The Lincoln Lawyer Season 2: Elliott Gould's Surprising Role Changes the Game Completely!

Warning: The following information contains spoilers for season 2 of The Lincoln Lawyer.

In season 2 of The Lincoln Lawyer, Elliott Gould portrays David "Legal" Siegel, a character who takes the place of Mickey's father in the books. However, the show also deviates from the source material by changing other significant aspects. The series, adapted from Michael Connelly's novels featuring criminal defense attorney Mickey Haller, centers around Haller's law practice, which he operates from the backseat of his Lincoln Navigator. Travelling all over Los Angeles, Haller tackles various legal cases. While the first season is based on Connelly's 2008 novel The Brass Verdict, season 2, which is split into two parts and available for streaming on Netflix, draws inspiration from his 2011 novel The Fifth Witness.

Throughout the first and second seasons of The Lincoln Lawyer, Mickey has sought guidance and advice from David “Legal” Siegel, a lawyer and friend of his father's. Legal Siegel's character, portrayed by screen legend Elliott Gould, has been instrumental in Mickey's journey. Gould gained recognition for his Oscar-nominated role as Ted Henderson in the film Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, as well as his BAFTA-nominated portrayal of Captain Trapper John in M*A*S*H. However, he is most renowned for his memorable performances as Jack Geller in Friends and Reuben Tishkoff in the Ocean’s Eleven franchise. The inclusion of Gould in the cast adds a legendary presence to Mickey's story and underscores the significance of Legal Siegel's character in the TV adaptation of the book.

Elliott Gould's Legal Siegel Cameos Replace Mickey's Narration & Father Insights In The Books

Gould’s character of Legal Siegel serves as a surrogate father figure to Mickey, as he was one of his father’s closest colleagues. Being well-versed in Mickey’s father’s approach to the law, Legal’s presence in The Lincoln Lawyer TV adaptation replaces the recurring narration in the books that delves into how Mickey’s father would handle a particular case. This inclusion successfully resolves a significant issue encountered in the adaptation of The Lincoln Lawyer.

The challenge lies in transforming the characters' internal thoughts into something tangible on the screen when adapting certain books. This is particularly evident in the case of the original Lincoln Lawyer novels. However, the character Legal not only serves as the substitute for the books' narration about Mickey's father but also fulfills the role of Mickey's personal thought process through his conversations with Mickey on how to approach a case. This effectively resolves a potentially complicated issue.

The Lincoln Lawyer Still Needs Mickey's Father In Flashbacks

While Legal Siegel’s insights have been valuable to the series and have provided Mickey with a much-needed father figure in adulthood, he cannot fully replace Mickey’s actual father. Including Mickey’s father in the TV adaptation of The Lincoln Lawyer is essential in order to depict the influence he had on Mickey during his formative years. Although the show has largely neglected Mickey’s backstory, it is vital for viewers to witness his origins in order to gain a better understanding of his character. Flashbacks featuring his father would help to fill in the narrative gaps and shed light on how Mickey became the person he is in the series, while Legal's guidance would continue to serve the same purpose.