Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for ‘Suits LA’ Episode 1.When it was announced that the hit USA drama,Suits, would havea spin-off series set in Los Angeles, some fans were dubious. Could the new show capture the same magic of the legal drama that starredGabriel Macht, Patrick J. Adams,and a pre-Royal FamilyMeghan Markle? Well,Suits LApremiered on February 23, andColliderhas already deemed the show"off to a promising start." It seems likethe key to setting this procedural apart is some creative storytelling that leads to a major twist in the premiere.
The series is centered around Ted Black (Stephen Amell), a successful former federal prosecutor from New York who has built up an impressive roster of clients as an entertainment lawyer in LA. Although he comes across as super confident (often verging on cocky),Ted actually has a tragic past that will surely be explored more as the series progresses.The first episodeopens with a flashback to 10 years ago when Ted tries to convince a witness to take the stand against a dangerous mobster. The witness is killed in an explosion in his home that Ted barely escapes. We also learn that Ted’s father was a lawyer and also a gangster. But there’s one element of Ted’s past that is truly shocking.
Ted’s Brother Is Actually a Ghost in ‘Suits LA’
In the premiere episode, Ted awakens from a nightmare about the bombing and is greeted by his brother, Eddie (Carson A. Egan). Eddie is a kind soul with Down syndrome who provides him with support and advice (and even offers to make Ted pancakes for breakfast). They seem tohave a really sweet relationship. In a flashback to when the boys were teenagers,the series reveals that their loving bond goes back to their childhood.
But at the end of the episode, Tedgoes to meet with his dying fatherand tells him he’ll never forgive him for Eddie’s death.This means Eddie has been dead this entire time!We don’t know the exact circumstances of Eddie’s death — just that the night before their father was set to go to prison for some shady dealings, Eddie was murdered. His father has claimed it was to protect Ted in some way, but we don’t know the specific timeline for when this happened or if it’s even connected somehow to the bombing that Ted still has nightmares about. We just know that Ted is seeminglyhaving full-on delusionsthat his brother is kicking it in his LA apartment with him years after Eddie’s death.
‘Suits LA’ Review: Stephen Amell’s Spin-Off Raises the Bar Against a Hollywood Backdrop
‘Suits LA’ premieres February 23 on NBC.
Eddie Serves as Ted’s Guide in ‘Suits LA’
Although it’s a shocking twist to have Eddieactually be a ghost, it does provide a lot of insight into Ted’s character. Beneath the nice suits and power moves, Ted has been deeply damaged by his past, and is still struggling to grieve his brother’s death in a healthy way. TheSuits LAcreator,Aaron Korsh,explained in aTVLineinterviewthatEddie’s ghost serves an even grander purpose in the series than just a unique plot device. He notes that Eddie “is sort of Ted’s subconscious speaking to him. So, Eddie is most often, in my mind, the voice of forgiveness. It’s Ted’s softer side that Ted might not be in touch with.”
This aspect of Ted’s life makes him intriguing; there’s so much more to him than thestraightforward shark of a lawyerthat he likes to project. Because of his brother’s ghost, he’s somehow able to tap into the part of his soul that hasn’t been touched by a toxic father, a tragic death, or the hardhearted person he’s become as a top-notch lawyer. Eddie gives him guidance so that he’s able to stay in touch with his empathy and his ability to see what his clients (and his colleagues) are actually experiencing.
Without Eddie’s influence, perhaps Ted would be justone more ruthless lawyerwho does whatever he wants in order to win. Of course, Ted does still have this innate ability to fight for survival (and for success), but it’s Eddie who keeps Ted grounded. If Ted continues to see Eddie in his visions, perhaps he’ll be able to rebuild his firm after his former partner, Stuart (Josh McDermitt),steals all of his employees.Eddie helps Ted retain his humanity, which could be crucial in how Ted ends up fighting back.
The Ghostly Twist in ‘Suits LA’ Raises Questions About Ted’s Character
Althoughthe ghost twist is a compelling one, it does raise the question: is Ted actually ok? Seeing and talking to a ghost is not exactly the sign of a healthy form of coping. Is Ted well enough to be working with clients and going about his daily life in this way? We don’t even know for sure whether Ted fully accepts that his brother is dead. Is it possible that Ted has actually tricked himself into thinking that Eddie is still alive? Willhis mental health deteriorateeven further in the future if he isn’t able to properly grieve his brother’s death?The series will perhaps explore in future episodes if Ted has to stay in his delusions just to keep functioning. If Eddie’s ghost doesn’t end up serving him in the same way going forward, how would that affect Ted (and his ability to practice law)? There are so many questions that need answering, but at this early point in the series, we know that there’s a lot of damage to Ted’s psyche because of his past. He’ll need to begin to work on healing if he wants to stop talking to a brother who isn’t even really there.
There are manymore episodes in storeforSuits LAto dive into this storyline. It will be interesting to see whether the drama decides to keep Eddie’s ghost around permanently or whether they will deal with these issues as we dig more into Ted’s past. At this point,Eddie is serving as the angel on Ted’s shoulder, reminding him to hold onto his compassion and goodness. So, maybe it’s not necessarily a bad thing that he’s keeping the love he has for his brother at the forefront of his mind. However, it could certainly be an awkward situation if one of Ted’s colleagues or clients sees him talking to his dead brother’s ghost.As the protagonist of the series, though, it’s certain that Ted will always come out on top (ghost brother or not).
New episodes ofSuits LAair on Sunday nights on NBC, with episodes available to stream on Peacock in the U.S.
