Warning: SPOILERS for Suits LA season 1, episode 13, "Freedom."There wasn’t a lot in the finale episode of Suits LA’s poor ratings when it premiered.

But countless TV shows take their time getting their sea legs under them, with even hit series like The Office and Breaking Bad accruing a fair number of naysayers at the start until gaining almost universal love in their second seasons. When it comes to Suits LA’s character issues, however, the series frequently has characters argue or forgive each other without either character developing much as a result. With more time, however, that could have led to some intriguingly complex relationship dynamics, and the Suits LA series finale demonstrates exactly why that would have vastly improved the show.

Ted Teams Up With Samantha And Elizabeth Smith In The Suits LA Series Finale

Both Work Better As Allies Than As Adversaries

While the appearances of Harvey and Louis in Suits LA were both highly anticipated treats, the original Suits characters never really teamed up in Suits LA for an earnest court battle as many viewers might have hoped to see. The Suits LA season 1 finale includes its own unique team-up between Ted and Samantha with aid from Elizabeth, however. While it seemed clear early on that Samantha wouldn’t remain a rival forever, Elizabeth’s role was decidedly more unexpected.

Not only do the three make for a great team, but it’s also notable that the three of them are teaming up to stop a abusive producer who once targeted Rosalyn. Even compared to Leah, Rosalyn’s been one of the most underused characters in Suits LA despite seemingly being invaluable to Ted. While this is the only episode of the series that really explores her backstory, the way her plotline pulls in the other characters involved demonstrates exactly what the series needed more of to survive.

Suits LA Needed More Team Dynamics To Make Its Characters More Interesting

The Series Made Its Characters Feel Too Isolated

Plenty of characters are introduced in of their relationships. In the Suits LA premiere, it’s obvious that Rick and Erica have a romantic history. It’s clear that Ted and Stuart have had a long and complicated friendship. It’s clear that Rosalyn is vital to the management of Ted’s firm. But despite establishing all of these relationships, the characters in Suits LA are often too preoccupied with their own goals to be of much service to others. Every favor feels as if it will be repaid begrudgingly or create later drama, such as when Amanda helps Ted with Lester’s case.

But the team-up in the Suits LA series finale is another story. Under too much scrutiny, Suits LA’s often weak premise necessitates bringing in other characters to help inflate the story. The finale shows these characters actually growing as a result of their team dynamic. Rosalyn strengthens her backbone, Ted decides to start being honest with Amanda when he bends the rules, and it’s explained that Elizabeth’s own rule-bending stems from the same unyielding ion for justice as Ted’s. It’s a beautiful demonstration of how a good team-up episode can affect the growth of every character participating.

How Team Dynamics Would Have Changed In Suits LA Season 2

The New Firm Opened Up Numerous Possibilities

Of all the things that fans might have looked forward to in season 2, such as the implication in Suits LA episode 9’s Goodfellas reference that ADA Isaac Adani might adopt a villain role at some point, the most promising plot development in the Suits LA series finale is the final merger between Ted and Samantha’s firms. With all the main characters officially working together, there would have been even more chances for characters such as Ted and Rick or Stuart and Leah to forces on more difficult cases.

Playing around with these dynamics would have revealed new sides of the characters, making them feel less foreign to fans of the original series who found them too off-putting to embrace readily. Had Suits LA begun experimenting with that earlier, it might have saved the series. Unfortunately, with the characters each pursuing individual clients while rarely going to court, the first season didn’t provide many team-building opportunities. Ted’s focus on both entertainment and criminal law was a fascinating angle for a legal drama, but the character relationships still needed some fine-tuning for the series to achieve real success.

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