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Suits LA is a legal drama series that is a spin-off of the famous series, Suits. Created by Aaron Korsh, who also created the original, Suits LA features Stephen Amell and others. The new series released on February 23, 2025 but received negative reviews and was cancelled after just one season. The show focuses on ex-New York City federal prosecutor turned Los Angeles entertainment lawyer, Ted Black, and his complicated past. The series also revolves around his Black Lane Law firm that handles powerful clients in LA and the personal and professional challenges that Black and his associates face. Even though the show was a highly anticipated successor, it could not captivate viewers and faltered on multiple points. Here are 7 reasons why Suits LA could not win over the viewers and critics.
Poor use of flashbacks, lack of clarity, and other reasons why Suits LA is nothing like its prequel
1. Suits LA does not have the wit of its predecessor
One of the points that made Suits such a classic and watchable show was that it had loads of witty and smart banter that not only made the series fun, but it also added to the overall stylishness of the show. However, Suits LA does not have that charismatic banter and wit in its dialogues. Even though the successor has many of the same writers as the predecessor, it is surprising that Suits LA was unable to recreate the magic it created with its previous show’s wit and humor. Therefore, one of the reasons why the reviews of the show have been negative is that it lacks strong and witty writing. Suits was known for its acerbic wit and this aspect was elevated by Gabriel Macht’s character, Harvey Specter, who always had some charming things to say. But in the new show, there is no character this enigmatic. The original show was able to effortlessly infuse witty banter in the characters’ dialogues and the show had many instances where characters took part in smart battles of wit. But in Suits LA, this important aspect is lacking. The new show therefore feels like it is trying to reach for the heights of its predecessor but it fails continually.
2. Ted Black does not have Harvey Specter’s charm
Played by Stephen Amell, Ted Black is a character that has perhaps been one of the biggest blows to Suits LA and its downfall. Black was written as the character that would replace Harvey Specter and Mike Ross. And maybe this has been the new show’s biggest mistake. While trying to fit the shoes of two big enigmatic figures, the character of Ted Black has been lost somewhere in between. Most of the reviews from viewers and critics have not been captivated by Amell’s portrayal of Ted Black and some have even pointed out that the actor’s dialogue delivery has an uncomfortable resemblance to Macht, but not in a good way. Ted Black has therefore been slammed as a lesser version of Harvey Specter and his character feels like an impersonation and not someone original. Even Black’s wardrobe has been criticized for being a cheap imitation of Specter. Another weak point of the character is that it is unclear why all the junior lawyers respect Black so much and have unwavering trust in him. While Suits LA tries to establish Black’s backstory, it does not leave any impact and Black does not have the charm like Specter, to make him earn that respect.
3. Suits LA has a promising premise but the fault lies in its execution
Suits LA deals with the glamorous world of Los Angeles and Hollywood. However, even with such an exciting backdrop, the show could not find its foundation and there seems to be a clear gap in the execution of its plotlines. While the successor does come up with fresh ideas, it is unable to tie them neatly and present it to the audiences like its predecessor did. Suits LA’s premiere was highly anticipated and fans and critics wanted to see whether it would feel too much like Suits or not enough. However, as the critics reports have come in, it seems that it has managed to fail on both accounts. It tries to be like the original show by adding some weak echoes of the original series and also tries to be different by trying to present the idea of entertainment law, but failing to commit to it fully. Many viewers and critics feel that Suits LA does not have a clear identity and also has some loose pieces of ideas floating around throughout the season. Therefore, the new show is unable to fully realise its own potential and seems lost and dwindled down trying to recreate a sense of nostalgia for the original show, that ultimately ends up falling flat.
4. Suits LA is built on bitterness and not friendship
One of the highlights of Suits was that the dynamic between Harvey Specter and Mike Ross was full of banter, trust, and genuine friendship. Even though one is a protégé and the other is the boss, there was a healthy balance of respect and affection. While Specter and Ross’s personal and professional lives changed considerably over the course of the show, their loyalty towards each other kept the show alive. However, in Suits LA, instead of friendship, it is bitter rivalry that has kept the flame alive. The relationship between Ted Black and his former partner, Stuart Lane, is not amicable at all and in the very first episode, Stuart splits up the law firm. This leads to a constant back and forth between the two throughout the season and viewers and critics prefer to watch a healthy relationship rather than bitter rivalry that makes the show feel heavy. Throughout Suits LA, Black and Stuart are at each other’s throats and only the characters’ negative sides are highlighted. While makers might have been trying to present a new dynamic that was the reverse of Harvey and Mike, it unfortunately failed to land successfully and the new show was bereft of the foundational dynamic that kept the predecessor running.
5. Suits LA fails to use flashbacks convincingly
As mentioned above, Suits LA fails to convey its ideas properly and therefore there is a huge gap in its execution. A big example of this is that it fails to frame its story in a way that feels fresh and inventive and is able to captivate the viewers. Instead, it relies too much on flashbacks to carry the story forward. However, the overabundance of flashbacks makes the show jarring and difficult to comprehend. The flashbacks are used mostly to elucidate Ted Black’s backstory. But instead of slowly and subtly teasing out the secrets and hardships of Black’s previous life, the series uses flashbacks heavily to showcase his troubled past that does not feel well executed and nuanced. The show does not use the time-tested methods of implication and suggestion and the series has therefore received criticism for its weak storytelling ability. As the new show tries to do a lot, it shows what it should have narrated and tells what it should have shown. Many critics and viewers have noted that most of the action happens off screen and there is nothing much for the characters to do. Further, there could have been some truly compelling moments but they are shown through the vehicle of flashbacks that has not been used cleverly.
6. The conflicts in Suits LA are too complicated
As the previous point mentions, one of the strongest criticisms towards Suits LA has been its lack of clarity in presenting its storylines and using tactics like flashbacks to convey its plot. All of this points towards a major problem in the series’ pacing and flow of episodes. One of the weaknesses of the new show is that it tries to throw a lot at the viewers in a limited amount of time. Therefore, the viewers and critics feel that the storyline in the show is convoluted and unnecessarily complicated. While the show has many big goals that it is trying to achieve, it fails on landing them successfully and everything feels like a big mess. One example is the contrast between Ted Black’s dark past and the clashing tone of the other cases on the show. Most critics have noticed that the show feels overstuffed because of its zeal to showcase a lot in a small amount of time. The confusing blend between past tensions and present problems does not feel thrilling and instead, brings the show down. Furthermore, this weakness in storytelling also creates forgettable characters as the viewers don’t feel for them and don’t have any sympathy.
7. Suits LA is unable to escape the perfectionism of its predecessor.
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Suits LA will always be compared to Suits and that is a given. However, the new show’s faults make it even more obvious that it is unable to reach the heights of its predecessor. The new series fails at creating a space for itself while still honoring its legacy predecessor. Many critics have noticed that Suits LA is unable to either embody the clever and witty nature of Suits or create a sufficiently different aspect to it to stand alone. Many viewers and critics feel that the new series is not similar enough to the original to feel like a continuation. And it isn’t even original enough on its own to feel fresh. It seems that the show is trying to be different and similar at the same time and that is backfiring. There are moments in the show where Suits LA tries to blatantly copy Suits and that feels like a poorly-done imitation to get views. On the other hand, it has a strong character in Erica Rollins, but she has unnecessary additional plots that fail to create something new. Suits LA therefore falls on two fronts, it does not embody the tone of Suits, nor does it create a new niche for itself.
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