‘Suits: LA’ Renewal Chances Revealed Amid Lackluster Ratings

NBC‘s legal drama spinoff Suits: LA might get another chance despite underwhelming viewership numbers, according to recent industry reports.

The freshman series, which premiered in February with Stephen Amell as entertainment lawyer Ted Black, hasn’t delivered the ratings punch executives hoped for, but behind-the-scenes factors could work in its favor as the network makes tough decisions about its programming lineup.

Deadline reports that NBC is “considering a second season of Suits: LA despite the spinoff’s below-expectations ratings.” Network executives have invested heavily in marketing the high-profile spinoff of the surprise streaming phenomenon that saw the original Suits become Netflix’s most-watched series of 2023 despite ending its nine-season run on USA Network years earlier.

The spinoff’s recent ratings have shown modest improvement, particularly following original series star Gabriel Macht’s guest appearance as Harvey Specter, potentially giving network decision-makers reason to extend its run while the show refines its approach.

The renewal deliberations come amid a dramatic reshuffling of NBC’s programming slate to accommodate approximately 180 hours of NBA coverage next season. With only two scripted shows – freshman comedies St. Denis Medical and Happy’s Place – officially renewed so far, most of the network’s current offerings face uncertain futures. According to Deadline, the Dick Wolf-produced franchises Chicago and Law & Order remain virtual locks to return based on their strong performance both on cable television and on streaming platform Peacock.

The spinoff’s struggle to capture viewers has been evident since its launch. Suits: LA debuted with 2.6 million viewers and has since settled to around 1.65 million viewers per episode by its sixth installment. These numbers pale in comparison to the original series, which averaged 4.28 million viewers during its first season on USA Network, despite the spinoff airing on a major broadcast network with potentially wider reach.

Critical reception has been similarly tepid, with the show having earned disappointing scores of 39% from critics and 32% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. Some viewers have expressed that while the plot shows promise, the series lacks the character dynamics that made the original a fan favorite.

The coming episodes might offer some ratings hope, with upcoming appearances from original Suits characters Daniel Hardman (David Costabile) and Louis Litt (Rick Hoffman). These nostalgia-driven cameos, combined with modestly improving viewership trends, could influence NBC’s ultimate decision.

The network faces particularly difficult programming choices this year with its reduced entertainment schedule. For the 2025-2026 season, Tuesday nights in the fall and both Tuesday and Sunday nights starting in January will be devoted to basketball coverage, forcing executives to carefully consider which existing shows fit into the remaining time slots.

As one industry insider told Deadline, we’ve moved “post-peak vertical integration,” indicating that performance now typically outweighs ownership in renewal decisions. For Suits: LA, this means that despite its struggles, its connection to a valuable intellectual property and modest signs of audience growth might just earn it another season in an increasingly competitive television landscape.