5 Things We Loved in the Suits Season Six Premiere

(Photo credit: USA Network)

This year was the first time that I was able to see an advanced copy of a Suits episode. And in the spirit of sharing and encouraging you to watch the season premiere this coming Wednesday, I thought I would give you a little bit of a teaser of what you can expect. I really loved "To Trouble," because it reminded me of everything this show can be when it is great. It didn't get muddled down in a case-of-the-week, it focused on its central characters and their emotional states in the wake of Mike's absence, it allowed space for a lot of levity and humor that we haven't seen in a while, and it provided some subtle, but good, twists. If this is how the rest of season six will progress, color me excited.

So what else can you expect when Suits returns this Wednesday night? Without giving anything major away, here are five things that I really loved in the premiere. (With bonus dialogue teases!)

5. Jessica Pearson gets vulnerable.

Just as I occasionally forget that Mike Ross is actually supposed to be the central character of Suits and not Harvey Specter, sometimes I forget that Jessica Pearson is more than just the tough lady boss of Pearson Specter Litt. But I'm pleased that in "To Trouble," we get a more layered and nuanced depiction of Jessica, including a vulnerable moment shared between her and Rachel. The moment was so gentle, so vulnerable and so unlike most of what we've seen from Jessica as a character on the show that Meghan Markle's voice actually drops to a whisper. It's not only a rare moment of peace and camaraderie between the two women, but also a chance to see more about Jessica's state of mind in the midst of the firm's abandonment by its employees. If you're a fan of Gina Torres, you'll absolutely love her performance in this episode, and — in particular — the scene that Jessica shares with Rachel.

4. Rachel grows up and smacks truth into the others.

It's no real secret that for years now, I've had a problem with Rachel Zane. While she began the series as a fairly well-developed character, over the years she has begun to become more and more naive in the way that she thinks, acts, and talks to other women. Her relationships with the female characters on the show are often rockier than they are steady, which doesn't really help her likability (especially when she betrays Donna's trust). And the arc that she had with Logan was just abysmal. Slowly but surely, this once confident and whip-smart young paralegal was turned into a shadow of her former self.

With all that unpleasantness said, I have to admit that I was apprehensive of how Rachel would be in the premiere. I can honestly say that her behavior was not only commendable but also very impressive and — I hope — an indicator of how Mike's jail sentence might actually make her a better character. In one scene in "To Trouble," it is Rachel who manages to give a verbal smackdown to Jessica, Louis, and Harvey while they bicker (with Donna behind her, backing her up). It was not dramatic or over-the-top but was a wonderful display of all of the good characteristics Rachel Zane possesses: her strong heart, her love for others, and the unwavering fight within her. Rachel will never accept things the way they are without going to battle first, and hopefully this season will explore more of that.

(Photo credit: USA Network)

3. The juxtaposition between the firm and the jail.

I was wondering exactly how Suits would divide its time between Mike, in jail, and the characters in the firm and I'm hopeful that if the premiere is an indicator of the balance between the two stories, season six will be really well-balanced. Though a decent portion of the episode is devoted to what is happening at Pearson Specter Litt, an important aspect of the premiere is Mike's adjustment to jail. And Mike Ross — pop culture enthusiast — definitely makes a Shawshank Redemption reference. But the problem, as you might surmise, is that Mike's life isn't a movie. And he learns that the hard way.

Still, the balance between what is happening on the outside and what is happening inside the prison was really good. Moreover, things happening inside of the prison affect the people outside of its walls closest to Mike, and vice versa.

2. A final moment twist that will change things for Mike.

I definitely love a good plot twist, and the premiere had a nice one, which I definitely appreciated. I think that what I appreciate most about this Suits storyline — of Mike being in prison — is that it shakes up the show in a way that it desperately needed. I love the law firm and its characters, but this show functions really well when it contrasts two different lifestyles. In the first few seasons we saw a lot of that contrast, between Mike's life with Trevor and then his life at the firm. Prison is an unknown variable that can be used in a lot of different ways to provide a unique source of conflict for Mike and an interesting parallel to the high-power world of law firms. Interestingly enough though, "To Trouble" breaks these two very different worlds down to their foundations and the things that are revealed will have a deep impact on the characters moving forward this season — especially in regards to Mike Ross.

1. Humor has returned at last!

Thank goodness, am I right? With all that has happened in the last few years on the show — between Louis' medical scares, Donna leaving Harvey, his subsequent panic attacks, Mike briefly quitting the firm, the ensuing rivalry between Harvey and Mike, everyone discovering Mike's secret, etc. there has been little time for much levity in the show. The season premiere makes sure that we remember the Suits writers are capable of writing jokes and are confident in their actors as not only dramatic leads but comedic ones. I can't spoil it, and you don't want me to, but there is a scene between Jessica, Harvey, and Louis that will have you cackling. And what the show does in "To Trouble" is this: it uses humor as a way to refocus the series without it undermining the gravitas of the situation the characters are all in. There are definitely some serious moments, trust me. And while there might be funny scenes and witty dialogue, that doesn't mean the characters stop working or caring about the problems around them. I think that it's actually even MORE crucial now that humor return to the show, lest it turn into a heavy melodrama. You'll be glad to hear the quips and watch the funny scenes unfold, trust me.

DIALOGUE TEASES:

• "I thought he was an idiot."
• "To trouble." "To trouble."
• "I didn't come down here to play Pin the Blame on the Harvey."
• "So crouch your tiger, hide your dragon."
• "What part of this conversation ISN'T disgusting?"
• "... I never knew what the ceiling looked like in here..."
• "Do you ever not quote a movie?"

Suits returns on Wednesday night at 9|8c on USA. Be sure to check it out!

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Report Cards Are In! (Grading This Season of My Favorite Shows)

I never worried about report card days in school. I knew, usually without fail, that I would see all A’s and B’s. I had never even gotten a C on a progress report or a report card until college (darn you, Microeconomics course!). I was always an overachiever and a perfectionist and, to be honest, I am still the exact same way today. Since kids all across the country are wrapping up their classes and getting ready for summer, receiving their report cards and taking their finals, I thought it only appropriate that I would present my TV report card for this season!

So below the cut, get ready to get graded: I scored the most recent seasons of some of my television shows, noted the best episodes of their season, and explained why these shows got the grades that they did. Cross your fingers and close your eyes, then open them and see this year’s TV report card.

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Jenn's Pick: 10 Reasons Why Donna Paulsen Should Be Your Favorite TV Character

Sometimes peer pressure can be a good thing.

A while ago, I began to notice a pattern among my Twitter timeline on Thursday nights. While I was busy hammering away at my Community blog-review notes, others were animatedly tweeting about a show on USA called Suits. After a few weeks of this excited tweeting, I began to feel like I was missing out on something rather entertaining. And my middle school mentality of not wanting to be left behind while all of my other friends bonded over something began to gnaw at me. So, in my intrigue, I decided to marathon Suits.

I fell completely and totally in love with the series.

Suits is a cable drama, but it is chock full of hilarious moments, fantastic one-liners, and great inside jokes. Each character is effortlessly and powerfully portrayed by their actor or actress. These are characters who are independent, strong-willed, and extremely intelligent. I love Harvey Specter’s resilience. I love Mike Ross’ charm and his compassion. I love Jessica Pearson’s take-no-prisoners attitude. I love Louis Litt’s soft side. And I love Rachel Zane’s determination. But there is one character on Suits that stands out above the rest for me – Donna Paulsen.

It’s not very difficult to explain WHY Donna is my favorite – she’s sassy, quick-witted, hilarious, and she’s got perfect red hair, to boot. But there’s a lot more to Donna that makes her such a strong, solid character in this series. She’s Harvey’s anchor, his conscience, and his other half. She’s a role model for Rachel. She’s just as tough as Jessica. She can go toe-to-toe with Louis as well as Hardman and emerge victorious. She’s confident in who she is as a person and has never lost sight of that throughout the series. And I admire Donna Paulsen (and Sarah Rafferty, who does such an excellent job portraying her), because she is flawed, too.

Donna proves to us all that you can be both confident and imperfect, both loyal and vulnerable, and both strong and compassionate. Plus, she also loves ice cream and coffee drinks with lots of whipped cream, solidifying why she is awesome. Below the cut, I decided to list ten reasons why Donna Paulsen should also be YOUR favorite character on television.

Grab that can opener, because here we go!

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Jenn's Pick: Top 10 Television Pilots

Television pilots are tricky things. And by that, what I really mean is that hardly anyone (at least anyone who I have met) will say that their favorite episode of any television series is the pilot. It takes a good, long while for some shows to establish the tone of their show and to develop their characters. For some shows, this may take a few episodes. For others, it will take seasons. But pilots are integral and necessary to a show – I’ve always held fast to the belief that, to measure the progression of a show, you should watch its pilot and the most current episode to date. It is then that you can determine whether the show has progressed or regressed in terms of plot, consistency, character development, etc. Take, for example, the pilot episode of something like Doctor Who. The 2005 pilot, “Rose,” introduced us to a shop girl from London and a 900-year old, time-traveling alien. The ninth incarnation of the Doctor was dark and pretty self-hating. Rose Tyler was young, optimistic, and someone we (or at least I) assumed would always be the damsel-in-distress. As you might know, if you watch the show, Doctor Who has progressed so much in terms of developing characters, plot, and yes, even special effects. (They have come a LONG way since 2005, let me tell you!)

So, I’ve decided to list ten pilot episodes of shows that have passed every test in my book and landed in the “solid pilot” pile. But what you’re about to discover is something pretty interesting: I don’t like some of these shows anymore.

“But Jenn,” you might say, “I thought you said that these shows passed your test!”

While these series may have developed pilots that passed with flying colors, some of them are shows that I merely fell out of love with, and some – shockingly! – I even detest now. Pilots are episodes that are important, as I said earlier, but are not always indicative of a show’s consistency to be spectacular. Also, it’s interesting to note that the exact opposite is true.

(Spoiler alert: you will not see Community or Doctor Who listed. Though these are two of my favorite shows to date, their pilots weren’t enrapturing enough to make my list. I didn’t fall in love with Community until five episodes later, and Doctor Who took me until “World War Three” to really connect with.)

So just because a show is absent from this list or, conversely, because it’s on it, don’t assume that this is indicative of my present feelings toward the series.

With that, are you ready to see which pilots made it onto my list? (Don’t worry, guys. I still have a LOT of great pilots that have been suggested – LOST, Alias, Friday Night Lights – that will not be on here, merely because I have not seen the series yet.) Well, then, let’s head back to the very beginning!

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