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Was ‘Suits’ Canceled? Why Meghan Markle’s Legal Drama Series Ended Abruptly After Season 9
For nine seasons, Suits provided viewers with no shortage of drama between characters Mike Ross, Harvey Specter and Rachel Zane. Fans of the USA Network series were shocked by the surprising sendoff in the series finale in September 2019.
What Happened in the ‘Suits’ Finale?
In the 10-episode final season, all of the remaining storylines were wrapped up in what felt like an abrupt conclusion. The season 9 finale ended with two weddings, one between Louis and Sheila, and a surprise wedding with Harvey and Donna.
While many were anticipating the return of Gina Torres’ Jessica, the rumors never came to fruition. At the time, Gina was busy filming and promoting the spinoff series Pearson.
“It was a very difficult process of deciding how to handle Jessica in the Suits thing,” series finale director Aaron Korsh told Entertainment Weekly after the Suits finale aired on television. “Look, if Pearson didn’t exist, I would’ve had Jessica come in and help them get rid of Faye.”
He continued, “But because Pearson was on the air and these shows were airing back-to-back on the same night, I felt like if I was a viewer watching TV and one minute I’m seeing Jessica up to her eyeballs in intrigue and back dealings and fighting for the life of the city on Pearson, and then in the very next show acting like none of that is happening and she’s just in here waltzing in and saving the day and yucking it up at a wedding, it would lose the credibility that Pearson had.”
Also missing from the Suits series finale was Meghan Markle, who left the show after season 7. She was not asked back to appear for the program’s final episode as she focused on her life outside of acting with husband Prince Harry.
“In the end, I didn’t ask and I just thought, I’m going to respect her new life and not put her in the position of having to ask,” Aaron told Deadline. “We decided not to put her in that position, so I never asked.”
Patrick J. Adams also left the show in season 7. He did end up returning as a guest star in the final season.
Why Was ‘Suits’ Canceled?
The Suits showrunners faced a few casting changes that led them to decide that Suits would conclude after season 9.
“During the course of season 7, as they were negotiating the cast’s contracts for two years, an unforeseen thing happened,” Aaron told Deadline in January 2019. “You can never know that one of your stars is going to marry the Prince of England, and Patrick decided not to return, so we had a choice whether to keep going after season 7.”
Katherine Heigl joined the cast of the show in the wake of Meghan and Patrick’s departures. Aaron believed it was the “perfect way to help extend the franchise and make it to that end of season 9.”
