Difference between revisions of "Suits"
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Robert Zane is the father of Rachel Zane. He is one of the name partners at Rand, Kaldor, and Zane. | Robert Zane is the father of Rachel Zane. He is one of the name partners at Rand, Kaldor, and Zane. | ||
| + | ===Show Direction=== | ||
| + | Aaron Korsh is the writer of the show. Korsh also wrote for classic shows such as "Everybody Loves Raymond", "Just Shoot Me!" and many other sitcoms. Suits was an interesting twist because it is not a sitcom. <ref> https://deadline.com/2019/09/suits-series-finale-post-mortem-recap-creator-aaron-korsh-qa-ending-spoilers-abigail-spencer-meghan-markle-gina-torres-1202745010/ </ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | The wardrobes in this show are ones to note as well. Harvey dresses well in thick ties and loose suites while Ross has a more European style of dressing. This plays into their power dynamic as Ross is a junior associate. Both men wear signature three piece tailored suits. Other cast members in the show such as the paralegal Meghan Markle also follow this form. <ref> https://suits.fandom.com/wiki/Errors_and_Omissions </ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Success Of Suits== | ||
| + | One of the first reasons the show was so popular was due to the aura of sophistication and confidence that fills the screen when Harvey Spector walks on the screen <ref> https://standard.asl.org/6269/culture/the-success-of-suits/ </ref>. The shows screams classy attire, legitimate swagger, and overall brilliance. The setting is in New York City which only adds to the desire for the viewer to be a part of the scene. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The show revolves around Ross who is a junior lawyer that has a photographic memory. This character forged papers saying that he graduated through Harvard Law School (the only place this firm chooses students from). This is a secret that is kept in the show for a very long time. The most gravitating part is the duo between Harvey and Ross. Their Batman-Robin like relationship makes the show binge worthy, similar to shows such as "White Collar". | ||
| + | |||
| + | Another note-worthy component of the show is the relationship between the paralegal and Ross. They develop a romantic connection which again adds to the mystery and desire of the show. <ref> https://screenrant.com/suits-behind-scenes-hidden-secrets-facts-trivia/ </ref> | ||
==Ethical Concerns== | ==Ethical Concerns== | ||
Revision as of 11:35, 26 March 2021
Suits is an American drama television series created and written by Aaron Korsh. Suits is a legal drama about a fictional New York law firm. The show revolves around a Harvard-educated lawyer named Harvey Specter and his associate that never went to law school named Mike Ross. The show primarily focuses on Harvey and Mike solving cases while trying to maintain Mike's secret. The show ran for 9 seasons on USA Network from 2011 to 2019.
Contents
Characters
Harvey Specter
A big shot Harvard lawyer working at Pearson Hardman that is rumored to be the greatest closer in all of New York. He hires Mike Ross to be his associate despite knowing that Mike never went to law school. Harvey tries to win his cases at all costs except for doing something illegal.
Mike Ross
Mike Ross works as an associate at Pearson Hardman to Harvey Specter. He was accepted to Harvard for a transfer but was rejected after it was learned he sold a college math test. He has a photographic memory and passed the Bar exam needed to become a lawyer.
Rachel Zane
Rachel Zane is a paralegal that works at Pearson Hardman. She is the daughter of Robert Zane. Her dream is to become a Harvard lawyer like her father, but she must take the LSAT’s first to get into law school.
Jessica Pearson
Jessica Pearson is the name partner of Pearson Hardman. She and Harvey have a close relationship of trust as she was his mentor through law school. She is the only African American, female name partner in all of New York. Jessica is intelligent and cunning throughout the series.
Louis Litt
Louis Litt is a Harvard lawyer working at Pearson Hardman. He is the head of associates, including Mike Ross. He bleeds loyalty to Pearson Hardman and produces some of the highest billables for the firm.
Donna Paulsen
Donna Paulsen is Harvey Specter’s secretary. She and Harvey have a special relationship that makes them work great together. Donna is known to read people and situations without much context. She met Harvey when he first started working for the D.A.’s office and moved with him after he quit to come to Pearson Hardman.
Robert Zane
Robert Zane is the father of Rachel Zane. He is one of the name partners at Rand, Kaldor, and Zane.
Show Direction
Aaron Korsh is the writer of the show. Korsh also wrote for classic shows such as "Everybody Loves Raymond", "Just Shoot Me!" and many other sitcoms. Suits was an interesting twist because it is not a sitcom. [1]
The wardrobes in this show are ones to note as well. Harvey dresses well in thick ties and loose suites while Ross has a more European style of dressing. This plays into their power dynamic as Ross is a junior associate. Both men wear signature three piece tailored suits. Other cast members in the show such as the paralegal Meghan Markle also follow this form. [2]
Success Of Suits
One of the first reasons the show was so popular was due to the aura of sophistication and confidence that fills the screen when Harvey Spector walks on the screen [3]. The shows screams classy attire, legitimate swagger, and overall brilliance. The setting is in New York City which only adds to the desire for the viewer to be a part of the scene.
The show revolves around Ross who is a junior lawyer that has a photographic memory. This character forged papers saying that he graduated through Harvard Law School (the only place this firm chooses students from). This is a secret that is kept in the show for a very long time. The most gravitating part is the duo between Harvey and Ross. Their Batman-Robin like relationship makes the show binge worthy, similar to shows such as "White Collar".
Another note-worthy component of the show is the relationship between the paralegal and Ross. They develop a romantic connection which again adds to the mystery and desire of the show. [4]
Ethical Concerns
Femininity in Mass Media
The media has had an issue with the representation of women in the past. Many shows in the past follow stereotypes of men and women. In TV dramas and sitcoms, women tend to be represented more as mothers, nurses, and secretaries while men tend to be represented by dominant roles that display aggression, strength, and action (Chandler). Suits does a great job at breaking this trend. Many of the characters have traits that do not fit these stereotypical roles. Some very good examples are of characters like Jessica Pearson, Louis Litt, and Rachel Zane. Jessica Pearson is the head of the law firm that Harvey and Mike work at. She is portrayed as an intelligent leader that understands much of the world around her. Louis Litt is a partner at the firm that produces the highest billables. He appreciates things like ballets, mudding, origami, and tennis. Rachel Zane is a paralegal of the firm. Throughout the series, she is shown to make it on her own without her parents’ success, be a part-time employee and student, and an excellent lawyer among her peers.
Racism and Media
Racism has been a major issue with the media since the beginning. Many early forms of entertainment media films portrayed African Americans as savages, ignorants, and potential rapists. White actors would also be painted black to play the roles of African Americans, insinuating that African Americans were not good enough to play their roles. This has had the effect of influencing peoples’ racial perceptions (Kulaszewicz). Suits cast many important supporting characters as African American, most notably Jessica Pearson and Robert Zane. These characters show multidimensional development through their struggles to become who they are today. They are both portrayed as strong respectable leaders of their law firms.
Ethics of Lawyering
Being a show about lawyers, the show touches over many ethical concepts in lawyering. In our legal system, everyone has the right to representation and it is their lawyer's job to represent them regardless of their personal opinion (Sharon). However, the ethics of this situation are debated. Is it ethical to represent someone who committed a crime with substantial evidence against them the same way as another with little evidence for a minor crime? The show does a great job trying not to place bias on viewers on what to do in these cases. For such a popular show, it is important to now impose beliefs on how ethics should be handled to viewers. Suits stay by agreed-upon fundamentals of integrity. The main characters never perjure themselves, falsify testimony, or do anything illegal in court. All of the outcomes of cases favor the party that was portrayed to be in the right.
References
Chandler, Daniel. “Television and Gender Roles” http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Modules/TF33120/gendertv.html#E
Kulaszewicz, Kassia E.. (2015). Racism and the Media: A Textual Analysis. Retrieved from Sophia, the St. Catherine University repository website: https://sophia.stkate.edu/msw_papers/477
Sharon Dolovich, Ethical Lawyering and the Possiblity of Integrity, 70 Fordham L. Rev. 1629 (2002). Available at: https://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/flr/vol70/iss5/8- ↑ https://deadline.com/2019/09/suits-series-finale-post-mortem-recap-creator-aaron-korsh-qa-ending-spoilers-abigail-spencer-meghan-markle-gina-torres-1202745010/
- ↑ https://suits.fandom.com/wiki/Errors_and_Omissions
- ↑ https://standard.asl.org/6269/culture/the-success-of-suits/
- ↑ https://screenrant.com/suits-behind-scenes-hidden-secrets-facts-trivia/
