Seven’s big bet on Suits: LA, a spin-off of the resurgent legal drama, appears to have fallen flat, with the premiere attracting meager viewing figures and raising questions about its long-term prospects. It seems that a Netflix binge does not a ratings smash make.
Here’s the Lowdown: Despite a hefty promotional push, particularly on Seven’s streaming service 7plus, Suits: LA only managed to pull in 276,000 national viewers. This represents a considerable drop from its lead-in, Australian Idol (920,000), and a very weak number compared to the 536,000 who tuned in for the British drama Ludwig in a similar slot recently. Meanwhile, Married at First Sight (MAFS) continued its reign of terror, dominating the night for Nine with a massive 1.83 million viewers.
What This Means Now: The initial audience reaction suggests that Seven may have misjudged the pulling power of the Suits name in a new setting. The network had high hopes, but the early signs are not encouraging.
The Bigger Picture: This underwhelming debut shows that even established franchises can struggle in new iterations. MAFS’s continued ratings triumph shows where audience attention is primarily focused. Nine claimed a comfortable victory for the night, fueled by MAFS and strong news performance, leaving Seven to lick its wounds and reconsider its Suits strategy.
