The Lincoln Lawyer is the first book in the Mickey Haller series written by Michael Connelly, but skipping the first book wasn’t even the biggest book change from the television series adaptation. The Lincoln Lawyer season 1 adapted book two, The Brass Verdict. The Lincoln Lawyer season 1 closely followed the book, but there were some subtle differences here and there.
The Lincoln Lawyer season 1 altered the way the character of Micky Haller is portrayed. The Lincoln Lawyer season 1 paints Mickey Haller in a different light than the books do as it skips the version of Haller from the first book, who is seen as more financially motivated than he was in the first book. However, it was the verdict itself in The Lincoln Lawyer season 1 that was the biggest change from the book adaptation than anything.
The Brass Verdict Comes Earlier In The Book
In The Brass Verdict, Mickey Haller is no longer as motivated by money, but is motivated by the challenge of being an attorney who is a “defender of the damned.” While he hopes that his client is innocent, he discovers that he is in fact guilty and has no remorse whatsoever for killing another person. Haller struggles with this in the book, especially as his client is eager to be seen as innocent in the court of public opinion, as well as in the actual courtroom.
In The Lincoln Lawyer season 1, Haller does not know his client is guilty of the murder until after the verdict is handed down. The television series does not follow the internal moral struggle that Haller is feeling. As a result, The Lincoln Lawyer season 1 does not portray Mickey Haller as a man who is struggling with his own moral compass while defending an obviously guilty client.
Why Netflix Was Right To Change The Lincoln Lawyer Season 1 Story
In the books, Mickey Haller is not motivated by the same things that motivate him in The Lincoln Lawyer season 1. Changing the timing of the verdict in the television series helps viewers see Mickey Haller as a man who believes that he is doing the right thing and feels betrayed when he learns the truth after his client is found not guilty.
The moral dilemma in the book of The Brass Verdict shows Mickey Haller quitting his job as a criminal defense attorney, which leaves a major plot hole as it’s not well explained why he returns. However, Changing The Lincoln Lawyer season 1 story allows the television series to avoid dealing with the plot hole left in the books. Mickey Haller does have to deal with his own conscience, but not until after the verdict is handed in. This makes it easier for him to do his job, and it eliminates Haller’s decision to leave law. The Lincoln Lawyer season 2 skips from book two to book four, which also allows the inconsistencies in Mickey Haller’s personality to steer clear of television.
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