Spoiler alert! If you were hoping for Meghan Markle’s return as Rachel Zane in Suits LA, you are out of luck.
While it may have been wishful thinking, some fans of the original Suits held onto the hope that Markle, now the Duchess of Sussex, might make a surprise appearance. And let’s be honest, no matter where you stand on her in the British or American media, her return would have been a marketing goldmine for the show.
As you probably know, Suits LA is a spin-off of the original Suits series, created by Aaron Korsh. The show follows Ted Black, a former New York prosecutor who relocates to Los Angeles to start his own law firm after being betrayed and ousted by his partner, Stuart Lane.
The series explores Ted’s struggle to establish his firm while juggling personal and professional conflicts. Several critics and even lead actor Stephen Amell (Ted Black) have urged fans to approach Suits LA as a standalone series rather than constantly comparing it to the original.
That is because Suits LA leans into a darker, more personal backstory, revolving around Ted’s family betrayals, his ghost brother’s relentless demands, and Stuart’s initial loyalty before his ultimate backstabbing. But let’s be real, how can fans not compare the two?
If you have never watched Suits, you might enjoy this spin-off with fresh eyes. But if you have? The comparisons are inevitable. Season one kicks off with attorneys Ted Black and Stuart Lane planning to merge their firm with one run by Ted’s ex.
Meanwhile, we meet Rick Dodsen (Bryan Greenberg) and Erica Rollins (Lex Scott Davis), who undoubtedly raises the stakes in this spin-off. In fact, she nearly steals the show. Erica’s love-hate relationship with Leah Power (Alice Lee) adds another layer of intrigue.
Initially, Erica dismisses Leah, viewing her through a stereotypical lens, convinced there’s nothing to learn from her. But things take a turn when Erica is unexpectedly assigned to secure a major entertainment client while Ted tackles a high-stakes murder case involving Lester Thompson (Kevin Weisman).
Ted’s case pits him directly against his former partner Stuart, and the legal drama unfolds with a shocking twist. Lester, the accused, is revealed to have murdered his business partner over stolen money. Ironically, both men had been stealing from each other, and Lester was secretly trying to return the funds when he committed the crime.
To make matters worse, his murdered partner had been having an affair with his wife, who, now wants to seize nearly everything he owns. Suits LA thrives on hidden dark pasts, professional rivalries, and romantic entanglements.
The battle for clients, power, and love plays out in every scene, making for an intense legal drama. Whether it will live up to the legacy of its predecessor remains to be seen—but one thing is clear: this spin-off is determined to carve out its own identity in the Suits universe. Suits LA shows on Thursdays, 8 pm on DStv’s Mnet East.
fkisakye@gmail.com