The SUITS season 7 finale covered a lot of ground: from the familiar situation of the firm being at risk of a takeover, to the backdoor pilot for Gina Torres’ new series, from setting up an eighth season, to providing a satisfying exit for two of the series’ central characters. With so much story to tell, the episode became a two-hour event; and as viewers say farewell to Patrick J. Adams’ Mike Ross and Meghan Markle’s Rachel Zane, it’s clear that things will never just be business as usual at Specter Litt, ever again.
Something old. If any plot has been done to death on SUITS, it’s “oh, shit! Someone wants to take over the firm!” And yet, against all odds, the same story, different day, never ceases to be interesting. The latest threat to Specter Litt came in the form of Stanley Gordon, someone Harvey and Louis had thought they’d gotten rid of for good by destroying Jessica Pearson’s public image. But apparently, Gordon was just getting started.
Remember all those partners that left the firm after the whole “Mike’s a fraud” fiasco? Well, Gordon was now representing them in a suit against Specter Litt, claiming they were “damaged goods” because of the drama and using the statement against Jessica to make his case. Harvey wanted to blame the entire thing on Louis, seeing as how the statement was Louis’ idea, but…guys…The downfall of this firm, for better or worse, can be linked back to two words: Mike. Ross. No fraud, and none of this happens.
(But we love you, Mikey. And we’ll miss you.)
Gordon seemed to be seeking the former partners’ buy-ins, which would mean bankruptcy if the firm lost. So, all Specter and Litt had to do was prove the whole thing was a shameless money-grab, which would totally be easy, right? Right? Nah.
Jack Soloff was no help; he signed on to the case, even though he’d already (secretly) received his money. And then there was the small wrinkle of one Dana Scott, aka “Scottie,” who wasn’t a part of the suit but had made a statement in court, saying that her credibility had been questioned “as a direct result” of her time at…whatever the firm was called at the time.
So, poor Harvey had to go ask his ex to stand in front of a judge and take back her statement — something that we all knew Scottie would never do. Here’s what Scottie would do, though: approach Harvey to see if he’d finished working on himself and kind of hint at wanting to get things started for the billionth time. And if this wasn’t one of the funniest exchanges in SUITS history, I don’t know what was: “Well. Are you done? Did you…fix yourself?” (I giggled here.) “Let’s just say I’m a work in progress.” Harvey went on to explain, self-deprecatingly, that he had dated his therapist; but it didn’t work out because “it was complicated.”
And more SUITS gems were had: “Did Donna have anything to do with that complication?” “Why do you ask?” “That’s all I needed to know.” At this point, Harvey just sort of stood there, looking stupefied, which has been his constant mood ever since Donna kissed him “out of the clear blue sky” that one time. If this scene is the best that SUITS will ever give us in terms of Harvey realizing the absurdity of dating Paula, I’ll take it — especially because it involved Abigail Spencer. Now, back to the Time Team you go…
And back to this weird past-meets-present SUITS finale we go.
The plot twist. With the Scottie threat neutralized (I guess?), the next plan was to prove that the former partners hadn’t failed to progress in their careers because of the Specter Litt drama but because, well, they were actual failures. So, Harvey visited Robert Zane, the firm’s longtime bff. But Zane was tired of helping: “I bailed you out with Bratton Gould and then again on that prison case. If I help you out with this? I might as well move in. Because no one here will ever trust me again.”
But Zane helped Harvey out anyway, conveniently leaving out some performance reviews when Rachel came over to have dinner with the parents. Evidently, Jack Soloff did, in fact, suck at his job. “I see a man that reached his limitation. Everyone knew it except for him; and now, he’s looking for someone to blame.” Oops.
The next visit from Stanley Gordon brought with it a new deal: The firm didn’t have to go bankrupt if they merely gave all the old partners their jobs back. But — oh, yeah! — those guys hated both Harvey and Louis, so that would mean getting voted out of their own home. Donna brought the most definitive proof that Specter Litt was screwed: There were three vacant floors, exactly the amount of space that Specter Litt used, but they were mysteriously unavailable. Rand Caldor Zane was expanding, which meant that Zane was screwi-…Nope. Not screwing Harvey over. Screwed by his own partners.
Oh, and Harvey had to take a trip to Chicago to help Jessica out. In the middle of all of this. SUITS knows drama.
With Zane unwilling to step in and make everything go away, Alex and Louis tried blackmailing Bratton Gould into taking the former partners at their firm; but whatever dirt Alex had on Eli Gould, Stanley Gordon had worse. Alex’s next idea was that he should become managing partner (behind Harvey’s back, while he was in Chicago), and Louis lost it. As he should…But then, Mike appealed to Robert Zane one last time; and it worked.
Just as Louis agreeing to take on the partners — and completely oblivious to what was going on down the hall — Zane was joining the firm with a bunch of partners of his own and outvoting the new/old guys. He saved the day, got accused of having a thing for Jessica (which was a nonsense accusation to make, given he wasn’t helping Jessica when she was gone), and then immediately demanded to take over Harvey’s status as managing partner.
So, it’s another day ending in “d-a-y” here at What Will We Call The Firm during SUITS’ next season, but do we care? Nope! Because bringing Robert Zane in seems to have been inevitable for a while now; and we love Wendell Pierce in this role.
There’s your big drama for season 8, I’m assuming: the classic SUITS battle for the name on the wall. So much better than a battle for Harvey’s soul, to be honest.
Something new. Your Honors, I wish for it to be added to the official record that we have missed Gina Torres’ Jessica Pearson on SUITS; even with her operating in her own, mostly separate story, her mere presence made this pair of episodes feel like finally coming home. And speaking of homes, Chicago was not proving to be a welcoming one for the former [Insert Firm Name Here] matriarch.
Jessica made an appearance in Harvey’s office to throw shade at his decorating skills ask him to do her a favor: Come to Chicago and file a TRO in a case because, even though she had guaranteed that it would only happen in New York, the folks in Chicago had also revoked her license. But Harvey didn’t want to leave his firm because, well, see the massive drama above. Jessica, a queen, did not care if her former subject had his own problems (and she shouldn’t have): “You owe me. Because along with about 100 other things, you threw me under the bus.”
Praise. Rejoice. Yes, goddess.
Harvey continued trying to get out of taking the trip to Chicago, saying Jessica could get plenty of top lawyers to help her; but then Jessica made me cry reminded Harvey that they were family: “I want you to stand next to me on the last case I’ll ever have. Because I am not going out like this…I’m going to war with the people that took my license. I don’t need the top guy. I need the best partner I’ve ever had, and I need him to have my back.”
No, really, SUITS: We missed this.
Harvey told Jessica he’d have to think about it, but then he went home to find…his entire work family in the midst of a meeting at his actual home. How did they get in? Uh, I guess Donna got her key back?? Nobody knows! Everyone agreed that, as Rachel so eloquently put it,” Jessica sacrificed everything for us,” and Harvey should go. But before he did, he made Mike promise that he’d drop whatever he was doing with the clinic to help Louis fight Gordon when needed.
Oh, and he looked to Donna for a nod of reassurance because of course her opinion on the matter was more important than everyone else’s.
The story in Chicago was this: Jessica pissed off some powerful people in the mayor’s office when she won a $4 million settlement in a police brutality case, and those people were unimpressed with Harvey’s “man purse” when he came to town prepared to do whatever it took to make her life miserable. On top of all of that, she was in the middle of trying to save a public housing development; and the mayor’s office was busy continuing to smear her — after some Barbie-wannabe city attorney had already made her license go away — by claiming that she was only interested in the case for publicity.
The case took Jessica everywhere from construction sites, where she tried to negotiate with the real man in charge — Pat McGann, who was trading money for influence — to back alleyways, where she was given an offer she couldn’t refuse. But along the way, the big story here was the glimpse into Jessica’s roots, which SUITS had never really bothered to delve into when Gina Torres was a member of the core cast. There were always “more important” issues, like Mike’s big secret, after all.
Lillian Cook, the plaintiff in Jessica’s case, was her aunt. When City Attorney Trash Barbie revealed this in court, it was done to question Jessica’s motives for reconnecting with her own family; and even Harvey Specter himself — a man who had seen the lengths that Jessica Pearson would go to in order to protect her family, time and time again — started to question her because of it. He threatened to leave on the next plane…But then Jessica came clean. “What do you want me to say, Harvey? That my father grew up here, and he was poor? And I didn’t live on Park Avenue for the first 10 years of my life? Because I didn’t…That woman is his sister, and he turned his back on her and everyone else here. And it ate away at him for his entire life.”
This scene was the most human and vulnerable Jessica Pearson has ever been on SUITS, and it gave Gina Torres some of her best material to work with. The strength and poise that is Jessica means so much more when it’s contrasted with moments full of absolute shame like this, or with the actual terror that Jessica later showed when she was approached on a dark street — by the same guy who’d shaded Harvey’s man purse. If this is what the spin-off has in store for us, I am beyond excited to see it…And yet, being prepared is probably not remotely an option.
After losing her power of attorney and nearly losing Harvey as her back-up, Jessica went to her aunt’s house in an attempt to make sure that she didn’t lose this new connection to her family. Her cousin was skeptical of her motives (girl, you’ll learn); but Jessica wasn’t budging: “I’m trying to reconnect with my family. And make things better at the same time.” If SUITS has taught me anything about Jessica Pearson, it’s that she’s a superhero; so, she can, in fact, do both at the same time. Just watch.
Somewhere during this time, Harvey was able to convince McGann to “donate” to Jessica’s bid for city council — using her own, untraceable cashier’s check (your girl has been planning this ever since she made that phone call to ask for her money. SUITS Story Planning 101!) — and save enough homes for it to look like she’d won. But then, Jessica took it a step too far — she pulled a Louis, basically — by making the further demand that it was either City Attorney Trash Barbie or her. McGann met with Jessica to give back her check, and it seemed like she was finally defeated in battle.
But Jessica was able to use photos to blackmail McGann; and she managed to get her meeting with the mayor after all, albeit a sketchy one out in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of the night. The mayor wanted her to do good from the inside, and all she had to do was drop her lawsuit. If she didn’t want to sell out her family, she’d just have to find a way to make things work from the inside.
And that’s where we leave Jessica Pearson, as the newly-crowned assistant to a dirty mayor — enforcer dude was his employee, not McGann’s, all along — while, seemingly, without the support of Jeff Malone. Jessica’s used to being alone, though, so even if SUITS left her to start the next leg of her journey with no one to back her up but herself, that’s exactly the best person to take care of Jessica Pearson: Jessica and Jessica alone.
Was the contrast of Jessica at her window, alone, striking when placed against what was happening back in New York? Absolutely. But that’s just what makes good television.
Someone borrowed. On top of Harvey’s trip to Chicago, Mike Ross’ services were also on loan in the SUITS finale. In a move that was fitting for Specter Litt’s resident do-gooder’s sendoff, Mike was back on a class action suit with Nathan’s legal clinic. This time, the case was about Discharge Power’s plant giving lead poisoning to children at a nearby school; and Nathan came to Mike, asking for Specter Litt’s finances and associates to help him.
So, off Mike went to ask Harvey for help…but then Donna told him about what was happening with Stanley Gordon. The best Mike could ask for, then, was Mom’s blessing to pour everything he had into working for the clinic: “Mike, what’s the case?” “Kids with lead poisoning.” “Go get ’em.”
Donna’s so proud of her son.
As Mike worked the case, he proved he’d finally grown up: When the clinic didn’t file certain paperwork on time, he proposed simply telling the truth and hoping the judge would side with them. He didn’t back down when he thought the settlement was too low, and he neither gave up nor proposed cheating when the going got tough. Mike Ross was finally living up to being the man he’d always wanted to be; and the greatest tragedy of his SUITS exit is going to be that we didn’t get to see this Mike Ross in action much, much longer.
And when Mike was approached with the offer of a dream job, he didn’t make any rash decisions. No, Mike even acted out of some hard-learned paranoia, operating on the assumption that Andy Forsyth, the man who’d offered him the opportunity to work at a for-profit legal firm that worked for the little guys, was the reason the clinic lost its funding. Forsyth wasn’t to blame, and taking that job was Mike’s ultimate decision…But first, we have to explore the lawsuit a bit more.
Operating on the assumption that the job offer wasn’t real, Mike proposed the very same type of structure to Nathan, which meant running back to Specter Litt so he could ask Mom Donna for his $500k allowance a $500,000 loan. Donna explained all the reasons why the firm couldn’t openly give that kind of money to the clinic, which prompted Mike to ask if this was why she’d thought he wasn’t ready to be senior partner — the answer was yes — but he admitted that he did understand the dilemma, especially with the whole Stanley Gordon mess happening. “But, Donna, what is the point of trying to survive if we can’t do something like this?”
Off Mom Donna went to ask Uncle Louis for help, and he came through, providing an anonymous donation out of his own pocket. Just like that. Louis said the idea was “a team effort” between himself and Donna, and after (at Rachel’s prompting — ha!) Mike thanked Louis for the check, it was time to cry again. “No, Mike, thank you. Because you’ve been doing the right thing ever since you got here. The world could use a lot more people like you.”
A little bit questionable, given some of Mike’s tactics? You bet! A beautiful SUITS goodbye between Louis and Mike? Uh, yeah, the rain on my face says so.
Every tactic Mike came up with in order to get justice for those sick kids seemed to be a failure, right up until he had the idea to check on Discharge’s liability insurance. For the plant near the school, they’d taken out a much larger policy than anywhere else. But right as it was time to really dig deep on his last shot, Mike had to leave. Donna came to collect him when she overheard Louis’ conversation with Alex; and because Mike Ross has finally reached the end of his SUITS journey and has therefore actually grown up(!!!), he went home — just like he’d promised Harvey he would do. (If we’re keeping up with the “Darvey as parents” metaphor here, I guess you could say Mike actually came home by curfew?)
Mike talked Louis out of his self-loathing and even made the final visit to Robert Zane that convinced him to merge. When Louis was worried about what Harvey would think of the plan, Mike even reminded him of what happened at the family meeting: “He trusts us enough to take care of this. If this is what we have to do, then this is what we have to do.”
And all of this “Mike Saves the Day” hard work was just a warmup for him using that liability insurance policy to win his final case for the clinic. As a bonus, our boy was savage as hell the whole time he was questioning the suit from Discharge Power. Daddy Harvey would have been so, so proud.
Yeah, I’m blue. We knew it was coming, but that doesn’t make it any easier. The big victories in court and the beautiful wedding…probably made it harder. (Thanks, SUITS!) This was it for Mike and Rachel, but at least they’re sailing off into the sunset, ready to be the change in the world that we so desperately need.
As much as his paranoia would normally have been warranted, Mike’s job offer from Forsyth was…actually legitimate. The first time Mike mentioned the job to Rachel, it was in passing. He had more important things on his mind, like seeing case after case of sick child whilst reading Nathan’s files from the class action. And it was one of the sweetest SUITS scenes, like, ever. As both characters showed their great compassion for the children who’d been wronged by the plant, Rachel was busy reassuring Mike that he was at least helping in the best way he could; and Mike himself was being open about his self-doubt.
And it was just…just, everything.
Several more Machel scenes would prove to be just as beautiful at showcasing the immense chemistry between Patrick J. Adams and Meghan Markle that made the this ship sail in the first place. I can not say enough how much they will be missed for the remainder SUITS’ run. For as much as others have had big, emotional moments, these two characters have, in some ways, been the series’ (bleeding) heart and soul…Ok, I’m getting emotional here. Let’s get to the wedding before this becomes (even more) horribly incoherent.
After Rachel found out that Forsyth’s job offer was real, and after Mike made that last trip to convince Rachel’s father to merge with Harvey, it was time for these two characters to reconsider their future. And, of course, they decided to move to Seattle. But with the wedding six weeks away and the short time frame for beginning their new careers, that meant making the Machel wedding much sooner than planned.
“I don’t know if I want to take this job or not, but what I do know is that I have wanted to marry you from the second I met you. And I am tired of waiting.” More SUITS tears!
Off Rachel went to get help from the only person who could possibly pull off a shotgun wedding in style: Donna. But Donna was mixed up in the firm drama, so, “Oh, Jesus Christ. What is it now” was the mood. Donna promised to help Rachel, and she even agreed not to bother Harvey and Jessica…But if anyone thought she was going to keep her word on that last bit, they’ve watched exactly one SUITS episode: this one. All it took was a pair of phone calls from Donna, and Jessica had Harvey back home in time to attend the event of the season. When Harvey was torn, Jessica reasserted her independence and reminded Harvey about what’s most important in life (you guessed it): family.
“You’re the closest thing that kid has to family. If you’re not there for him, you’re going to regret it for the rest of your life…Harvey, this is my family here. I denied they existed for too long, and I am going to take care of them. Now, you need to go. Take care of yours.”
And thus, the queen spoke. Me, sobbing? You bet!
The wedding itself was a beautiful (if brief) event, complete with some of SUITS’ best-written lines being used for Machel’s vows. Those vows were so good, in fact, that Harvey even complimented them — Season One Harvey is shaking — before offering his now-grown son a position as senior partner. But Mike had already chosen his path, and no amount of near begging on Harvey’s part would change his mind: “This is who I am. It’s who I’ve always been. It’s time, Harvey. It’s time.”
And then they hugged. Yeah, I’m blue. Blue doesn’t even begin to explain it. I need my own Donna to come cheer me up.
So, farewell, Mike and Rachel. SUITS will miss its one happy couple…which brings us to our bonus round of “Darvey, wtf.”
The state of the…ship? Bffs? Who knows?! If SUITS’ eighth season could please just give us a definitive answer, that’d be lovely. I don’t care. I’ve obviously rooted for Donna and Harvey to be a thing, but I’m tired. Just, make a decision. Please.
When the SUITS finale opened, we found out that the two drinks of scotch from the previous episode had turned into more. Darvey finished off the bottle, then had the same brilliant idea to bring one another brand new bottles as gifts. (We love one in-sync pairing.) The entire conversation about things being “back to normal” was an exercise in gratuitous flirting and heart-eyes; and Harvey, apparently, found it “nice to hang out and enjoy each other’s company.”
Where logical people come from, whatever happened the previous night would have been considered a date. In Darveyland, it’s just pals — who happen to love each other and sabotage their romantic relationships for one another — doing pal things.
Things were “back to normal,” but the problem was that “normal” has always been ambiguous for Darvey. (And I’m tired.) So, later, when Donna pronounced that Machel’s wedding “wouldn’t have felt like a celebration without Harvey,” it was impossible to tell on what level, specifically, she meant that. The maybe-maybe-not couple has now added “walk down the aisle together and give each other loaded looks while our friends’ vows play as the voiceover” and “besotted Harvey half-smile when Mike kisses the bride” to their growing list of blurry moments.
And who came to get Harvey out of his emo funk after Mike said he was leaving? Who else? Just his gal pal, Donna. Harvey then proceeded to ask Donna to dance — something viewers have dreamed of forever — while Mike and Rachel totally noticed and even gave each other a non-verbal “great job parent-trapping.”
Does any of this mean anything? We have no idea! SUITS has played this idea of moving forward after a season finale before, only to backtrack. Remember the hand-holding after Jessica left? What happened after? Oh, right: Paula Agard.
So, we could talk about how both Machel and Louis/Sheila are now canon couples, and Darvey was the only couple besides those two who were really “highlighted” in that closing scene. So, it must mean something, right? Right?!!!
Well, SUITS: You won’t fool me again. I’m not believing anything until I really see it. So there. (I’m actually lying, but I wish I wasn’t such a sucker.)
Let’s just take a second here…
- “It wasn’t my idea to throw your mommy under the bus; it was your partner’s.” First off, how dare you steal my idea of Jessica being the matriarch of this family and pervert it like that? Second, you really interrupted Darvey flirting over gifts of scotch for this? And finally, Donna’s glare off of that statement looked like an “I will cut you,” for sure. Same, baby. Same.
- “I am not the enemy here. Stanley Gordon is, and I don’t care how he twists it: It was a good idea.” Good boy, Louis. Don’t take that abuse from Harvey anymore.
- “That doesn’t mean I haven’t suffered from my association with you.” Same, Scottie! My association with Harvey and SUITS has taken decades off of my life!
- These days, I’m used to seeing Abigail Spencer as Lucy Preston on TIMELESS (everyone watch it!), so it was a bit jarring to see “Lucy” as Scottie…for all of a split second. A note I jotted down upon first viewing Scottie’s initial scene: “SHE’S SO SASSY. I MISSED HER.” And I did. We love exactly one bitch.
- “This isn’t the worst outcome in the world.” “Yeah. And I could also get shot in the face, but that’s not what we’re talking about right now.” Imagine jumping straight from “partners come back” to “shot in the face.” I am Harvey Specter, and Harvey Specter is me.
- “Don’t you dare use my daughter as a bargaining chip. She’s a grown-ass woman. She can take care of herself.” YAS, ROBERT. YAS. As if Rachel Zane ever needed Daddy’s help. Pft. And he, unlike so many toxic fathers, knows it. Thank you, SUITS, from the bottom of my heart.
- Don’t call Louis Litt “Sparky.” That delivery from Rick Hoffman when Louis threw that dismissive nickname back in Gordon’s face? Perfect.
- “Dad, I’m just a girl.” “And if you think like that, Jessica Pearson, that’s all you’ll ever be.” Amendment to the praise for Robert Zane above: I love exactly two on-screen fathers.
- Did y’all know it was “illegal to trade money for influence?” Because, like, isn’t that all that happens anymore in good ol’ Murrikkka?
- SUITS has always been about found family; and the Jessica spin-off looks like it’s going to at least start by dealing with blood relatives. Jessica is going to have to find a way to accomplish everything she wants without being just like her “famous surgeon father” and turning her back on her poor family. This is such a huge dilemma for a lot of people who come from a “low” place and work their way out of it, so I’m hopeful that this story will be done in a way that respects the many routes Jessica’s journey could have taken.
- I just realized: SUITS just, like, made Mike’s father figure and Rachel’s actual father come together to form a single family…Oh, clever.
- “You a coffee man? Or you one of them chai-latte-drinking pretty boys.” “Both. I’m a coffee man through and through, but there’s no denying I’m pretty.” One, he’s a coffee man because of Donna. Two, imagine me ever not screaming at this exchange. Harvey Specter is pretty!!! And then later: “…the deal your handsome friend is making.” The SUITS content I have deserved since day one. Thank you.
- Evidently, City Attorney Trash Barbie’s real name is Carrie. Ask me if I care.
- “Oh, I understand how things work. And it’s been going on since the beginning of time.” That. Staredown. God, I’ve missed Gina Torres. Also: Did Jessica accuse this chick of banging the mayor? I think she did?
- Next season on SUITS: The adventures of Sparky and Mr. Slick…
- “That’s not the point, Louis, I took care of it.” That’s one way to shut down Louis’ concern over being left out of the loop on the whole, “yeah, we almost got evicted last week” thing.
- If you can’t have Marvey banter, SUITS will give you some Mike/Oliver (Moliver?) fun. “You’re telling me you brought this jerk-off onto our case?” “Excuse me. Mister Jerk-Off, please.” “Oh, yeah? How about Johnny Dickface?” “How about Jonathan Dickface?” Next up in Patrick J. Adams’ television career: The Adventures of Jonathan Dickface. Instant Emmy winner.
- “Go back to PSL, or SL, or whatever you call the place that teaches you to turn down multi-million dollar offers.” Exactly ZERO people know what to call this firm!!! It’s canon!
- “We’re a family, Robert. We told him we’d have his back.” One more time for the people in the back: SUITS IS A SHOW ABOUT FAMILY.
- “I love you, Rachel.” “I love you, too, Donna.” A show with successful women embracing after pronouncing their love for one another? SUITS provides the content I deserve.
- “I can’t believe you actually pulled this off.” “Mm…Yeah, you can.” Mike and Mom? Bantering, one last time? I’m going to need a lot more tissues. Remember the early days of Mike and Donna? Rest in peace.
- Those were absolutely tears in Harvey’s eyes as he looked away from Mike in the middle of trying to convince him to stay. Find me a man who plays raw emotion in such an understated way as well as Gabriel Macht does. I’ll wait.
- Another understated moment for Macht: That conversation with Scottie was loaded. The guy’s demeanor implied that Harvey is ashamed of the Paula fiasco, probably for more reasons than we can guess. It’s complicated — not just because of Donna — and it’s so easy to see, for anyone who bothers to look beyond the surface.
- This easily could have been a series finale. I would’ve been strangely okay with that, given the nice wrap-up on the original SUITS premise and the glimpse of hope for more stories in the future. I mean, I’m glad it’s not over? But this would’ve been a brilliant way to go out, a la ER’s open-ended series finale. Just saying.
SUITS will return to USA for its eighth season. Stay tuned for updates on the timeframe.