After Suits LA Episode 8's Reveal, I'm More Baffled Why It Won't Have A Harvey & Louis Reunion

Warning: SPOILERS for Suits LA season 1, episode 8, "Acapulco."

Harvey Specter and Louis Litt won’t meet up during season 1 of Suits LA, but episode 8 could have easily paved the way for just such a reunion. Given Suits LA’s poor ratings, it seems like the show should be pulling out all the stops to increase viewership. One of the easier ways to accomplish that feat would be to feature more cameos from the flagship series among Suits LA’s cast. But with episode 9 prepared to end Harvey’s story arc, the only fan-favorite character left to appear in the first season is the lovably unlikable Louis Litt.

Putting Harvey and Louis together, especially with Suits LA season 2 still unconfirmed, would be a great way to inflate late-game ratings and secure a green light for the series’ return. Harvey and Louis had one of the most fun dynamics in the original run of Suits, and it would be interesting to see how their relationship has evolved since the original series ended. Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear that NBC has any immediate plans to deliver that particular bit of fan service.

Harvey And Louis Won’t Reunite In Suits LA (Despite Both Appearing)

They’ll Likely Appear Just One Episode Apart

Harvey Specter has already made his return in Suits LA, and episode 9 will officially put his three-episode story arc to rest. It’s also been confirmed that Louis Litt’s Suits LA appearance will last for just one episode, but that Louis will not appear in the same episode as Harvey. This only leaves the ten-episode season’s finale open for his appearance, but seeing Gabriel Macht’s Harvey and Rick Hoffman’s Louis Litt interact would have been a joy for veteran fans. Even when the two characters were at each other’s throats, the actors’ onscreen chemistry was undeniable.

A custom image of Harvey Specter with the cast of Suits LA in the background.

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Additionally, Suits LA is one of many TV series facing cancelation at the moment. Even outside of sweeps week, marketing a Harvey and Louis reunion could have drawn a lot of eyes from fans of the flagship who still haven’t quite been won over by the spinoff. Naturally, the best marketing move would be to reunite Harvey and Louis in an episode that also highlights the best features of the spinoff characters. And that only serves to make the absence of their reunion even more disappointing, since Suits LA has now established a storyline that could have accomplished just that.

Suits LA Episode 8 Sets Up The Perfect Reason For Harvey & Louis’ Reunion

Daniel Hardman Gives Them Both Reasons To Appear

In the flashbacks of Suits LA episode 8, Ted makes some uncertain headway in the Pellegrini case. He’s not sure if he has Pellegrini for murder, which makes it doubly important to make the RICO charges stick. That’s when Harvey shows up and reveals that Suits’ Daniel Hardman has the information they need to put Pellegrini behind bars. In the current timeline of the show, however, Pellegrini is about to get out. That’s when Harvey shows up yet again and invites Ted to fly to New York with him so they can keep Pellegrini in jail where he belongs.

Stuart Lane and Stehen Amell in Suits LA

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While Ted’s return to New York in Suits LA already would have provided an excuse for a run-in with Louis, this is doubly true considering Hardman’s connection to the case. In Suits, Hardman played a huge role in the rivalry between Harvey and Louis while ultimately betraying both of them. With David Costabile set to return as Hardman, and given Suits’ recent Netflix resurgence, there would have been no better time to see Harvey and Louis join forces against their old foe. However, it’s possible Hardman only appears in flashbacks. And that’s not the only problem with staging a reunion.

Why Suits LA Won’t Stage A Harvey & Louis Reunion

It’s Actually A Smart Move For The Spinoff

Stephen Amell as Ted Black sitting in an office chair near windows in Suits LA

Behind-the-scenes concerns such as scheduling or the cost of cramming too many cameos into one episode could explain why Louis and Harvey are appearing separately, but the easier explanation is that Suits LA simply needs to focus more on building up its own characters than on easy fan service. Despite poor ratings and reviews, NBC is still considering Suits LA’s season 2 renewal. With many relationships between main characters only beginning to heal from the events of the series’ divisive premiere, the show needs to focus on developing those relationships to prove NBC has reason to revisit these characters.

Stephen Amell as Ted Black in Suits LA episode 7 and Rick Hoffman as Louis Litt in Suits season 8

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Additionally, the spinoff has only scratched the surface with some of its character development. Side characters like Leah, Kevin, and Rosalyn could all benefit from receiving a bit more focus. That’s harder to accomplish if the series is trying to cram in too many guest stars at once. Besides, its characters were only one of the things that made Suits such a hit. If Suits LA can recapture the magic of the original Suits’ memorable dialogue, it should be able to stand on its own without relying on a parade of familiar faces to boost its ratings.

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