TV Pick of the Week: Suits

TV land is loaded with shows about doctors, lawyers and cops. USA Network is the perfect example of that procedural trend. I enjoy watching most USA shows, but I am simply not addicted to them [well maaaybe Psych]. So it was a big surprise for me when last summer USA premiered a show that was, in my opinion, one of the best new shows of the year.

Suits is a show about a big shot lawyer, Harvey, who hires a young associate, Mike, to work for him. The catch is that Mike doesn’t have a law degree, however he is a genius with a photographic memory and deep interest in the law.The premise is slightly different, but at the end of the day it is another show about lawyers that has an unlikely couple in the middle, right? Wrong, the formula of the show may be the same, but there is just enough edge to the writing to make it better than the rest.

There are so many shows about lawyers where they are depicted as these do-gooder heros, saving the least fortunate and using the system to find justice (Think Fairly Legal, Franklin & Bash, Drop Dead Diva). Yeah…. That is realistic. While Harvey is no Patty Hewes, he definitely is not a savior of lost causes either. Harvey represents big firms because he wants to win and make tons of money. But having said that, he is not an entirely bad guy either.  He is morally ambiguous as all good characters are. And that is the case for the rest of the supporting characters as well. They are not simplistic vignettes, they are full fleshed characters with insecurities and flaws that defy conventions and are used to their maximum potential. Louis is perfect as the personification of a workaholic insecure rival with a secret adoration of Harvey.  Jessica is the strong female boss and you can never guess if she will show mercy or crush everyone on her way to the top. The assistant Donna is too smart for her own good, she knows how to work everybody but has the fatal short-coming of protecting Harvey at all costs.

The show follows a procedural format. A legal case is introduced and solved in each episode. However the cases take a backseat to the main storyline that revolves around the main characters and the personal lives. For the casual viewer, there is still a case to follow but for the more committed viewers the reward of character development is priceless.

Casting was also spot on. The two male leads are perfect and have great chemistry together. Gina Torres has been a fan favorite for ages (Alias, Firefly) and it is great to see her on a recurring show of a show that hopefully won’t be cancelled too soon.

Suits is a must of the summer!