Alright, Let’s Talk About Suits

ANDREW MICHAELSON
Volume 2, Issue 6 (Originally Published 27 August 2012)
 
With the first half of its second season finishing up last Friday, perhaps we’re finally ready to make a proper assessment of that sassy yet scintillating, corny but compelling enigma of a show that is Suits.
 
To the uninitiated, Suits, is a US legal drama1 currently airing on Channel 7[2] It follows the exploits of one Harvey Spectre, ace corporate attorney3, his trusty associate Mike Ross and their compatriots at the law firm Pearson Hardman.
 
From the outset, Suits quite understandably sounds like every other  courtroom drama available for our viewing pleasure, Boston Legal, Street Legal, Fairly Legal etc. The cast doesn’t feature anyone particularly notable4, the format isn’t anything groundbreaking and we’re not talking Mad Men quality dialogue here either.
 
Indeed you might thing Suits isn’t anything special. But you would be wrong [5].
 
It’s hard to pin down what makes Suits so addictive. I suppose much of it boils down to Harvey Spectre being a badass. He’s of course the attorney who’ll do “anything to win a case, except break the law”[6]. The show really hinges on Harvey and Mike finding ridiculous solutions to the common legal challenges. The dynamic they’ve built between the pair with their snappy zingers and banter is always great. The ‘will they won’t they’ sexual tension between Harvey and his assistant Donna, and of course, let’s not forget about Louis.
 
But with the beginning of Season 2 came the introduction of an actually credible villain Daniel Hardman, giving the show a proper narrative to keep the audience engaged. Moreover they seem to have finally dispelled with agonising of whether Mike’s secret that he never went to law school will come out and dealing with his scumbag ex-room mate [7].
 
Though Friday’s episode may have arguably wrapped things up almost a little too easily, with a few very convenient plot macguffins turning up at the last minute to fix everything, it’s still the cherry on top of an amusing season. So if you’ve yet to give the show a try, there’s never been a better time to suit up.
 
Andrew Michaelson
 

1. Drama’s quite a generous word though
2. Or, you know, the internet
3. ‘The Best Closer in New York ©’
4. Though some of you might recognise Gina Torres’ character Jessica as Zoe from Firefly, (we’re gonna bring it back guys, Joss Whedons’ the MAN!)
5. oh so very wrong.   
6. I never denied it was corny

Long story, just watch the show.