Suits LA universe explained: Are Suits LA and Suits connected?

WARNING: This article contains spoilers from Suits LA.

Suits LA has finally landed on NBC with an explosive first episode for fans to get excited about.

Suits LA premiered on NBC on Sunday, February 23, with Ted Black's (Stephen Amell) prominent Black Lane entertainment law firm experience groundbreaking turmoil.

In a shocking twist, Ted’s confidant and co-partner Stuart Lane (Josh McDermitt) severs their professional ties during a cutthroat merger, whisking away several team members to inaugurate his own venture, promptly setting the stage for a fierce rivalry between them.

This vicious manoeuvre was a clear sign that Suits LA would maintain the ruthless essence of its predecessor, the critically acclaimed original series Suits, which enthralled audiences from 2011 to 2019.

The burning question is, do Suits LA and the classic Suits series share the same TV universe?

Despite Suits LA trading New York's skyscrapers for Los Angeles' palm trees and rolling out a fresh cast, it unfolds in the very world where Suits' courtroom battles were fought but interestingly, this almost wasn't the case.

Initially, Suits creator Aaron Korsh had not intended for Suits LA to link with its forerunner, considering instead to revolve around a talent agency rather than a law firm.

But it was the surging popularity of Suits thanks to its Netflix revival in 2023 that inspired a narrative re-alignment into a spin-off.

Korsh relayed to Entertainment Weekly: "They were like, 'Look, if we bring this script into the 'Suits' universe, we can do it.' And I thought it was a great idea."

The concept of Suits was initially set in an investment bank, drawing from Korsh's own experience after college, but it was later reworked to focus on lawyers at the request of USA Network, which preferred a more procedural format.

Another key connection between the original series and the spin-off is the appearance of original star Gabriel Macht, who played Harvey Specter.

Macht confirmed his involvement in November last year with an Instagram post featuring the initials "HS" on a pair of cuffs, accompanied by the cryptic message: "When an old friend is in need ... it's time to take care of things and make those very 'things' right."

The trailer for Suits LA also features Specter, and given that both he and Ted are former New York federal prosecutors, it is likely that Specter will arrive in Los Angeles to lend his support.

However, it has been confirmed that Specter's appearance will be limited to a three-episode arc.

Furthermore, Macht hinted to People that other familiar faces might make an appearance, stating: "There's also some other characters that you're going to see that were in the original."

One possible character who might join the LA spin-off is Patrick J. Adams' Mike Ross, who has already expressed his interest in participating.

In an interview with Today, Adams revealed that both he and Sarah Rafferty, who played Donna Paulsen, have "put our hands up" to be part of the series, although fans might have to wait for a potential second season to see them return to the screen.

Adams stated: "They're doing the first season right now...I think it's important that they get their legs under them and find their new world."

Suits LA is available to watch on NBC in the US.