NBC has pulled the plug on Suits LA after just one season. The network confirmed the spinoff won’t return for a second run, with the first season finale airing May 18 as scheduled. The decision comes despite efforts to boost viewership with original cast cameos and promotional stunts.
What led to Suits LA’s cancellation after one season?
Created by Aaron Korsh, the same mind behind the original Suits, Suits LA tried to build on the momentum of the main show’s unexpected streaming success. After the original series broke streaming records on Netflix in 2023—more than four years after it ended—NBC greenlit the spinoff, hoping to capture some of that audience.
Instead, Suits LA struggled to find its footing. The legal drama, set in Los Angeles instead of New York, followed Stephen Amell’s Ted Black, a former prosecutor turned entertainment lawyer. Despite a cast that included Lex Scott Davis, Josh McDermitt, and Bryan Greenberg, the show failed to resonate with viewers the way the original did.
Original cast returns couldn’t save the series
In a last-ditch effort to draw in fans, NBC brought back fan-favorite characters from the original series. Gabriel Macht reprised his role as Harvey Specter in a three-episode arc. Rick Hoffman returned as Louis Litt. Even David Costabile (Daniel Hardman) made a guest appearance.
But even these star-studded guest spots couldn’t push the ratings high enough. Viewership on linear TV rarely climbed above one million in live same-day numbers. The series also failed to gain traction on streaming platforms, despite Suits itself being a powerhouse on Netflix.
Suits LA couldn’t replicate the original’s magic
Critics and fans alike noted that Suits LA lacked the chemistry and sharp writing that made Suits a cultural phenomenon. The shift from a tight, character-driven ensemble in a New York law firm to a more scattered cast in Los Angeles didn’t land.
Many pointed out that the original series’ appeal was tied not just to the legal drama, but to the relationships—especially between Harvey Specter, Mike Ross, and the rest of the Pearson Specter crew. Without that dynamic, and without Patrick J. Adams, the show felt like something else entirely.
Netflix success wasn’t enough to keep Suits LA alive
One of the most ironic twists in the Suits LA story is that the spinoff exists because of the original’s posthumous success on streaming. The original Suits broke Nielsen streaming records in 2023, with U.S. viewers watching 57.7 billion minutes of the show. NBC hoped to leverage that into a new franchise.
But the model didn’t translate. Suits LA aired weekly on network TV—where audiences are no longer accustomed to waiting for episodes of shows they binge in a weekend. The momentum simply wasn’t there.
Cancellation part of larger NBC reshuffle ahead of NBA deal
Suits LA is just one of five shows NBC canceled in a single-day sweep. Along with Night Court, The Irrational, Found, and Lopez vs. Lopez, the network is clearing space for its new $2.5 billion-a-year NBA deal.
NBC plans to fill more primetime slots with live sports broadcasts, which offer higher ad revenue than many scripted shows. With only six hours of scripted programming currently locked in for next fall, NBC is clearly shifting its strategy.
Is a Suits reunion movie still possible?
Though Suits LA didn’t stick, the door isn’t closed on the entire Suits universe. Creator Aaron Korsh has floated the idea of a reunion movie for the original series. And Rick Hoffman has expressed enthusiasm about returning to the role that defined much of his career.
“How could somebody say no to a character that changed their life?” Hoffman said in a recent interview. With no new spinoffs on the horizon, a reunion film might be the next best way to give fans closure—or a new beginning.
Final verdict: Suits LA may be canceled, but the legacy lives on
Suits LA tried to ride the coattails of one of the last decade’s most popular cable-turned-streaming dramas. It gave it a shot with new characters, familiar faces, and a Hollywood twist. But in the end, it wasn’t enough. NBC’s cancellation of the series is as much about changing network priorities as it is about ratings.
Still, with the original Suits now more popular than ever, and key players willing to return, the Suits brand might not be done with television—or film—just yet.