Spoilers for the series premiere of Cupertino are ahead! You can watch the new show every Thursday at 8 p.m. on CBS and stream episodes the day after they air with a Paramount+ subscription.
Robert and Michelle King’s new legal drama, Cupertino, premiered on the 2026 TV schedule with a bang. The two main characters, Michael (Mike Colter) and Olivia (Rachel Keller), met as they were fired, and their joint cases against their former employer are what led to them creating their own law firm. Now, their work is really getting started. However, Mike Colter’s comments on the case that kicked this show off gave me a theory about how it will come back to haunt his lawyer and new partner.
What Mike Colter Told Me About Michael And Olivia’s First Case
The first frames of Cupertino show Michael and Olivia packing up their boxes and being escorted out of S-Talk’s building. They were both fired, and they decided to join forces to take down their former employer in court. They filed sexual harassment and wrongful termination suits, and by the end of the episode, their case was settled, and S-Talk is now dealing with major financial issues. So, the recently fired lawyers got a happy ending this week, but this feels like a problem that isn’t totally solved. Mike Colter told me that’s probably true, too, saying:
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I think there’s always something that comes back. I mean, it’s a big case that launches us. It’s a big situation that launches us, and this is a very small town. So I don’t think there’s any cases that once they’re done, they’re necessarily done. You know what I mean? I feel like any case in that small town can come back to rear its ugly head, especially if the people that you were up against are still around, and they are upset with you. I feel like there’s always a score to settle. You know what I mean?
As someone who watched the King’s other shows, The Good Wife and Elsbeth (which airs right before Cupertino now), I know that cases and problems (like the situation with Judge Crawford on Elsbeth) can come back to haunt the main characters. Colter confirmed as much too, saying the situation with S-Talk could very well “rear its ugly head” again. So, how will that happen? I don’t know, but I do have a theory.
How I Think Their First Case Will Come Back To Haunt Them
Based on the final thing we learned about S-Talk, the company is seemingly reeling and taking a step back at the moment. They’re playing defense. However, I have a feeling the folks who fired Michael and Olivia will want to be on the offensive once they can get back on their feet, and throw everything they have at taking down their former employees.
So, my guess is that’s exactly what they’ll do in either the mid-season finale or the finale of Cupertino’s first season. Bringing this case back into the show after Michael and Olivia have spent episodes working different cases and growing their firm feels very full-circle and like a great way to shake things up.
Plus, it’d be fun to see how they handle S-Talk after working together for a while. They did a pretty great job in the premiere, and they had just met each other. So, bringing their first case back into the fold later in the season could be an entertaining and meaningful way to highlight their growth (or lack thereof) as a team.
Overall, I don’t think S-Talk is out of the picture. In fact, I think this case will come back to haunt Michael and Olivia during a big episode and challenge our two main characters in a way that alters their relationship and work.
Now, we just have to wait and see if that will happen, as new episodes of Cupertino air every Thursday at 10 p.m. ET on CBS.
