A shrewd college dropout and a New York hot-shot lawyer team up to take on the corporate world. Harvey Specter must recruit a new junior associate and interviews the top law students from Harvard, but he has little hope of finding a quick-thinking candidate. No one catches his interest until Mike shows up unexpectedly. The problem is that Mike is only using the opportunity as a cover to escape the police. Nevertheless, Harvey is impressed with Mike’s talents and decides to hire him.
Created by Aaron Korsh, Suits premiered in June 2011, the last episode of season nine aired in September 2019 (it is unclear at the point but remains unlikely that Suits would return for another season). The show starred Gabriel Macht (as Harvey Specter), Patrick J. Adams (as Mike Ross), and Gina Torres (as Jessica Pearson), who won Best Supporting Actress – Television in 2018 (Imagen Foundation Awards)
Following Harvey, Mike, and Jessica working at one of the top corporate law firms in New York (Manhattan) while withholding Mike’s secret from the partners and their clients to avoid the magnitude of legal complications that can arise if the truth was ever revealed. Suits is one of the most popular legal dramas to date, with fast-talking deal closures, witty comebacks, and legal loopholes with a flair for the dramatic.
If you find yourself with a Suits hangover, here are the top 30 picks for similar shows.
30 TV Shows Like Suits
1. Pearson
Created by Aaron Korsh and Daniel Arkin as a spin-off to Suits. Pearson aired in July 2019 and ran for only ten episodes until September 2019. Unfortunately, the show was canceled for not making the same numbers as its precursor.
The legal drama starred Gina Torres (as Jessica Pearson), Isabel Arraiza (as Yoli Castillo), Eli Goree (as Derrick Mayes), Bethany Joy Lenz (as Keri Allen), and Simon Kassianides (as Nick D’Amato). If you want to see more of Gina Torres in a powerhouse role, follow her from New York to Chicago as she takes politics over corporate law and seeks out her divided family.
2. Billions
Created by Brian Koppelman, David Levien, Andrew Ross Sorkin. Billions, the U.S. drama series, premiered in January 2016 and is scheduled to return for the fifth season in September (2021). Starring Paul Giamatti (as Chuck Rhoads), Damian Lewis (as Bobby Axelrod), Malin Akerman (as Lara Axelrod), and Maggie Siff (as Wendy Rhoades).
Set in New York, lawyer Chuck Rhoads and hedge-fund manager Bobby Axelrod clash in a war of high-stakes finance and law. The show gives us non-stop drama and some steamy scenes to balance off the high-spun tensions.
3. The Practice
From creator David E. Kelly, The Practice the U.S drama series aired in March 1997 and continued until 2004, ran for eight seasons. Starring Dylan McDermott (as Bobby Donnel), Steve Harris (as Eugene Young), Camryn Manheim (as Ellenor Frutt), Kelli Williams (as Lindsay Dole), and Lara Flynn Boyle (as Helen Gamble).
The show has won 15 Emmy Awards out of 41 nominations. It follows the world of defense attorneys as they battle between legal principles and personal scruples. The Practice offers its viewers an inside view of defending the innocent (and sometimes not so innocent) with thrilling plots of intrigue, romance, and drama.
4. Boston Legal
If you like your drama with a bit of comedy, Boston Legal, a spin-off on The Practice, is next in line for the love of legal dramas. The series is also created by David E. Kelly, released in 2004, and ran for five seasons until 2008. The show starred James Spader (as Alan Shore), William Shatner (as Denny Crane), Candice Bergen (as Shirley Schmidt), Julie Bowen (as Denise Bauer), and Mark Valley (as Brad Chase).
Boston Legal won 5 Emmys out of 26 nominations: Television Academy Honors (2008), Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series (2007 & 2005), Outstanding Single-Camera Sound Mixing For A Series (2006), Outstanding Guest Actor In A Drama Series (2006), and Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series (2005).
5. Better Call Saul
From Vince Gilligan, the creator of Breaking Bad (another must-watch drama series), and Peter Gould, Better Call Saul follows the development of slippery lawman Jimmy McGill before meeting up with Walter White from Breaking Bad. The series started in 2015 and has five seasons thus far; season six is expected to be aired in 2022 and is rumored to be the final season of the spectacular show.
Starring Bob Odenkirk (as Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman/Gene Takavic), Michael McKean (as Chuck McGill), Jonathan Banks (as Mike Ehrmantraut), and Rhea Seehorn (as Kim Wexler). The drama series has received 39 Emmy nominations.
6. Silk
Created by Peter Moffat, Silk is an English drama series that aired in 2011 for three seasons until 2014. Starring Maxine Peake (as Martha Costello), Rupert Penry-Jones (as Clive Reader), and Neil Stuken (as Billy Lamb). If you are more into technicalities than over-the-top drama, Silk is a fantastic look into the inner workings of practicing law – even in a fictional world.
The show follows two rival barristers (Peake and Reader) and a senior clerk (Lamb); the actors allow their audience a look into court chambers and behind the U.K legal system. “Legal drama Silk has been named best T.V. drama series by the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain at its 2013 awards.” – BBC News
7. White Collar
If you enjoyed the shrewd loopholes in Suits, White Collar would meet your love of procedures. Created by Jeff Eastin, the U.S. drama series starred Matt Bomer (as Neal Caffrey), Tim DeKay (as Peter Burke), Willie Garson (as Mozzie), and Tiffani Thiessen (as Elizabeth Burke).
The show aired in 2009 and ended in 2014, giving us six seasons of antics and drama, following the exploits of the former con artist (Caffrey) and his FBI handler (Burke) as they hunt down white-collar criminals. The show was inspired by the true-life story of Frank Abagnale Jr (also the muse behind Spielberg’s Catch Me If You Can.
8. Goliath
Created by David E. Kelley and Jonathan Shapiro, Goliath, the drama series was released in 2016 with three seasons to date and a fourth on the way. Starring Billy Bob Thornton (as Billy McBride), William Hurt (as Donald Cooperman), Tania Raymonde (as Brittany Gold), and Nina Arianda (as Patty Solis-Papagian).
The show follows McBride as he struggles to deal with life after being booted from the firm he worked at. Deciding to dust the dirt from his knees, he takes on a murder case in the hopes of redemption, but he might have gotten more than he hoped for.
9. Burden Of Truth
A Canadian drama series created by Brad Simpson, Burden of Truth was released in 2018 starring Kristin Kreuk (as Joanna Hanley), Peter Mooney (as Billy Crawford, Star Slade (as Luna Spence), and Anwen O’Driscoll (as Taylor Matheson). Unfortunately, the drama series will end on season four, crushing some viewers who wanted another season.
The series follows Hanley, a high-powered attorney, as she heads back home after being away for more than a decade. A mysterious illness is spreading among high school girls in her hometown, and she intends to get the truth behind the unknown.
10. Scandal
From Shonda Rhimes, the creator of Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, the drama series aired in 2012, giving us seven seasons until it ended in 2018. The show starred Kerry Washington (as Olivia Pope), Guillermo Díaz (as Huck), Darby Stanchfield (as Abby Whelan), and Katie Lowes (as Quinn Perkins).
The series follows Pope as she starts a crisis management firm in Washington. Scandal has received seven Emmy nominations and won two: Outstanding Guest Actor In A Drama Series (2013 & 2014). Another series inspired by actual events, namely crisis-manger Judy Smith, who worked with high-profile clients.
11. Lie To Me
Created by Samuel Baum, Lie To Me was released in 2009, starring Tim Roth (as Dr. Cal Lightman), Kelli Williams (as Dr. Gillian Foster), and Brendan Hines (as Eli Loker). The drama show ended in
2010 after three seasons.
The series follows Lightman (a deception expert) as he works with law enforcement, attorneys, and private companies to uncover lies from observing body language. If the twists and turns of Suits by keeping the lid on the beans thrilled you, chances are you’ll enjoy Lie To Me.
12. How To Get Away With Murder
From creator Peter Nowalk, starring Viola Davis (as Annalise Keating), Billy Brown (as Nate Lahey), and Alfred Enoch (as Wes Gibbins). How To Get Away With Murder aired in 2014 and ended in 2020 after running for six seasons. The drama series won an Emmy in 2015 for Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series.
The series starts with hopeful law students and a law professor who hopes to teach them the twisted ropes of becoming criminal defense lawyers. Soon their teachings turn into a convoluted web as the selected group of top students finds themselves in a murder plot.
13. The Good Wife
Created by Michelle King and Robert King, The Good Wife was released in September 2009 and run for seven seasons until May 2016. Starring Julianna Margulies (as Alicia Florrick), Chris Noth (as Peter Florrick), Christine Baranski (as Diane Lockhart), and Matt Czuchry (as Cary Agos).
A state attorney’s wife (Florrick) is left to clean up the mess after her husband is convicted of corruption. For the sake of her family’s well-being, she returns to work as a defense attorney. The Good Wife has received five Emmy Awards: Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series (2014), Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series (2013 and 2012), Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series (2011), and Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series (2010).
14. The Good Fight
From the creators of The Good Wife (Michelle King and Robert King) and Phil Alden Robinson comes the spin-off, The Good Fight. The drama series aired in June 2017, starring Christine Baranski (as Diane Lockhart), Cush Jumbo (as Lucca Quinn), Rose Leslie (as Maia Rindell), and Sarah Steele (as Marissa Gold).
The show follows the organized chaos of a prominent law firm in Chicago. Lockhart rebuilds her life and career after a financial scam ruined her goddaughter’s (Rindell) reputation and drains her bank accounts. The first episode of season five of The Good Fight was aired in June 2021.
15. House Of Cards
From the creator Beau Willimon, House of Cards aired in February 2013 until November 2018 (six seasons). The drama starred Kevin Spacey (as Francis Underwood), Robin Wright (as Claire Underwood), and Michael Kelly (Doug Stamper).
The drama series follows the Underwoods as a power couple in Washington. Francis, a congressman in D.C., uses his power to get revenge on the people who betrayed him. House Of Cards has won seven Emmys: Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (2014, 2015, and 2017), Outstanding Guest Actor In A Drama Series (2015), Outstanding Cinematography For A Single-camera Series (2013), Outstanding Casting For A Drama Series (2013), and Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series (2013).
16. Ray Donovan
Created by Ann Biderman, Ray Donovan aired in June 2013 until January 2020; the series starred Liev Schreiber (as Ray Donovan), Jon Voight (as Mickey Donovan), Eddie Marsan (as Terry Donovan), Dash Mihok (as Bunchy Donovan), and Kerris Dorsey (as Bridget Donovan).
In the seven seasons, the drama series followed Ray Donovan as he sets out to fix the problems of the elite class while his own life remains in disarray. The show has been nominated for ten Emmys and won one: Outstanding Guest Actor In A Drama Series in 2016.
17. Perry Mason
From the creators Rolin Jones and Ron Fitzgerald, Perry Mason aired in June 2020, with the only season so far the drama series is already top-rated. Starring Matthew Rhys (as Perry Mason), John Lithgow (as Elias Birchard), Juliet Rylance (as Della Street), and Chris Chalk (as Paul Drake).
The series first made screens in 1957s and continued until 1966; however, the new series is doing things a little differently while keeping the spirit of the original Perry Mason alive. A defense attorney takes on a career-making case and hopes for redemption in the process. The show has already been nominated for four Emmy Awards.
18. The Blacklist
Created by Jon Bokenkamp, The Blacklist was released in September 2013 and starring James Spader (as Raymond ‘Red’ Reddington), Megan Boone (as Elizabeth Keen), Diego Klattenhoff (as Donald Ressler), Harry Lennix (as Harold Cooper), and Ryan Eggold (as Tom Keen). Season eight was aired in November 2020.
A criminal (Reddington) on the FBI’s most-wanted list avoids capture for decades until he unexpectedly hands himself over and will only speak with Elizabeth. The thrilling series follows Keen as she wades through lies, deception, and loss while ticking off criminals from Red’s blacklist. Out of eight nominations, The Blacklist has won Outstanding Stunt Coordination For A Drama Series, Miniseries Or Movie in 2014.
19. Succession
Created by Jesse Armstrong, Succession was released in 2018; although season three has no set air date yet, HBO has confirmed that the new season was renewed. The drama series stars Nicholas Braun (as Greg Hirsch), Sarah Snook (as Shiv Roy), Brian Cox (as Logan Roy), Alan Ruck (as Connor Roy), and Jeremy Strong (as Kendall Roy).
The owners of the most extensive media and entertainment name globally follow the Roys as they embark on the journey to take over the company from their father once he steps down. Succession has been nominated for 23 Emmy awards and has won 9 to date.
In 2020 the show was awarded Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series, Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series, Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Casting For A Drama Series, Outstanding Writing For A Drama Series, Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series, and Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing For A Drama Series. The show won Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music and Outstanding Writing For A Drama Series the previous year.
20. Damages
From the creators, Glenn Kessler, Todd A. Kessler, and Daniel Zelman come Damages starring Glenn Close (as Patty Hewes), Rose Byrne (as Ellen Parsons), and Tate Donovan (as Tom Shayes).
The series aired in 2007 and run until 2012 giving one season a year.
Another show with a brilliant corporate litigator and a protégé that specializes in malfeasance cases. The drama series has been nominated for 20 Emmys and has won 4: Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series (2008 and 2009), Outstanding Casting For A Drama Series (2008), and Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series (2008).
21. The Mentalist
Created by Bruno Heller, The Mentalist aired in 2008 and starred Simon Baker (as Patrick Jane), Robin Tunney (as Teresa Lisbon), Tim Kang (as Kimball Cho), Owain Yeoman (as Wayne Rigsby), and Amanda Righetti (as Grace Van Pelt). The show aired its final episode of season eight in 2015.
A former charlatan psychic gives up his time in the spotlight after a serial killer murders his family and joins the CBI in the hopes of tracking down the elusive killer while assisting the team with their investigations. Simon Baker was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series in 2009.
22. Ally McBeal
Created by David E. Kelley, Ally McBeal aired in 1997; after five seasons, the drama series ended in 2002. Starring Calista Flockhart (as Ally McBeal), Greg Germann (as Richard Fish), and Jane Krakowski (as Elaine Vassal).
Of lawyers with some quirk is what you are into, then the comedy/drama series is what you have been waiting for. Out of 34 Emmy Nominations, the show has won 7 awards: Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series (2001), Outstanding Casting For A Comedy Series (2001), Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Series Or A Special (1998, 1999, and 2000), Outstanding Guest Actress In A Comedy Series (1999), and Outstanding Comedy Series (1999).
23. The Split
Created by Abi Morgan, The Split aired in 2018 with two seasons so far, starring Nicola Walker (as Hannah Stern), Stephen Mangan (as Nathan), Deborah Findlay (as Ruth), and Annabel Scholey (as Nina).
The British drama follows the professional and personal lives of the Defoe family as divorce lawyers. The Split is said to be the English equivalent of The Good Wife.
24. Chicago Justice
As part of the Chigaco Franchise cerated by Derek Haas, Michael Brandt, and Dick Wolf, Chicago Justice aired in 2017 but appeared not to return for a second season. The legal drama starred Philip Winchester (as Peter Stone), Jon Seda (as Antonio Dawson), and Joelle Carter (as Laura Nagel).
The legal drama follows the prosecutors and investigators under the command of the State Attorney as they juggle politics and high-profile cases. If you were a fan of the show and disappointed that it got canned, be sure to look out for more under the franchise: Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., and Chicago Med.
25. The Guardian
Created by David Hollander, The Guardian aired in 2001 and ended in 2004 at the end of season three. The legal drama starred Simon Baker (as Nick Fallin), Alan Rosenberg (as Alvin Masterson), Raphael Sbarge (as Jake Straka), and Dabney Coleman (as Burton Fallin).
After Nick’s indulges from the high life of a hot-shot attorney got him in trouble with the law, he is given fifteen hundred hours of community service where he has to work for Children’s Legal Services.
26. For The People
Created by Paul William Davies, For The People aired in 2018 and ended in 2019 after two seasons. The legal drama starred Hope Davis (as Jill Carlan), Ben Shenkman (as Roger Gunn), Jasmin Savoy Brown (as Allison Adams), and Susannah Flood (as Kate Littlejohn).
The show follows the professional and personal lives of fresh-faced lawyers as they juggle the roles of defense and prosecution in a New York Federal Court.
27. The Defenders
From creators Kevin Kennedy and Niels Mueller, The Defenders was released in 2010 and ended in 2011 after only eighteen episodes. Starring Jim Belushi (as Nick Morelli), Jerry O’Connell (as Pete Kaczmarek), Jurnee Smollett (as Lisa Tyler), and Tanya Fischer (as Zoey Waters).
The legal drama followed two defense lawyers in Las Vegas as they wade through the glitz and glamour towards justice for their clients. Real-life Las Vegas attorneys Michael Cristalli and Marc Saggese served as inspiration for the show.
28. Conviction
Created by Liz Friedlander and Liz Friedman, Conviction aired in 2016 but ended in 2017 after only 13 episodes. The legal drama starred Hayley Atwell (as Hayes Morrison), Eddie Cahill (as Conner Wallace), Shawn Ashmore (as Sam Spencer), and Merrin Dungey (as Maxine Bohen).
After being busted for cocaine possession, the former first daughter (Morrison) is provided with a way out of yet another scandal by working the cases of the innocent who were wrongly convicted.
29. Covert Affairs
From Matt Corman and Chris Ord, Covert Affairs was released in 2010 and ran for five seasons until 2014. The drama series starred Piper Perabo (as Annie Walker), Christopher Gorham (as Auggie Anderson), Kari Matchett (as Joan Campbell).
A CIA trainee (Walker) is pulled from the program and pushed into the field as an operator and follows the inexperienced agent from the fumbeling new girl in the office to a skilled operative. Piper Perabo was nominated for Best Television Actress for a drama series in 2011.
30. Judging Amy
Created by the lead actress Amy Brenneman and Bill D’Elia and Barbara Hall, Judging Amy aired in 1999. The show starred Amy Brenneman (as Amy Gray), Richard T. Jones (as Bruce Van Exel), Jessica Tuck (as Gillian Gray), Marcus Giamatti (as Peter Gray), Karle Warren (as Lauren Cassidy), and Tyne Daly (as Maxine Gray).
Brenneman’s mother, a Superior Court Judge, served as inspiration for the show. The drama series centers around Amy as a newly appointed judge (former lawyer) as she juggles professional pressure, being a single mother, and living with her dogmatic mother (Maxine Gray). Out of eleven Emmy nominations, the drama series won Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series in 2003.