For fans of The Lincoln Lawyer, the appeal goes beyond courtroom drama—it's the magnetic lead character. Mickey Haller (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) is sharp, morally grounded, and navigating a chaotic personal life, making Netflix's series endlessly watchable. But if you're counting down the days until Season 5 and craving something with similar emotional heft, fast pacing, and high-stakes storytelling, Prime Video's Cross is exactly what you need.
Like The Lincoln Lawyer, which adapts Michael Connelly's novels, Cross is based on a bestselling book series—James Patterson's iconic Alex Cross stories. The show follows detective and forensic psychologist Alex Cross (Aldis Hodge) through a tightly wound crime thriller that blends psychological suspense with character-driven drama. Cross, like Haller, is charismatic, complicated, and fiercely dedicated to justice—but his arena is the crime scene, not the courtroom.
A Fresh Take on the Crime Thriller
Where Mickey Haller uses legal savvy and charm to sway juries, Alex Cross relies on instinct, emotional intelligence, and forensic profiling to uncover the truth. Both men battle justice systems that often fail the people they're meant to protect, and that moral complexity gives Cross the same urgency and emotional weight that makes The Lincoln Lawyer so compelling. While a central mystery ties to the murder of Alex's wife, the show also embraces a case-of-the-week structure, showcasing his investigative range—from twisted abductions to chilling serial crimes.
What sets Cross apart is how deeply Alex connects to every victim. His work goes beyond seeking justice; he wants to understand why the violence happened. The series tackles PTSD with rare honesty and quietly builds one of the strongest male friendships on TV. With emotional authenticity, sharp writing, and psychological depth, Cross isn't just a procedural—it's a layered character study that fans of The Lincoln Lawyer will absolutely appreciate.
Breathing New Life Into Iconic Characters
Stylistically, each series leans into its source material's setting. The Lincoln Lawyer uses sunny Los Angeles as a living, breathing character, much like Connelly's novels. Cross is steeped in the gritty, high-stakes environment of Washington, D.C., a city defined by power plays and political shadows. While both shows have a cinematic style, Cross leans darker, with moodier lighting, tighter framing, and psychological tension permeating every scene. Yet amid the darkness, Alex is a devoted father and loyal friend, and like Mickey's complicated family relationships, Alex's personal life always bleeds into his work, grounding both characters in relatable human stakes.
Both Mickey Haller and Alex Cross have lived on screen before. Haller was portrayed by Matthew McConaughey in the 2011 film The Lincoln Lawyer, and Cross has appeared in multiple films, played by Morgan Freeman and later Tyler Perry. But television has given these characters room to breathe. The TV versions are more complex, contemporary, and emotionally layered, allowing for deeper storytelling across serialized arcs. Cross particularly benefits from the episodic format, exploring modern issues like mental health, institutional racism, and generational trauma while delivering satisfying cases of the week.
While Michael Connelly is heavily involved in The Lincoln Lawyer, Cross takes a different approach. James Patterson entrusted showrunner Ben Watkins with full creative control, and rather than adapting specific novels, Watkins took the core DNA of the character and crafted an original story. That creative freedom pays off. Alongside Aldis Hodge's commanding performance, Watkins reimagines Alex Cross as a layered, present-day figure caught between the emotional toll of his past and the urgency of the world around him.
If you're a fan of The Lincoln Lawyer and drawn to stories that blend gripping investigations with strong emotional arcs, Cross is a must-watch. It offers the procedural satisfaction you'd expect but through a grittier, more psychological lens. And with Cross already renewed for Season 3, there's plenty more of Alex Cross's story to come. The series reimagines a beloved character and places him in emotionally charged, high-stakes situations that feel timely and compelling. In a crowded field of crime dramas, Cross is carving out its own powerful legacy with sharp writing and a standout performance from Aldis Hodge, making it a series well worth the binge after you're done with The Lincoln Lawyer.
For more on Prime Video's upcoming slate, check out our ranking of Prime Video's 2026 shows. And if you're in the mood for classic crime, see why classic crime shows still outshine today's new series.
