The next chapter in the growing “King-verse” arrives on Thursday, October 8, 2026, as Cupertino makes its series debut on CBS and Paramount+. Starring Mike Colter as Michael Price, the legal drama marks a significant shift for the network, trading traditional courtroom procedures for the high-stakes, ethically murky world of Silicon Valley tech giants.
Created by Robert and Michelle King—the creative duo behind The Good Wife, Evil, and Elsbeth—the series follows Price, a lawyer who finds himself on the outside after being cheated out of valuable stock options by a tech startup. Alongside partner Olivia Siffre (Rachel Keller), Price takes on “David vs. Goliath” cases against billion-dollar corporations, tackling modern dilemmas ranging from AI-driven medical decisions to disputes over large language model royalties.
The premiere comes at a transitional moment for Colter, whose recent career moves have solidified his return to television. While the actor found success in film with the 2023 action-thriller Plane, a planned sequel titled Ship was officially canceled in February 2026. The project was dissolved shortly after Gerard Butler withdrew from the film just two weeks before production was scheduled to begin. This shift allowed Colter to pivot back to a leading network role while preparing for a final curtain call in the Marvel universe. TheWrap reported that Colter will reprise his role as Luke Cage in the third and final season of Daredevil: Born Again, effectively concluding the era of the Marvel Defenders on Disney+.
Early reception of the series suggests a sophisticated approach to the legal genre. Critics have noted that Cupertino functions as an entertaining anti-AI legal drama, leaning into the specific technological anxieties of Northern California. The show features a deep ensemble cast, including veteran actor Joe Morton, Busy Philipps, and Tony-winner Renée Elise Goldsberry.
For viewers looking for a broadcast alternative to The Lincoln Lawyer, Cupertino arrives as a direct competitor in the “unconventional attorney” space. While Netflix recently renewed The Lincoln Lawyer for a fifth season in September 2026, CBS is positioning Colter’s Michael Price as a more grounded, tech-literate counterpart to Manuel Garcia-Rulfo’s Mickey Haller. By focusing on the specific legal loopholes of the tech industry, the Kings appear to be expanding their signature blend of sharp wit and topical social commentary into a new coastal frontier.
