One of USA Network’s signature series, Suits, will be coming to an end, but not before getting a final chapter. The network has renewed the legal drama for a 10-episode ninth season to air in summer 2019. The news comes ahead of Suits‘ Season 8 winter premiere tonight.
With the pickup, Suits, from Universal Cable Prods., will become the longest-running original scripted series on USA, edging a few shows that had aired for eight seasons. Its final episode count will be 134.
Created by Aaron Korsh, Suits, which debuted in 2011, was one of the last entries under USA’s previous programming strategy built around light procedurals. It rose to become the network’s most popular series for several years.
Following the exit of three of the original six series regulars in Seasons 6-7, Gina Torres, Patrick J. Adams and Meghan Markle, who married the British Prince Harry in a lavish wedding attended by her Suits family, the series underwent a reboot at the start of Season 8, with three new series regulars, Dulé Hill, Amanda Schull and Katherine Heigl joining original stars Gabriel Macht, Sarah Rafferty and Rick Hoffman. The end of Suits coincides with the end of the current two-year contracts of the series’ remaining original cast members.
In addition to running for nine seasons, Suits also spawned a spinoff series, Pearson, starring Torres, which will debut in the spring.
“Suits has played an instrumental role in our network’s DNA for nearly a decade,” said Chris McCumber, President, USA Network and SyFy. “I and everyone at USA Network sincerely thank Aaron Korsh, our partners at UCP and the entire Suits family for their tremendous creativity, devotion and support over a truly amazing run.”
Korsh took the opportunity to acknowledge everyone who had contributed to gettingSuits on the air and to thank the show’s cast and crew, the fans as well as his wife and kids. You can read his note in its entirety under the post.
Additionally, in an interview with Deadline, Korsh explained how the decision to end Suits was made and gave a glimpse at the plans for the final 10 episodes, including the possibility for original stars Adams and Markle as well as other fan favorites to come back, could there be a second spinoff and will the series have a happy ending. (you can read it here).
Suits‘ original premise was about hotshot lawyer Harvey Specter (Macht) who took a gamble by hiring Mike Ross (Adams), a brilliant, but not-so-legitimate college dropout, as an associate at his prolific Manhattan law firm. Over several seasons, this dynamic duo along with Jessica Pearson (Torres), Louis Litt (Hoffman), Donna Paulsen (Rafferty) and Rachel Zane (Markle), became a family intertwined in one another’s triumphs and tribulations, including countless corporate takeovers, a prison storyline, a disbarring and a wedding.
The rebooted current incarnation of Suits centers on the firm led by Harvey, Louis, secretary-turned-COO Donna, plus Robert Zane (Pierce). They work alongside Alex Williams (Hill), Katrina Bennett (Schull) and new addition to the team, powerhouse attorney Samantha Wheeler (Heigl).
Premiering tonight, the back half of Suits’ Season 8 will pick up with Louis as the new managing partner of Zane Specter Litt. In a last-ditch effort to unify the team, both Samantha and Alex got their names on the wall and these six episodes will explore their new dynamic, the power shift between Louis, Harvey and Robert, and Katrina’s promotion to senior partner – plus, Donna’s role at the firm and her new love interest. (Read Korsh’s preview with some scoop on returning and new characters here.)
From UCP, Suits was created and is executive produced by Korsh. Doug Liman, David Bartis and Gene Klein of Hypnotic serve as executive producers. Genevieve Sparling, Ethan Drogin and Christopher Misiano also serve as executive producers.
Statement from Aaron Korsh:
Though I know it isn’t true, it seems like only yesterday USA Network took a chance on an unestablished writer’s very first hour long script. These days that’s a common thing, but forty seven years ago when I first wrote the Untitled Korsh Project, nobody did it. Nobody except the people at USA and UCP. First and foremost I would like to thank Alex Sepiol and Dennis Kim, without whom Suits would never have gotten made. I also cannot thank Bill McGoldrick, Jeff Wachtel, Bonnie Hammer, Chris McCumber, Ted Chervin, Dave Bartis, Gene Klein, Doug Liman, Dawn Olmstead and everyone at the network and studio enough for their dedication and support throughout the years. And to the exceptional writers, cast and crew – thank you for your passion and devotion, without which, Suits would be nothing. And last but never least, to the fans who have stuck with the Suits family through thick and thin, through can-openers and flashbacks – thank you for always speaking your mind. Without you, I might start to think I’m getting the hang of this writing thing. And once that happens, nobody wins. I look forward to enraging and hopefully sometimes delighting you with the final episodes. Finally, to my wife Kate and my children Cooper and Lucy. Thank you for enduring countless late nights and times away for me to get to live my dream. I love you.
Love, Aaron
. How they just swept that shyt under the rug as the seasons went on is beyond me. Haven't watched it in like 3 or 4 seasons.
Jessica's getting her own show??? Suits wasn't the same when she left.
