'Pearson': Release date, plot, cast, trailer, news and everything else about the 'Suits' spinoff
With the UCP drama Suits reaching its end this summer, we have the birth of a new story.
Starring Jessica Pearson (Gina Torres) in a new spinoff of herself called "Pearson", UCP is now treading on more Law territory and is out to get us glued to our screens. Now, this may seem like yet another lawyer drama but Pearson will be involved in the world of New York City's crooked and powerful. Jessica will have to navigate the seedy underbelly of Chicago politics to try and make a safer community for her estranged family, with whom she deeply wants to reconnect. However, the deeper she gets entrenched in Chicago politics, the harder it becomes to see which side she's really playing for.
“Jessica is the link between Suits and Pearson. It has Suits DNA but we wanted the show’s concept to be grittier, raw, more real, showing more facets of her personality and life”, said Pearson showrunner Daniel Arkin during the winter press tour of the Television Critics Association in Pasadena, CA.
This new ensemble drama hails from UCP and is executive produced by 'Suits' creator and executive producer Aaron Korsh alongside executive producer and showrunner Daniel Arkin. Doug Liman, David Bartis and Gene Klein of Hypnotic and Kevin Bray and Chris Downey, also serve as executive producers. Additional cast includes Bethany Joy Lenz (“One Tree Hill”), Simon Kassianides (“Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”), Eli Goree (“Riverdale”), Isabel Arraiza (“The Oath”) and Chantel Riley (Wynona Earp).
Release date:
This series premiere of Pearson, the Suits spin-off centering on Gina Torres’ Jessica Pearson, will air on Wednesday, July 17at 10 p.m. ET and will have 10-episode seasons.
Plot:
Pearson centers around the world of recently disbarred NYC powerhouse lawyer Jessica Pearson (Gina Torres) as she adjusts to down and dirty Chicago politics. Newly appointed as Chicago Mayor Bobby Novak’s (Morgan Spector) right-hand fixer, Jessica is quickly embroiled in a crooked and dangerous new world where every action has far-reaching consequences. With her compulsion to win, Jessica is forced to reconcile her unstoppable drive with her desire to do the right thing – two things very much at odds.
Cast:
Gina Torres
Gina Torres will be playing the lead role of recently disbarred NYC powerhouse lawyer Jessica Pearson in Pearson.
An actor, producer, and award winner, Gina has appeared in many television series, including Hercules: The Legendary Journeys as the character Nebula; in Xena: Warrior Princess as the character Cleopatra; in Firefly as the character Zoe Washburne, in 24 as the character Julia Milliken and Suits, as the character Jessica Pearson to name a few. She has won the ALMA Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Syndicated Drama Series for her role in Cleopatra 2525 in 2001. She was also nominated for the International Press Academy's Golden Satellite Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, for her role as Jasmine in Angel. Her other film and television appearances include The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions. Known for her roles in dramas, she hasn't shied away from comedy. She has also appeared on the comedic skit show Key and Peele. She played the role of Mrs. Luther during a skit for Key and Peele.
Bethany Joy Lenz
Lenz plays Keri Allen in the spinoff Pearson. Born and raised in Chicago, Keri is a driven, ambitious city attorney serving as the unofficial right hand to the mayor. Lenz will be replacing Rebecca Rittenhouse in this series as Keri Allen.
Best known as One Tree Hill's own Haley Scott, Bethany Joy Lenz has starred on shows like Men at Work (2012) and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000), joined the cast on Sock Monkee Therapy (2013) and Dexter (2006), and got her own TV show Songbyrd (2014). She also joined and performed original songs on Rock the Schools Concert (2012) and recorded several songs in 2012 (Album: 'Then Slowly Grows') and 2013 (Album: 'Your Woman'). Prior to One Tree Hill (2003), Bethany spent most of her acting career on the stage. She has performed in various productions of "Annie", "The Wizard of Oz", "Gypsy", "Cinderella", "CATS for Cats" etc. She is an accomplished singer with a four-octave range, trained in New York by Richard Barrett, the director of the Brooklyn College of Opera.
Eli Goree
Goree will be playing Derrick Mayes, mayor Bobby’s young press secretary and a former journalist, Derrick got into politics to make a difference but struggles with the reality of what it takes to do so.
Goree is known for his award-winning portrayal of great American Olympian athlete Dave Albritton in the film Race (2016) and for his roles in TV Series' The 100 (2014), Ballers (2018) and Riverdale (2018) and Pearson (2019).
Chantel Riley
Riley will be playing Angela Cook, a certified Nursing Assistant and Jessica’s cousin, Angela is suspicious of Jessica’s sudden altruism. She is preoccupied with taking care of her two sons, protecting her mother and staying connected to her community.
Riley is known for her work in Race (2016), Assassin's Creed: Origins (2017) and Wynonna Earp (2016).
Isabel Arraiza
Arraiza will be playing Yoli Castillo, Jessica’s passionate assistant who will learn from the best how to most effectively channel her intensity.
Arraiza is known for American Dreamer (2018), Driven (2018) and Elementary (2012).
Simon Kassianides
Kassianides plays Nick D’Amato, a tough cop who serves as the Mayor’s driver but has a mysterious connection to one of Chicago’s biggest developers.
He is an actor and director, known for Quantum of Solace (2008), Trust No One (2016) and Geezas (2011).
Morgan Spector
Spector plays Mayor Bobby Golec, the handsome, charismatic and enigmatic working-class mayor of Chicago.
He is known for his work on Homeland (2011), Boardwalk Empire (2010) and Chuck (2016).
Creator :
Aaron Korsh
Aaron Thomas Korsh is a television producer, writer, and a former investment banker. He is one of the executive producers of Suits and will now be producing and running the show on the sets of Pearson.
He wrote for Everybody Loves Raymond, Just Shoot Me!, Love, Inc., Notes from the Underbelly
When asked about Jessica's moral compass while unleashed in this corrupt new world, Korsh, Arkin, Torres all emphasized that, yes, Jessica is still a killer, but you should not expect her to emerge as an antihero. "You will always be on her side," Korsh promised. "You may not like the choices she makes, but you will always root for her," he said at the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour.
Trailers:
The trailer for Pearson introduces Jessica Pearson with an already existing reputation as a well-renowned lawyer. She is soon thrown smack dab into the center of controversy and we can't help but anticipate for more.
Where to watch :
The season premiere will be aired on the USA network channel on Wednesday, July 17at 10 p.m. ET.
If you liked this show, you'd love these :
Suits (2011– 2019)
Boston Legal (2004–2008)
Scandal (2012)
How to get away with Murder (2014 )
Better Call Saul (2015)