Netflix’s The Lincoln Lawyer season 3 includes a devastating death to close out the trial on Glory Days’ murder, though it was actually a season 1 character, not Neil Bishop, who died on the stand in the book. The Lincoln Lawyer show has now adapted three books from Michael Connelly’s Mickey Haller novel series, but translating these stories to the small screen has come with some notable changes. Among the biggest book changes in The Lincoln Lawyer season 3 from Connelly’s The Gods of Guilt is the character of Neil Bishop, who fills the role of a familiar figure.

Neil Bishop (Holt McCallany) is introduced into The Lincoln Lawyer season 3’s cast of characters during the premiere’s flashback sequence. The flashback establishes that Bishop and Mickey’s feud goes back more than 15 years, which plays into them being on opposite sides of the Glory Days case in the present day. Later in the season, Bishop redeems himself when confessing the truth about his role in Glory Days’ demise and cover-up with De Marco. However, this tragically culminates with Neil Bishop dying by suicide on the witness stand, a fate given to a different character in the book.

The Lincoln Lawyer Season 1’s Detective Lee Lankford 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 he was written for the Netflix show to replace the role in the trial played by Detective Lee Lankford. Portrayed by Jamie McShane, Detective Lee Lankford was a supporting character in The Lincoln Lawyer season 1, having been involved in Mickey’s Jesus Menendez case. Like Bishop in season 3, Lankford resents Mickey throughout season 1, and is ultimately exposed by the titular lawyer for witness tampering after Lankford kept Glory Days from testifying in order to seal Menendez’s wrongful conviction.

While more details on why Lankford needed to prevent Glory’s testimony were hoped to be confirmed in The Lincoln Lawyer season 2, McShane’s character never returned in the series. In the books, it would later be revealed that Lankford had 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’s The Lincoln Lawyer season 3 story thus unfolds very closely to Lankford’s in the book, including his tragic death by suicide at trial.

Why The Lincoln Lawyer Season 3 Replaced Lee Lankford With Neil Bishop

Lee Lankford Had Already Been Absent For An Entire Season

The showrunners of The Lincoln Lawyer haven’t given an official reason for why Lee Lankford was replaced by Neil Bishop. However, given Lankford was also absent from season 2, it’s possible that the character had to be written out due to scheduling conflicts with the actor. Additionally, after a season-long absence, it may have been just as easy to write in a new character and backstory for season 3 rather than re-introduce Lankford and require audiences to jog their memories of The Lincoln Lawyer season 1’s ending.

Netflix has yet to officially renew The Lincoln Lawyer for season 4.

Since Lankford’s book death is given to Bishop in the show, it seems that McShane’s character is still alive in the Netflix adaptation. However, it’s unlikely that Lankford will ever appear again in The Lincoln Lawyer, as his story has already been completed without him. With the mystery surrounding Glory Days’ death solved, James De Marco’s death confirmed to Mickey by Hector Moya, and Neil Bishop tragically taking his own life, The Lincoln Lawyer has closed this interconnected chapter of Mickey’s career.