If you’ve recently found yourself tumbling down a Suits rabbit hole on Netflix, you’re not alone. The USA Network series, which wrapped up in 2019, has captivated fans since it first hit the streaming platform in June. Suits has been so popular with Netflix subscribers that even series creator Aaron Korsh has taken note of its newfound fandom – and he’s weighing in on why he thinks it’s resonating with audiences today.
Suits is a notable part of TV history for a few reasons. Not only did it serve as a major stepping stone in Meghan Markle’s career, the soapy legal drama was also one of USA Network’s most successful series. While Suits always had its fair share of fans, it seems to have found a newer, bigger audience since it moved from Peacock to its’ new streaming home. When The Hollywood Reporter asked Aaron Korsh about the sudden surge in interest, he had some interesting insights:
I think why people are tuning into it is a combination of that TikTok thing, there’s no doubt that there’s some curiosity about Meghan [Markle], and then Netflix knows how to entice you to watch a television show and then that builds on itself. Now, the reason I think people are responding to it? I don’t think it’s totally different from how I loved Ted Lasso when it came out in the pandemic. I think with the characters in Suits, people either see themselves in someone and/or see who they wish they were, and it also has an inherent optimism to it, even though sad things do happen.
Not only has Suits been situated comfortably in Netflix’s Top 10 for weeks now amongst many other bingeable series, but it has been a viral topic on TikTok and other social media platforms. The relatability factor that Korsh alluded to in his conversation with THR definitely seems to be a key part of why the series is resonating with new fans as well. However, Aaron Korsh also reflected on why the series might be hitting differently today than it did pre-pandemic:
It’s funny, I took a lot of heat over the years whenever something bad would happen to someone on the show, people really get upset about it. But in this period of time in the world, I think the characters and the underlying base optimism are why people are connecting to the show, and then maybe some of it is tonal because it has drama but also it has humor.
Aaron Korsh could be on to something here – we all need to be able to offset life’s drama with a little bit of laughter, and it’s awesome that so many new fans are finding that balance in Suits. However, all the newfound success may be somewhat bittersweet.
Writers and actors from Suits have taken to social media to note that they are seeing considerably lower residuals than they did several years ago – one of the central points driving the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Korsh has said that the industry changes driving the strikes are one reason he wouldn’t consider a Suits spinoff. But he also made it clear he’s satisfied with how the series ended, and that's fair.
With nine seasons full of drama and laughter, Suits offers more than enough to keep anyone with a Netflix subscription satisfied already.
