Thirteen years afterHouseconcluded, there’s no medical drama that has come as close to replicating its magic, but a 2011 series about lawyers was able to do it.Houseremains one of thebest medical dramasto hit the small screen. While shows likeGrey’s AnatomyandERshaped the genre,Houseseemed to operate under different rules. This is mainly because ofHugh Laurie’s Dr. House, whose unconventional work process put the TV show ahead of the curve.
While many medical dramas follow a particular formula when it comes to their storytelling, what setHouseapart was that it felt more like a mystery series with larger-than-life characters than it did about medicine. Some of thebestHouseepisodesdidn’t even have fascinating medical cases and focused more on developing the characters and their relationships. The same can be said aboutSuits, who, despite being a totally different profession, was similar toHousein various ways.
Suits Was The True Replacement For House
Suits & House Have Similar Storylines
With the level of success thatHousehad, it’s not surprising that it set the standard for medical dramas that came after it. However, the one series that serves asHouse’s spiritual successor isn’t a show about doctors, but about lawyers. Premiering in 2011, a year beforeHouseaired its eighth and final season,Suitswon audiences over with its fresh take on the legal drama formula.Although at first glance it might not seem likeHouseandSuitshave anything in common, that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Suitsfollows Mike, a college dropout with an eidetic memory pretending to be a lawyer, as he learns what it takes to survive in his profession from his mentor, Harvey Specter.SuitsandHousehave the same premise at their core.They aren’t really about the professions featured in the TV shows, but how their characters interact with each other in their workplace. With its case-by-case weekly episodes, workplace drama, and hilarious dynamics between its amazing characters,Suitstruly wasHouse’s replacement.
Suits Wasn’t Really About The Law (Like House Wasn’t About Medicine)
Suits & House Were About Character Dynamics
WhileHouseis a medical drama, it was more about House than it was about medicine. Similarly,Suitsisn’t a show about the law, despite including all the tropes ofa legal drama.Suits' biggest strength was its primary protagonists, Mike and Harvey. Their relationship and personalities are what defined the legal drama and made it entertaining. Mike’s secret made him a liability to everyone around him, whereas Harvey’s obsession with winning and strong personality made him an unpredictable lead.
Suitshas two canceled spinoff shows,PearsonandSuits LA.
Housealso has the characteristics that madeSuitssuch a great show. LikeSuits,House’s primary protagonist was extraordinary and had a fascinating personality that led audiences to wonder what he would say or do next. The main characters in both shows were their beating hearts. Without the title character,Housewouldn’t have worked, just likeSuitslost steam after Patrick J. Adams left.House and his dynamic with his fellows defined the medical drama, in the same way that Mike and Harvey were the core ofSuits.
Suits Captures The Magic Of House Better Than Any Medical Drama
Suits Redefined Legal Dramas
Several medical dramas, includingThe Good Doctor, follow the same formula asHouse.Every episode has a new case, as expected of any procedural TV show. However,Suitsis the series that understood more than any medical drama what madeHousetick. Both shows perfected the procedural formula while giving us fascinating characters.
For example, the way Harvey messed with Louis and made Jessica’s life more difficult with his questionable decisions is reminiscent ofHouseand his relationship with Wilson and Cuddy. While it was easy to guess how each new case inSuitswould end, they were still highly entertaining as they provided new insight into how the law works. Given how great the TV shows are, it’s not difficult to see why they are as relevant and popular today as they were when they were released.
House
Cast
House is a medical mystery drama in which the villain is typically a difficult-to-diagnose medical malady. It follows Dr. Gregory House (Hugh Laurie), a world-renowned disabled diagnostician with a notorious substance abuse issue. With his team of world-class doctors, House has built a reputation as one of the most brilliant doctors in the world - an especially impressive feat when taking into account that he rarely actually sees his patients.
Suits
Suits is a legal drama series that premiered in 2011, centering on Mike Ross, a college dropout with a photographic memory who lands a job at a top New York law firm despite lacking a law degree. Partnering with one of the city’s best legal closers, Harvey Specter, they navigate the challenges of high-stakes cases and firm dynamics.
