Ali Arsalan
Peacock is seizing a golden opportunity with the unexpected surge in interest in “Suits,” the legal drama that became a hit on Netflix this summer. Riding on the wave of “Suits” popularity, the NBCUniversal streaming platform has now added “Pearson,” the spinoff series, to its lineup.
Peacock is banking on the hope that the newfound “Suits” fans will explore the spinoff, “Pearson,” in an effort to expand its viewer base.
A Brief Overview of ‘Pearson’ and Its Origins
“Pearson” ran for one season on cable in 2019 but faced cancellation shortly after its finale. Starring Gina Torres as Jessica Pearson, the series explored her journey into Chicago politics. The cast also featured Bethany Joy Lenz, Morgan Spector, Chantel Riley, Simon Kassianides, Eli Goree, and Isabel Arraiza.
The spinoff originated from “Suits,” with its pilot embedded in the parent series’ Season 7 finale. The show was produced by UCP and helmed by executive producers including Aaron Korsh, Daniel Arkin, Doug Liman, David Bartis, Gene Klein of Hypnotic, and directed by Kevin Bray.
NBCU Leveraging ‘Suits’ Nielsen Chart-Topping Success to Attract Netflix Viewers
NBCUniversal aims to entice Netflix viewers immersed in ‘Suits,’ the chart-topping series for six consecutive Nielsen weeks. This summer, ‘Suits’ achieved a remarkable feat, breaking Nielsen’s streaming records with 3.1 billion viewing minutes from June 26 to July 2 on both Netflix and Peacock. The show’s first season also secured 27.7 million viewing hours the week of June 19, consistently residing in Netflix’s top ten.
Despite ‘Suits’ success, creator Aaron Korsh has revealed that there are no immediate plans for additional spinoffs.