Warning: This post contains mild spoilers for Suits LA’s premiere.
Suits LA hits the ground running as it introduces a new set of characters after the success of Suits. The premiere of Suits LA does a fantastic job creating tension, intrigue, and a compelling set of individual stories that will take center stage over the first season. From the first scene, Suits LA sets up Ted Black (Stephen Amell) as a haunted lawyer who fled New York and made a better life for himself in California, though the past is proving harder to leave behind than he’d hoped.
The premiere sets up the main characters who will drive the story in Suits LA, and it does so particularly well. With Ted and his partner, Stuart Lane, leading their firm, there is a healthy atmosphere of competition, especially between Rick Dodson and Erica Rollins, who both want the promotion to head of entertainment. However, despite the firm being established and active, things get complicated, leading to major conflict that will linger throughout season 1. What’s more, Ted’s past is explored in flashbacks, bringing the whole episode together nicely.
The Cast Of Suits LA Is Exceptional
Suits LA‘s premiere establishes several central characters, with each one getting a moment to shine and to show their true colors. Despite the limited time and familiarity with these characters, the twists hit hard, showcasing tremendous writing in collaboration with the incredible performances from the main cast. Bryan Greenberg as Dodson and Lex Scott Davis as Rollins are particularly brilliant in their roles.
The relationships here feel distinct and unique, avoiding any direct repetitions from the original series.
Of course, both Amell and Josh McDermitt do an incredible job as they explore their characters’ complex relationship. Black and Lane are the core of the show and they drive the bigger narrative arcs, delivering a relationship that feels somewhat akin to Harvey Specter and Louis Litt’s in Suits‘ original run. Yet, the relationships here feel distinct and unique, avoiding any direct repetitions from the original series.
When it comes to spin-off shows, they can lean too heavily on the original, copying characters while trying to evoke the same feelings. But Suits LA has managed to capture the spirit, tension, and fun of Suits without feeling like a rip-off. As long as the subsequent episodes keep this up and continue to focus on the narrative of this new series rather than backtracking, it is highly likely to succeed as a strong spin-off.
Suits LA Is Building Its Own Unique Story Independent Of The Original Show
Suits LA does more to distinguish itself from the original series than simply change location and cast. The series has a clear focus, and throughout the first episode, it effectively establishes the story threads and characters that populate the show. And while part of the show does lean in to the flashback scenes that were so common in Suits, it does not overpower or detract from the events playing out in the present.
Suits LA is already off to a great start, but whether the rest of the show can keep up the momentum remains to be seen.
Ted Black has some commonalities with Harvey, but there is plenty to distinguish the characters, and by the end of episode 1 it’s evident his motivations and morals are different from his old friend at the New York DA’s office. Having spent the last 15 years in LA, Black has had a lot of time to create a new life and shape himself as a leading entertainment lawyer. And his firm’s success clearly affords him a level of prestige in the city.
However, tensions brew within the firm, at multiple levels, and it looks as though Ted is going to have a lot of work trying to ensure the future of his company. Suits LA is already off to a great start, but whether the rest of the show can keep up the momentum remains to be seen. As of the end of the premiere, the pieces are all in place for an incredible and action-packed first season.
Suits LA airs weekly each Sunday at 9:00 PM ET on NBC.
