Over break, at a friend’s insistence, I took a hiatus from my usual TV lineup of reality shows and sitcom reruns and begrudgingly tuned in to “Suits.” The USA Network drama follows a smooth-talking lawyer at a top firm who takes a chance on a brilliant associate knowing he never actually went to law school. Normally I’d give a show like this the eye roll to end all eye rolls. The implausibility of this plotline is undeniable. It’s an unlicensed attorney working for high-profile clients who have no idea they are essentially being scammed. Would this ever actually happen? I hope not. But before you change the channel, suspend your disbelief for a moment and you’ll find “Suits” has all the elements of an entertaining show: drama, intelligent humor and sexual tension.
Sexual tension is to the show what gasoline is to a car: It fuels it. If everyone in law firms looks like the characters on “Suits,” then I’m glad I took the LSAT. The two leading men are sharp in both mind and dress, but it’s not just the men who shine in “Suits.” The show features dynamic female characters who match the wit and intelligence of the men in the office. The relationship between Mike and Rachel, two younger characters in the firm, comes with all the tension of waiting on Pam and Jim’s romance in “The Office,” with the added bonus that Rachel is gorgeous and fiercely intimidating. The show is character-driven, and there are so many good ones it becomes hard not to get invested in their lives.
After cruising through 22 episodes in about three days, I realized that, in addition to the characters on the show, the real addictive quality is the over-the-top and suspenseful story lines of each episode. I don’t know many corporate lawyers who fight for an innocent teen rotting in jail, and I certainly have never heard of a lawyer breaking into the home of the real perpetrator to trick him into confessing. These insane stories are digestible when paired with the pure brilliance of the two lawyers. Just when it’s down to the wire and you think it’s the end for them, they pull out a smart, logical way to win, and they never cease to amaze me.
This week, I’m obsessed with “Suits” for a million reasons but most importantly, it’s watchable. Hours felt like minutes while I was watching, and it finally cured my need to multitask. It’s rare I find a show that doesn’t drive me to simultaneously tweet or surf the Internet. The characters in “Suits” demand attention, and I am happy to oblige. Season two continues Jan. 17, and the show has already gotten the green light for season three. But I’m warning you — you’ll probably get obsessed, too.
