If you like ‘Suits,’ then try these shows on for size
“Suits” continues to break records on Netflix. For one thing, the series offers palace watchers the last acting work of Meghan Markle, our controversial American royal. For another, the show — which originally ran on the USA Network from 2011-19 — has made its way onto a hugely popular streaming service that knows how to promote its own. Also, it features tons of episodes for binge-watching maniacs who need their “beautiful little dolls,” as Jacqueline Susann put it.
And “Suits” is an easy watch — mostly sunny with a chance of drama. It is far from the dark, gritty crime shows that sometimes seem to be competing in the category of Artful Gross Out. It’s about two charismatic fellows, an arrogant New York lawyer and a drifter who becomes his protégé despite never having gone to law school. There are legal cases (the titular suits) all leavened by inter-office relationships among the ensemble (many of them wearing the titular suits). Perhaps viewers are hankering for shows tinged with escapism and warmth this summer, to counteract all those heavy news cycles.
What other undemanding, long-running, but finished series are waiting for “Suits” viewers when they reach the end of the long line? Here are some comparable shows, with some combination of cases of the week, recurring story arcs, buddy rapports, many episodes, and a tone that will not give you bloody nightmares.
“White Collar”
Like “Suits,” this one began as a USA “Blue Sky” series. And it, too, relies on a lighter tone and a buddy dynamic, in this case between a by-the-book FBI agent and a charming con artist. The odd-couple pairing — played by Tim DeKay as the agent and Matt Bomer as his slippery helper — go after white-collar criminals while bickering, bantering, and bonding. There’s no angry condemnation of Wall Street fat cats here; just plenty of quirkiness around the edges, not least of all from the late Willie Garson as Bomer’s street contact. (Stream on Hulu, Freevee)
“Bones”
Weighing in at 12 seasons and 246 episodes, this procedural is named after both the human remains that the team use to solve crimes as well as the nickname of Emily Deschanel’s forensic anthropologist. She’s Team Science, an atheist who focuses on facts, and her FBI agent partner played by David Boreanaz is Team Faith, a believer who relies on his gut. Their flirtations, as well as those of their teammates, bring affectionate comedy to the (remainsstrewn) table. This one will keep you busy for a long, long time. (Stream on Hulu, Freevee)
“Elementary”
The seminal crime-solving buddies are Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, who’ve had a TV comeback with PBS’s “Sherlock,” which is entertaining and worth checking out. “Elementary,” though, has more overlap with the “Suits” formula, subverting Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s characters in many quirky and sometimes amusing ways. In this version, Jonny Lee Miller’s Holmes is a recovering addict in New York and Dr. Watson — Lucy Liu’s Dr. Joan Watson — is, at first, his sober companion hired by his wealthy father (played mid-series by John Noble). You want crimes of the week with a bit of wit and character development? There are 154 episodes waiting for you. (Stream on Hulu)
“The Mentalist”
He’s observant, he’s intelligent, he’s obsessive, he’s arrogant — and surprise, he’s not Sherlock Holmes. Simon Baker’s Patrick Jane is yet another of TV’s Holmesian crime-solvers, assisting the California Bureau of Investigation’s homicide squad and savoring those moments when his acute observational skills — he’s a former con artist and fraudulent psychic — bests their more conventional methods. His tragic past — he’s driven to destroy the man who killed his wife and daughter — adds some emotional depth to his otherwise sly, smirky demeanor, and of course he has a long-term flirtation with Robin Tunney’s team leader. (Stream on Max, Roku)
“Burn Notice”
I frequently take the opportunity to recommend this breezy comedy-drama, a favorite. It’s about a spy — played with charming irony by Jeffrey Donovan — who has been fired and blacklisted without knowing why. He returns to his hometown, Miami, reconnects with his ex (Gabrielle Anwar) and his retired spy pal (B movie icon Bruce Campbell), and solves cases with them. The only case he can’t solve: his relationship with his wonderfully passive-aggressive mother, played by Sharon Gless. What makes the seven-season-long “Burn Notice” work is that it doesn’t take itself seriously, leaning into spoof as Donovan delivers a perfectly wry second-person voice-over. (Stream on Hulu, Freevee)
“Castle”
If you watch a lot of TV, you might think that just about anyone can become a consultant to real detectives. In this case, that anyone is Nathan Fillion’s best-selling mystery novelist Richard Castle, and the cop he works with is NYPD homicide detective Kate Beckett, played by Stana Katic. “Murder, He Wrote”? Kind of. He’s also a wisecracking bad boy — and single dad — who flirts madly with Kate as he helps her catch killers with the help of his storytelling skills. All the while — there are 173 episodes — we wait to see if they will or will not. (Stream on Hulu)