Suits, created by Aaron Korsh, premiered on the USA Network in 2011 and has become one of the most-watched shows of 2023 on streaming platforms, despite being cancelled years ago. The official synopsis describes a college dropout who lands a high-level job at a prestigious law firm based on his impressive intellect alone.
Suits ran for nine seasons across eight years, and made TV stars of its cast Gabriel Macht, Patrick J. Adams, and Meghan Markle.
But the show ended in 2019, so why was Suits cancelled?
Why was Suits cancelled?
Creator Aaron Korsh revealed to Deadline around the time of the show's cancellation that, "Right after we finished shooting Season 6, I went to USA [Network]. At that time we only had the cast under contract until the end of Season 7. We had to figure out what to do, and we weren't 100% sure what the cast wanted to do."
We lost Gina Torres and devised a plan to stretch the cast for an additional two years after Season 7 to cover Seasons 8 and 9. The aim was to have a 16-episode Season 8 and a 10-episode Season 9.
During the negotiations for the cast's contracts for the next two years, an unforeseen event occurred during Season 7. You can never predict that one of your stars, Meghan Markle, will marry the Prince of England, and Patrick chose not to return, so we were faced with the decision of whether to continue after Season 7.
“We agreed that the initial plan was for a 16-episode Season 8 and a 10-episode Season 9, let’s see if we can achieve that. And coinciding with that, Katherine Heigl reached out and expressed her interest in being part of the show, and we saw it as a great opportunity to help extend the franchise and carry it through to the end of Season 9.”
Will Suits return?
The success of Suits on Netflix has left fans eager for the show's return. Aaron Korsh was asked about this by The Hollywood Reporter last week, and his response emphasized the challenge of creating new and compelling storylines for a beloved show.
When fans ask me what Harvey and Mike are up to in Seattle, it's difficult to come up with new ideas without the help of a writer's room. That's why we went on strike, so I didn't have to come up with everything on my own.
Also, USA gave us 26 episodes notice before the show would end, which is a significant amount of time. I was satisfied with the ending and not ashamed of any of the episodes we did. Reboots often don't live up to the original, so I'd be hesitant to see our show rebooted.
"If someone were to express interest and the cast was on board, I would contemplate it as long as I could find an idea that genuinely intrigued me. However, if I had the ability to make any show I wanted, it wouldn't be a continuation of Suits. I have brought up the idea of a prequel focused on [Robert] Zane, Rachel's father played by Wendell Pierce, and I would pursue that opportunity without hesitation. I was truly enthusiastic about that project."
You can catch Suits on Netflix and Peacock. Be sure to explore our other related content below.
Editor's P/S
As a Suits fan, I was disappointed when the show was canceled in 2019. However, after reading this article, I understand the reasons behind the decision. The show had been running for nine seasons, and the cast's contracts were up. Additionally, the show's creator, Aaron Korsh, felt that it was time to end the show while it was still on top.
I agree with Korsh's decision to end the show. Suits had a great run, and I think it's better to end it on a high note than to let it drag on and become stale. I'm also glad that Korsh is considering a prequel focused on Robert Zane. I think this would be a great way to expand the Suits universe and give fans more of what they love.
