostitution and drug possession, she finds herself caught in his machinations to remain free from jail. Among Gloria’s clientele is Hector Moya (Arturo Del Puerto), a prominent figure in the Tijuana cartel. Therefore, De Marco compels Gloria to plant a gun on Moya, a firearm connected to a triple murder case.
The revelation of this weapon results in Moya being sentenced to life imprisonment. Nevertheless, Moya suspects foul play and has his lawyer issue a subpoena for Gloria to provide testimony. When De Marco becomes aware of the threat to his secrecy, he takes measures to ensure that Glory Days is silenced for good.
So, the corrupt DEA Agent James De Marco murdered Gloria to hide his underworld connections to the cartel as well as his criminal activities.
“Criminals with badges are the worst kind of all.”
– David ‘Legal’ Siegel
The cliffhanger ending explained
After a win, Mickey was in a happy and celebratory mood, but…
At the dinner party in the restaurant with his office colleagues, Mickey announces his decision to take a long overdue vacation, based on Lorna’s suggestions.
Upon exiting the restaurant, the apparitions of Gloria, Eddie, and (his father) Mickey Haller Senior celebrate his decision with drinks and expressions of joy on their faces.
Then the narrative transitions to the streets. As Mickey drives through the bustling streets of Los Angeles in his favourite powder-blue Lincoln Continental. He is abruptly halted by a police officer, who points out that his license plate is missing. To add to the tension, a liquid that appears to be blood is seen dripping from the back bumper.
Despite Mickey’s protests, the police officer proceeds to open the trunk. Thereby, they uncover the startling discovery of con man Sam Scales, dead inside.
Shocking end!!
The rating
| FM Rating | 3.95/5 |
The conclusion
The Lincoln Lawyer Season 3 continue to entertain us with quality storytelling. The complexities of legal drama have been depicted skillfully, so we liked it very much.
Featured Image – Mickey Haller (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), Lorna Crane (Becki Newton) & Julian La Cosse (Devon Graye).
Poster & Featured Image of The Lincoln Lawyer Season 3 (USA/2024) Series | Pictures Credited to Netflix.