Attorney Ted Black and partner Stuart Lane are about to merge with a firm run by Ted's ex. Associates Rick and Erica vie for position in the firm, but when the merger hits a snag, Ted, a former prosecutor, must step into a role he holds in contempt.
Suits had a popular run for nearly a decade. It garnered a new wave of attention after it became available on Netflix. As such, it's easy to understand why the industry wanted to produce more. The desire for a spinoff can't outweigh the actual premise though. The show itself needs to provide a reason for why viewers should tune in. It needs to be more than a simple tangential connection to the former property. The franchise even did that once with a one-season spinoff featuring Gina Torres as Jessica Pearson. Her transition to politics didn't ignite the same attention. It at least had a hook. It had the desire to offer a compelling look at a unique world. With this venture in Los Angeles, it's tonal whiplash trying to decipher every single moment. In one scene, a bomb detonates in front of Ted Black. And then, John Amos pops up as himself wanting an audition. It's jarring. The show doesn't try to offer consistency either. It establishes the foundations of Ted's firm. But it's not stable. The firm is in the midst of a merger. When that closes, everyone closes ranks and tries to fend for themselves. Everything suddenly becomes chaotic. The characters try to figure out where to land. That is meant to define who they are. It's mostly just plot establishing the battle lines. It does nothing to inform the viewer what this show aspires to be.
The original series didn't quite arrive fully formed either. It took a season or so to truly figure itself out. Patience can be rewarded. This story still feels like it is striving to imitate what was previously successful. It fails because it can't capture that same magic. That sense of quippy fun was present from the very beginning. Here, it's all so incredibly serious. Ted just doesn't have a playful side whatsoever. Instead, he's saddled with a tragic backstory that informs absolutely everything about his professional life. His father was a criminal defense lawyer for criminals. He was actually a criminal himself. His actions led to the death of Ted's younger brother. Ted has forever been stuck in that moment. He still imagines interactions with Eddie. It's meant to be some shocking twist. It reveals humanity within the character. It fails spectacularly. It's so detached from everything else that is meant to be important. Ted has redefined himself since moving from New York to Los Angeles. He practices entertainment law after tragedy ended his career as a prosecutor. He partners with a criminal defense lawyer in Stuart Lane. However, he has no respect for that line of work. That makes their partnership awkward and the animosity between them more understandable. It still boils down to a lot of shouting without much depth whatsoever.
Cockiness and swagger are meant to be the characteristics in Ted that closely resemble the original show. He is suppose to be the best at what he does. Everyone idolizes him. He has to earn that respect from the audience through his actions. Instead, he's inferred to be a good guy because he believes in his client's innocence. He decides to step into a role he hates because he offers that sincerity. He appreciates others willing to look beyond his rough and combative exterior. He is accustomed to getting whatever he wants. People see the opportunities that come from being closely involved with him. They don't want anything personal though. It's all business deals where he can dominate others. He will take actions to prove a point. It doesn't matter what his legal obligations actually are. He's confident. Everyone must admire that no matter what. It's frankly quite off-putting. It's a version of intense masculinity that doesn't quite align with true respect. The character doesn't have to be perfect either. Plenty of shows follow the journeys of anti-heroes. Ted must be broken now in order to improve in future episodes. That still requires consistency and a sense of purpose. That is lacking immediately.
Ted has perfectly fine banter with Amanda, the pro bono lawyer he didn't know works out of the firm's offices. He's delighted to learn she doesn't actually work for him. That's a recognition of power dynamics in the workplace that can't be tolerated. That interaction suggests the spark is still present that resembles what was so combustive in Suits. It still can't overcome the lack of interest in Ted's journey. It takes itself too seriously. It requires John Amos to once again stop by and tell Ted that he has to see his father before he dies. That acceptance of the past is the only way to move forward. It could be a compelling story. One where Ted struggles to regulate his emotions. There is no certainty of that. Instead, everyone is vying for attention and the appropriate amount of leverage to get what they want. Again, these aren't strange concepts for this particular world. However, there isn't enough of a foundation to provide the audience with a reason to care. Ted didn't see Erica as a diversity hire like Stuart did. That's the bare minimum. Everyone should aspire for more than that. She stays with him. She doesn't accept Stuart's offer. Rick changes because he no longer views Ted as good for his career. These combative dynamics have potential. They are just so tortuous without seeing a glimmer of what fuels them. It's plot for the sake of it. It's a spinoff that was dictated by an algorithm instead of having natural purpose and a story worth sharing.
