Suits Used to Be Huge, but Writers' Residuals in 2023? Mere Dollars

Four months into an industry-wide shutdown, the television industry is in turmoil. Production of almost all American and many international shows has come to a standstill.

Writers, and then actors, have taken to the picket lines, urging major studios and streaming services to address demands that impact not only their livelihood but also the industry's future trajectory.

The bone of contention is demands for better pay, discussions about AI work ethics, and, notably, the contentious topic of residuals stemming from the AMPTP labour dispute. In the current television landscape, particularly with streaming services, the work of industry professionals is being heavily exploited. Millions, if not billions, tune in to watch syndicated shows, yet neither the actors nor the writers receive fair compensation. A case in point is how the writers of the renowned series Suits get a paltry sum in residuals.

Residuals have long been a focal point for unions like WGA and SAG-AFTRA. Shows could be re-aired, internationally broadcast, or syndicated, but the residuals paid to creators pale in comparison to the profits raked in by producers and studios.

Now, with the proliferation of streaming platforms acquiring rights to series, viewership for many shows has surged. Yet, as expected, residuals have dwindled. That is evident with Suits. In 2023, the celebrated legal procedural amassed a staggering combined viewership of a billion hours on Peacock and Netflix.

'I received $12,568.57 in residuals. That was back in 2016, where I imagine it was probably being sold internationally and re-airing on USA,' Lilla Zuckerman, who co-wrote and produced four episodes of seasons 4 and 5 with her sister Nora, said. 'This year, 2023, where Suits has been viewed for billions and billions of hours on Netflix, I received the grand total of $414.26 on that episode.'

Such meagre payouts, despite the show's resurgent popularity, clearly shortchange its creators. And this isn't limited to older shows. Even contemporary series' writers face similar disparities. While TV networks and studios are selling rights to streaming platforms for exorbitant amounts, writers are left in the lurch.

'All together, NBCUniversal paid the six original Suits writers less than $3,000 last quarter to stream our 11 Season 1 episodes on two platforms,' Ethan Drogin, another Suits writer, shared, showing the cynical greed of NBC, Netflix and Peacock.

Source: Decider; Los Angeles Times.