Why Is Suits Suddenly Having A Resurgence?
It seems like everyone is watching Suits right now! The nine season legal drama originally aired on USA Network starting back in 2011. Now in 2023, the series is having a resurgence, even breaking streaming records. The popular series follows a successful Manhattan corporate lawyer Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht) and his team, which includes Louis Litt (Rick Hoffman), Donna Paulsen (Sarah Rafferty), Rachel Zane (Meghan Markle), and Jessica Pearson (Gina Torres). Old and new rivalries surface among members of the team as they welcome a new coworker Michael Ross (Patrick J. Adams) who has a special gift.
The show has plenty of legal jargon, intriguing cases, and unlikeable defendants, but what sets it apart from every other series in the genre? A simple answer: the show has spectacular writing. Lines are witty, fast, and sarcastic, perfectly fitting the tone of what you would expect from a classic New York lawyer. The series came from an era of USA Network when the channel focused on easy-going programming that had an equal balance of comedy, drama, mystery, joy, and heartbreak. After each episode, a viewer can feel accomplished and just intrigued enough to click to the next episode.
The series finale aired only four years ago back in 2019 and is now breaking streaming records by being viewed for over three billion minutes for seven weeks in a row. The series has been available to stream on Peacock and Prime Video for many years, but hadn’t garnered large viewership numbers. However, in June of this year Netflix acquired the streaming rights to the series that boosted its viewership almost overnight. The so-called “Netflix Effect” has been credited to giving many shows a second life including You, Gilmore Girls, and Breaking Bad.
Some may attribute the series’ newfound success to its relocation to the biggest streaming service, but that isn’t the only driving factor. This summer and fall, the entertainment industry has been at a standstill due to both actors and writers strikes going on in Hollywood. With some productions being delayed or cancelled all together, viewers are more likely to be served a newly acquired series. It also helps that the show is nine seasons long with 134 episodes ready to binge at any given moment.
This show has even more to offer than just its intriguing plot lines. It cannot be ignored that the now Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, has a leading role in the series. Markle’s time on the show came to an end in 2018 when she left her role and acting career to marry Prince Harry. If that isn’t enough to make you start watching, I don’t know what is.
Suits is streaming on Netflix, Peacock, and Prime Video.
