Suits: The Egoistical cum Entertaining Law Drama

Brimmed with witty one-liners, haughty characters and suspenseful subplots, Aaron Korsh’s Suits is among the most enjoyable legal drama series. It aired from 2011 to 2019, lasting for nine seasons. Driven by class, elegance and ego, the entertaining storyline, at times, makes us question its accuracy as well as authenticity.

Suits centres on Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht) and Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams). Harvey is a senior partner at Pearson Hardman, one of the biggest corporate law firms in New York. He is known as “the best closer in the city”. His colleagues include the Managing Partner Jessica Pearson (Gina Torres), Junior Partner Louis Litt (Rick Hoffman), Paralegal Rachel Zane (Meghan Markle) and his Secretary Donna Paulsen (Sarah Rafferty).

Mike Ross got dropped out of college due to ill fate. He has an exceptional photographic memory, with which he impresses Harvey and eventually gets hired by him. However, the problem is that Pearson Hardman only hires Harvard Graduates whereas Mike does not even have a law degree. This heavy secret, having the capability to alter the fate of the firm and its employees, drives the plot of the show for many seasons.

The Pilot episode is quite well-crafted. We are introduced to the main characters, and the base for the entire plot is skilfully set. Entering the seemingly lavish life of the corporate lawyers, we witness the ongoing competitive tension in the firm. Everyone wants to come out at the top, and nobody seems to be a fan of making compromises.

The writers of the show do not receive enough credits for the entertaining sarcastic remarks as well as the haughty yet motivational dialogues. Harvey is the central mouthpiece, where he always comes up with a clever line: “When you are backed against the wall, break the goddamn thing down.”

The picturesque urban life radiates with the theme of glamour. The scenes are set in luxurious buildings, and are at times complemented by good popular music to set the mood. The cast was close to perfection in their roles, and the dramatic plots created enough tensions for the viewer to remain glued to the screen for as long as possible.

The drawbacks of the series include the unrealistic success portrayals. The lawyers win most of the cases mostly by carrying out settlements, and the defeats are usually minor in nature. Despite the regular bending of the law according to the “subjective truth”, the people still possess unfound ego. Not one episode goes by where anyone of the characters have not lost their temper, resulting in the decreasing genuineness behind their apologies.

The exit of Mike and Rachel resulted in a slow burn season 8, while Donna and Harvey’s relationship came after a really dreadful stretch. Moreover, the constant alteration of the firm’s name was not at all pleasing. There was persistent criticism of the field of Corporate Law, which comes below Criminal Law in terms of morality, but definitely not on monetary lines.

The series undoubtedly has some immensely affective character developments, the best being Louis’s. His journey from being a toxic counterpart to a supportive partner seemed immensely real and genuine. Harvey too, matured over the years, but the rest kept on embarking on more or less the same route. The perpetual scenes of the therapy sessions are a significant and commendable aspect of the show.

The omnipresent glamour is justified with the title of series, and is paradoxical to the mental turmoil suffered by the characters. Despite the sometimes inaccurate drama, Suits definitely has the capability to engross you throughout its long length. This show will entertain you, while also making you unnecessarily aware of quite a few terms of the law.

Zaina Shahid Khan is a student pursuing English Literature from Jamia Millia Islamia.

Edited by: Maryam Hassan