When Legacy fades to black, a question echoes among devoted fans: what now? In the quiet left behind, The Lincoln Lawyer revs its engine — same universe, new courtroom, and a hero who walks a different line. Set in Michael Connelly’s world, where justice is never clean and every case cuts deep, this legal thriller dares to continue the story without ever putting Bosch and Haller in the same frame. And yet… it works. With its sharp writing, moody tension, and moral shadows, it doesn’t just fill the void — it carves a new path. For fans still hungry for more, this might be the unexpected fix they didn’t know they needed.

After Bosch: Legacy Wraps Up, Netflix’s 4-Season Legal Drama Set in the Same Universe Is the Ideal Follow-Up

Titus Welliver as Harry Bosch looking to the right of the screen with a tree behind him in Bosch: Legacy

While Bosch: Legacy officially concluded in April 2025, Netflix has the perfect replacement ready with its returning legal drama, set in the same book universe. Titus Welliver has portrayed Harry Bosch since the original Bosch series began in 2014, which ran for seven seasons until 2021, followed by Amazon Freevee’s spinoff series in 2022. Although Welliver is set to return in the upcoming Ballard spinoff, Bosch: Legacy’s finale signals the end of his lead role in the beloved detective series.

While Ballard takes over the franchise this summer, Amazon has yet to confirm an official release date, leaving fans of Bosch: Legacy searching for their next binge-worthy series. Fortunately, Netflix has a compelling solution. The streaming giant is gearing up for the release of season 4 of its legal drama, The Lincoln Lawyer, which, while not directly tied to Bosch, shares notable connections to Michael Connelly’s book universe.

The Lincoln Lawyer makes for an excellent follow-up to Bosch: Legacy, as both series are adapted from novels by Connelly.

Mickey stands in the courtroom with a picture of Glory Days in the background in The Lincoln Lawyer season 3 episode 6
Andy and Mickey smile at each other in the kitchen in The Lincoln Lawyer season 3 episode 3
Mickey Haller looking off to the side in The Lincoln Lawyer.
Mickey driving his car in The Lincoln Lawyer season 3 ending
Maggie McPherson on The Lincoln Lawyer talking to a woman at the office.

While it’s not another detective series, Netflix’s The Lincoln Lawyer serves as an exciting companion to Bosch: Legacy. Both shows are adapted from novels by Michael Connelly, with The Lincoln Lawyer focusing on defense attorney Mickey Haller, who is known for handling cases from the back of his Lincoln car.

Connelly’s Harry Bosch and Mickey Haller novel series are set in the same universe, with the two characters being half-brothers who share the same father. Although Harry and Mickey cross paths occasionally in the books, neither appears in each other’s TV adaptations. Mickey Haller has never been referenced or shown in any of the Bosch series, and similarly, Harry Bosch does not make an appearance in Netflix’s adaptation of The Lincoln Lawyer.

Their roles from the books that their respective shows adapt are typically replaced by new characters or another figure from the ensemble. For instance, while Harry Bosch appears in Michael Connelly’s The Law of Innocence book, he won’t be featured in The Lincoln Lawyer season 4’s adaptation of the story. Even though Harry and Mickey aren’t canonically connected in their TV adaptations, The Lincoln Lawyer and Bosch still serve as great companion viewings due to their basis in Michael Connelly’s novel universe.

Both TV franchises still bring the unique essence of Connelly’s writing and his fictional world to the small screen, and manage to do so while maintaining critical acclaim and strong viewership numbers across multiple seasons. The Lincoln Lawyer currently holds an overall 90% score on Rotten Tomatoes, while Bosch: Legacy has a 100% rating, supporting their status as two of TV’s strongest recent crime drama entries.

Why Harry Bosch Isn’t In Netflix’s The Lincoln Lawyer (Despite Being In The Books)

Netflix Doesn’t Have The Rights To Harry Bosch’s Character

Titus Welliver as Bosch walks down the street in a scene from Bosch.
Mimi Rogers and Titus Welliver in Bosch: Legacy
Bosch walking into a room in Bosch

The reason why Harry Bosch and Mickey Haller haven’t been able to appear on-screen together is because of rights issues for the characters. Amazon holds the rights to the Harry Bosch character, whereas Netflix holds the rights to the Mickey Haller character. Under those terms, the Bosch shows wouldn’t be able to feature Mickey and The Lincoln Lawyer wouldn’t be able to include Harry unless the two companies struck a deal to lend the characters to one another or one streamer ended up purchasing the rights for both characters.

Of course, at this point, it would no longer make sense to include Harry or Mickey in either Amazon’s Bosch franchise or Netflix’s The Lincoln Lawyer series. Both respective adaptations have already fleshed out their main characters’ families and backstories while omitting their half-brother from the novels. Even if Netflix were somehow able to obtain the rights to the Harry Bosch character, he would ultimately have to be a completely new iteration of the detective from Amazon’s version so as to avoid continuity errors and plot holes from Bosch and Bosch: Legacy.

Leave a Comment