Based on Michael Connelly’s novel The Law of Innocence, the new season forces Mickey to confront ghosts from his past while maintaining his trademark confidence. Garcia-Rulfo said that balance made the role especially compelling.
“This season felt heavier and more dramatic right away,” Garcia-Rulfo said. “He’s on the other side of the table, and his life is literally on the line. It was fun to explore that side of Mickey and go to those places.”
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“You always see Mickey as this very confident guy who can get away with everything,” he said. “But this season, even though he’s trying to make people feel like everything will be OK, inside he knows this could be it. As an actor, it was very interesting — and very fun — to go there.”
That tension carries through every episode, according to Garcia-Rulfo, as Mickey’s team races against the DA, the FBI and the DEA to clear his name. “Honestly, from Episode 1 through the whole season, the tension is there,” he said. “The writers — Ted Humphrey, Dailyn Rodriguez and David E. Kelley — really know what they’re doing. Not just with Mickey, but with all the characters and the dynamics of him being on the inside while the team does everything to help.”
Despite the high stakes onscreen, Garcia-Rulfo said the atmosphere behind the scenes remains light. “It’s family. It really is,” he said. “Between takes, we have a ping-pong tournament every season. It gets very competitive.” He added that his own frequent line flubs often lead to laughter on set. “I go crazy when I mess up, but I swear a lot, and that makes everyone laugh,” he said.
Garcia-Rulfo teased that several moments in Season 4 left a lasting impression, including two scenes he says he can’t reveal without spoilers. “One of them brought me to tears when I read it,” he said.
As for what fans should expect, Garcia-Rulfo said the new season leans into a deeper emotional weight without losing what viewers love about the series. “It still has the comedy, the thriller and the legal drama,” he said. “But there’s a heaviness and a dramatic side that I hope fans walk through with the characters.”
Lincoln Lawyer season 4 is now streaming on Netflix.