Why Was ‘Suits LA’ Canceled? NBC Boss Explains
Suits LA isn’t making it past its first season on NBC. It was one of the shows to get the axe on May 9, along with Lopez vs. Lopez, Night Court, The Irrational, and Found.
NBC had to make some big lineup changes due to the return of the NBA to the network, and unfortunately, Suits LA just didn’t make the cut. Jeff Bader, the president of programming strategy, explained the decision during a conference call.
“Suits [LA] had a very short run, but it really just has not resonated the way we thought it would,” he said, per The Hollywood Reporter. “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.”
Bader acknowledged that these are just “the decisions we have to make,” adding, “We have to look at the performance of the shows both on linear and on digital. We have to see the ones that look like they have growth potential in the future. So we’re looking at how stable they are in their linear performance, how stable they are on digital, which ones are growing, which ones are declining, and we had to make some hard decisions.”
The original Suits, which starred Patrick J. Adams and Gabriel Macht, aired for nine seasons from 2011 to 2019 on USA Network. The show made a big comeback on Netflix in 2023 with a surge of viewers, which ultimately led to the spinoff. Stephen Amell stars in Suits LA, which will air its series finale on Sunday, May 18.
On the conference call, Bader mentioned the possibility that any of NBC’s canceled shows could move to Peacock, but nothing has been confirmed.
Suits LA, Series Finale, Sunday, May 18, 9/8c, NBC
Conversation36 Comments
Please read the TV Insider Community Guidelines.
Comments are closed on this story.
-
P
I liked it and hope it will at least move to streaming with more seasons.
33 1
-
G
I was just getting used to these new characters and enjoying seeing the originals. Too bad.
31
-
O
NBC = No Bloody Commitment
I loved the original AND L.A.
It sucks that a basket ball game could play a part in the demise of such a loved show.
I can only hope someone else picks it up because I've yearned for more ever since I finished watching the original.
If this is truly the end they've killed the possibility of seeing Harvey Specter, Louis Litt and any of the old cast from returning to our lounge rooms.
Shame on you!!
22
-
C
Want original extension!
1
-
P
Pass
No one's touching that cause of Markle.
They'll reboot using LA to bring back everyone but her
But no one wants the idiots she calls fans
They ruin everything they touch as most Extremist followers do
Now if she Officially Retired from Acting.
They'd Renew Suits tomorrow
-
-
-
G
Perfect casting. Great acting. Fast dialogue. It needs to be picked up.
14 1
-
C
Not as perfect or great or fast as the original suits......so good and Harvey and Donna finally worked out!
1
-
-
O
I agree that some of it was getting used to new characters, but it sounds like the original ones were willing to come back. Please keep Suits LA, SWAT, 3 Chicago's and the Thursday lineup. A person can only take so much sports or Reality TV, that I'd so far from reality it's stupid.
8
-
C
Try watching 1883, and series
-
P
Even if they did, these same 9 people would complain
How do i know ? They complained the entire OG run of Suits.
Director in Suits OG understood Subtext, Layering and how to juggle theme's.
Director in Suits LA struggles to tell 2 stories intertwined at once without dropping the ball.
I dont know what happened there but the Directors view on how to shoot this vs OG Suits , it hurt.
-
-
O
The chemistry in the OG Suits just can’t be replicated. LA seemed forced. Having some of the OGs make guest appearances helped but I really couldn’t get into it.
10 2
-
C
Same. Needed Harvey
1
-
P
Nope, just a Villain
They ALWAYS had that in Suits each season
Suits LA it was like the 2nd last episode the Villain was revealed.
Too much focus on back stories dialogue, The villain got no build up.
The Ted/Father story is one you reveal over years not in place of the villains build up.
It'd be different if the main Villain killed Eddy and he got handled, but it wasnt that.
It was a build up for months going one way then a 180 to an arch with a Character they rarely use.
Actors were fine , Director needs to fire his Editor for not pushing back on the stupidity of no Villain in a show defined by them. Not that the Villain always stayed the Villain in Suits OG but the Arch's we're clear
-
-
-
G
Ted is a great actor but unfortunately not for this show.....he would have been a great client in the show ...... there's an upside to getting cancelled though. You can turn it around like the show gotham...it had a boring first season,but from season 2 it went through the roof.So please don't stop producing the show just shift the dynamics.
10 2
-
O
I think NBC has given up. This show was really bogged down in its back story and exposition because of its attempt at worldbuilding that it will never get to. I was more upset about the loss of the more developed The Irrational. Night Court was weak and lacking the magic of the original, and I never watched Lopez vs. Lopez. I tried Brilliant Minds and The Hunting Party, but was not really drawn to either. Basketball is not football! So I guess the only thing I have to look forward to from the Peacock is an increase in my Comcast bill when they lose even more advirtising money from the uncreative apathy they have sown. Well done Jeff Bader!
8 1
-
P
What went wrong is they had the perfect show to expand new seasons. You just can't replace the actors and actresses on the original Suits! Period!
9 2
-
G
Agreed. I couldn't stop watching though. Like an accident. But, it kept jumping timelines and
was confusing. A waste of a terrific cast. Too many long haired brunettes. Took a long time
to discern who was who. I kept notes.
10 4
-
P
Almost word for word what I have said. I simply couldn't keep up with the females- they all looked alike and I didn't know which side who was on. The time jump got old, fast. That needed to be resolved much sooner so Ted could be in the present. Lastly, I REALLY had a tough time with Josh's beard . No lawyer I know would EVER look like that, ESPECIALLY a high powered LA lawyer.
3 2
-
R
LA is the exact place a high powered lawyer would look like that. I have seen them with my own eyes.
-
-
-
G
Damn you NBC you're taking away good shows that you didn't even give them a chance! How dare you.
2
-
P
Sports pay
You cant stream them easily at all
So there's still i high demand for content like 20 years ago.
Its the sad reality
Streaming ruined the industry as it is.
They have to adapt or at least buy time to think.
Content should be divided into tiers for Theater viewing like before.
There was movies most call low budget meaning not 25-50 million dollar movies.
They would be played for 1/3rd of the cost of the big budget films.
This time around include Live Stream of new episodes of shows on their premiere dates.
Create a path towards paying thats actually more enjoyable then streaming.
People still spent as much money on films just watched more.
It also created a situation the Festivals dont. It gives Creators a way to avoid hollywood
Plus you have multiple Theater's with 6-8 viewing rooms with 200+ seats around your city.
So it gave youth a place to enjoy themselves and disconnect from the internet for a while.
Otherwise todays Culture will continue to be short sighted with franchises announced and runs cut in half or series started but cancelled before they finished their first seasons last episode. Thise will sadly continue to trend.
-
-
G
Bring it back along with Irrational
1
-
P
Wish there wasseason 2
1
-
P
I love Suits La. So much for nbc
1
-
G
You need to give this show another chance. I hated the flashback's, and I was getting confused, is it present time or in the past? But I hung in there and really liked the story lines. Please bring it back.
1
-
J
I'm so frkin upset that they canceled Suits L.A.,...it was a chance at seeing a continuation of such a Great show (Suits) which I really Loved. Right when it was evolving and getting better and better as it went on,...It gets cancelled¿? What a shame,...it had some great actors,...and excited to see some of the old ones pop up. Great part of it is, that when you have an actor as Stephen Amell who was used to doing crossovers in different shows from superhero universes from his Green Arrow days,...it actually seems natural to see the original actors show up in this spinoff. It seems second nature because of what we're used to seeing with Stephen as green arrow crossing over and making guest appearances in Flash, Superwoman, Etc. Almost like a Suits Multiverse,...Lol.
Hope someone doesn't let all that effort go to waste,....Suits had a Huuuuge Following. I believe they didn't do enough Marketing on this spinoff. I hope someone with Great vision, talent, and relentless potential, picks this up and they market the heck out of it though, because I didn't even know this spinoff even existed til this Week!
Marketing and Advertisement is EVERYTHING PEOPLE!!!!!!
Make this happen Pleaseee!!!!
GODBless,...
Sincerely,
Jorge M.
-
A
I'm very disappointed that Suits LA was cancelled. I loved the original and was really enjoying the new
Suits. I hope if a new season is going to be shown on Peacock that the word gets out so viewers can watch right from the start.
-
R
Awwwww I barely follow any shows and I loved suits and was following suits la. Bastards! That’s why I like cbs they usually give shows an actual chance
-
B
i thought it was great!
-
C
I really liked the show and enjoyed getting to know the characters.
I didnt watch the original Suits series so it didn't effect my opinion.
Disappointed it's not being renewed.
-
C
Please bring it back for season 2. It is about the only network show I watched
-
P
I would like to see both Suits LA and the Irrational to be shown on Peacock....Not all of us watch sports all the time
Thank you
-
B
Loved the new Suits LA series - Hope someone sees it's potential and picks it up!
-
P
Loved watching that show, the characters were fascinating how they came up with ideas and plans for negotiating and plotting. Hate that it is cancelled, did not have a change to engage and gain with audiences in the short time it aired.
-
C
I only watched for Gabriel.....mmmm
1 1
-
G
The show was horrid. Terrible storytelling and the actors were not up to par
9 12
Watchlist Easy access to only the shows you care about — all in one simple place
Alerts Only important notifications — when a show is returning, when it becomes available to stream, and more.
Special Offers Exclusive products we release related to your favorite shows and streaming services