Netflix show Suits' bizarre links to Game of Thrones revisited five years later

WARNING: This article contains minor spoilers for Netflix’s Suits.

Five years on from its finale, Suits is experiencing a resurgence in popularity thanks to Netflix.

The legal drama, which originally aired for nine seasons between 2011 and 2019, has seen a new lease of life after being picked up by Netflix and Peacock in 2023, leading to NBCUniversal's decision to develop a spin-off series titled Suits: L.A.

The show, starring Patrick J. Adams as Mike Ross, Gabriel Macht as Harvey Specter, and Meghan Markle as Rachel Zane, is set in a fictional New York City corporate law firm and is known for its sharp dialogue and pop culture references.

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One particular show that frequently gets a nod within the world of Suits is HBO's Game of Thrones, through both dialogue and casting choices.

Despite the apparent disconnect between the two shows' universes, Suits has made several "meta" references to Game of Thrones, even featuring some of the fantasy series' actors.

This intriguing crossover has been acknowledged by the cast, with lead actor Patrick Adams discussing the unique situation in an interview with BuddyTV's Carla Day in 2013.

He said: "We've referenced Game of Thrones before, so it's like the whole meta situation of the references.

"I think at some point Suits is just gonna have to start referencing itself. It's the only logical conclusion to this story," he added with a touch of humour.

In Suits, Game of Thrones fan favourites Michelle Fairley and Conleth Hill both played pivotal roles.

Michelle, who brought Lady Catelyn Stark to life in the TV adaptation of George R. R. Martin's novels, takes on the role of Hessington Oil CEO Ava Hessington in the legal drama.

Conleth, best known for his portrayal of Master of Whispers Lord Varys in Game of Thrones, plays Edward Darby in the Netflix series.

Edward Darby is an international corporate lawyer and managing partner at Darby International, previously the managing partner at Pearson Darby and Pearson Darby Specter.

Game of Thrones also features multiple times in the script for Suits, with lawyer Louis Litt (Rick Hoffman) referring to himself as a "Lannister".

One fan on Reddit also remembered lines such as "Tie me up so you can watch Game of Thrones", as well as a lunchtime chat between Rachel and Donna Paulsen (Sarah Rafferty) about the show.

Another fan then joked: "Okay...what really gets me about Game of Thrones is...how does Mike, with his photographic memory not go... Why does Ava Hessington look so much like Catelyn Stark? " (sic).

Did you notice any of these Game of Thrones connections during Suits?

Suits is available to stream now on Netflix.