‘Suits LA’ Flops with Overstuffed Drama and Flat Characters

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As a fan who appreciates the intricacy of spin-offs, I can attest that creating a new series from an established show isn’t simple. When you choose to carry over a familiar character, you’re inheriting their baggage. The challenge lies in finding a way to reimagine the premise and structure while maintaining the familiarity that viewers crave. It’s not about introducing something entirely new; it’s about resurrecting an old favorite. It can be tiresome, but if the original foundation is solid, you can spin off almost anything.

The success of Suits across various formats suggests that audiences are open to spin-offs, yet the question remains: what exactly do they want? The spin-off series, Suits LA, offers a structural and tonal resemblance to the original, but with fresh characters, stories, and settings. It’s a testament to how a strong foundation can be transformed while maintaining the essence that fans love.

In simpler terms, “Suits” and “Suits LA” are series filled with talented lawyers, witty remarks, hidden emotional turmoil, endless tension both personally and professionally, all set to a mix of pop-rock music. Fans of the original show might feel their pulse racing and nostalgia kicking in quickly; within just 10 minutes of watching the first episode, it feels like you’ve been immersed in this world for quite some time, with its highs and lows.

To put it simply, the initial episode of “Suits LA” introduces numerous characters and storylines at such a rapid pace that it might seem like you’ve skipped the pilot episode of the series. Essentially, the show dives you into its universe without any prior introduction or setup, making it challenging to follow along. Important events, detailed explanations, and intended emotional scenes are presented in quick succession. However, due to the multitude of new characters and stories, these elements often feel uninteresting, puzzling, and somewhat overwhelming.

Ted Black Leads the Characters of ‘Suits LA’

The series titled Suits LA introduces Ted Black, an attorney on television who boasts skills commensurate with his arrogance, yet conceals a deep-seated sorrow within him. Fifteen years ago, after a catastrophic case brought an end to his career as a federal prosecutor and his relationship with Samantha (Rachelle Goulding), he relocated from New York to Los Angeles. He has since ascended in life and now occupies a vast downtown office, preparing for a significant milestone – a massive corporate merger with his dearest friend Stuart Lane (Josh McDermitt), the only family-like figure he possesses.

Among Ted’s team is Rick Dodsen, portrayed exceptionally by Bryan Greenberg in what might be the series’ most profound and nuanced role. Rick admires Ted greatly throughout his career, and his work style is more empathetic and personally invested, contrasting significantly with Erica Rollins’ approach. Erica Rollins, played by Lex Scott Davis, is a tenacious yet composed fighter, whose methods differ markedly from Rick’s.

In this scenario, the pair are vying for the top position within the entertainment department, handling matters involving performers, filmmakers, and so forth. As a result, we get some entertaining appearances from famous figures in Tinseltown, like John Amos, Patton Oswalt, and Brian Baumgartner. Leah, a member of Erica’s legal team, is portrayed as a youthful, eccentric attorney – the kind of character you wouldn’t typically encounter in reality. She bears some resemblance to an energetic, fantastical female character, reminiscent of Ally McBeal.

Same Structure, Worse Subplots

In the series Suits LA, each episode centers around a weekly case, while also developing season-long storylines. Characters like Ted and his friend Kevin, a former FBI agent turned private detective, experience betrayals, uncover hidden secrets, and reveal past events, all while working on a major case together – in this instance, the murder of Lester Thompson, a snobbish and resentful Hollywood filmmaker, by his business partner. The actor playing Kevin is Troy Winbush, and Kevin Weisman portrays Lester Thompson.

In the first three episodes assessed, Lester’s case stands out as significantly more engaging compared to the episodic cases. Although it’s entertaining to witness real-life celebrities portraying themselves, these cases tend to be rather uneventful and seem almost like interruptions, despite serving purposes in shaping characters (occasionally in a somewhat contrived manner). They are primarily designed to bring humor into the series, but maintaining interest in a contract dispute or an actor seeking more roles can prove challenging.

The structure and overall appearance of this piece resembles the television series “Suits”, as does its approach to visual style. However, it seems there is an overreliance on popular music to evoke emotions from viewers, and a dialogue style that mimics a less sophisticated Aaron Sorkin, with rapid-fire banter. This doesn’t automatically imply high-quality writing. There are lines that feel awkward, such as “It’s the fourth quarter and you need a touchdown,” “I’m gonna come after you with everything I’ve got,” and “My days of doing favors for you are over.” The dialogue intended to generate warmth or emotion often falls short. For instance, Erica starts a sentence by saying, “Someone once said,” before quoting another character from just 20 minutes prior in the same episode. This attempt at creating an emotional impact feels forced and tacky instead.

The Suit Doesn’t Fit in These First 3 Episodes

In essence, “Suits LA” shares a significant link with the original series through the character Harvey Specter, who has had hinted interactions with Ted Black, as seen in a promotional trailer for the show. The scene where Ted gestures towards a photo of himself and Harvey unfolds across the first three episodes, and thus far, this is the only reference to Harvey made. Therefore, while Gabriel Macht is slated to appear somewhere in the series, don’t anticipate a full-blown revival.

Ted Black is shaping up to be captivating and endearing. Snippets from his past are intriguing (though somewhat dramatic) and contribute to creating a well-rounded character. Stephen Amell exudes confidence and novelty, and his scenes often stand out as the most compelling. Similar to its character, Suits LA has the potential to become more engaging and entertaining, but in its initial three episodes, it’s mostly an unsuccessful attempt to emulate the high-quality suit of the original. Suits LA will debut at 9 p.m. ET/PT on February 23, 2025, with new episodes airing every Sunday. A replay of the first episode can be seen at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Feb. 28, 2025. Episodes will be available for streaming the next day on Peacock via the provided link: [Peacock Streaming Link]

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2025-02-21 07:32