Suits (American TV series)

Did You Know?

• The show received a 91% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the season 3 consensus praising its character-driven drama.
• A Korean remake starring Jang Dong-gun and Park Hyung-sik was broadcast on KBS2 in 2018.
• The spin-off Pearson, centered on Jessica Pearson's entry into Chicago politics, was canceled after one season.

Series overview

Mike Ross, a university expellee with a photographic memory, earns money by taking the LSAT and bar examination for others to pay for his grandmother's living expenses after his parents died in a car accident when he was 11. In the pilot, he delivers a briefcase of cannabis for his friend Trevor, avoids arrest, and stumbles into a job interview with Harvey Specter, a senior partner at Pearson Hardman. Harvey hires Mike as an associate despite Mike's lack of a law license, and together they try cases while keeping Mike's secret. Harvey's secretary Donna Paulsen learns the truth almost immediately. Mike meets paralegal Rachel Zane and tries to impress managing partner Jessica Pearson while avoiding suspicion from junior partner Louis Litt. Jessica eventually learns Mike's secret, but other issues arise when co-founding partner Daniel Hardman returns to challenge control of the firm. Louis sides with Hardman after being promised a promotion. Mike begins a relationship with Rachel but breaks up with her after Harvey forbids him from revealing his secret. After his grandmother's death, Mike pursues other women. Harvey and Donna face accusations of burying evidence, and the threat from Hardman forces Jessica to merge with British firm Darby International. Mike ultimately reveals his secret to Rachel.

Cast and characters

Gabriel Macht portrays Harvey Reginald Specter, the best closer in the city and Jessica Pearson's right-hand man, who becomes a name partner and later resigns from Specter Litt Wheeler Williams in season 9, marrying Donna Paulsen in the series finale and moving to Seattle. Patrick J. Adams plays Michael James Ross, a main character in seasons 1 through 7 and a recurring character in season 9, who is hired by Harvey despite lacking a law license, serves two years in prison after being caught, passes the bar in season 6, marries Rachel Zane, and returns in season 9 to help oust Faye Richardson. Rick Hoffman plays Louis Marlowe Litt, initially a junior partner who uses Mike's secret to become a partner, evolves into managing partner of Litt Wheeler Williams Bennett, marries Sheila Sazs, and has a daughter named Lucy Litt in the series finale. Meghan Markle plays Rachel Elizabeth Zane, daughter of lawyer Robert Zane, who works as a senior paralegal at Pearson Hardman and later becomes an associate at Pearson Specter Litt, marrying Mike Ross and moving to Seattle in the season 7 finale.

Production

Suits first appeared on USA Network's development slate in April 2010 under the title A Legal Mind. The premiere was written by Aaron Korsh, with David Bartis and Gene Klein serving as executive producers. Korsh originally wrote a spec script intended as a half-hour Entourage-type series based on his Wall Street experiences, but later realized it should be hour-long episodes. He and his agent took the script to Universal Media Studios, and his agent convinced USA Network executive Alex Sepiol to approve it. Hypnotic Films & Television signed on to the project. In rewriting, Korsh made small changes to the first half-hour; originally Mike did not take LSATs for others and only pretended to have attended Harvard instead of pretending he attended Harvard and has a law degree. The pilot was filmed in New York City at Kirkland & Ellis LLP, while the rest of the series was filmed in Toronto at Downsview Park Studios, where sets were built to match the New York law offices. To promote the series debut, USA held an advance screening of the pilot on June 2, 2011, at Hudson River Park, distributed free Häagen-Dazs Sundae cones, and ran branded ice-cream carts, bikes, and scooters giveaways in multiple cities.

Broadcast and home media

The first season of Suits began on June 23, 2011, and wrapped up on September 8, 2011, with a total of 12 episodes that included a 90-minute pilot. The DVD for Region 1 came out on May 1, 2012, while the Region A/B Blu-ray followed on April 10, 2014. A 16-episode second season was announced on August 11, 2011, premiering on June 14, 2012; its mid-season break hit on August 23, 2012, and the final six episodes returned on January 17, 2013. The DVD for that season arrived on December 2, 2013, and the Blu-ray on June 26, 2014. A third season of 16 episodes was greenlit on October 12, 2012, starting on July 16, 2013, with its last six episodes airing after March 6, 2014. The DVD was released on December 22, 2014, and the Blu-ray on September 1, 2014. A fourth 16-episode season was ordered on October 24, 2013, premiering on June 11, 2014, with a mid-season finale on August 6, 2014; its DVD and Blu-ray both dropped on June 8, 2015. A fifth season of 16 episodes was announced on August 11, 2014, premiering on June 24, 2015, with a DVD on May 31, 2016, and Blu-ray on June 6, 2016. A sixth season of 16 episodes was renewed on July 1, 2015, premiering on July 13, 2016; its DVD came out on May 30, 2017, and Blu-ray on May 29, 2017. The series streams on Amazon Video, iTunes, Vudu, and Xfinity. In the UK and Ireland, Dave aired the first six seasons but dropped the show before season 7, so Netflix picked up UK rights, streaming episodes less than 24 hours after U.S. broadcasts; Netflix did not get Irish rights. No Blu-ray has been released in the U.S. or Canada, but Region A/B versions are available in the UK, Germany, Italy, and Spain.