Suits: The Complete Series Blu-ray Review
See what all the fuss is about with the release of “Suits: The Complete Series.”
Created by Aaron Korsh, “Suits” is a 2011 legal drama that lasted 9 seasons and 134 episodes. The series centers around the Manhattan corporate law firm Pearson/Hardman (which eventually undergoes name changes). The main characters are cocky egotistical attorney Harvey Specter, Jessica Pearson (the law firm co-founder), Donna (Harvey’s secretary), Louis (an ambitious junior partner) and Rachel (a paralegal). Characters do come and go throughout the series (more on that later). In the pilot episode, Harvey is seeking a new associate. Enter Mike Ross who literally stumbles his way into a job interview and scores the gig due to his photographic memory. From there on out, Harvey and Mike begin to collaborate on cases together. Other key storylines throughout the series involve Mike’s friend Trevor (who gets him in hot water), mock trials, Mike wanting to help his grandmother, Mike and Rachel’s relationship, Hardman’s shady practices, a company merger, flashbacks, Mike getting a new job, Rachel going to law school, a main character going to prison, Katrina (who works her way up the ladder of the company), Donna and Harvey’s relationship, Alex coming on board as a senior partner and Samantha coming on board as a senior partner and fixer, characters moving on from the company, and Louis and Sheila’s relationship. As with any series, there are a host of guest stars and recurring stars like John Billingsley, Amanda Crew, Chi McBride, Gary Cole, Rachel Harris, Wendell Pierce, and Eric Roberts.
When “Suits” originally aired on USA Network it was a modest hit. It did last 9 seasons after all and just happened to contain press magnet Meghan Markle before she became a member of the Royal Family. When it wrapped in 2019, the show soon found new life and became the #1 streaming series in 2023. As a result, a new series (“Suits: L.A.”) is on the horizon and, of course, a new complete series box set of the original series is now hitting shelves. So, is the show worth all the hype?
For the first six seasons, it’s easy to see how this show became addictive to viewers. It may not sound like appointment television on paper as law dramas are a dime a dozen. Even the central premise is downright absurd as Mike would never be hired by the law firm due to his lack of qualifications. Still, even with the case of the week formula, the on and off again romances, and the endless power struggles, “Suits” works for one reason- the characters.
Gabriel Macht (Harvey), Patrick J. Adams (Mike), Gina Torres (Jessica Pearson), Meghan Markle (Rachel), Sarah Rafferty (Donna) and Rick Hoffman (Louis) make the show work plain and simple. Patrick J. Adams is especially the real breakout here. He’s a charismatic actor who elevates every scene and the show and has superb chemistry with everyone on the show. Gabriel Macht (whose career never took off like it should have) also gets the role of his career as Harvey. He can be a total jerk, but he’s somehow always still likable. Gina Torres (of “Firefly” fame) is always consistent in everything she’s in. She even got her own short-lived spin-off series “Pearson.” Meghan Markle and Sarah Rafferty are both strong actors whose characters are integral to the show. Rick Hoffman’s Louis can be annoying to be sure, but he makes for a nice foil.
Now, once season 7 rolls around, “Suits” definitely takes a tumble. Gina Torres leaves the show after season 6 (but still appears in a few episodes later), Meghan Markle leaves the series after season 7, and Patrick J. Adams isn’t in season 8 at all. Their absence really hurts the series and the show never recovered from it. Attempts were made to add new cast members like Katharine Heigl (whose Samantha character is easily the worst character in the entire series), but it felt like a desperate move to try and save a sinking ship. Sure, the dialogue, the pop culture references, the character drama, and the law firm storylines may still be engaging in the later seasons, but you can’t remove nearly half of the main cast and expect the show to work like it once did. They were the life blood of the show and the key to its success.
Video/Audio:
Presentation: 1.78:1 1080p. How does it look? All 9 seasons contain crisp hi-def picture quality with the quality getting better in the later seasons naturally.
Audio Track: 5.1 DTS-HD MA. How does it sound? The 5.1 track is always satisfactory. Note: There are multiple language options including French.
Extras:
* Season 1- Nearly 10 minutes of deleted scenes, commentary on episode 12 by Dave Bartis, Aaron Korsh, Patrick J. Adams and Gabriel Macht, 2 minutes of outtakes, “Cross Examination: Fan Q&A” (10 1/2 minutes of cast and crew answer questions), and a 4 minute gag reel.
* Season 2- 22 minutes of deleted scenes, 8 ½ minute gag reel, “Suits Recruits” webisodes (totaling 15 ½ minutes), “Punch Reel” AKA a fake punch filled 2 ½ minute gag reel, “The Style Of Suits” (7 ½ minute featurette on the wardrobe) and “Suits Sophomore Success” (8 ½ minute featurette on season 2).
* Season 3- Deleted scenes on each disc, alternate opening and ending for the episode “She’s Mine,” commentary on episode 6 by Aaron Korsh, Gabriel Macht, Daniel Arkin and Rick Muirragui, 10 minute gag reel, commentary on episode 16 by Aaron Korsh, Gabriel Macht, Daniel Arkin and Rick Muirragui, an alternate ending for “No Way Out,” “Shooting Suits” (5 minute behind-the-scenes featurette), “Trust And Betrayal: A Look Inside Suits Season 3” (nearly 10 minute featurette on the third season), and “Suits Recruits: Class Action” webisodes.
* Season 4- Deleted scenes on the first 3 discs, “Suits Recruits: The Paper Trail” webisodes, and a near 9 minute gag reel.
* Season 5- Deleted scenes on discs 1, 2 and 4, a 7 minute gag reel, “A Family Affair: Behind The Scenes Of Stunts” (7 ½ minute featurette) and “Suits: Life After Donna” (a near 8 minute featurette on Donna’s character arc).
* Season 6- Deleted scenes on discs 1, 3 and 4, 8 ½ minute gag reel, “Suits: Anatomy Of An Episode” (nearly 14 minute featurette about the writing process and season 6 storylines), and “Goodbye, Jessica Pearson” (a 6 ½ minute extra about the character Gina Torres plays).
* Season 7- Deleted scenes on all 4 discs, a near 7 minute gag reel, “Mike And Rachel Sendoff Reel” (the title of this 6 minute extra says it all), “The People Behind The Suits” (a 7 minute featurette on the cast and characters), and “Suits: A Centennial Moment” (a brief 5 minute extra about the 100th episode).
* Season 8- Deleted scenes on discs 3 and 4 and a near 7 minute gag reel.
* Season 9- Deleted scenes from the “One Last Con” episode, a 5 ½ minute gag reel, and a 14 minute “Suits: Series Montage.”
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