Spinoffs of popular shows are a win-win as there’s a hungry fanbase to tap into. This is why fans were bubbling with excitement over “Suits LA”, a follow-up to “Suits”.
I’ve been a die-hard fan of its predecessor from episode one, season one. The creators didn’t drop the ball once with the casting, character development and twists.
Also, the hook of having Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams), a college dropout with a photographic memory, being taken under the wing of the suave, powerful and first-rate associate lawyer turned partner Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht), added an exciting dynamic to the bustling legal drama.
Of course, comparisons between the follow-up and the original are unavoidable.
Honestly, I tried to get into the series. Three episodes later, I’m not feeling it. The storylines are just too flat.
Despite admiring the previous work of Stephen Amell (“Arrow” fame), I wasn’t bowled over by him helming the show as Ted Black, a former federal prosecutor from New York now running his own LA company with some of the most powerful clients.
The series, which is entrenched in the entertainment world, opens with flashbacks to Ted’s past, which haunts him. And he has daddy issues.
However, those are just a few of the hurdles he has to overcome. He’s dealing with a crisis at the firm as a rival company poached his top guy.
As such, Ted has to make a few urgent changes before clients get wind of things and go into a tailspin.
Sadly, Amell lacks the gravitas needed in the role. He's skilled but not exceptional. Honestly, he lacks that je nais se quoi.
Not to be unkind to any of the actors but they all seem to be variations of the original cast. That’s what I find most unforgivable.
If you are taking the franchise forward, it needs to stand on its own merit.
The worlds might be different, but the personal and professional dilemmas, office politics, betrayal and legal battles should be enough to give the new show an edge. It doesn’t.
The interpersonal relationships exude some quirkiness but matter little in the greater scheme of things.
At this point, I’m just looking forward to Macht and Rick Hoff (Louis Litt) adding that much-needed va-va-voom to the drama.
It’s the only silver lining to this humdrum spinoff. Also, we truly miss that Harvey swag.
Rating: 2/5 significant flaws but some merit.
∎ “Suits LA” is streaming on Showmax.