Actors not watching their performances is a constant recurring conversation in Hollywood. Several stars, who are too much of perfectionists shy away from watching their projects no matter how successful.
In 2023 Suits received a resurgence in popularity after it was added to one of the most popular streaming platforms, Netflix. Millennials as well as the younger audience tuned in to reexperience the OG legal drama series. However, it came as a shock to fans when Patrick J. Adams confessed he didn’t watch the show until recently.
Consequences of being too critical as an artist
USA Network’s Suits presented a legal drama centered around two main characters Mike Ross and Harvey Specter. The show gained immense popularity and numerous accolades and spawned a spin-off Pearson which unfortunately didn’t last long.
However, the Gabriel Macht starrer experienced a rebirth in 2023 when the show was added to Netflix and Peacock. Suddenly it gained a larger audience and nostalgia hit the older fans who flocked back to the drama series.
This was the same for the cast members as well who reflected back on their time on the set. Patrick J. Adams and Sarah Rafferty spoke to BuzzFeed about their memories related to the show when the NCIS actor revealed a shocking fact.
Look, I didn’t watch the show for a reason. I am not good at watching myself on camera. It is a problem, I’ve been sort of keeping it in this box. Because I didn’t want to interact with it, and I was too scared to watch it and all my insecurities.
The actor confessed that he couldn’t get around to watching his own show and it has nothing to do with lack of time. For J. Adams it was hard to view his performance on screen and not nit-pick. Like several other actors, he too had insecurities related to his acting.
The character growth on and off the screen
Finally, he grew accustomed to the idea of watching himself on the small screen. The He Went That Way actor also said that fan support and the recent boost in popularity helped him come to that decision.
So after this huge outpouring of support and this renaissance of it last summer, it was like, we have to watch this show. “If we’re gonna watch this show, let’s watch it together and engage with fans and make a thing of it.
Armed with his newfound confidence and his OG co-actors he mustered the courage to not only watch the show but do so in a podcast. Most of the members of the cast joined the Sidebar: A Suits Watch Podcast, except Meghan Markle.
I’m so glad I didn’t watch it because now I can have so much more gratitude and appreciation for it.
What started with apprehension for the actor soon became a cherished memory he could share with his former co-stars. In the end, J. Adams was grateful he didn’t watch the show earlier since he got the chance to reunite with his cast for the task.
 Sidebar: A Suits Watch Podcast is available to listen to on SiriusXM.Â
Suits is currently available to watch on Netflix.
