Warning! Spoilers ahead for Suits LA episode 1, “Seven Days a Week and Twice on Sunday.”
Suits LA may not have the same premise hook as its predecessor, but episode 1 features a few twists that set up the rest of its narrative. On the heels of Suits‘ 2023 streaming resurgence, creator Aaron Korsh is set to expand the universe of Harvey Specter and Mike Ross with a new spinoff set on the West Coast. While none of the original cast will be regular members of the Suits LA cast, the fresh endeavor promises to preserve the legacy of the original legal drama, as it introduces a brand new ensemble led by Stephen Amell’s Ted Black.
Much has been said about Suits’ “Two Lawyers, One Degree” tagline, which was an effective way to entice people. Suits LA‘s story, however, is a little bit more complicated than Harvey and Mike’s New York adventures — at least based on episode 1, “Seven Days a Week and Twice on Sunday.” The spinoff sees Ted juggling several matters — an entertainment case, a personal narrative unfolding, and a crisis at his law firm. However, what seems like just a hectic few days for Suits LA’s protagonist ends up being an intense set-up for what’s to come on the show.
Stuart Lane Betrays Ted Black Amid The Merger
Black Is Left Out From The Railsback Lane Merger
While Suits LA doesn’t exactly follow its predecessor’s format of establishing clear partners, marketing for the series sold Josh McDermott Stuart Lane as Ted’s partner-in-crime. The pilot doesn’t feature a lot of scenes with them, although they have been running Black Lane together for 15 years. Ted focuses on Entertainment Law, while Stuart specializes in Criminal Cases. Admittedly, it’s a little bit odd of a combination, but Suits LA hints that the pair is great at what they do. They want more, however, as the legal drama picks up while they are on the cusp of a merger.
“Seven Days a Week and Twice on Sunday” hints that there have been some disagreements between the partners throughout the process, but they patch things up, and even celebrate closing the deal together. So, it’s a massive shock for Ted (and the audience) to find out that Stuart cut him off from the merger. He finds the office empty, and when confronted about what happened, his supposed close friend eventually admits that throwing him out of the bus had always been the plan. What makes this worse is that the merger is with Ted’s ex-girlfriend, Samantha (Rachelle Goulding), resulting in Railsback Lane.
Rick Dodsen Leaves Ted Black And Joins Stuart Lane
Ted Gets A Second Betrayal From His Mentee
On the heels of Stuart’s betrayal, Ted finds himself left with two allies — Rick Dodsen (Bryan Greenberg) and Erica Rollins (Lex Scott Davis). Both seem loyal to Amell’s character, as they scramble to lock clients and prevent the further collapse of what ends up being Black & Associates. The problem is, that they are also locked in an intense competition to become the Head of Entertainment of whatever’s left of Ted’s firm. Stuart calls Erica to convince him to turn on her current boss, but she turns it down.
Despite claiming that he is good with sharing the title, Rick makes a last-minute decision to leave Black & Associates to join Railsback Lane, assuming that he has a better chance of moving upwards the company ladder there.
Instead, Erica plays office politics and uses it as leverage to strengthen him to award her the promotion, knowing that he has a closer relationship with Rick. Ted decides to make them co-leads, even though he previously promised the position to his mentee. Despite claiming that he is good with sharing the title, Rick makes a last-minute decision to leave Black & Associates to join Railsback Lane, assuming that he has a better chance of moving upwards the company ladder there.
Because of everything happening in his personal and professional life, Suits LA hasn’t really fully explored the ramifications of Rick leaving Ted. However, this paves the way for Erica’s promotion, which she gladly accepts. While her dynamic with her boss isn’t as established as the one he has had with Rick, her relationship with Erica ascends to a whole new level as they tackle this crisis together.
Eddie, Ted’s Brother, Is Actually Dead
Ted Continues To Grieve His Brother
The Suits LA pilot is also heavy on establishing Ted’s personal life, which is mainly done through the revelation about his strained relationship with his father. While the crisis at work is going down, Amell’s character finds out that his dad, played by Matt Letscher, is also dying. Despite not wanting to visit, insisting that he doesn’t have anything left to say to him, he makes a brief pit stop at the hospice where the elder Black is staying in New York to say some final words.
…Ted has been consciously talking to Eddie when he gets him to find some solace.
Amid a really difficult few days, however, Ted finds himself coming home to his brother, Eddie (Carson A. Egan), who comforts him throughout this tough stretch. Suits LA makes it clear that the mighty lawyer has a soft spot for him, so it’s absolutely devastating when “Seven Days a Week and Twice on Sunday” reveals that he’s actually dead. Apparently, Ted has been consciously talking to Eddie when he gets him to find some solace.
How These Storylines Impact Suits LA Moving Forward
Suits LA’s Story Is Just Getting Started
For a pilot episode, Korsh juggles so many plot lines in under an hour. While the immediate aftermath of Stuart’s betrayal is clear, all of these plots will be the driving factor for the rest of the season’s run. Ted and Stuart’s relationship appears to be wrecked beyond repair, but it raises questions about what exactly led to this rift, especially since it looks like they had a strong enough rapport to run Black Lane for 15 years. For what it’s worth, it seems like Stuart has long been nursing a grudge against his former partner.
Rick’s last-minute decision to leave Ted for Stuart, despite clearly being fond of Amell’s character will be another complicated storyline that would play out throughout the rest of Suits LA season 1. Erica’s new position effectively sets the stage for her and Ted to go up against her former rival and Stuart. Finally, Eddie’s death will be a major storyline that could even explain some of Ted’s more unflattering behavior. The brothers had been really close, so much so that Amell’s character continues to talk to him even though he’s gone.
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