It’s been nearly a year since the USA network announced plans to give Cuban-American actress, and all-around queen, Gina Torres, her own television show. Pearson is a spin-off of the long-running network series Suits, itself entering its final season, following Torres’ Jessica Pearson as she dominated the political world.
Pearson is full-steam ahead and prepping to go up against the show that inspired it this summer on USA. The first promo for the 10-episode Pearson dropped earlier this year and it certainly looks serious. We see Jessica Pearson as she’s introduced as the new right-hand woman of a prominent Chicago politician. She mentions that her reputation proceeds it, much it laid out in Suits itself, and that she hopes to prove her worth.
From there we get the patented brand of rapid-fire images denoting power: camera upturned to watch Torres’ stride down the street, secret surveillance photos being taken, and Jessica being asked how she can support an organization where someone of note wound up dead. Pearson’s motivations are certainly never clear, though there is a line where she emphasizes that they could “do some good” in the city, so maybe her endgame is to subvert and fix from the inside? You know, the usual elements you’d expect in a show like this.
Torres will lead a cast that includes Morgan Spector, Bethany Joy Lenz, and Chantel Riley.
Gina Torres deserve to be leading more shows, and more movies for that matter, so it’ll be amazing watching her sashay around Chicago and get stuff done. It’s implied that while watching Suits will give the requisite background on her character, it’s not required to enjoy Pearson on its own. Either way, more Gina Torres on our screens is welcome indeed.
Pearson airs on the USA Network starting July 17, 2019.