NBC Exec Explains Suits LA Cancellation: 'Tough Choices Were Necessary'

"Suits" has been a beloved series since it first aired on USA Network in 2011, captivating audiences for nearly 15 years. Its recent resurgence on Netflix fueled countless binge-watching sessions, but this popularity wasn't enough to save the new spin-off, "Suits LA," which was abruptly canceled after being left off NBC's fall schedule. Jeff Bader, the president of program planning strategy at NBC, shed light on the tough decision to pull the plug on the series.

“It’s incredibly challenging to decide which shows to continue, and although 'Suits LA' had a brief run, it simply didn't capture the audience the way we anticipated,” Bader explained to Variety following the release of the fall schedule. “There are numerous factors at play, and while people might speculate about why it didn’t resonate, the show unfortunately didn’t demonstrate the potential for future growth.”

Bader elaborated on the decision-making process, stating, “We had to evaluate the performance of our shows across both linear and digital platforms. We needed to identify which ones had the potential for future growth. We looked at stability in linear viewership, digital performance, and whether shows were growing or declining. These evaluations led us to some tough choices.”

He also mentioned that NBCUniversal considers transferring canceled shows to Peacock, but "Suits LA" did not meet the criteria for such a move. When it comes to shows that survived the cut, Bader highlighted the criteria used to keep them on the schedule, especially with the need to accommodate sports programming like the NBA taking over Tuesday nights.

“We analyzed the week-to-week and episode-to-episode performance on both linear and digital platforms to determine which shows had the strongest ratings narrative,” Bader noted. “On the creative front, our teams assessed which shows had the greatest potential to attract new audiences. These were the key factors that led to the decision to retain certain shows.”

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