Warning: SPOILERS for Suits LA episode 10.Suits LAepisode 10 revealed yet another detail from Ted’s past that proves he’s nowhere near Harvey Specter’s level. Stephen Amell leads theSuits LAcast of charactersas Ted Black, whose betrayal at the hands of Stuart Lane (Josh McDermitt) kickstarted the events of the series. The West Coast duo is at the center of the spinoff, but both characters tie into the original series due to their past acquaintanceship with the best closer in New York, Gabriel Macht’s Harvey Specter. For all theplot twists inSuits LA, however, the original series continues to posthumously eclipse the spinoff.
The initialpoor reviews ofSuits LAissued clear warning signs for the spinoff, but the overall impression of the series has continued to sour, especially in comparison to the original. Not even the promise of future cameos from familiar faces like Louis Litt (Rick Hoffman) was enough to giveSuits LAthe momentum it needed to make up for its lackluster first episode. While the first season isn’t yet confirmed to be the last,Suits LA’s low ratingsdon’t bode well for the spinoff’s future. Of course,the constant reminders that Ted is less than Harvey don’t help.
Suits LA Episode 10 Reveals Ted & Stuart Went To Columbia Law School, While Harvey & Louis Graduated From Harvard
Harvard Was The Required Alma Mater At Pearson-Hardman
The main conflict ofSuits LAepisode 10 followed Stuart playing defense in two tough court cases: one for the murderous David Bowie (Maury Sterling) and one for the honor of being Columbia Law School’s 2005 Valedictorian. Stuart and Ted traded cheap shots throughout the stilted flashbacks inSuits LAepisode 10, with both men opting for personal attacks to try and win the mock trial, and, in turn, the prestige of being first in their graduating class. After a few low blows, it comes to a jarringly underwhelming conclusion, as Stuart backs off and Ted forfeits the case.
In stark contrast, thebestSuitscharactersattended Harvard for law school. It was even a requirement for working at the original series’ central law firm, which inspired Harvey’s scheme to help Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams) work at Pearson-Hardman. The biggest initial challenge for Mike was maintaining the lie that he attended Harvard as well, requiring him to falsify records and memorize trivia. While Harvey’s Harvard past inSuitswas important for his relationship with Dana Scott (Abigail Spencer),Louis took great pride in being a Harvard alumand was recognized by the Order of the Coif honor society.
Harvard Law Consistently Ranks Higher Compared To Columbia Law
Both Have Always Been Prestigious, But There’s A Historical Divide
Although Harvard and Columbia are both Ivy League institutions, it’s likely no coincidence that Ted and Stuart attended what most view as the lesser law school.Suitsimplemented the Harvard-only rule at Pearson-Hardman to denote that their lawyers were the best of the best, and that meaningfully precludedSuits LAfrom using the university in Ted’s backstory. Even 20 years after the fact,the 2025 ranking for law schools in the U.S. has Harvard in 6th place and Columbia in 10th(viaU.S. News & World Report). Both are impressive, but Harvard has the edge.
Suitsimplemented the Harvard-only rule at Pearson-Hardman to denote that their lawyers were the best of the best…
For decades, Harvard has maintained a stellar reputation as one of the nation’s best law schools, and its prevalence in the media (includingSuits) only further pushed the ubiquitous narrative that Harvard Law is the best. While other institutions like Yale, Stanford, and even the University of Chicago have taken the overall lead in recent years, Harvard has historically been ranked above many schools, including Columbia. In fact, Harvard Law has been above Columbia in every U.S. News & World Report ranking since 2010 (viaLSAT Demon), meaningthe disparity betweenSuitsandSuits LAis ironically (and academically) realistic.
Ted & Stuart’s Education Further Proves They’re Lesser Imitations Of Harvey & Louis
The Spinoff Duo Can’t Beat The Original Frenemies
Over the course of its first season,Suits LAhas tried but ultimately failed to make Ted Black even half as compelling as Harvey Specter. Likewise, Stuart’s morally grey conviction to do what’s necessary, whatever the personal cost, just feels like Louis in a bad blonde hairpiece. Even as Ted and Stuart battled for the top spot in their class inSuits LAepisode 10— a conflict that should feel momentous and consequential— neither side felt nearly as impressive as the two leading lawyers inSuits’ humble beginnings.
SuitsandSuits LAare both streaming on Peacock.
Furthermore,Harvey’s role inSuits LAhas only exacerbated the issue. There’s a direct connection between Harvey’s appearances in the spinoff and the overall effectiveness of the episode; “Bat Signal” was hailed as the best entry inSuits LAthus far, but the absence of Harvey sent “Slugfest” hurtling back down to mediocrity. Public opinion will forever favor the original “suit,” which leaves the spinoff at a dead-end. Unfortunately, it seems Ted, Stuart, and the entirety ofSuits LAwill perpetually be seen as runner-up to the original series, and the Harvard/Columbia divide only mirrors the spinoff’s tragic fate.
