The fourth season of The Lincoln Lawyer is one of the most currently anticipated releases, but while viewers wait for the return of Mickey Haller, they can tune into a similar law show that was released more than six decades ago. Adapted from the successful book series by Michael Connolly, The Lincoln Lawyer follows Haller, a district attorney and recovering addict, whose luck is turned for the better after he inherits a law firm. The cast of The Lincoln Lawyer includes Neve Campbell and Angus Campbell, who serve as Haller’s support team throughout his legal cases.

Since its first season was released in 2022, The Lincoln Lawyer has become one of the best lawyer shows on Netflix, receiving praise for its strong faithfulness to the original series, its masterful blend of action, humor, and drama, and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo’s performance as Mickey Haller. The ending of The Lincoln Lawyer season 3 sees a police officer discovering Sam Scales’ dead body in the trunk of Mickey’s car, setting up an exciting story for season 4. While the release date of The Lincoln Lawyer season 4 hasn’t yet been announced, viewers can enjoy another show from the late 1950s.

The Lincoln Lawyer’s Mickey Haller Is Very Similar To Perry Mason’s Titular Lawyer

Perry Mason Ran For 10 Seasons Between 1957-1966

The legal drama series Perry Mason was released by CBS in 1957, adapted from the fictional detective series by Erle Stanley Gardner; the original Perry Mason series consisted of 82 novels. Starring Raymond Burr, the CBS show follows the titular criminal defense lawyer, practicing law in Los Angeles, California; many of the clients he works with are wrongly charged with murder. Throughout his cases, Mason is regularly assisted by his secretary, Della Street (Barbara Hale), and private investigator, Paul Drake (William Hopper), while facing off against the lead prosecutor, Hamilton Burger (William Talman).

The original Perry Mason proved very successful with critics and viewers, receiving nine Emmy nominations across its run; Burr won two Emmy Awards in 1959 and 1961 respectively, for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. After its conclusion in 1966, a revival titled The New Perry Mason was released in 1973, starring Monte Markham, but only lasted 15 episodes before its cancellation. Burr later reprised his role as Mason in 26 television movies released by CBS between 1985 and 1993, and his final Perry Mason movie was released after his death (via Classic TV Archive).

Throughout the entire run of the original Perry Mason, the season 9 episode “The Case of the Twice-Told Twist” was the only episode broadcast in color.

Perry Mason and The Lincoln Lawyer bear strong similarities to each other in that they both depict lead characters who do whatever is necessary to ensure that justice is served. The character of Perry Mason received high praise throughout the CBS series for his stance and determination to clear his clients’ names (via Common Sense Media). Meanwhile, Mickey Haller’s track record in The Lincoln Lawyer highlights the methods he uses to find the answers in every legal case that he is assigned to.

Both shows also explore the themes of moral complexity through the lead characters. In the original series, Perry Mason fights to maintain the balance between his internal desire to seek justice and defend his clients, while in The Lincoln Lawyer, Mickey Haller has trouble structuring his professional choices with his personal beliefs. These personal complexes make both Mason and Haller relatable to viewers, and Perry Mason’s depiction of the legal justice system makes it a worthy watch after The Lincoln Lawyer.

Perry Mason Got A Two-Season Reboot On HBO That Ended In 2023

The Reboot Starred Matthew Rhys As Perry Mason

In 2020, HBO announced a reboot of Perry Mason, created by Ron Fitzgerald and Rolin Jones. Matthew Rhys was cast in the role of the titular character, while the supporting cast of HBO’s Perry Mason included Juliet Rylance and Chris Chalk as Della Street and Paul Drake, respectively. The modern reboot of Perry Mason received a highly positive response from critics, who praised Rhys’ performance, its storylines, and the introduction of new characters not included in the original series. Despite the strong viewership, HBO canceled Perry Mason in 2023 to focus their attention on other projects (via Deadline).

Despite its cancellation, HBO’s reboot of Perry Mason is still worth watching. The series offered new insight into Mason and his origins from a private investigator to a prominent lawyer, set in Los Angeles in the 1930s. The reboot’s success was also assisted by a harrowing performance from Rhys, who received multiple acting nominations. While social media users expressed disappointment with the HBO series’ cancellation, many agreed that the reboot of Perry Mason was a worthy tribute to the original and both series should be watched while waiting for season 4 of The Lincoln Lawyer.