Why 'Suits LA' got disbarred
Witty banter, appealing characters, likable relationships and entertaining cases: Suits had it all. The beloved USA Network legal drama that ran for nine seasons before going off the air in September 2019 managed to do what some television shows only dream of achieving in a relatively short period of time: Find a whole new audience on streaming mere years after its finale.
After a resurgence on Netflix and Peacock made Suits 2023's most-streamed show, NBC greenlit a spin-off, Suits LA, in February 2024 to capitalize on the original series' renewed popularity.
The network bet big that Suits LA would recapture the magic that made Suits — starring Gabriel Macht as hotshot attorney Harvey Specter, and Patrick J. Adams as his protégé, Mike Ross — a fan favorite. For outsiders looking in, it seemed like a surefire hit.
However, the Los Angeles-set offshoot, which starred Stephen Amell (Arrow, Heels) as prosecutor turned defense attorney Ted Black, struggled to live up to expectations — both creatively and in the ratings.
The series, which premiered Feb. 23, got axed on May 9 by NBC before it even reached its Season 1 finale. The final episode, which aired May 18, ended on a whimper.
With so much going for it at the outset — fans wanting to return to the law offices of Pearson Hardman, the promise of new stories and the specter of Meghan Markle looming large — why did the series fail to land with viewers? Turns out, there may have been multiple factors that contributed to its short shelf life.
On paper, Suits LA seemed to have similarities to the original Suits. Both shows were set at prestigious law firms, both featured intelligent lawyers and both used the same theme song ('Greenback Boogie' by Ima Robot). The spin-off even brought back Suits creator Aaron Korsh and saw the return of original stars Macht and Rick Hoffman's Louis Litt. But that's where the commonalities ended.
Where Suits focused on the 'bromance' between Harvey and Mike and created dramatic tension by keeping alive the threat of Mike's secret (that he didn't have a real degree but practiced law anyway), Suits LA took a creative left turn. It centered instead on Ted's demons and traumatic family past, and introduced an internal coup in the first episode that set up an antagonistic dynamic between Ted and his best friend for the rest of the series.
Abandoning the signature charms that made Suits a bona fide hit proved to be a death knell for Suits LA.
'People went back, and they wanted the old Suits,' Robert Thompson, founding director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture and trustee professor of television, radio and film at Syracuse University, told Yahoo Entertainment. 'We want new episodes of the exact show that we loved so much back then.'
Lauren Piester, a freelance entertainment journalist who's covered Suits and Suits LA for various publications, said the spin-off failed to identify what made Suits thrive in the first place.
'I don't think Suits LA had any idea what people liked about Suits,' she told Yahoo Entertainment. 'Suits LA started the first episode by destroying all of the relationships it didn't have time to [build].'
'It was trying to be four shows at once — and none of them were like Suits,' Piester said.
Daniel Herbert, a professor in the Department of Film, Television and Media at the University of Michigan, echoed a similar sentiment. 'Maybe [for] most fans it was about this particular kind of relationship [between Harvey and Mike] and this particular kind of dramatic tension — will [Mike] be found out or not?' he said. 'If that's the draw and they don't have that same draw in the reboot, then it's by comparison not going to work. They changed the wrong thing.'
He acknowledged that 'it's a really tricky thing' revisiting a familiar universe that's already experienced success. And it's not an exact science, even if you think you got everything right.
Viewers will naturally compare the new version of a show to what they liked about the previous one — for better or for worse.
'But a lot of times, the reason people are watching reboots is because they like the original,' Herbert said. 'And if you're not as good as the original' — as was the case with Suits LA — 'then you're kind of stuck.'
Days after NBC gave Suits LA the axe, a top network executive cited disappointing numbers on linear and streaming as to why the Suits spin-off wouldn't live beyond 13 episodes. Since it debuted in February, Suits LA consistently underwhelmed in the ratings, hovering around 1.5 million viewers for NBC on Sunday evenings despite welcoming back memorable characters from its past. (For comparison's sake, the CBS Sunday drama Tracker ended its second season May 11 with 8.3 million viewers.)
'Suits [LA] has had a very short run, but it really just has not resonated the way we thought it would,' Jeff Bader, president of programming strategy at NBC, said during a conference call with reporters on why the show wouldn't return for a second season. 'There can be many, many reasons — people are speculating why it hasn't resonated, but it's just not really showing the potential to grow for us in the future unfortunately.'
Ultimately there was no 'growth potential' for Suits LA, Bader said.
Herbert believes executives may have taken the wrong lesson from the streaming success of Suits.
'A studio will get a false sense of the popularity of a show because it surges on Netflix,' he told Yahoo Entertainment. 'And this backlog demand suddenly makes … it look like, oh, this is a hot item. But it's not a reliable indicator of demand for a new product. It just means that audiences are finding this reservoir of existing programming that wasn't on Netflix previously and engaging with it.'
Some Suits LA cast members took the cancellation in stride. Bryan Greenberg, who played lawyer Rick Dodson, cheekily wrote on Instagram ahead of the May 18 finale 'Turns out Suits LA was a limited series all along,' alongside a laughing emoji. 'Thanks to everyone who watched and supported. We had a blast making this. It was fun to dance in Rick Dodson's goofy shoes for a season.'
His costar Lex Scott Davis who portrayed Ted's law firm partner Erica Rollins, reflected on her brief Suits LA journey in an Instagram post on May 18.
'What an honor it was to show up every day for the past year or so, playing make-believe, with your faces to greet me with a smile & a hug,' Davis wrote, along with various on-set photos. Her post ended with a wistful statement: 'Oh how I wish we could continue … but I know we'll all cross paths again someday soon.'
Piester thinks Suits LA could have worked if it took on a breezier approach, more in line with what USA Network captured so well in its heyday of 'blue skies' programming.
'A law firm in L.A. with a really smart guy running it. Maybe they could do a twist on it where at one point he was doing law without a law degree, but now [he] has one,' she said. 'He has misfits in his law firm, everyone likes each other and everyone's having a good time. That is what I would want from a Suits spin-off, and I didn't think it was a difficult thing to ask for.'
'The show wasn't executed as well as the one that it was spun off from,' Thompson said. 'It wasn't as interesting. It wasn't part of the cultural moment.'

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
EastEnders icon calls for return of on-screen daughter who is now Netflix star
A member of a legendary EastEnders family who left years ago has been issued a plea to return by her soap mum. The Beale clan have been at the forefront of some of the soap's biggest storylines over the past 40 years. And with the return of Cindy, played by Michelle Collins, there's been plenty of drama on the Square in recent months. Now, Collins, 63, has called for the return of her on-screen daughter – who in real life has gone on to become a Netflix star. Cindy's daughter Cindy Jr has been absent from Albert Square since 2015, only receiving a few mentions over the years. Played by Mimi Keene, since leaving EastEnders, the young actress has gone on to find fame in award-winning Netflix comedy Sex Education. "I have never met Cindy Jr so it would be quite nice if she came back," Collins told The Mirror. "She's probably too busy, but maybe she can fit us in for a week!" Mimi Keene played Cindy Jr for two years. (Image: BBC) Cindy Jr left the Square with her partner Liam Butcher following the shock death of Lucy Beale. In recent years, it has been mentioned that the couple split and Cindy Jr has been travelling on her own. The 26-year-old actress portrayed Cindy Jr on the BBC soap from 2013 to 2015. Earlier this month, it was confirmed that Michelle herself would be leaving EastEnders for a short while this summer to take part in a one-woman show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Recommended reading: EastEnders star confirms exit from BBC show for new role Iconic EastEnders star set for return 20 years after leaving the BBC soap EastEnders' Shane Ritchie teases comeback of popular noughties soap star The dark comedy called Motorhome Marilyn will see Collins play a struggling actor named Denise who is obsessed with Marilyn Monroe. However, the Cindy Beale star remained silent about how she would be written out of the show by BBC bosses. She told fans that her character would be focusing on her business and would not be getting involved in love interests for the time being.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
BET Awards open with explosive 2000s performances — and the surprise return of these iconic hosts
The BET Awards' 25th Anniversary opened in spectacular fashion, honoring the golden era of 2000s music with a star-studded lineup of performances. The 25th anniversary of the BET Awards opened with a nostalgic and electrifying celebration, paying homage to the golden era of 2000s music. This year's ceremony, centered around Black excellence and legacy, wasted no time delivering an unforgettable showcase, launching with ten powerhouse performances from some of the most celebrated artists of the decade. The night kicked off with high-energy hits, including Keyshia Cole's 'I Should Have Cheated,' Amerie's '1 Thing,' and Mýa's 'Case of the Ex.' Rap legend T.I. followed with an explosive two-song set, performing 'Bring Em Out' and 'What You Know.' Presented as a countdown by the iconic 106 & Park hosts, the star-studded opener continued with performances from Ashanti, Jim Jones, B2K, and more—each artist bringing their signature sound and style to the stage. 106 & Park, which aired on BET from 2000 to 2014, became a cultural phenomenon and a daily staple for Black youth. More than just a music video countdown show, it was a platform where hip-hop and R&B artists connected directly with fans through interviews, live performances, and moments that shaped the culture. The tribute brought back some of the show's most memorable hosts, including the iconic Free, Terrence J, Julissa Bermudez, Rocsi Diaz, and Keshia Chanté. While A.J. Calloway, Free's original co-host, couldn't make it, the energy and nostalgia of the reunion still lit up the stage. The countdown concluded with none other than Bow Wow—a former 106 & Park host himself—closing the sequence with his beloved hit 'Like You.' Later in the evening, the celebration of Black excellence and cultural legacy will continue with a prestigious moment: the Ultimate Icon Award. This highly anticipated honor will recognize Mariah Carey, Jamie Foxx, Snoop Dogg, and Kirk Franklin for their groundbreaking contributions to music and entertainment, celebrating their lasting impact on the industry. More must-reads: At BET Awards, Tyler Perry says he's made more Black millionaires than Hollywood—and calls for protecting our history Jamie Foxx honored with BET Icon Award, delivers tearful speech on surviving near-death crisis Doechii uses BET Awards win to condemn Trump's ICE raids and support mass protests in LA
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Netflix Unveils Trailer For Tyler Perry's ‘Madea's Destination Wedding'
Netflix has unveiled the first trailer for Madea's Destination Wedding, the 13th installment in the comedic Madea franchise, created by and starring Tyler Perry, which is slated to premiere on July 11. Marking the second Madea film made through a creative partnership with Netflix, on the heels of A Madea Homecoming in 2022, Madea's Destination Wedding sees Madea (Perry) and her family travel to the Bahamas for her grandniece Tiffany's (Diamond White) impromptu wedding to a rapper she recently met on a yacht. The sudden engagement, with the wedding set to occur in just two weeks, raises suspicions among Tiffany's parents, Brian (also portrayed by Perry) and his ex-wife Debrah (Taja V. Simpson). As the family gathers for the celebration, tensions and comedic chaos ensue, leading to a memorable tropical adventure. More from Deadline 'The Pickup' Trailer: Eddie Murphy & Pete Davidson Are Armored Truck Drivers In Amazon MGM Action Comedy Tom Clancy's 'Splinter Cell: Deathwatch': Fans Go Wild For Clips Of Netflix Animated Series At Annecy As Creative Team Detail Inspirations Ranging From Michael Mann To Satoshi Kon To Tom Cruise 2025 Premiere Dates For New & Returning Series On Broadcast, Cable & Streaming Pic debuts amid the 20th anniversary of the Madea franchise, which began with Diary of a Mad Black Woman in 2005. Written, directed and produced by Perry, the film also stars Cassi Davis, Tamela Mann, David Mann, Jermaine Harris, and Xavier Smalls. Watch the trailer for Madea's Destination Wedding by clicking above. [youtube Best of Deadline Where To Watch All The 'John Wick' Movies: Streamers That Have All Four Films 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery Tony Awards: Every Best Musical Winner Since 1949