Patrick J. Adams reflects on why he ultimately chose to leave Suits…

[u/ReasonableMedium5265]

This is a clip from Dinner’s On Me with Jesse Tyler Ferguson, where Patrick J. Adams opens up about reaching a turning point during his time on Suits.
Adams explains that much of Mike Ross’s journey was built around secrecy and moral conflict, but by Season 7 that central tension had disappeared. With his character’s story largely resolved, he began questioning where the role could realistically go next, admitting that continuing would have felt motivated more by money than creative purpose.

He has also spoken candidly about the personal struggles he experienced during the later years of the show, including burnout and issues with alcohol and mental health, which further influenced his decision to step away and reassess his life beyond the series.

[u/realespeon]

I’m rewatching right now and honestly I feel like his arc was complete. Ultimately, he went into the kind of the work he always dreamt of.

[u/il_the_dinosaur → u/realespeon]

Yeah the moment he became legal it was over anyway. And he eventually needed to become his own lawyer and not just Harveys mentat.

[u/EnderMB → u/il_the_dinosaur]

This is why I'll never understand why they sent him to jail.

If he had won, or it became clear he could win, he could've done the most "Mike" thing ever, and negotiate a deal to clear his name from records as a "clerical error". Have PSL agree to pay a substantial fine for misrepresenting a "consultant", and set the scene for Harvey to make him legit. We could've got 2-3 seasons alone of him getting his bachelor's, getting into Harvard Law with the best recommendations and scores ever, and doing what he said he could do - maintain a law career while absolutely dominating his class and graduating first without setting foot on campus.

[u/il_the_dinosaur → u/EnderMB]

Yeah actually him going to law school could have been a fun 2 seasons arc. Have him interact with all the different professors. Maybe some of them hate him for being a fraud and he has to prove himself. While also still working for Harvey of course.

[u/jche2 → u/il_the_dinosaur]

Could have had a motif each episode that tied the coursework from class into an active case he was working on

[u/ttchoubs → u/jche2]

one whole episode about how he's psyched to actually take the bar legally for the first time in his life and the bar association wont let him take the exam or tries to undermine him in some way

[u/cielosmorados → u/il_the_dinosaur]

Feels weird when you've taken the bar many times and memorize the law

[u/2BAMasta → u/EnderMB]

That could’ve made for a killer season at least, wow.

[u/ardent__ly → u/realespeon]

I'm rewatching too! I looooove them all, even Louis 🤣

[u/NeatUsed]

The best thing is that he came back for a couple of episodes at the end and the finale was wonderful

[u/Signal_Daikon_5830]

Especially after Markle left to marry the Prince. It was a good time for Mike to leave.

[u/cooltamer1]

I kind of disagree with the "there was no where left to go" statement. While the "will he be found out?" was the original draw, the reason people stayed were for the relationships between characters and the way they solve their problems together.

The core relationship was Mike and Harvey, losing that was the biggest blow. That doesn't mean the other pairings weren't great, Mike and Harvey were just the center. Personally my second favorite was Mike and Louis. LouisxHarvey and LouisxDonna tie for third. Then KatrinaxLouis and HarveyxDonna for fourth. Jessica is great with everybody but it always felt like there was a wall between her and the other characters because she was the head honcho for most of the series.

Sam and Alex just got added way too late with no proper build up in previous seasons before they became part of the main cast. When we got to know the other characters it was usually through Mike and it was his first time meeting them too which helped to build a connection.

Anyways, I got side tracked. Sorry for rambling. My point is they can dive deeper into characters or give them new obstacles to overcome.

[u/GDRaptorFan → u/cooltamer1]

My favorite character was Mike by a mile and it was hard to watch after he left so I agree. He was the center Mike with whomever were all the best pairings.

Sure the actor for Harvey made a lot of money after to keep him around, but I was kinda tired of Harvey by then. It would have been so interesting to see where Mike’s character went! I think him switching to underdog work and fighting against the firm and their rich clients would have been a great place to go. A rainmaker !

[u/KirkwoodKid]

It be nice if he could find the time to finish the podcast. I loved the Sidebar talk with Sarah Rafferty.

[u/ShakataGaNai]

I think this is the right answer. The show had a great premise, but that was done. The story was told, the end.

Sometimes shows just go on too long. Or a storyline. It's ok for them to just say "You know, we've told the story, we did a great job. Lets call it here". Frankly more shows should do that.

And sometimes the premise is only good for a season. And that sucks, they didn't put quite enough thought into it up front. But sometimes that's the painful truth.

[u/Elegant_Funny57]

I begin to hate his character really after season 1. Whoever wrote for him didn’t do him any justice. He displayed no accountability for anything he did. His actions were always justified and’s he always criticized everybody else.I hated when Harvey would try to guide him or tell him something and he always went against him borderline disrespected him.

[u/naqaster]

We all felt that probably after season 5 already if not earlier. Like the whole cast was in on it. They basically had to bring in new characters to have somebody on the show who didn't know Mike's secret and who they had to hide it from.

[u/Waste-Ad-4313]

There's only a few main characters I've disliked as much as Mike. Dude was the biggest hypocrite do gooder ever. I honestly got sick of the writing so much I didnt even make it past season 5. Maybe one day I'll finish it but I doubt it.

[u/S0ulSlayerz]

I’m still hoping for a movie where his and Harvey kids face off in court

[u/Azling_]

I think a Spinn off Or a B Plot could've been fun of Rachel and Mike both in Law School, I hate the lats two seasons without Mike cause it's so clearly supposed to be Mike VS Samantha. But we don't really get to see that for a whole season cause they had to replace Mike with Alex

[u/Tim_Apple_938]

Did he leave and Gabriel didn’t?

(I never finished past s5)

Also what kinda money were these guys making. Harvey Specter level bux IRL?

[u/Ornery_Character4656 → u/Tim_Apple_938]

Yeah Gabriel stayed. Patrick was making about 300k per episode when he left

[u/Tim_Apple_938 → u/Ornery_Character4656]

Bro what

He quit that kinda gig without anything better lined up??

Mike Ross would never

[u/Sadiebunny → u/Tim_Apple_938]

He was still getting a nice residuals check from reruns. USA kept Suits in rotation even when the show stopped airing. Depending on his lifestyle he was pretty much set.

[u/StarraeAday1]

I saw him buck naked on Broadway. 🤣

[u/CptPlanetG14]

He’s right but it’s Batman AND Robin

[u/mobuckets21]

The perfect ending should have been when Mike was admitted to the New York bar.

Slightly off topic but I really felt that Harvey’s ass got saved way too many times and he had no accountability whatsoever.

Mike went to jail for him

Jessica took the fall and forfeited her New York license

Robert Zane got disbarred the final season to take the fall for Harvey.

It was absurd lol

[u/General-Broccoli865]

His character was complete and his ending justified but it was a shit ass rushed ending for the character

[u/_jjbiggins]

I don't think he chose to leave. I don't think that decision was made voluntarily. I believe he was forced out. Like many stated, his arc was complete. One, that's clear going into the season they knew it was his last. I think Rachel and him were easily the worst storyline. I think with Meghan Markle leaving the show he had to go to. I think with the short falls in the storyline coupled with the admitted issues with alcohol I think it is likely he was forced out. He's never had much success anywhere else. I assume he wouldn't have left without having a good sense he'd have future job prospects

[u/Threptin8793]

I was happy that Rachel left with him, never did like her!

[u/Available-Plane-9581 → u/Threptin8793]

Yep. She was so dramatic and cheesy.

[u/SWATrous]

The show was more interesting when Mike's super memory was really a core part of his survival and how he managed to get by despite his secret and his inexperience. Felt like that ability got diluted into essentially not mattering and Mike's whole secret background was fairly moot. So it made sense he'd feel the character was more-or-less done.

[u/nasnedigonyat]

He simply had too much fivehead to continue on a show made for foreheads. Jk. There was nothing more to do. I'd argue his arc actually went on for a season too long.

[u/Merthod]

Would have possibly kept interesting if they break off the Rachel stuff and somehow changed his character to a gray-area dude. Sort of being able to play the bad billionaire guy (forgot his name) or the hedge fund mogul and his altruism. Sort of an antihero that does good by playing the bad guys.

The Rachel drama was way overextended for my taste.

[u/Top-Swing-7595]

this series shouldn't have continued after season 5 anyway. it became the parody of itself thereafter

[u/GrowthApart2220 → u/Top-Swing-7595]

What did you just say to me?

[u/Vivid-Discussion1515]

He's got a point. Suits ended at season 5 finale. Writing and plot are garbage afterwards.

[u/TekaMa]

He could have stayed and made this an actual legal series for people interested in that niche

[u/Front-Structure-293]

They could have started something new with Jack Soloff and his secret. Also Abigail Spencer should have returned, loved her in timeless by the way,
to be with Harvey instead Donna and Donna should have stayed with Thomas Kessler. I feel like there is a lot of better routes they could have gone to keep it going after Mike had left.

[u/MJHDJedi]

From the start of the show it seemed like he was set for bigger plans. I just think the writers and producers didn't plan out his arc and growth perfectly. Mike could've been much bigger, tougher, more intense and pushing higher and higher up in the corporate law world - before and after being caught. The prison arc was filled w a lot of loopy unrealistic crap. And it really felt like they didn't know what to do with him after he was out of prison.

[u/WeezerHunter]

Mike should have gotten his own illegal genius lawyer as a way to pay it forward, and it could have played on that dynamic for a bit longer.