Summary
While plenty lovers of the popular legal dramaSuitsmay find themselves continually rewatching the series, another way to fill the void left by the show was to check out the many incredible movies and TV shows that the cast appeared in over the years. From underrated drama series to major cinematic successes, the cast ofSuitshave an array of incredible non-Suitscontent to enjoy. Whether it’s central cast members like Mike Ross’s Patrick J. Adams or later additions to the ensemble such as Samantha Wheeler’s Katherine Heigl, the filmography of these stars was packed with great releases.
Over the course ofall nine seasons ofSuits, countless familiar faces that viewers may recognize from other projects appeared. With work that included slow-paced dramas, hilarious rom-coms, and even thrilling spy movies,the careers of the cast ofSuitswere categorized by their sheer variety. While it’s hard to beat the intense legal drama seen at the prestigious firm originally called Pearson Hardman, there was far more than this when it came to the cast ofSuits.
10Rectify (2013 - 2016)
Starring Abigail Spencer
The little-known Sundance TV seriesRectifywas quietly one of thebest TV shows of the 2010sas it told the story of a man adapting to life after prison. Through the story of Daniel Holden, a man released from death row after 20 years due to new evidence,Rectifywas a powerful and thought-provoking pontification on the impact that isolation can have on individuals and the struggle to adapt to a world that changed profoundly.Rectifywas a slow-moving series that valued nuanced dialogue over intense action; however, for patient viewers, it was an intensely rewarding experience.
Lovers ofSuitswill also spot a familiar face inRecitfyas Abigail Spencer, who played Harvey Specter’s on-again-off-again love interest Dana “Scottie” Scott, played a main character inRectify. Spencer played Daniel’s sister, Amantha Holden, one of the few characters who always believed her brother’s innocence. While the slow pace ofRectifywill be noticeably different from the intense legal battles seen inSuits, both shows were categorized by their quality and featured memorable but contrasting performances from Spencer.
Rectify
Cast
Rectify follows Daniel Holden, who is released from death row after 19 years when new evidence casts doubt on his conviction. The series explores his reentry into society and the impact on his family and community. Created by Ray McKinnon, this SundanceTV drama delves into themes of redemption, guilt, and the complexities of the criminal justice system. Aden Young stars as Daniel, with standout performances by Abigail Spencer and J. Smith-Cameron.
9Knocked Up (2007)
Starring Katherine Heigl
Katherine Heigl joined the cast ofSuitsas a main character for its final two seasons, where she played Samantha Wheeler. As a new partner at Zane Specter Litt and previously known as Robert Zane’s “right-hand man,”Heigl injected new energy into the series and was an enjoyable aspect of the show’s final seasons. However, viewers will also recognize Heigl as a major movie star who appeared in several acclaimed rom-coms throughout the 2000s.
Perhaps Heigl’s greatest role came in the Judd Apatow rom-comKnocked Up, where she starred opposite Seth Rogen. As the story of an unlikely couple expecting an accidental baby after a one-night-stand,Knocked Uphilariously highlighted the trials and tribulations of unintended parenthood, and Heigl proved her comedic skills amid the more raunchy style of Apatow. As a hilarious and often poignant look at pregnancy, relationships, and child-rearing,Knocked Upstill holds up as one of thebest rom-coms of the 2000s.
Knocked Up
Knocked Up, released in 2007, follows a slacker and a career-oriented woman dealing with an unexpected pregnancy after a one-night stand. As they attempt to build a relationship, they face challenges in parenthood while reconciling their differing lifestyles and levels of maturity.
8The West Wing (1999 - 2006)
Feautring Dulé Hill
Dulé Hill joinedSuitsas a recurring character in Season 7 and was boosted to a main role for the final two seasons after Patrick J. Adams and Meghan Markle left the series. Hill played Alex Williams, Harvey’s old friend and former partner at Bratton Gould. He was hired as a senior partner at Specter Litt and quickly proved his worth to the firm. Hill gave a strong performance as Williams and, as an actor, has been seen in everything from the detective comedy-dramaPsycheto the beloved filmHoles.
However, Hill’s most notable role outside ofSuitswas as a personal presidential aide and Deputy Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff, Charlie Young, onThe West Wing. Hill provided a youthful charm to his role and contributed toThe West Wing’slikable ensemble castthat also included acclaimed actors such as Rob Lowe, Alan Alda, and Martin Sheen. As a political drama created by Aaron Sorkin,The West Wingwas known for its incredible dialogue and insightful political commentary.
The West Wing
In Aaron Sorkin’s classic political procedural, the senior staff of President Josiah Bartlet (Martin Sheen) face the daily challenge of helping to run the country from the West Wing of the White House. The series features an ensemble cast that also includes Rob Lowe, Dulé Hill, Bradley Whitford, Allison Janney, Richard Schiff, and John Spencer.
712 Monkeys (2015 - 2018)
Starring Amanda Schull
As Katrina Amanda Bennett onSuits,Amanda Schull proved herself a capable actress as her character started as Harvey and Louis’s associateand, after leaving to work with Robert Zane, returned to the firm and became a partner. However, outside ofSuits, Schull has had plenty of interesting roles, like the teen dramaCenter Stageand recurring parts onOne Tree HillandPretty Little Liars. Although Schull’s starring role in12 Monkeys, the Syfy TV adaptation of the 1995 film of the same name was a true standout performance.
In12 Monkeys, Schull starred as Dr. Cassie Railly, a medical professional brought on a mission of destiny and time travel as she sought, along with James Cole (Aaron Stanford), to prevent the destructive plans of the enigmatic organization Army of the 12 Monkeys. With consistently strong reviews over the course of its four seasons,12 Monkeyswas a worthy adaptation of the acclaimed film that delved even deeper into the time travel themes of its predecessor.
12 Monkeys
Follows the journey of a time traveler from the post-apocalyptic future who appears in present day on a mission to locate and eradicate the source of a deadly plague that will nearly destroy the human race.
6Firefly (2002 - 2003)
Starring Gina Torres
Although actress Gina Torres continued to play the co-founder of Pearson-Hardman, Jessica Pearson, in theSuitsspin-off seriesPearson, one other show in her varied filmography stood out as even better. This was because Torres played Zoe Washburne on the cult space WesternFirefly, which was infamously and prematurely canceled after just one season but boasted a sternly committed and enthusiastic fanbase. Torres' performance was a highlight, and she excelled as the second-in-command onboard the Serenity spaceship.
Fireflywas created byBuffy the Vampire Slayer’sJoss Whedon and was set in the year 2517 as a renegade crew of space-traveling fugitives traversed the galaxy. With rich world-building, strong visuals, and excellent writing,Fireflywas a fantastic series that was never fully allowed to live up to its potential. Luckily, the loose threads left by the unfortunate early cancellation of Firefly were addressed in the film continuationSerenity, which Torres also appeared in.
Firefly
Firefly is a science fiction television series set in the year 2517, focusing on the crew of the spaceship Serenity. As humans inhabit a new star system, the renegade crew, led by Captain Malcolm Reynolds, navigates conflicts and alliances while pursuing their own interests across lawless territories.
5Grey’s Anatomy (2005 - Present)
Featuring Sarah Rafferty
Donna Paulson was truly one of the bestSuitscharacters, as her actress Sarah Rafferty expertly walked the fine line between comedy and drama with her witty remarks and poignant love story with Harvey Specter. Paulson’s filmography boasted many one-off performances in series such asLaw and Order,One Tree Hill, andBones. However, afterSuitsconcluded,Paulson quickly gained a recurring role as Suzanne Britland on the medical dramaGrey’s Anatomy.
Paulson appeared in three episodes of the 16th season ofGrey’s Anatomy, where she played a woman who developed mysterious symptoms following an appendectomy. In a much different role thanSuitsaudiences were used to seeing her, Paulsen brought a heartfelt realism to her portrayal of Suzanne, whose daughters missed school to sit by her side in the hospital. Paulsen’s role inGrey’s Anatomyshowcased her range to play characters much different from Donna as she brought sentimentality to her role as an ill mother.
Grey’s Anatomy
Grey’s Anatomy is a medical drama series revolving around surgical interns, residents, and attendings at the fictional Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. The show features the professional and personal lives of these medical professionals, led initially by Dr. Meredith Grey, played by Ellen Pompeo. Created by Shonda Rhimes, the series highlights the complexities of medical cases while delving into the interpersonal relationships among the hospital staff.
4Horrible Bosses (2011)
Featuring Meghan Markle
While much of the conversation surrounding Meghan Markle related to her personal life as the wife of Prince Harry and a member of a member of the British Royal family, she’s also had a number of notable roles across film and television. Markle played Rachel Zane onSuits, the paralegal at Pearson Hardman who found love with Mike Ross. One minor but enjoyable performance from Markle came with the release ofHorrible Bosses, which coincided with the release of the first season ofSuitsand Markle’s rise to fame.
Markle only appeared briefly inHorrible Bossesas Jamie, the FedEx delivery girl who interacted with Kurt Buckman (Jason Sudeikis.) Markle was also not the only reason to check outHorrible Bosses,as it boasts an incredible cast of talented comedians, including Charlie Day, Jason Bateman, and Jennifer Aniston. For those who can’t get enough of this hilarious comedy, there’s also the hilarious sequelHorrible Bosses 2, although Markle did not appear in the follow-up.
Horrible Bosses
Friends Nick, Dale, and Kurt all work for despicable bosses: Nick’s boss is a sadistic man on a power trip, Dale’s boss sexually harasses him, and Kurt’s boss is an arrogant, indifferent cocaine addict. When Kurt jokes that their lives would be better without their bosses in them, the three decide to team up and kill each other’s tormentors.
3Samantha Who? (2007 - 2009)
Featuring Rick Hoffman
Rick Hoffman so fully embodied the self-serving, underhanded, and oddly endearing junior partner at Pearson Hardman Louis Litt inSuitsthat it’s hard to picture him in any other role. However, for those who have been following his career, Hoffman has proved himself a talented comedian. One standout recurring role was as Chase Chapman in the short-lived sitcomSamantha Who?Sadly,Samantha Who?was just one of many shows that were canceled just as they became great, although this doesn’t take away from Hoffman’s great contribution to it.
Suitsstar Sarah Rafferty also appeared in the Season 2 premiere ofSamantha Who?“So I Think I Can Dance” as Kayla Kaminski.
Samantha Who?starred Christina Applegate as a self-absorbed, selfish, and unlikable woman who developed amnesia after a hit-and-run accident. With a new lease of life and a reevaluation of her previous identity, Samantha set out to make amends for her previous wrongdoings. Hoffman played Samantha’s former boss and played an important role in several episodes of the series, which unfortunately only ran for 35 episodes over two seasons.
Samantha Who?
Samantha Who? is a TV show about Samantha Newly (Christina Applegate), a woman who wakes up from an eight-day coma with no memory of her past and discovers that she used to be a mean, self-centered person. As she pieces her life back together, she strives to become a better individual, while dealing with her confusing past and navigating relationships with family and friends.
10 Flawed TV Shows That Became Great (Then Were Cancelled)
Sadly, TV decision-makers have continually decided to pull the plug on beloved television series right as they started to hit their stride.
2Lost (2004 - 2010)
Featuring Patrick J. Adams
While Patrick J. Adams gained his breakout role as Mike Ross, a lawyer with a photographic memory and no law degree, onSuits, his filmography boasted plenty of interesting roles before this major success. One interesting early role from Adams came on the acclaimed series Lost in the Season 3 episode “The Man From Tallahassee.” Adams played Peter Talbot, a man who sought John Locke’s help after her mother was wooed by Lock’s deceitful conman father.
While Adams only appeared in one episode ofLost, the series ran for 121 episodes over six seasons and featured a fascinating mystery surrounding plane survivors on a remote island.Lostfeatured one of the best pilot episodes of all timeand addressed themes of good versus evil, survival, and destiny. With a rich mythology and talented ensemble cast,Lostwas a major release within the Golden Age of TV.
Lost
Lost is a mystery drama series created for TV that follows a group of survivors of a plane crash and tells its story between the past, present, and future via flashbacks. When Oceanic Airlines Flight 815 crashes and lands on a mysterious island in the pacific ocean, the castaways discover their new temporary home may have a mind of its own, as strange supernatural events keep them locked to the island. From an unknown black smoke creature to dangerous islanders, the passengers must work together to survive the island’s seemingly deadly intentions.
1The Good Shepherd (2006)
Featuring Gabriel Macht
Gabriel Macht powerfully embodied the cool charisma of Harvey Specter across all nine seasons ofSuits. Although the role of Harvey was by far Macht’s most notable performance, that’s not to say he hasn’t had an interesting career playing parts other than the ambitious and emotionally guarded eventual named partner at Specter Litt Wheeler Williams. One of Macht’s most impressive pre-Suitsparts came when he played John Russell Jr. inThe Good Shepherd.
As an acclaimed spy film directed by and starring Robert De Niro,The Good Shepherdfeatured an impressive cast that also included Matt Damon, John Turturro, and Angelina Jolie, who shared the billing with Macht. With a story loosely based on events in the life of James Jesus Angleton,The Good Shepherdwas a fictional exploration of the birth of counterintelligence and the beginnings of the CIA. With such a star-studded cast, the fact that Macht held his own amid such an array of cinematic icons was a testament to his bright future as Harvey Specter inSuits.
The Good Shepherd
The Good Shepherd is a historical drama directed by Robert De Niro, chronicling the early years of the CIA through the life of Edward Wilson, played by Matt Damon. The film explores themes of loyalty, sacrifice, and the complex morality of intelligence work. Angelina Jolie and Alec Baldwin co-star in this intricate portrayal of espionage and its effects on personal and professional relationships.
