Lincoln Lawyer – drama series review

Was bit skeptical when started the series, for it felt like yet another lawyer drama. I got the title confused with lawyer of Lincoln rather than as mentioned. When I saw the review, it was even more dull with the plot mentioning about a lawyer who goes about his business from a Lincoln car. After a while, when this series kept popping up on review circles was curious to give it a try. The major plus being, it is an author backed series based on a best seller novel. Michael Connelly has always been on the book reading radar and was planning to try his series once I am done with the present set. It turned out to be a nice decision to watch the series and the 10 part season 1 got over in no time. It has all the elements of a movie, with each episode running to nearly an hour’s time. Felt like watching a pakka tamil masala movie of thriller genre at many places. The ease with which the lawyer/hero (Mike Haller) cracks open cases and secures freedom for this clients, his family issues that have been told in a non-melodramatic manner, his colleagues who dote on him (this portion is pakka tamil film setup), the main case for which the entire season is dedicated with smaller cases and other peripheral issues forming the rest of the story buildup, comic timing and charm of the hero while presenting his case, neat twists and engaging screen play which never over does the court scenes that occupy a good amount of screen space across every episode at the same time sticking to the core plot, above all the hero being a doppelganger of tamil actor/musician Vijay Anthony (the dead pan acting style or the way he smiles it is unmissable). In fact towards the final episode, when the “magic bullet redux” happens, the author/director of the series, gives ample space for the viewers to early guess the break in case alongside the hero, which was not too revealing at the same time, ensured audience got hooked to the climax to get their guesses confirmed. After watching the series, couldn’t wait to grab hold of the nearest novel by the author. If the book does justice to the screen adaptation, there is a sure shot winner. Eagerly looking forward to the next season.