TV Show review
May 13, 2022 · TV-MA · Returning Series
Woke Score
Lower is better
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for The Lincoln Lawyer.
Woke representation / casting
Lead actor fits the book's explicit biracial heritage description and LA setting; supporting roles reflect organic urban diversity without mismatches, agenda emphasis, or public "first Latino lead" framing as the main hook.
Woke political dialogue
Rare light modern references (e.g., one critical "woke police" line); dialogue and cases stay grounded in legal strategy, evidence, and personal stakes with no activist speeches or identity lectures.
Identity-driven story themes
Central arcs involve legal defense, corruption exposure, addiction recovery, and family reconciliation; any heritage elements remain secondary and non-ideological.
Western institutional / cultural critique
Cases regularly show flaws in policing, courts, wealth influence, and bureaucracy (genre-standard anti-corruption themes); presented through individual stories without reframing as systemic identity oppression, patriarchy, or colonial-style critiques.
Review
The Lincoln Lawyer is a Netflix legal drama series about Los Angeles defense attorney Mickey Haller, who operates from the backseat of his Lincoln Navigator while handling complex criminal cases, personal recovery from addiction, and family matters across four seasons. Adapted season-by-season from specific Michael Connelly novels, it delivers courtroom twists, investigations, and ethical dilemmas in the justice system. The show features casting and supporting characters that align with the books' biracial protagonist and Los Angeles setting, along with occasional light modern references, but centers on procedural storytelling without dominant activist or identity-driven messaging.
Woke character or canon changes
Not relevant. The series adapts specific novels faithfully, including protagonist background, with no identity swaps or source alterations for modern messaging.
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
Limited scattered viewer notes on casting, production diversity, or occasional dialogue as feeling performative or "more woke" in later seasons; no substantial organized complaints, major media controversy, or widespread "too woke" framing.
Creator track record context
David E. Kelley and Ted Humphrey show minimal identity focus; Dailyn Rodriguez brings moderate Latino rep advocacy; Michael Connelly has occasional mild liberal political notes in books but prioritizes crime procedurals; most other writers and directors lack notable activist histories.
Production
