Summary

• Suits: L.A. brings a fresh take to the beloved universe with a new cast led by Stephen Amell and Josh McDermitt.
• Suits' final seasons have some crucial lessons for Suits: L.A.
• Suits: L.A. must deliver compelling characters to carry on the legacy of success that started with Harvey and Mike's dynamic.

A spin-off of the acclaimed legal drama Suits, Suits: L.A. will be led by Stephen Amell (Arrow) and The Walking Dead's Josh McDermitt, with the spin-off centering on Ted Black (Amell), a former federal prosecutor from New York who has relocated to the City of Angels, and Stuart Lane (McDermitt), the co-founder of Suits: L.A.'s Black Lane Law. While Suits' previous spin-off, Pearson, ran for just 10 episodes before it was canceled, this outing seems different.

In fact, the original show's final two seasons secretly prove why Suits: L.A. will defy the odds and become a hit series. Created by Aaron Korsh, Suits premiered in 2011, but, over a decade later, experienced a surge in popularity thanks to Netflix and Peacock. Although the show's 9-season run ended in 2019, Suits' sudden second life in 2023 encouraged NBCUniversal to develop the Los Angeles-set spin-off. Even now, early reviews of the Suits: L.A. pilot suggest that the new series has already learned a thing or two from its ultra-popular parent show.

Suits’ Seasons 8 & 9 Were Essentially A Spin-off Show (& They Worked)

Mike's Departure Changed Suits' Core Formula

In Suits' earlier seasons, the New York City-set series follows two leads: Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams) and Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht). While Harvey is a successful "closer" attorney at a corporate law firm, Mike is a bit of a scammer who uses his photographic memory to land a job as an associate at Harvey's firm. A college dropout who never attended law school proper, Mike still proves to be an integral part of Harvey's case-winning team, pushing the high-powered attorney to hide Mike's secret. That said, the Harvey-Mike dynamic was crucial to the Suits' identity.

Although Mike's Suits departure happened for a number of reasons...the exit definitely impacted the show's feel.

In Suits season 7, Adams' Mike Ross was dropped from series regular status. Although Mike's Suits departure happened for a number of reasons — Adams even cited wanting his character's conclusion to feel more natural — the exit definitely impacted the show's feel. In a way, Suits seasons 8 and 9 are a different series altogether at times. While not a spin-off, there's no denying that Suits' final seasons, which become very Harvey Specter and friends, were greatly altered by the departure of not just Adams, but a total of three main cast .

Suits Ended On A High Note (Despite The Exits Of Mike, Rachel, & Jessica)

Suits Season 9 Was A Return To Form After An Uneven Season 8

While Mike's departure may have been Suits' most significant loss, the season-seven exits of key players like Rachel Zane (Meghan Markle) and Jessica Pearson (Gina Torres) didn't help matters. Although the eighth season felt uneven without some of the series' most likable and beloved personalities, it still retained Suits' signature charm. By the time Suits season 9 premiered, the show experienced something of a return to form, allowing the long-running legal drama to end on a "high note," according to Korsh (via Deadline). Still, for some Suits fans, the final installment of the show was Suits season 7.

Suits: L.A. Won’t Have Established Suits Characters To Rely On

The Spin-Off Will Still Be Set In The Existing Suits Universe

The spin-off's reliance on a brand-new cast of characters means that Suits: L.A. can improve upon the original show. Although Suits' final seasons had beloved characters like Harvey to lean on, the spin-off is starting from scratch with leads like Ted and Stuart. Given the failure of Pearson, the fresh faces could be a welcome change — and the key to the spin-off's success. Still, Suits: L.A. unfolds within the pre-existing Suits universe, which means guest appearances from legacy characters aren't completely out of the question.

Suits: L.A.’s Characters Must Be As Good As The Ones From Suits

Ted & Stuart Need To Be The New Harvey & Mike

There's no denying that the dynamic between Harvey and Mike is what initially drew viewers into the compelling — and incredibly dramatic — world of Suits. That said, Ted and Stuart need to have a similarly engaging dynamic in order for Suits: L.A. to succeed. Based on early reviews of the pilot, Suits: L.A. has found its breakout star in the form of Josh McDermitt, whose trademark wit and dry humor shines through. That said, Suits: L.A. already seems to know what to carry on from the original series — and what to leave behind.

Suits is streaming on Netflix and Peacock; Suits: L.A. likely won't premiere until 2025 or 2026.

Source: Deadline