Suits, a USA Network legal procedural that debuted in 2011, broke out as one of Netflix’s biggest hits after its arrival on the streaming service. The show’s sequel, Suits LA, premieres on NBC starting February 23, with original showrunner Aaron Korsh returning to helm the West Coast version. However, this new iteration fails to recapture the magic of the original series.
The action centers around Ted Black (Stephen Amell), a best entertainment attorney in Los Angeles with a mysterious past. The first episode throws the audience into a dramatic breakup between Ted and his fellow partner at his law firm, Stuart Lane (Josh McDermitt). But instead of investing in Ted’s relationships, the show relies on confusing flashbacks and an unclear premise.
The original Suits had a unique conceit: Mike (Patrick J. Adams) didn’t have a law degree, but his perfect memory made him a savant. This tension provided the main thrust of the story, as Mike and Harvey (Gabriel Macht) schemed to hide Mike’s lack of credentials from friends and colleagues. Suits LA lacks this conceit, instead opting for an immense amount of backstory revealed through excessive flashbacks.
The show’s attempts at depth are hindered by a lack of chemistry between the new cast members and characters. While Stephen Amell does an admirable impression of Gabriel Macht, it feels like an impersonation rather than a genuine portrayal. The result is a pale shadow of the original series, failing to capture the charm and wit that made Suits a binge-worthy hit.
Source: https://time.com/7260051/suits-la