NOTICE! This article contains SPOILERS for the season 3 finale of The Lincoln Lawyer!
This article contains mentions of suicide.
Netflix Lincoln’s lawyer season three includes a devastating death to end the Glory Days murder trial, although in fact, it was a season 1 character, not Neil Bishop, who died on the stand in the book. Lincoln’s lawyer show has already adapted three books in Michael Connelly’s Mickey Haller series of novels, but translating those stories to the small screen has brought some notable changes. Among the biggest changes in books Lincoln’s lawyer Connelly Season 3 The Gods of Guilt is the character of Neil Bishop, who plays the role of a familiar figure.
Neil Bishop (Holt McCallany) is introduced in Lincoln’s lawyer season 3’s cast of characters during the premiere’s flashback sequence. The flashback establishes that Bishop and Mickey’s rivalry goes back more than 15 years, which leaves them on opposite sides of the Glory Days case in the present day. Later in the season, Bishop redeems himself by confessing the truth about his role in Glory Days’ death and De Marco’s cover-up. However, this culminates tragically with Neil Bishop dying by suicide on the witness stand, a fate given to a different character in the book.
Detective Lee Lankford from the first season of The Lincoln Lawyer died on the stand in the books, not Neil Bishop
Detective Lee Lankford’s corruption was exposed in Season 1
Neil Bishop wasn’t actually a character in The Gods of Guilt novel, as it was written for the Netflix show to replace the trial role played by Detective Lee Lankford. Portrayed by Jamie McShane, Detective Lee Lankford was a supporting character in Lincoln’s lawyer season 1having been involved in the Jesus Menendez de Mickey case. Like Bishop in Season 3, Lankford resents Mickey throughout Season 1 and is ultimately exposed by the titular attorney for witness tampering after Lankford prevented Glory Days from testifying in order to seal Menendez’s wrongful conviction.
Although more details about why Lankford needed to stop Glory’s testimony were expected to be confirmed in Lincoln’s lawyer Season 2, McShane’s character never returned to the series. In the books, it would later be revealed that Lankford accepted a bribe from DEA agent James De Marco to cover up a double homicide.with De Marco’s control over him leading Lankford to find Glory Days so the agent could kill her. Bishop Lincoln’s lawyer Season 3’s story plays out very closely to Lankford’s in the book, including his tragic death by suicide at the trial.
Why The Lincoln Lawyer Season 3 Replaced Lee Lankford With Neil Bishop
Lee Lankford has already been absent for an entire season
THE presenters of Lincoln’s lawyer did not give an official reason why Lee Lankford was replaced by Neil Bishop. However, as Lankford was also absent from season 2, it is possible that the character was written out due to scheduling conflicts with the actor. Furthermore, after a season-long absence, it may have been just as easy to write a new character and backstory for season three rather than reintroduce Lankford and require the audience to refresh their memories of Lincoln’s lawyer end of season 1.
Netflix has not yet officially renewed Lincoln’s lawyer for season 4.
Since the death in Lankford’s book is given to Bishop in the series, it appears that McShane’s character is still alive in the Netflix adaptation. However, it is unlikely that Lankford will appear again in Lincoln’s lawyerbecause your story has already been completed without him. With the mystery surrounding Glory Days’ death resolved, James De Marco’s death was confirmed to Mickey by Hector Moya and Neil Bishop tragically taking his own life, Lincoln’s lawyer closed this interconnected chapter of Mickey’s career.