USA renews ‘Suits’ for 2nd season

Patrick J. Adams will get to spend another year working in his hometown of Toronto; his USA series, “Suits,” has been renewed for a second season.

USA announced Thursday that the drama about Manhattan corporate lawyers will be back next summer with 16 episodes, four more than in Season 1, which has its finale Sept. 8. (“Suits” airs at 9 p.m. Thursdays.)

When I spoke with Adams before the season began, he told me it was “interesting” to be working on a TV show in his hometown after having lived in L.A. “I remember being here over 10 years ago and imagining the idea of being an actor,” he said. “I mean, it was just so far fetched.” (Read the Adams interview here.)

Not so any longer. In “Suits,” Adams plays Mike Adams, a guy who remembers everything he reads and has tricked his way into a lawyer job at a prestigious law firm with the help of hotshot partner Harvey Specter, who is played by Gabriel Macht. Gina Torres, Rick Hoffman, Sarah Rafferty and Meghan Markle also star.

“‘Suits’ exceeded our expectations on every level with its sharp writing, engaging ensemble cast and incredible production values,” said USA co-presidents Chris McCumber and Jeff Wachtel in a release Thursday.

The series has averaged a 6.3 rating in viewers overall and 2.8 in the 18-49 demographic. You can read more of the ratings numbers in the full release below.

FROM USA
Coming off its biggest summer ever dominating the television landscape with a record number of scripted originals and a firm hold on the #1 position in cable, USA Network today announced the season two pick up of the new hit original series SUITS with an order of 16 one-hour episodes.

SUITS launched on Thursday, June 23 at 10/9c and will conclude its 12 episode freshman run with the season finale on Thursday, September 8 at 10/9c. The series has made USA the most watched network Thursdays in the 10pm hour in all of television—broadcast or cable—in delivering P18-49, P25-54, and P18-34, beating every cable competitor in total viewers and households, as well. SUITS is one of the network’s top ranked freshman seasons of an original series in P25-54 (2.93 million), P18-49 (2.80 million), P18-34 (1.24 million) and total viewers (6.34 million).

“SUITS exceeded our expectations on every level with its sharp writing, engaging ensemble cast and incredible production values,” said Chris McCumber and Jeff Wachtel, co-presidents, USA Network. “Quickly embraced by our viewers, critics and the industry as a series that pushes the envelope of the USA brand, we needed no further evidence to greenlight a second season.”

SUITS delves into the fast-paced, high-stakes world of a top Manhattan corporate law firm where hotshot associate Harvey Specter (Macht) makes a risky move by hiring Mike Ross (Adams), a brilliant but unmotivated college dropout, as his new associate. As he becomes enmeshed in this unfamiliar world, Mike relies heavily on the firm’s best paralegal Rachel (Markle) and Harvey’s no-nonsense assistant Donna (Rafferty) to help him serve justice. With a photographic memory and the street smarts of a hustler, Mike proves to be a legal prodigy despite the absence of bonafide legal credentials. Proving to be an irrepressible duo and invaluable to the practice, Mike and Harvey must keep their secret from everyone including managing partner Jessica (Torres) and Harvey’s arch nemesis Louis (Hoffman), who seems intent on making Mike’s life as difficult as possible.

From Universal Cable Productions, creator Aaron Korsh wrote the pilot and serves as co-executive producer of SUITS. The series is executive produced by Doug Liman (COVERT AFFAIRS, the “Bourne” trilogy, “Mr. & Mrs. Smith”) and David Bartis (COVERT AFFAIRS, “The O.C.,”) of Hypnotic with Gene Klein (COVERT AFFAIRS) serving as producer. Kevin Bray (“Walking Tall”) is supervising producer and directed the pilot. SUITS is shot on location in Toronto, ON.