Sat Nov 16 23:40:00 UTC 2024: ## Amazon’s “Cross” and Netflix’s “Lincoln Lawyer”: Two Sides of the Same Coin?
**New York, NY** – Two new crime drama series, Amazon Prime Video’s “Cross” and Netflix’s “The Lincoln Lawyer,” offer vastly different viewing experiences despite sharing a common formula: the brilliant-but-troubled investigator. While “The Lincoln Lawyer” returns for a third season, “Cross,” based on the novels of James Patterson, makes its debut after a five-year announcement delay.
“Cross” adopts a dark and intensely emotional tone, focusing on Detective Alex Cross’s grief following his wife’s murder. The series, not based on a specific Patterson novel, blends serial killer horror, buddy-cop action, and social justice themes, resulting in a mixed bag, according to critics. Lead actor Aldis Hodge’s performance, while intense, is described as overly dramatic. The plot, inspired by the “Silence of the Lambs,” is criticized for its lack of logic and common sense.
In contrast, “The Lincoln Lawyer” presents a lighter, though still perilous, take on the genre. While Mickey Haller (the protagonist) also grapples with personal trauma, the series avoids overly sentimentalizing his struggles. The series is praised for a more balanced approach.
Both shows highlight the contemporary trend of flawed crime heroes whose personal issues fuel the narrative tension, sometimes at the expense of plot complexity and character development. Ultimately, “Cross” and “The Lincoln Lawyer” showcase two distinct approaches to the same formula, offering viewers a choice between intense emotional drama and a more balanced, less melodramatic crime thriller.
First Piper 