All Rise: 6 Storylines & Questions That Won’t Be Resolved After Season 4’s Cancellation

All Rise season 4 might not be happening, but there are plenty of unresolved storylines that will leave fans speculating about what could have happened for years to come. Starring Simone Missick as Lola Carmichael, All Rise aired on CBS for its first two seasons and was then saved by the Oprah Winfrey Network, OWN, for what would be the third and final season. While the switch in networks did make a significant change in the tone and plots, it provided some much-needed closure to certain arcs while leaving the door open for others.

Despite being canceled after season 3, the show could have gone on for much longer considering how much it changed the landscape of courtroom dramas and the procedural format. Showcasing the talents of many fantastic actresses of color, All Rise had Lola Carmichael at the center as a judge in Los Angeles who approached the law from the standpoint that she could make a difference. While most common courtroom drama tropes never happen in real life, they add to the drama and tension of shows like All Rise and make them fun for the audience to watch.

According to Comic Book Rant, the finale of season 3 ended on a high for some characters, while others were left with some uncertainty about where their paths might lead. Since All Rise has already been saved from cancelation once, there’s some hope that it could come back one day, but jumping networks for a second time seems unlikely, so it’s safe to assume that the characters will keep living their lives and committing themselves to upholding the law. One of the biggest questions following season 3 is how the plotline with the Russian crime syndicate will play out.

6

Lola’s Involvement In The Russian’s Trial

Are they still coming after her, or will she be left alone?

Lola has never shied away from a challenge or let her position as a judge stop her from doing what she thinks is right. Throughout All Rise season 3, Lola takes on a high-profile case trying a hitman in a Russian organized crime family. Earlier in the season, the Russians had threatened both Lola and Mark (Wilson Bethel) because of the precarious nature of the trial, but neither Lola nor Mark were willing to back down. Over the seasons, Lola and Mark develop a close working relationship and have one of the best friendship dynamics on the show.

This is made clear through their decision to take on the Russians, but Mark is soon kicked off the case and replaced by Thomas Choi (Reggie Lee). However, Lola will be the presiding judge and won’t step down. Despite this, it seems unlikely that the Russians would stop targeting her out of the blue, and she might be in more danger than she realizes. It helps that her husband, Robin (Christian Keyes), has worked out his future with the FBI and will remain in Los Angeles. Seeing Lola and Robin apart would have been a sad ending to the show.

5

Mark & Amy’s Wedding

After dating for years, the pair finally tied the knot, but what’s next?

The best TV wedding vows set a high standard for moving wedding scenes on television, but Mark and Amy’s (Lindsey Gort) marriage was a fitting end for the show. In season 1, they had some will-they-won’t-they moments, but eventually, their chemistry became too obvious to deny. Their engagement in the season 2 finale would have been a solid ending to the series, but it was an excellent surprise that All Rise let audiences see them get married and declare their love in front of all their friends. There was emotional upheaval for many other couples at the wedding as well.

Mark and Amy both have great careers as lawyers, and it’s their dedication to their jobs that sometimes gets in the way of their relationship flourishing. However, in the series finale, most of what Mark is concerned with is the trial with the Russians, and his wedding day takes a backseat until it finally arrives. Additionally, the audience doesn’t get nearly enough of Amy’s perspective throughout this, and how she reacted to Mark getting taken off the case. Moving forward, their married life will have to be more transparent if it’s going to last.

4

Vic Callan Going Into Witness Protection

Where is he going, and will Mark ever see him again?

Vic Callan (Tony Denison) is an interesting character in the series because he’s not only Mark’s father but also has connections to the criminal underworld. Though Vic himself isn’t a violent man or a major criminal, his nefarious dealings frequently drive a wedge between him and Mark, and when he appears in the season finale it’s a huge shock. It turns out that Vic is the reason Mark was taken off the case with the Russians because Vic is the surprise witness who’s going to testify against them and win Choi the case.

Of course, this would be a conflict of interest, but Mark is still furious. However, that anger soon fades to sadness as it becomes clear this might be the last time the father and son ever see each other. Testifying against a crime family is a major risk, meaning Vic will enter witness protection after the trial. Despite having a complicated history, neither Mark nor Vic wants to be estranged, especially since Mark is marrying Amy and starting his own family. How they can ever have a relationship after this remains a mystery at the end of All Rise.

3

Amy & Rachel Breaking The Merger Deal

Will they fight back against the fine laid against them?

When Amy teamed up with Rachel Audubon (Ryan Michelle Bathe) and became a partner at her law firm it was a win for both women and an exciting opportunity for them to practice law together. Though Rachel isn’t the biggest character on All Rise she was always fun to watch in the courtroom and she and Amy have great chemistry. However, their rise to the top isn’t without its pitfalls. The pair are told they owe a large sum of money to Andre Armstrong’s law firm because they broke their deal that would have merged their firm with his.

With Amy newly married and Rachel having her own issues, it will be difficult to pay off this fine. This is one of the biggest TV show cliffhangers to come out of the All Rise season 3 finale because there’s no indication of what the women will do next. They could try to raise the money, fight the claim, or even put the firm up for collateral, but that would put everything they’ve built at risk. If there was ever a season 4, this would be one of the most significant plots on the show.

2

Sara & Gabriel’s Future

Mark has started to accept them, but Sara has bigger issues as well

Sara is played by Lindsay Mendez, who is a Broadway performer in addition to her role on All Rise and is a source of joy and comic relief throughout the tense moments on the show. Her relationship with Gabriel (Danny Vasquez) is one of her biggest plot points throughout the season, and though their courtship was sweet, there was still more that Sara’s character could’ve accomplished in the final season. However, eventually, she tells Mark about her relationship with Gabriel, despite the conflict of interest, and it doesn’t go exactly as planned.

Though Mark ultimately accepts them, it isn’t the warm welcome Sara was hoping for, and it asks whether she will decide to put her career first. Sara’s decision to stop being a court stenographer and move into the DA’s office as a victim advocate was a big change, but it made a lot of sense for her character. Her role might have been smaller in season 3, but she was never more herself, as shown in her decision to pursue a relationship with Gabriel. It’s possible Sara could have both, but life always gets in the way in All Rise.

1

Emily Lopez’s Client Being Tried For Murder

Originally, Emily got her off but everything changes

Emily Lopez (Jessica Camacho) has risen through the ranks in All Rise and proven herself to be one of the most successful defense attorneys at the L.A. County Public Defender’s Office. However, her professional career and her future with Luke (J. Alex Brinson) are put on the line at the end of season 3. She takes on the case of a woman accused of murdering her husband, and throughout the trial, it comes to life that the husband is still at large and framed his wife for the murder so he could escape his own wrongdoings.

With this critical piece of evidence, Emily gets her client acquitted almost immediately. Unfortunately, this victory is short-lived as one of the client’s first actions is to track down her husband and take justice into her own hands. Now Emily is going to be at the heart of another murder trial, and this time there’s no question that her client is guilty. This is a stressful situation and isn’t helped by her issues with Luke. Though he loves her, they have different views on children, and it will never be known if this drives a wedge between them.