Netflix’s The Lincoln Lawyer Officially Doubles Down On Its Bosch Replacement

The Lincoln Lawyer finally solved its Bosch problem after four seasons by introducing a controversial replacement, and they’re officially doubling down going into season 5. Given Netflix and Prime Video’s status as competitors, it’s pretty clear that Amazon will never consider lending the character of Harry Bosch to Netflix, especially when the character’s still appearing on Ballard. I’m sorry. It’s just not going to happen.

As fans, we need to open ourselves up to the possibility of another solution. Obviously, Bosch will never be replaceable, but Netflix’s legal drama has decided to introduce a potentially permanent solution. The end of The Lincoln Lawyer season 4 introduces Mickey Haller’s long-lost half-sister, who we now know is named Emi Finch.

The vague introduction made it unclear how involved Emi would fit in the next season. The ending scene shows her as intelligent enough to track down her brother. She also clearly has some instincts, as she recognized the danger of the cartel and got Mickey out of the line of fire. However, that’s still not a ton of information about Cobie Smulders’ character.

They could have backtracked on the reveal, which would have been silly, or sidelined her, which would have been mildly pointless. However, the showrunners are fully leaning into Mickey’s sister, even bumping her up to a series regular, instead of just a season regular.

While there are no guarantees of The Lincoln Lawyer season 6, her status change means she would continue appearing in that season as well. Additionally, announcements about The Lincoln Lawyer season 5, which came as production started, confirm that she will be absolutely integral to the storyline in more than one way.

Mickey’s Secret Sister, Emi, Will Catalyze The Central Case In The Lincoln Lawyer Season 5

Image courtesy of Everett Collection

Since The Lincoln Lawyer season 5 is going to follow the story of Resurrection Walk, the writers needed someone close to Mickey to get the ball rolling with his overarching case. He will spend the season trying to exonerate a convicted woman who claims she’s not guilty of the murder for which she’s serving time.

Mickey might be an optimist, but he isn’t the kind of person to just believe anyone when they say that they are innocent. A friend or family member vouching for the convicted individual is the push he needs. In Michael Connelly’s book, Bosch does this. He finds the letter and convinces Mickey to take the case. In the TV show, Emi will be the catalyst.

She’s going to ask him to look at the six-year-old conviction of a woman, who she presumably knows, and see if there’s a case to get her exonerated. Given their new relationship, I’m certain Mickey will be a little skeptical. However, he is also a family guy, so it would make sense for him to help his half-sister.

The Lincoln Lawyer Season 5 Will Feature Family Drama & Mysteries

Mickey Haller looks in disbelief while standing outside in The Lincoln Lawyer season 4

The Lincoln Lawyer season 5’s wrongful conviction case won’t be the only way that Emi affects the storyline. Her very existence throws Mickey’s life and sense of self into flux. He must deal with his feelings about his half-sister’s existence, the family secrets that led to her conception, and his fractured family legacy. That’s a lot for a person to process.

To make matters more complex, the Netflix legal drama‘s new cast members include Patty Guggenheim as Allison Finch and Corbin Bernsen as Richard Finch. The exact relationship between the three Finches isn’t clear. However, based on the actors’ ages, I’d wager a bet that Emi and Allison are sisters and that Richard Finch is either their father or their stepfather.

If Mickey has to interact with Allison and Richard on top of Emi, he’s in for an even more stressful time. It’s one thing for him to cope with a secret sibling. It’s a whole other thing for Mickey to realize that the secret sibling has an entire family who may or may not like him.

Ultimately, Emi’s presence will bring the confusion and chaos of Mickey learning about Harry in the books. Hopefully, Emi and Mickey will settle into a better relationship over time, as the brothers do in The Lincoln Lawyer books. Either way, it’s clear that they’re dedicated to making Emi a proper replacement for Harry Bosch.