Kaylah Walton
NBC has announced that Suits L.A. has been canceled after a single season, which is a letdown for fans of the popular legal drama Suits. The show originally aired on USA Network from 2011 to 2019, and this news underscores the difficulties in recreating a cherished series, especially one that turned stars like Meghan Markle into household names. The cancellation comes despite a resurgence in popularity for the original series in 2023.
The initial Suits series depicted the fast-paced dynamics of a Manhattan law firm, centering on the partnership between Harvey Specter, a charismatic corporate lawyer played by Gabriel Macht, and Mike Ross, a gifted college dropout with a photographic memory, portrayed by Patrick J. Adams.
The series thrived on the tension stemming from Mike’s hidden truth—his lack of formal legal education—as he and Harvey tackled intricate legal cases. The supporting cast, featuring Rick Hoffman as the anxious Louis Litt and Sarah Rafferty as the clever Donna Paulsen, added richness to the narrative. Notably, Meghan Markle portrayed the driven paralegal Rachel Zane for seven seasons, becoming a standout star before departing in 2018 to marry Prince Harry.
Markle’s influence was significant; Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos remarked in 2025, “People are fascinated with Meghan Markle,” pointing out how her role spurred merchandise sales linked to the show.
Spinoff fails to shine without Markle’s charisma
The original Suits enjoyed a remarkable revival in 2023, accumulating 57.7 billion minutes of viewing time four years post-series finale. This dramatic increase led to the inception of Suits L.A., which debuted in February 2025 and starred Stephen Amell as Ted Black, a former prosecutor who transitions to entertainment law in LA.
Although the spinoff included appearances from original cast members like Macht, who resumed his role as Harvey Specter, it failed to match the allure of its predecessor. Critics highlighted the mismatch between the shift to a traditional network format and a modern audience conditioned for binge-watching entire seasons, with Deadline reporting that “Suits L.A. has struggled to live up to the original.”
This cancellation occurs as NBC modifies its programming lineup, with other shows like The Irrational and Night Court also being dropped. Despite early enthusiasm, Suits L.A. couldn’t replicate the iconic success of the original series, leaving fans longing for the captivating legal narratives of Harvey, Mike, and Rachel Zane.
