The Lincoln Lawyer Kills Off Major Character in Heartbreaking Twist

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Spoilers for season four of The Lincoln Lawyer ahead. 

The Lincoln Lawyer’s latest season might just be the most heart-wrenching yet. 

In the fourth season of the Netflix legal drama, Mickey Haller (Manuel García-Rulfo) is trying to avoid becoming a suspect in the murder of a former client, Sam Scales (Christopher Thornton), when he’s shocked by the unexpected death of his mentor, David “Legal” Siegel (Elliott Gould).

From the start of this season, we learned Legal’s been struggling with some serious heart problems. And as the investigation into Sam’s death—finding him in Legal’s car at the end of season three was shocking—Mickey’s been really tight-lipped about just how much trouble he’s in. It’s frustrating as a fan, but I get it – he’s protecting himself, I think.

During the sixth episode, Legal decides to visit Mickey at his office, but discovers he’s at court for Sam’s murder trial. Instead of going home, the retired lawyer chooses to have lunch with Mickey’s coworker and former spouse, Lorna Crane (Becky Newton).

The trip home from lunch ended tragically when he suffered a heart attack and passed away. Lorna was then left with the heartbreaking task of telling him the news while he was at the courthouse on a break.

I was absolutely devastated to hear about Legal. She told me, through tears, that he’d had a heart attack right on the bus while they were talking. She really thought he was okay, and it was such a shock. He’s gone now, and she’s already spoken to his son about trying to get the funeral arranged in the next few days. It’s just heartbreaking.

When Mickey heard the news, he was overcome with emotion and cried, finding comfort in Lorna and his former wife, Maggie McPherson (Neve Campbell), who had come back to help with his case. Things got even worse when he was sent to jail right after the court hearing, meaning he couldn’t attend Legal’s funeral later on.

However, the story finishes on a more positive note when Mickey has a dream visit from Legal, who ultimately proves his innocence and is cleared of the murder accusation.

“How will I manage without your help, Legal?” Mickey asked his mentor. Legal simply replied, “You’ll do the same thing you did when I needed to learn – you’ll find a way.”

His mentor encouraged him, saying, “You need to be brave and try new things. Don’t stress so much – I’ll always be here for you.”

Netflix has ordered a fifth season of The Lincoln Lawyer, but unfortunately, one of the show’s most popular actors won’t be returning. Read on for more surprising news about TV cast changes…

Jenna Lyons has confirmed she won’t be back for the sixteenth season of The Real Housewives of New York City.

Confirming the speculation, the former J. Crew Creative Director announced on Instagram on November 21st that she would be joining season 16 of RHONY as a ‘friend of.’ She explained that because of the private nature of her personal life, they had agreed this role was a good fit.

The fashion icon, who started on the Bravo show in 2022 for its fourteenth season, shared that she eventually decided she didn’t want to be just a supporting player.

After careful consideration, I’ve decided not to rejoin the show,” she explained. “I’d be the oldest contestant and the only openly gay woman, and I think it’s a good time to let a new perspective come in.

In 2025, Mehcad Brooks surprised viewers by announcing his departure from the NBC crime series before its 25th season began.

Brooks, who joined the show in 2022, portrayed Detective Jalen Shaw for three seasons.

After nine seasons, the A-list realtor is done selling mega-mansions on the Netflix reality show.

In a November social media post, Chrishell shared that she no longer needs the show for income. She explained that she’s fortunate to have other work and that continuing with the show was negatively affecting her mental well-being.

Jax Taylor has stated he won’t be participating in season three of The Valley following fan concerns about his actions in the previous season.

In July 2025, the Bravo star, who is going through a difficult divorce with Brittany Cartwright, explained that his priorities are staying sober, improving his mental health, and being a good coparent. He feels this time is essential for his personal growth, particularly for the sake of his son, Cruz.

Several cast members from Saturday Night Live recently announced they won’t be back for the show’s 51st season, with the announcements happening close together.

Longfellow and Walker each spent three seasons on SNL while Wakim exited after just one season.

Following the departures of Longfellow, Walker, and Wakim from Saturday Night Live, two more popular cast members, Gardner and Nwodim, announced they wouldn’t be back for the show’s 51st season. Gardner had been with the show for eight seasons, and Nwodim for seven.

Sofia Mattsson finished her role on the long-running soap opera in the summer of 2025 after seven years as Sasha Gilmore. Her character moved to Paris as part of the storyline.

Tracy Ifeachor, who starred in the popular HBO Max series The Pitt, left the show after its successful first season.

The actress shared on Instagram on July 10th how honored she was to play Dr. Heather Collins in the show’s impactful first season. She also thanked viewers for watching, offering their support, and sharing their personal stories with her.

Even though fans likely expected Joel Miller, played by Pedro Pascal, to die – his fate in April 2025 mirrored events from The Last of Us Part II, the video game the second season is based on – the sudden and violent way his character died still came as a shock.

Pascal, known for also dying in roles on Game of Thrones and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, wasn’t surprised by his character’s fate. He playfully told Entertainment Weekly, “I get killed a lot – I actually enjoy it!”

Following what he called a “wild adventure,” Peter Krause finished his run as Captain Bobby Nash on the drama 9-1-1 with an episode airing in April 2025.

According to a statement to the Hollywood Reporter, the character Bobby Nash was intentionally created to make a powerful sacrifice, reflecting the bravery of real-life first responders. Creator Ryan Krause explained that Bobby’s storyline is meant to honor those who put their lives on the line for others.

The decision to kill off a fan-favorite, yet troubled, firefighter was definitely controversial, according to showrunner Tim Minear in an interview with Variety. He explained that after eight seasons, it was necessary for the show to have real consequences in future storylines, and that meant someone had to die.

Summer just got a little less fun.

In June 2025, Paige DeSorbo revealed she was leaving the Bravo series after being on the show for seven seasons.

After sharing seven summers with you all, I’m so thankful for the memories, the support, and everything this journey has given me,” the Giggly Squad podcast host announced on Instagram. “But it’s time to move on to new things, just like with all good things – and even some mistakes – in life.

The popular Netflix show won’t have the French actress in its fifth season, which is set to come out in April 2025. She has confirmed she’s leaving the series.

In an Instagram post on April 23rd, the actress announced she’s leaving Emily in Paris. She shared photos with her former co-stars and said her time on the show was amazing, full of growth, creativity, and cherished memories.

Before the third season of The Sex Lives of College Girls begins, Reneé Rapp has announced she will no longer be part of the show.

She shared on social media in July 2023 that the show College Girls brought her to Los Angeles and connected her with many of her closest friends. She added that after two and a half years, it’s led to meeting all of you and building this amazing community.

Mindy Kaling, one of the show’s creators, also confirmed that Renee Rapp was leaving. She shared on Instagram that they were sad to see Leighton Murray go, but excited for Rapp’s successful music career and upcoming tour. Kaling expressed her affection for Rapp, saying, “We love @reneerapp so much!”

After over a year of speculation, Kevin Costner confirmed in June 2024 that he won’t be back for the final season of the popular Paramount drama, following his departure after four and a half seasons.

In February 2023, Ellen Pompeo finished her run as Meredith Grey on the ABC drama after playing the character for 19 years.

Pompeo said on The Drew Barrymore Show in December 2022 that she needed to try new things. ‘I’m 53, and my brain feels a little scattered,’ she explained. ‘I need to challenge myself, you can’t just do the same thing, like The New York Times crossword, every day.’ Despite this, she’s already been back for a guest appearance in May and continues to narrate the series.

But she’s not gone for good. Pompeo still pops in and out of Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.

Henry Cavill, known for playing Superman and starring in Batman vs. Superman, has announced he’s leaving the Netflix series after season three. Liam Hemsworth will take over the role of Geralt, starting with season four and likely continuing in future seasons.

In an October 2022 Instagram post, Henry Cavill announced that after playing Geralt of Rivia, he would be stepping down from the role for Season 4, ending his time with the character and the show’s monsters and adventures.

As a longtime follower of the ‘Chicago P.D.’ family, it was definitely sad to see Jesse Lee Soffer leave the show back in 2022. He played Detective Jay Halstead for an amazing ten seasons, and saying goodbye to that character – and Jesse! – was tough for all of us fans.

Everyone involved with the show has put their heart and soul into making each week’s episode, and it’s been a rewarding experience,” said Jesse Soffer in a statement following his last episode on October 5th. “I’m incredibly proud of my years playing Detective Jay Halstead.

After five seasons, Damian Lewis departed Showtime’s Billions in Oct. 2021.

In August 2021, Emily VanCamp left the TV show The Resident on Fox, meaning she would no longer be playing her role as a doctor.

Madeleine Mantock, who played Macy on the CW’s Charmed reboot, decided to leave the show after three seasons. She announced her departure in 2021, calling the role a great opportunity and expressing her appreciation for the show’s producers, writers, cast, and crew. She said she had a wonderful time working with everyone.

Elizabeth Keen will never learn the truth about who Raymond Reddington really is. Megan Boone, the actress who played Liz on NBC’s The Blacklist, decided to leave the show after eight seasons. Her character was killed off before she could read a letter containing all the answers. Boone described her time on the show as “a dream” in an Instagram post when her character’s story ended in 2021.

The second season of Bridgerton didn’t include Rege-Jean Page, who became a fan favorite in the first season of the popular Netflix drama. Fans were disappointed when it was announced he wouldn’t be returning in 2021.

You know, people often ask me about how I got my start. Honestly, it’s pretty simple. I took on a project, completed it, and then just kept taking on more. That’s really the whole story! I always feel a little silly admitting it, because everyone expects something much more exciting, but it wasn’t some grand, glamorous beginning – it was just consistent work.

I was so excited when Ruby Rose first appeared in the Arrowverse crossover! Then, seeing her as Batwoman – Kate Kane – was incredible. It was a huge moment for representation, finally having a lesbian superhero lead her own show and publicly come out on TV. I was really disappointed to hear she was leaving so soon after season one ended, though. When they announced Javicia Leslie would be taking over as a new Batwoman, Ryan Wilder, it was a bit of a shock, but I was also curious to see what she would bring to the role and the Batcave!

Later on in season two, Kate got a bit of a face swap and returned played by Wallis Day.

America Ferrera left the show Superstore after its fifth season in 2020, which meant Cloud 9 lost its manager and the series lost a main character. Because of the pandemic, she made brief appearances in the first two episodes of season six. When season six became the show’s last, she returned for the finale to ensure her character, Amy, and Jonah (Ben Feldman) got a satisfying conclusion to their story.

In the final episode of the fourth season of the Syfy series, Jason Ralph’s character, Quentin, successfully rescued Eliot (Hale Appleman), but died in the process. Although the show, The Magicians, often features characters dying, Ralph did not reprise his role in the fifth and final season.

Ahead of the final season, Arrow‘s Emily Bett Rickards announced her exit in a poem of sorts.

Felicity and I are very close, but we’ll be leaving after episodes one through seven,” she wrote.

She did, however, return for a guest appearance in the show’s 2020 series finale.

Lauren Cohan initially left The Walking Dead in 2018 after difficult contract talks. She appeared in a few episodes of season nine, but her character, Maggie Greene, disappeared after a time jump of six years. Although producers wanted her to come back, she was busy with a new show on ABC called Whiskey Cavalier. When that series was canceled, Cohan was able to return to The Walking Dead in October 2020, appearing in the 16th episode of season ten.

Following Danai Gurira’s co-star Cohan and Andrew Lincoln’s departures from the show, Gurira also finished her run. She first appeared as the skilled swordswoman Michonne in season three and her final episode aired in March 2020, concluding her time on the AMC series.

Nicollette Sheridan played the memorable Alexis Carrington, appearing in several episodes of the first season and becoming a main cast member in the second. In 2019, she decided to leave the CW series before its third season to care for her mother, who was unwell.

George Eads left the CBS series in 2019, during its third season. He stated he wanted to focus on spending more time with his family.

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2026-02-06 19:49