Where Was Suits Filmed? Say Hello To The 2011 Legal Drama!

Do you like TV shows that present arrogant and rambunctious characters who are intelligent at the same time? If that’s the case, be sure to read this article where I discuss the popular show, Suits. And later in this article, also let you in on where was Suits filmed.

The American drama series Suits, released in the summer of 2011 was an instant hit! The story of the show centers around the character of Harvey Specter, one of the most sought after corporate lawyers in New York. And his accomplice Mike Ross, a high school dropout with a photographic memory, who deceitfully finds his way to the biggest law firm in America. 

The show has a total of 9 seasons, with 14 episodes averaging per season, except this last! Suits was highly praised by the audience and critics, initially. However the viewership of the show declined with each passing season. Nevertheless, Suits was nominated for a number of awards, and won the Imagen Foundation Awards in 2018!

Let us now discuss the plot of the series in brief. So that you may get a better understanding about the basic premise. Plus, I’ll share with you where was Suits filmed, as well.

Plot Of Suits | What’s It About

At the very beginning of the series we are introduced to the character of Mike Ross, a young and intelligent American man, who earns his livelihood by using his eidetic memory. While illegally appearing for a Law admission test, he gets to meet the infamous lawyer of the town, Harvey Specter!

Later in the show, Mike finds his way into the legal firm and builds up a rapport with Harvey. The show progresses gradually by showcasing different complicated lawsuits, that the duo (Harvey & Mike) win by presenting intelligible arguments. Midway through the series, other supporting characters are instilled to initiate romantic subplots! 

Finally, as the series progresses towards the completion, the relationship between Harvey and Mike is shown to deteriorate. Eventually the heartfelt connection of the duo is shown to get completely sundered by the end of the series.

This popular drama series hosts a number of noteworthy cast members, who did an amazing job on screen. The witty dialogues are on point, too. But somehow the characters lacked depth, which made the narrative of the show a bit too predictable!

Now before I give you all the spoilers, let us find out where was Suits filmed. So that you can enjoy the stunning filming locations of this legal drama!

Where Was Suits Filmed? Let’s Know This Legal Drama Closely!!

Creator of the American drama series, Aaron Korsch along with cinematographer Dan Stoloff, decided to film the entire show in Canada. Except for the pilot episode, which was filmed in New York. The production unit was moved to Canada, strictly for financial reasons! The filming tax credit that the production received while filming in Canada, aided the budget of the show immensely. 

The principal photography began in June 2010 for the first season, and was completed in two months.The following seasons which were released later, however, took more time to be filmed!

Throughout the 9 seasons, even if Suits didn’t maintain its standard, plot wise! It sure was consistent enough to keep the same filming locations! Nevertheless, the shooting spots are absolutely drop-dead gorgeous! So, without any further ado, let’s find out where was Suits filmed, in depth.

Toronto, Canada

The city of Toronto is no stranger to filmmakers, artists and tourists. The lively atmosphere around the tallest skyscrapers in the financial district, were indeed the perfect spots for recreating the upstate law firm shown in the series. The Bay Adelaide Centre located at 333 Bay St, was used by the production unit to film the outdoor scenes of the “Pearson Specter Litt” legal firm. 

Special permission from the authorities was required to film the 51 storied building. The production managed to get permission, although it struggled in managing the crowd. The busy location almost made it impossible for the crew to shoot during the rush hours! But somehow the unit dealt with the situation as only the exterior shots were required to be filmed.

Other notable scenes in Toronto featured The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, located at 181 Wellington St. West. This luxurious property was used to film the hotel scene where Harvey is shown to meet with foreign clients to discuss a high-end case!

To film the interior scenes of the office, the production unit booked a set in Downsview Park Studios. The Canadian Studio located at 40 Carl Hall Road, Toronto. Even though it was used to film the initial seasons of the series. The production later decided to change the studio, as they could not agree on the contract renewal fee. 

Here’s couple of places in Toronto that you can most definitely look up, such as CN Tower, Royal Ontario Museum, Art Gallery Of Ontario, Casa Loma, St. Lawrence Market and Toronto Islands if you plan to visit this wonderful place!

New York, USA

As mentioned, only the establishing scenes from the first couple of episodes of Suits were filmed in New York. But they still were important as the backstory of the characters were established through those sequences. The opening sequence which showcases the Manhattan skyline, was actually shot in Manhattan! But later murals were used to recreate the backdrop, as the production moved to Canada.

But hey, I can tell you about some other films and shows that were majorly filmed in New York, such as Succession, The Sopranos, The Blacklist, Severance, Only Murders in the Building, Black Panther and Spiderman: No Way Home.

Final Words

OK, so now that I’ve shared with you where was Suits filmed, I hope you got what you were looking for! And if you’ve enjoyed reading this article, don’t forget to mention your thoughts in the comment section below! Stay safe and be sure to visit Viebly! Adios.