Series Suits Season 1

[Escolastico Hall]

Setin a fictional New York City corporate law firm, the series follows Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams), a college dropout with a photographic memory, as he works as an associate for the successful and charismatic attorney, Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht).[1] Suits focuses on Harvey and Mike winning lawsuits and closing cases, while at the same time hiding Mike's secret of never having attended law school.[2] It also features Rick Hoffman as Louis Litt, a neurotic, manipulative and unscrupulous financial-law partner; Meghan Markle as the ambitious, talented paralegal Rachel Zane; Sarah Rafferty as Harvey's legal secretary and confidante Donna Paulsen; and Gina Torres as the firm's control-obsessed, profit-above-all managing partner, Jessica Pearson.

On January 30, 2018, the series was renewed for an eighth season, but Torres, Adams, and Markle left the show.[3] Katherine Heigl joined the cast as Samantha Wheeler. Recurring characters Alex Williams (Dul Hill) and Katrina Bennett (Amanda Schull) were promoted to series regulars.[4] The show was renewed for a 10-episode ninth and final season on January 23, 2019, which premiered on July 17, 2019.[5][6]

Throughout its run, Suits was nominated for numerous awards, including individual attention for Torres and Adams. Besides two nominations recognizing her role as a supporting actress, Torres was awarded Outstanding Performance in a Television Series at the 2013 NHMC Impact Awards. Adams was nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series at the 2012 Screen Actors Guild Awards. The show itself was nominated for two People's Choice Awards. Its success spawned a short-lived spin-off, Pearson, centered on Jessica Pearson's entry into Chicago politics, which premiered alongside the final season of Suits on July 17, 2019.[7][8][9] Suits concluded on September 25, 2019, after nine seasons and 134 episodes. The show received an immense surge in popularity after it was added to Netflix and Peacock in 2023,[10] prompting NBCUniversal to begin development on a new spin-off series, titled Suits: L.A.[11] starring Stephen Amell.

Mike Ross, a university expellee with a photographic memory, makes money by taking the LSAT and the bar examination for others. He does this to pay for his grandmother's living expenses, as she was his primary caregiver after both his parents died in a car accident when he was 11. In the pilot, Mike agrees to deliver a briefcase of cannabis for his best friend Trevor, a drug dealer, for a large payout. Mike astutely avoids being arrested in a sting, only to stumble into a job interview with Harvey Specter, a supremely self-assured partner at the prestigious Pearson Hardman, a law firm specializing in corporate law and one that only hires Harvard graduates. Harvey is impressed by Mike's tenacity and knowledge of the law and hires him as an associate, despite Mike's not having a license to practice law.[12] Together they try cases while maintaining Mike's secret from the rest of the firm, though Harvey's insightful legal secretary, Donna Paulsen, finds out almost immediately. Mike meets Rachel Zane, an ambitious paralegal he is immediately attracted to, while trying to impress managing partner Jessica Pearson and avoid the suspicions of Louis Litt.

Jessica learns Mike's secret, but other issues take precedence when co-founding partner Daniel Hardman, who left the firm in disgrace, returns in a power bid for control of the firm. Tensions rise as Jessica and Harvey find themselves opposed by Louis, who sides with Hardman after being promised a promotion to senior partner. Mike begins a romantic relationship with Rachel but wants to tell her the truth about his lack of qualification. Harvey forbids him from doing this and so Mike breaks up with her. He pursues other women after his grandmother's sudden death. Harvey and Donna face accusations of burying evidence and must uncover the truth while keeping incriminating evidence from Hardman, who wants to use it to leverage a managing partner position. The increasing threat from Hardman forces Jessica into a merger with a British firm headed by Edward Darby. Ultimately, Mike reveals his secret to Rachel.

Darby's presence in the firm gives Harvey leverage to seek a position as a named partner. Meanwhile, the merger causes senior partner Louis Litt to clash with his British counterpart. Darby International client Ava Hessington draws Harvey into a lengthy trial against his former mentor, and the lawsuit turns into a murder charge. Realizing that his fraud cannot continue forever, Mike leaves the newly renamed Pearson Specter for a job as an investment banker.

Mike's new job puts him and Harvey on opposite sides of a takeover battle, causing the SEC to accuse them of collusion. To satisfy Harvey, Louis goes the distance with shady billionaire investor Charles Forstman through an illegal route. When Mike is fired, Louis goes to extreme lengths to persuade Mike to return to Pearson Specter rather than work for Forstman, as working for him might expose Louis's wrongdoing. To do that, Louis demands that Jessica rehire Mike Ross. When Louis realizes Mike never went to Harvard, he extorts Jessica into rehiring him with the promise of making him a named partner, as he has long wanted. Mike proposes to Rachel; Donna leaves Harvey to work for Louis.

Harvey struggles with losing Donna and begins to open up to a therapist about his broken relationship with his mother. Louis's insecurity and desire to undermine Harvey create an opening for Jack Soloff, an ambitious partner whom Hardman is manipulating. Rachel's wedding plans and her relationship with her parents are overshadowed by Mike's secret. Mike and Harvey both resign to protect their future and the firm's respectively, but Mike is abruptly arrested for fraud. More and more people involved realize the allegations are true, and facing tenacious prosecutor Anita Gibbs, Mike accepts a plea bargain, pleads guilty, and turns himself in so that no one else will go to jail. Mike and Rachel decide to get married before he is imprisoned. At the wedding, Mike realizes that it isn't right and tells Rachel that he will not marry her now, but if she still wants him in two years, he will marry her after getting out of prison. Harvey escorts him to prison, saying their last few goodbyes.

A two-year prison sentence puts Mike at the mercy of Frank Gallo, an inmate with a grudge against Harvey. At Pearson Specter Litt, few employees remain to help. Rachel works an Innocence Project case for her law professor; Jessica assists pro bono but is distracted from matters at the firm and chooses to leave to pursue her own life. Mike's cellmate proves pivotal in a deal for Mike's freedom, which he ultimately wins when he secretly catches a murder attempt by Frank on camera. He struggles with his fraud being public knowledge but obtains a job at a legal clinic. Harvey helps both Rachel and Mike pass the bar and persuades Mike to return to the firm.

Everyone at the firm struggles to adjust to Jessica's absence. Donna takes a position as COO, and Harvey's friend Alex joins the team. Harvey begins dating his former therapist, Paula; Louis' sessions with Dr. Lipschitz, his therapist, have mixed results. Rachel begins her career as an attorney, having passed the bar. Mike continues to work pro bono cases at the clinic, with Harvey's blessing, but one of the cases puts Alex, Harvey, and others at risk. Louis and Sheila reconnect, as does Jessica with her family in Chicago. Mike and Rachel accept an offer to run their own firm in Seattle that takes on class-action suits, and get married before leaving. As the season closes, a case that puts Specter Litt in danger is the work of Robert Zane's partners, Ellen Rand and Eric Kaldor. When Zane finds out, he joins forces with Specter Litt.

After a brief conflict over who will become managing partner of the newly created firm, it is quickly resolved that Robert will (with Donna remaining COO), and the firm is renamed Zane Specter Litt. Robert hires a new senior partner, his right-hand and fixer Samantha Wheeler. After a season-long battle between Wheeler and Alex Williams over who will be added first as a name partner, both names are ultimately added to the wall. Louis learns that Sheila is pregnant. Katrina Bennett makes senior partner and struggles with romantic feelings for her married personal associate. Donna and Harvey finally admit their feelings for one another, but Donna's mishandling of client/boyfriend Thomas Kessler forces Zane to sacrifice his legal career for the good of the firm, and he is disbarred.

With Robert now disbarred, Faye Richardson, a special master from the bar, is sent to oversee the firm due to the perception of the underhanded tactics it has used for years. Faye is out to dismantle and destroy the firm but has a few skeletons of her own that can be used to take her down. At the end of the season, Louis marries Sheila, Sheila gives birth to their baby, Harvey marries Donna, and they move to Seattle to be with Mike and Rachel. Louis makes Katrina a name partner and remains to lead the firm, now known as Litt Wheeler Williams Bennett.

The pilot was filmed in New York City, where the series is set, at Kirkland & Ellis LLP.[24] The rest of the series was filmed in Toronto (at Downsview Park Studios), where the sets are built to be identical to the New York law offices seen in the pilot.[25] To promote the series debut, USA had an advance screening of the pilot on June 2, 2011, at Hudson River Park, and distributed free Hagen-Dazs Sundae cones at the viewing.[26][27] The network also had a branded ice-cream carts, bikes, and scooters giveaway at the Sundaes and USA/Entertainment Weekly 2011 promotion summer guides on June 22 and 23. It also held the promotion in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, and Boston to endorse the pilot.[26][28]

The season was created by Aaron Korsh and was aired on the USA Network in the United States. The season was produced by Hypnotic Films & Television and Universal Cable Productions. The executive producers were Korsh, Doug Liman, and David Bartis. The staff writers were: Korsh with three writing credits; Sean Jablonski, Jon Cowan, Ethan Drogin, and Rick Muirragui with two each; and Erica Lipez with one. The season's directors were Kevin Bray, John Scott, Dennie Gordon, Kate Woods, Terry McDonough, Tim Matheson, Norberto Barba, Felix Alcala, Jennifer Getzinger, and Mike Smith. In July 2010, the first actor was cast: Patrick J. Adams as Mike Ross.[29] In late July, Gabriel Macht joined the cast as Harvey Specter.[30] Rick Hoffman came on board in mid-August to portray Harvey's competition, Louis, at the law firm.[31] Meghan Markle soon joined the cast in late August, who was set to play Rachel Zane. Jessica Pearson was created to be played as a male but was given to Gina Torres.[.[32] Sarah Rafferty completed the main cast as Donna, and the pilot was filmed in New York City in the fall of 2010.[33][34]

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