\n<\/p>\n
\u201cSuits LA\u201d is a spinoff of \u201cSuits\u201d \u2014 a sequel, sort of, but it feels like a seance. Gather, viewers, as we attempt to contact the spirit of \u201cSuits.\u201d Can you feel it in the room with us? Its fraternal jockeying? Its fascination with sleeveless tops as office wear for women? Maybe looking at a photograph of one of its characters will help maintain the delusion. Maybe hearing the theme song. Ooooohh<\/em>. \u201cSuits\u201d says hi. \u201cSuits\u201d misses you.<\/p>\n And like a seance, \u201cSuits LA,\u201d premiering Sunday on NBC, is an attempt to turn an unanswerable question into a little money. A question not about the nature of mortality but rather the nature of hits: Why does a show become popular? Why did a series that was a decent USA show from 2011-2019 become a Netflix sensation<\/a> in the summer of 2023?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The truth is, no one knows. If they did, they would make hits every time, and no show would be canceled prematurely, and we would have candy for dinner every day before the bliss orgy. But we live in the same world as the characters on \u201cSuits LA\u201d \u2014 the one where nothing nice can be simply enjoyed; it must be capitalized upon. Maybe plenty of \u201cSuits\u201d fans will be perfectly satisfied with this conjuring.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Not all of us, though, because \u201cSuits LA\u201d is flat and joyless. The original \u201cSuits\u201d distinguished itself with its quick dialogue, pert sense of humor and thrilling, wall-to-wall horniness, none of which are present here. Instead of a brilliant little scammer who stumbles into a law career under the tutelage of an alluring alpha, we have a generic mad hunk who snarls within the first five seconds of the show, \u201cMy father left when I was very young, and I never respected him.\u201d Fun! When does Meghan Markle get here? (She does not.)<\/p>\n Our big dog here is Ted, played by Stephen Amell, whose voice and cadence resemble that of Gabriel Macht, who played the cocky boss in the original, thus adding a bit of \u201cSuits\u201d-iness. Years ago, Ted was a federal prosecutor taking down mob guys in New York. We see this story unfold in tedious flashbacks that include scenes with his slimy dad and warm memories of his tender relationship with his brother, who has Down syndrome.<\/p>\n New York Ted played by his own rules, and gosh darn it, the beautiful women around him loved him for it. But something must have gone sideways, because in the present day, he\u2019s in a windowed office in Los Angeles, where he claims to be \u201ca badass in real life\u201d on account of how competitive an entertainment lawyer he is. His underlings, Rick (Bryan Greenberg) and Erica (Lex Scott Davis), vie for his attention and approval, which he largely withholds. Then his ostensible bestie, Stuart (Josh McDermitt), ruins everything by breaking up the firm. If you thought Ted was grouchy before, well, just you wait.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Like its predecessor, \u201cSuits LA\u201d does not start strong, though the three episodes made available for review improve somewhat as they go, with a celebrity client\u2019s high-profile murder trial emerging as by far the most interesting plot. There are worse things to be than diet \u201cGood Wife.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n