In January, Netflix announced they were renewing its hit legal drama,The Lincoln Lawyer, for a fourth season. WhileThe Lincoln Lawyerseason 4has no release date yet, it is expected to come out in 2026. But after the tensecliffhanger finale ofThe Lincoln Lawyerseason 3, the rest of Mickey Haller’s (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) story cannot come soon enough. The entire show is based on the book series by Michael Connelly, so anxious viewers might be able to get clues from his 2020 novelThe Law Of Innocence.
The Lincoln Lawyeris not the onlytelevision series based on Connelly’s crime novels. From 2014 to 2021, Amazon Prime released the police proceduralBosch, which follows Mickey Haller’s half brother, Detective Hieronymus “Harry” Bosch (Titus Welliver). And now,beforeThe Lincoln Lawyerseason 4 comes out, there is aBoschspinoff set to release on Amazon Prime this July.
Bosch’s Ballard Spinoff On Prime Video Will Be Great To Watch Before The Lincoln Lawyer Season 4
Another Unconventional Police Procedural Releases This July
Bosch’s new spinoff seriesBallardwill release on Amazon Prime Video on July 9th, 2025, and it should be the perfect show to hold us all over while we wait forThe Lincoln Lawyerseason 4.Ballardis set to follow Detective Renée Ballard, who was introduced inBosch: Legacy.Like both Harry Bosch and Mickey Haller, Renée Ballard is a character in Michael Connelly’s crime novels. Clearly, Connelly’s compelling prose makes for a nearly ideal basis for some of the most popular police procedurals of the 2020s.
What makesThe Lincoln Lawyersuch an interesting and successful show is how it blends all the traditional elements of a classic police procedural with the unconventional personality and circumstances of Mickey Haller.SinceBallardis a spinoff ofBosch, it has all the ingredients of a successful crime drama baked into itfrom the very beginning. The twist forBallardis that the eponymous detective will be investigating cold cases that have been forgotten by the system.
Detective Ballard only agreed to join the LAPD on the condition that she could run the cold-case department, so her passion for the job should be evident in every scene. Amazon Prime Video has already shown that they are capable of writing a show with the same level of compelling stories and dramas as Netflix’sThe Lincoln Lawyer, sothis new show should have everything fans ofThe Lincoln Lawyercould want while waiting for season 4.
Ballard & The Lincoln Lawyer’s Book Connection Explained (& Why They Can’t Be In The Same Show)
They May Have A Shared Backstory, But They Can Never Meet On Screen
Michael Connelly’s books are the glue connectingThe Lincoln Lawyer,Bosch,Bosch: Legacy, andBallardtogether. Mickey Haller and Harry Bosch are half brothers, and Harry Bosch and Renée Ballard are colleagues and friends. It would make sense that all three of them would know, or at least be familiar with, one another.
Despite these literary connections, however, it is virtually impossible that the three of them will ever interact on screen.Amazon owns the rights to the characters fromBoschandBallard, whereasNetflix has the rights to Mickey Haller. In the books, Bosch’s relationship with his father, and consequently his half brother, is very important to his characterization. And, in the case ofThe Lincoln Lawyer, Harry Bosch’s role is rewritten into the character of Dennis “Cisco” Wojciechowski (Angus Sampson).
So, in spite of the shared history betweenThe Lincoln LawyerandBallard, viewers should not expect a crossover between the shows.Ballardcan certainly hold viewers over until season 4 comes out, but if audiences want to see more of Mickey Haller, there is not much to do but wait for the fourth season ofThe Lincoln Lawyer.
Ballard
Cast
Ballard follows Detective Renée Ballard as she navigates a tangled web of murder and corruption, confronting a ruthless serial killer and uncovering a sinister police conspiracy. Driven by personal demons, she must outsmart both criminals and colleagues to achieve justice for victims and their families. Released in 2025.
The Lincoln Lawyer
The Lincoln Lawyer: This legal drama follows Mickey Haller, a Los Angeles defense attorney known for operating from his Lincoln Town Car, as he revives his career after an accident by taking on a high-profile murder case. The series explores challenges within the justice system and Haller’s pursuit of truth.
