NBC Exec on Suits LA Cancellation: 'Hard Decisions Were Necessary'

"Suits," the beloved legal drama, has enjoyed a remarkable run since its debut on USA in 2011, captivating fans for nearly 15 years. The show's popularity surged again recently, thanks to its full availability on Netflix, sparking numerous binge-watching marathons. However, this renewed interest wasn't enough to buoy the new spin-off, "Suits LA," which was abruptly canceled following the release of NBC's fall schedule. Jeff Bader, the president of program planning strategy at the network, shed light on the decision to pull the plug.

"It's a challenging task to decide which shows to continue, and 'Suits LA' had a brief stint, but it just didn't resonate with audiences as we had hoped," Bader stated to Variety after the fall schedule was unveiled. "There could be numerous factors at play, and while speculation abounds, the series simply hasn't shown the growth potential we look for in our future programming."

Bader further elaborated on the tough choices they faced: "We meticulously reviewed the performance of our shows across both traditional and digital platforms. We assessed their stability, growth, and potential for future development. Unfortunately, some hard decisions had to be made."

Bader also mentioned that NBCUniversal routinely evaluates the possibility of transferring canceled network shows to Peacock, but "Suits LA" did not make the cut for such a move.

In contrast, Bader explained the criteria that led to the retention of other shows on the network's schedule, particularly as they needed to accommodate more sports programming with the NBA taking over Tuesday nights. "We analyzed the weekly and episodic performance on both linear and digital platforms to identify which shows had the strongest ratings trajectory," he said. "From a creative standpoint, our teams also assessed which shows had the greatest potential to attract new audiences. The top performers in both categories secured their spots on our schedule."

The original "Suits" series aired for nine seasons from 2011 to 2019. The revival, "Suits LA," premiered in February and featured a cast including Stephen Amell, Lex Scott Davis, Josh McDermitt, and Bryan Greenberg. Notably, original "Suits" stars such as Rick Hoffman, David Costabile, and Gabriel Macht made guest appearances on the spin-off. Aaron Korsh, the creator of the original series, also served as the creator and executive producer of "Suits LA," which concluded its run with its final episode on May 11, 2025.