Why NBC Canceled Stephen Amell’s Suits LA After Just One Season

by

The television series “Suits” had already gained significant popularity by the time one of its stars, Meghan Markle, became a duchess. In fact, it was in its seventh season at that point. Despite this, the eighth season faced challenges as not only did Markle leave, but two other main characters also departed. Such a large-scale character exit is typically challenging for a show to overcome, which could have contributed to “Suits” ultimately being canceled after Season 9.

Initially, a spin-off series titled “Pearson,” featuring Gina Torres from “Suits,” premiered in 2019, but it only ran for one season. The franchise then took a break, returning in 2025 with “Suits LA” starring Stephen Amell from “Arrow.” Unfortunately, before the first season of “Suits LA” concluded, it was announced that there would be no Season 2. Poor ratings, unfavorable reviews, and changes in content strategy at NBC were the factors that ended the latest version of the franchise prematurely.

Neither critics nor audiences were impressed

Every exceptional TV spin-off that captures your interest exists alongside many others that swiftly fade away, often for valid reasons. “Suits LA” initially received a lukewarm reception from critics who criticized its quality, culminating in a 36% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The general consensus was that the show mimicked the original but failed to present compelling arguments to justify its existence. However, some reviews held out hope that with time and opportunity, it could improve. Initially, it appeared that NBC was willing to provide this chance, but ultimately, it decided against it.

Occasionally, a network may choose to give a fresh series some leeway in terms of low ratings, believing that it could eventually grow its audience. Some remarkable TV shows initially struggled with ratings, such as “Seinfeld,” but the network remained confident due to their belief that the show would ultimately flourish. However, “Suits LA” started weakly and saw its already poor ratings decline further week by week. NBC didn’t wait for a potential season finale surge before deciding that the show wasn’t worth investing more time in, as they felt it unlikely that “Suits LA” would follow the path of shows that recovered after a rocky beginning.

NBC canceled several scripted shows to focus on live sports

The unexpected concept behind the development of “Ted Lasso” originated from Jason Sudeikis starring in an NBC Sports commercial where he portrayed an American football coach transitioning to coaching a soccer team in Europe. Fast-forwarding to today, “Ted Lasso,” boasting three seasons and numerous accolades, has garnered more recognition for Universal Television than “Suits LA” did. This could partially account for NBC’s recent enthusiasm to strengthen their live sports programming and potentially reduce scripted shows.

Not only did NBC announce the cancellation of “Suits LA”, but they also decided to end four other shows. According to Jeff Bader, President of Program Planning Strategy for NBCUniversal Entertainment (as reported by Us Weekly), there were several other shows that had to be declined in order to create their schedule. In the fall, the NBA becomes a top priority for them, making it their main new show during that season.

Over the past few years, traditional TV networks have experienced a decline in ratings for their sitcoms, dramas, and other scripted content. However, live sports events consistently attract massive audiences. In fact, by 2024, all of the top 10 most-watched primetime network television shows were sporting events. Therefore, it’s not surprising that networks are investing more in live sports and have been quick to cancel lower-rated scripted programs like “Suits LA.

Read More

2025-06-04 15:30