Suits LA: The Next Chapter of the Legal Drama Saga

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Wait, is Suits really back? You bet your goddamn ass it is.

Following the massive success of the USA Network legal drama on Netflix in 2023, amassing a staggering 57.7 billion minutes of viewing time, creator Aaron Korsh is broadening the Suits universe with a second spinoff. This new installment, titled Suits LA, will debut on NBC this Sunday and will be set on the West Coast. The show will introduce a fresh group of lawyers aiming to emulate the distinctive elements of the original series: razor-sharp intelligence, clever and quick-witted dialogue, and of course, stylish suits and fashionable attire.

Since the new spinoff has minimal character overlap, it’s possible for viewers to jump straight into the L.A.-based spinoff without having seen any of its earlier versions. However, they would miss out on the irresistible charm and familiar warmth that the original series provided. Whether you followed the main show during its cable broadcast from 2011 to 2019, or during the Suits craze amid Hollywood strikes a few years back (or at any other time), here’s a brief refresher on key points to remember as we move forward into the next phase of Korsh’s legal drama.

Batman Meets Robin

The initial ‘Suits’ series centered around the tale of Harvey Specter, a suave senior partner at a prominent Manhattan law firm, who brought on Mike Ross as his associate. Here’s the twist: Although Mike possessed an extraordinary ability to remember details, he hadn’t earned a college degree, not even from Harvard Law School – a prerequisite for associates at the law firm run by Jessica Pearson, a formidable figure.

Back when we were scrambling to hide Mike’s questionable background from our peers and eventually the public eye, me and Mike somehow transformed into one of TV’s most cherished duos. Our unique camaraderie, filled with witty banter and a knack for referencing classic films, earned us comparisons to legendary pairs like Batman and Robin, or Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Last year, during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Adams pointed out that our lasting success can be attributed to several elements, such as our genuine friendship off-screen and the intricate dynamics of a mentor-apprentice bond.

Although Harvey and Mike were the main characters (with Jessica playing a pivotal role as a formidable figure), the diverse cast collectively provided the series with a robust foundation on Suits.

  • Louis Litt (Rick Hoffman), Harvey’s petulant, heart-on-his-sleeve frenemy, became the kind of character audiences loved to hate, or even grew to love. Sure, Louis may have used Mike’s secret to blackmail his way into becoming a name partner in the middle of season four (among a litany of other offenses), but his eccentricities — namely his love for ballet, theater and mudding — and his struggles to find a lasting romantic relationship were, at the very least, endearing to watch.
  • Initially slated to appear in only a few episodes, Donna Paulsen (Sarah Rafferty) became an important foil for Harvey — first as his all-knowing secretary and then as a chief executive of the firm. Donna’s will-they-won’t-they relationship with Harvey remained a constant until the end of the eighth season, at which point they both realized that their one true love has been in front of them for over a decade.
  • In her final role before marrying into the British Royal Family, Meghan Markle starred as Rachel Zane, a brilliant paralegal-turned-lawyer whose on-again, off-again relationship with Mike formed most of the romantic intrigue of the first four seasons. As the show progressed, the writers seemed intent on making Rachel break down in tears every few episodes — usually about Mike or her own career, which was inevitably affected in some way by Mike’s fraudulent behavior.
  • Following the departures of Torres (in season six) and Adams and Markle (in season seven) from the series regular cast, Suits promoted Amanda Schull (Katrina Bennett) and Dulé Hill (Alex Williams) and cast Katherine Heigl in the role of Samantha Wheeler. All three senior partners were promoted to name partners alongside Louis by the end of the series.

Throughout nine seasons spanning 134 episodes, the central law firm in the show Suits faced a series of scandals, power struggles, takeovers, and promotions. The company experienced two mergers and at least 12 name changes, with “Pearson Specter Litt” being a popular combination among its partners. Two managing partners – Jessica in season six, and Robert Zane (played by Wendell Pierce) in season eight – were disbarred to safeguard Mike and Harvey’s legal practice. The firm’s lawyers battled against corrupt billionaires like Eric Roberts’ Charles Forstman; federal prosecutors such as Leslie Hope’s Anita Gibbs; the SEC with Neal McDonough’s Sean Cahill and Zeljko Ivanek’s Eric Woodall; dangerous criminals including Paul Schulze’s Frank Gallo; and even Harvey’s former workplace, the District Attorney’s office.

After oscillating between the desire to become a lawyer and the fear of endangering the entire law firm, Mike was officially apprehended and indicted for fraud during season five. Following a chaotic court case, Mike opted for a plea bargain to shield Gibbs from targeting his associates, but he discovered later that the jury had actually been planning to rule in his favor. (What a shock!) In season six, Mike spent a few months in a white-collar penitentiary and provided crucial information about Gallo in return for an early discharge.

Or:

Mike wavered between the ambition to be a lawyer and the concern about potentially jeopardizing the entire firm. During season five, he was officially detained and charged with fraud. After a tumultuous trial, Mike made a deal to avoid Gibbs going after his coworkers by accepting a plea bargain. However, he discovered afterwards that the jury had actually been preparing to rule in his favor. (What a kick in the gut!) In season six, Mike served a couple of months in a white-collar prison and gave important details about Gallo to secure an early release.

As Harvey tirelessly worked towards freeing Mike from prison, Rachel and Jessica united their efforts to exonerate an innocent man on death row. This case stirred Jessica’s original motivation for becoming a lawyer – to aid the underprivileged and marginalized. She bravely chose to abandon her firm and New York City. Instead, she moved to Chicago where she starred in a one-season series called Pearson, transforming into a fixer navigating the corrupt realm of politics. (Torres recently told THR that Pearson was the show they had always envisioned: “I often said that while Suits focused on the top 5%, I wanted Pearson to be about everyone else.”)

Following Jessica’s return in season six’s finale to accept blame for Mike’s employment during a character hearing, Mike was granted admission to the bar. In the final episode of the subsequent season, Mike and Rachel got married and relocated to Seattle to manage a firm specializing in class-action lawsuits against major corporations. In the series finale, after Harvey negotiates his resignation as a condition for Faye Richardson’s (Denise Crosby) departure, he and Donna – who impulsively decide to marry following Louis’ wedding being disrupted by his wife going into labor – opt to rejoin their friends on the West Coast. Appropriately, having started their partnership working for heavyweights on Wall Street, Harvey and Mike have decided to focus on assisting the underdogs instead.

Harvey Hands Over the Baton to Ted

Approximately six years following the conclusion of both “Suits” and “Pearson”, NBC is subtly seeking to profit from the franchise’s revival by creating a spinoff focusing on Ted Black, a character from Harvey Specter’s past, played by Stephen Amell. In the second episode, Ted and his longtime friend Kevin (Troy Winbush) discuss Harvey, with Kevin describing him as “the only person I know who is more arrogant than” Ted. Interestingly enough, it is revealed that Harvey and Ted had previously worked together at the District Attorney’s office before Harvey switched to work for Jessica.

Here is a list of what else you should and should not expect from the new offshoot:

  • Expect some original cast cameos — just not a certain Duchess of Sussex. Any iteration of Suits wouldn’t feel like Suits without an appearance from one of the OGs. THR has confirmed that Macht will appear in three of the 13 episodes of Suits LA, as a kind of ceremonial passing of the baton from Harvey to Ted. Torres recently told THR that she has not had any conversations about reprising Jessica, but has expressed her willingness to do so. Likewise, Adams and Rafferty, who are currently hosting a Suits (re)watch podcast, and Hoffman have all expressed interest in suiting up again, but Hoffman stressed that the LA cast needs time to find its footing first. One person who very likely won’t be returning is Markle, who, in a 2022 interview, stated that she does not intend to go back to acting.
  • Don’t expect a repeat of Harvey and Mike. Rather than choosing to make Suits LA another two-hander, Korsh has opted to have a single lead and a rotating cast of series regulars, including Lex Scott Davis and Bryan Greenberg, and recurring players. Even though Ted and his criminal defense partner Stuart Lane (Josh McDermitt) may be best friends, the events of the pilot make it clear that they are in very different places — both personally and professionally speaking.
  • Expect to hear “Greenback Boogie.” The iconic earworm by Ima Robot will be reimagined with a new opening credits sequence.
  • But don’t expect as many “goddamns” or coarse language. We are on a broadcast network now, after all. There will sadly be no characters yelling out “Bullshit!” in the middle of a contract negotiation or a deposition, but there may be some substitutes for that colorful language.
  • Expect another big secret to eat away at the lead, but this time a story that plays out across two timelines. Ted may have reinvented himself as a lawyer for the biggest names in entertainment, but his sordid past as a federal prosecutor — and the reason he moved across the country — will come back to haunt him.

Suits LA premieres Sunday, Feb. 23 at 9 p.m. on NBC, streaming the next day on Peacock.

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2025-02-21 20:56