'Suits: LA' Season 1 Episode 7 “Good Times” Review

Ask and you shall receive! 

Suits L.A. has returned for episode 7 in its debut season. And, if you have been “watching” each week through these recap reviews, you know I have repeatedly called for the series to return to its focus on the entertainment side of the show’s entertainment law focus. To do so is truly where the show shines and makes a legit case for distinguishing itself from every other legal drama on the small screen, at present.

So, when I tell you the “Good Times” episode, which dropped this past Sunday, April 6, does just that, giving us some of the best content of the new series, thus far, it is not hyperbole. 

Released by NBC Universal on Feb. 23, Suits L.A. has, indeed, finally found its best lane — bringing all the feels and, more importantly, the relevant backstories and present moment messages for why we should care about these characters and their lives, in and out of the courtroom. 

In a call-back to the series’ very first episode, in what felt like a throw-away moment between lead protagonist Ted Black, played by Stephen Amell, and veteran actor John Amos, playing himself as Ted’s client, comes a full circle moment that I will go on record calling must-see TV. 

In one of the closing scenes of that first episode, Amos pushes Ted to make amends with his estranged father before it is too late. Little did Ted, the character; Amell, the actor; and we, the audience, know at the time how prophetic that scene and those words would be for both life and art.

John Amos died August 21, 2024, four months after that scene was filmed. The time in between allowed the series to weave his passing into Sunday’s episode — making his loss central to the storyline, particularly, for Ted and his former protege, Rick Dodsen (Bryan Greenberg), who had also worked with Amos as an onscreen client when Rick worked at the former Black Lane law firm at the start of the season. 

In separate inopportune staff meeting moments as the episode opens, both Ted and Rick come face-to-face with the actor’s passing onscreen. Understanding what the other is grappling with, Ted reaches out to his former colleague. Amos’ death prompts the two to reconnect and bond over a round of Old Fashions and their shared memories of Amos, as their client, and the lessons his presence and time as a beloved character actor taught them about strength and resilience, guilt and forgiveness.

To say the episode was beautifully wrapped around this melancholy real-life moment for friends and fans, alike, would be an understatement. In a show that you would have never expected to have John Amos get his overdue flowers for his portrayal of James Evans Sr. on the trailblazing series, “Good Times,” of the late ‘’70s, shows the cultural significance of that role as much for today as it was for its time. Not only did the Evans father character and the show, itself, entertain audiences, together, they also sparked important conversations about family, race, and the pursuit of a better life, leaving a lasting legacy in the realm of television and beyond.

James Evans Sr. became an iconic figure in television history, symbolizing the struggles and joys of the black experience. His character contributed to broader discussions about socio-economic issues, class, positive role models, and representation in American society. 

To be dropped unexpectedly in the middle of a present-day show that often highlights power and privilege, underscores the cultural relevance of the former series for how far we have come to honor Amos and his character before its too late.

To watch Amell’s Ted berate those around him who do not fully comprehend just who Amos was and what he meant, not just to him as a client, but what he and his character meant to television lore, the industry, and the relationship of fathers and sons, was an important step in helping to define the type of man HIS character could be going forward.

It was especially poignant when Ted tells his best friend Kevin (Troy Winbush), a black man, how Amos’ James Evans character was what he always wanted his father to be, though his dad could never seem to get there. It was, at once, such a remarkably quiet, yet incredibly powerful statement. 

And, while he may not have carried the official title of "America's Dad," as Ted confidently professes in his tirade to get the veteran actor a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, John Amos' impact as a father figure in popular culture is noteworthy, and his portrayal of such has left a lasting legacy on our television memories.

And, for those who do not know, Amos’ best-known character paved the way for many TV dads we know and still love today — “Steven Keaton” (Family Ties); “Cliff Huxtable” (The Cosby Show); “Danny Tanner” (Full House), and even “Uncle Phil” (Fresh Prince).

Still, to place those sentiments into this day and time, reminds us all of how are best examples of the human spirit can and do cross needed racial, socio-economical, and cultural divides, if we allow ourselves to break those barriers.

I applaud Suits L.A. for allowing us this chance to appreciate what was and what it meant, for all those who have always known, in these past 45 years. 

If you have not yet caught an episode of Suits L.A., I encourage you to watch this one, for sure, as this homage to one of the cinematic greats of our time shows how good this series can and should be. Subtle and sincere, the episode is authentically crafted TV poetry of art honoring life. Ain’t we lucky we got it…Good Times.

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