5 hours Ago By Yahoo TV
Can Suits LA live up to the charms of the original series? That’s the question fans have been asking ahead of the NBC premiere of the new series on Feb. 23. Greenlighted after Suits was crowned the most-streamed show of 2023 following a Netflix resurgence , expectations are high.
While Suits focused on the cutthroat world of corporate law in New York City with a fake yet practicing lawyer as its main hook, Suits LA, written and produced by original Suits creator Aaron Korsh, follows an entertainment law firm dealing with elite Hollywood clients and relies on complicated interpersonal dynamics as its driving force. The firm is led by Ted Black (Stephen Amell), a former federal prosecutor who uproots his life in the Big Apple in exchange for a sunnier West Coast setting to escape his dark past. He’s surrounded by a trio of new characters: Erica Rollins ( Lex Scott Davis ), an ambitious lawyer with sights set on a promotion; Stuart Lane (Josh McDermitt), Ted’s close friend and firm partner; and Rick Dodson (Bryan Greenberg), a driven attorney jockeying for power.
At some point in the season, Suits star Gabriel Macht returns as Harvey Specter, who had close ties with Ted back in the Manhattan office. Early reviews for Suits LA have been mostly negative. “The new Suits is an echo of the original that neither embodies enough of its ethos to satisfy nor sufficiently differentiates itself to stand alone,” the Guardian wrote, giving it two out of five stars.
A critic for TV Guide wrote that “ Suits LA just can't seem to find its footing,” “sabotag[ing] any genuine attempts to keep the franchise alive.” RogerEbert.com was even harsher, describing the spinoff as “dumb, glossy nothingness.
” Max Gao, a freelance entertainment writer who credits Suits for inspiring his law school journey, said the spinoff may face an uphill battle when it comes to meeting viewers’ “impossibly high standards.” “It’s definitely a different flavor,” Gao told Yahoo Entertainment of the L.A.
iteration. “So much of the original Suits was about aspirational, willful wish fulfillment. The spinoff is trying to do the same thing, but it's very difficult to live up to that bar.
” Though aspects of the original Suits remain, such as the signature theme song “Greenback Boogie” by Ima Robot and traces of similar dialogue ( Suits ’ go-to interjection, “Goddamn,” is freely used here), Gao believes Korsh may have forgotten what made the original series “so fun to watch” in creating Suits LA. Without establishing clear stakes as Suits did in its first episode — unlicensed attorney Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams) pretending to be a lawyer under Harvey’s eagle-eyed supervision with the risk of getting found out at any point — there’s less clarity on what fans can relate to here.
“The main characters in this [spinoff] aren't holding the same kind of secret, so they're not having to deal with the fact that one of the lawyers actually isn't a lawyer and didn't go to law school. In this case, you have another big secret that will be eating away at the lead, but this time the story is played across two different timelines,” Gao said, referring to flashbacks that are woven into the storylines. “In doing that, Aaron Korsh very specifically wanted to create a different kind of show.
It remains to be seen if there is going to be an emotional payoff.” Gao said that comparisons to the original are inevitable, especially with its streaming popularity surging over the last two years — well after the series signed off from USA Network in 2019. “People who love the original series and want to tune in [may be] expecting the same thing.
I don't think it's the same kind of show that people should be expecting. It's not Season 10,” Gao added. While some Suits fans expressed unabashed excitement over the arrival of the Los Angeles version, others are more cautious.
Justin Carter, a writer at io9, discovered Suits during its second season on USA Network. “It was easy to get invested” after watching one or two episodes and “get what it was about,” he told Yahoo Entertainment, crediting the solid cast chemistry. “My main concern abou t Suits LA is if it thinks being in a new city with a new set of characters will be enough,” Carter said.
“Part of what made the original show work was that Mike's lie was a big threat hanging over everyone. Unless I’ve missed something in the marketing, no such hook exists for [all the characters of] Suits LA , which kind of makes it [like] any other legal show starring a bunch of 30- and 40-somethings.” Edgar Cheung, an editor in the animation industry, was a late adopter of Suits .
After reading Prince Harry’s 2023 memoir, Spare, which referenced the show in the context of his blossoming romance with then- Suits star Meghan Markle, Cheung checked out Season 1 DVDs from the library and was “immediately sold.” “I loved how charming Harvey Specter was, and Mike Ross captured this ‘everyman’ energy that made him relatable. Mike was literally the audience surrogate,” Cheung told Yahoo Entertainment.
“The show had a great theme song, wonderful cast and enjoyable cases and storylines.” He hopes that the spinoff “is able to find its own Mike-Harvey dynamic,” a key relationship that transformed into a real friendship as Suits progressed. For Cheung, the big question Suits LA will need to answer is, “What is the heart of this new show?” “Mike Ross’s journey was the throughline of the original.
You wanted him to solve cases and get the girl. He was put in impossible situations that created moral dilemmas,” he said. “I hope Suits LA will have something just as engaging that will make me come back week after week.
” Ethan Huynh, a professional in the pharmaceutical industry who considers Suits one of his favorite TV shows, said he’s “cautiously excited” about the spinoff. “It’d be great to see some of the old Suits charm in a new context while developing new relationships and arcs,” he told Yahoo Entertainment. “And, of course, I’m curious to see how they weave in some of the past characters and whether they can make Suits LA feel like its own show while still honoring what made Suits so enjoyable.
” Harvey’s appearance on Suits LA will certainly help. Macht agreeing to come back is “absolutely” a good thing for the new show, Huynh said. “Gabriel Macht’s portrayal of Harvey Specter was integral to the success of the original show, and his presence in Suits LA will likely bring a sense of continuity and connection to the original series,” he said.
“Harvey’s charisma, confidence and complex relationships with other characters made him one of the most iconic parts of the Suits world.” “His return can serve as a bridge for fans of the original show and provide some much-needed gravitas to the spinoff,” Huynh said. Gao echoed those sentiments, saying Harvey back in tailored three-piece suits will be “a breath of fresh air.
” “It will give fans of both the original series and of the new one a chance to catch up with the characters, just to get a sense of where Harvey is,” he said. “Is he still with Donna? Is he still working with Mike? All of those fun little details, I think, are going to be intriguing for fans.” Suits LA premieres Feb.
23 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.
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