The Biggest Difference Between White Collar & Suits Explains Why One Is Getting A Revival And The Other A Spinoff

By Nicole Zamlout

Published Nov 10, 2024

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The biggest difference between Suits: LA is confirmed to be a spinoff.

While updates on the White Collar revival have been scarce, it is very clear that the storyline will follow the characters from the original show. Meanwhile, the Suits spinoff will follow a new set of characters with only the possibility of cameos from the original cast. This distinction may seem confusing, as both shows had similar procedural structures and dynamics between the characters. That being said, one key difference between the base shows easily explains this decision: White Collar was about Neal Caffrey (Matt Bomer) and his journey, while Suits focused on the stories of the staff of Pearson Hardman.

White Collar Was About Neal, Suits Was About An Ensemble Cast

Neal Was The Center Point Of The Narrative, Harvey & Mike Were Not

Neal's growth and character arc was the main story of White Collar, which contrasted with Suits' ensemble focus. Throughout White Collar's original run, the story was driven largely by Neal's development as aspects of his past and present choices played out. Many of White Collar's cases reflected his own inner turmoil or shifting viewpoints, such as season 2's "Countermeasures", and used those beats to highlight the show's main themes of change and redemption. Neal's relationship with Peter Burke (Tim DeKay) was even tailored to his arc, as their growing friendship inspired him to reflect and triggered parts of his metamorphosis.

Gabriel Macht as Harvey Specter with a smirk in Suits

Suits: L.A. Will Finally Give Us The Harvey Specter Story That Suits Couldn’t If Gabriel Macht Returns For The Spinoff

If Harvey Specter appears in Suits: L.A. even if for a cameo only, the spinoff show will get to do something that the original Suits never did.

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Suits, on the other hand, had a wide ensemble focus, giving each of the characters' arcs moments to shine and drive the plot forward. Harvey Specter (Gabriel Machet) and Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adas) may have been the primary anchor points and the arcs that got the most attention, but characters such as Jessica Pearson (Gina Torres) and Rachel Zane (Megan Markle) drove episodes on their own through their actions. As a result, a revival for White Collar works as it cannot go on without Neal while Suits can tell a story without Harvey and Mike.

White Collar Without Neal Wouldn’t Work, But Suits Was More Than Mike & Harvey

Suits' Later Seasons Proved Its Status As An Ensemble Show

Harvey and Mike sat in an office together in the Suits episode Tricks of the Trade

Mike's departure from Suits in season 7 showcased that the series was more than his story and dynamic with Harvey, a strategy that White Collar could not use as the series could not exist without Neal. Mike's story had naturally concluded after season 7, but Suits continued on without him. Suits seasons 8 and 9 were able to give other characters even more screen time and allow new characters to arrive in Suits without breaking the story. That would not be an option for White Collar as its focus was solely on Neal's character development.

White Collar, by contrast, would feel empty without Neal as so much of the story is built around him, making Suits the better option for a spinoff that explores the world outside the original characters.

A Suits spinoff is better than a revival, then, because it can continue to explore that ensemble dynamic from those later seasons as it follows other lawyers from a different firm. Even with new characters, Suits would still retain its heart as long as the same sharp dialogue and story writing are applied, and the focus is on the whole cast over one character. White Collar, by contrast, would feel empty without Neal as so much of the story is built around him, making Suits the better option for a spinoff that explores the world outside the original characters.