Michael Connelly’s crime fiction universe has become one of the streaming era’s richest source of material, but the adaptations of his novels have one major snag that continues to disappoint viewers. Spanning multiple series, Connelly’s novels have inspired some of modern streaming’s most successful shows. With Prime Video’s Bosch and its spinoff, Bosch: Legacy, finding immense popularity among viewers, Connelly’s work also inspired The Lincoln Lawyer on Netflix.
Both franchises have been embraced by viewers and critics, who have found Connelly’s work rife for the dramatic tension of a slow building procedural. Bosch, following Hieronymus “Harry” Bosch (Titus Welliver), takes on the dark underside of detective work, while The Lincoln Lawyer, following Mickey Haller (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), sticks to the legal system and Mickey’s creative ways to work through it.
Despite Connelly’s books in the Bosch and The Lincoln Lawyer series all taking place within the same universe, which reveals that Bosch himself and Mickey are half-brothers who interact frequently, the shows themselves haven’t been able to bring the characters together. Logistically, both shows haven’t been able to achieve an anticipated step with their protagonists’ relationships, and the disappointment is certain to continue with The Lincoln Lawyer.
The Lincoln Lawyer Season 5 Is Adapting Another Book That Heavily Features Harry Bosch
Ahead of its fourth season being released, The Lincoln Lawyer was renewed for a fifth season which is set to adapt another of Connelly’s novels, Resurrection Walk. The novel, which is the seventh in Connelly’s series, heavily features Harry Bosch as well as his daughter. The storyline is one that significantly deepens the relationship between Bosch and Mickey, with Bosch’s investigative skills playing a huge role in Mickey’s case.
Why Netflix’s The Lincoln Lawyer Can’t Use Harry Bosch In The Show
Legally, The Lincoln Lawyer can’t bring Bosch into the series because of logistics between the shows streaming platforms. While both characters exist in the same universe, Bosch and its spinoffs air on Prime Video, while The Lincoln Lawyer streams on Netflix. This means that Netflix can’t use the Prime Video-owned IP, and vice versa. Without significant negotiation, the services wouldn’t be able to effectively cross over.
While it’s possible that the streaming platforms could work to reach an agreement of some sort, it’s highly unlikely that a complicated agreement would come to pass. Connelly himself has opened up about the limitations between streaming services, making it clear that a crossover isn’t likely in the future. The shows have been able to selectively adapt Connelly’s work, but The Lincoln Lawyer season 5 could pose a problem.
How The Lincoln Lawyer Has Handled Bosch’s Absence
Despite the limitations between the shows, The Lincoln Lawyer has been able to keep itself afloat without Bosch’s presence. Bosch, having ended after the third season of Bosch: Legacy, has been able to continue on within its secondary spinoff, the Maggie Q-led series Ballard, but The Lincoln Lawyer doesn’t have the ability to bring Bosch into the picture. Instead, the series has gotten creative with its supporting characters.
Typically choosing material from Connelly’s catalogue that can be adapted to suit Bosch’s absence, The Lincoln Lawyer has worked hard to ensure that Mickey’s identity isn’t wrapped up in Bosch’s. While The Lincoln Lawyer season 5 may have to be even more creative surrounding the inability to incorporate Bosch, the Netflix series has been able to move through difficulties in adaptation before.
