Suits.

Anyone seen the USA TV network show Suits? Very slick show, snappy dressing and a refreshing attitude to drug dealing which doesn't hammer home the whole drugz r bad schtick.

I've seen the ads. Seems like one of those shows that tries too hard to be "edgy" and "cool" by having lots of drugs and bullshit in it.

"It's so hard to be humble, knowing how great I am."

As I said, they don't hammer home an anti-drugs message, nor do they really promote them either. It is also really funny for an American show.

I have a theory about this show. One that is probably just my insanity speaking.

edited 19th Jan '12 2:57:08 AM by deathpigeon

I hate this show. The lead characters are smug, unrepentent, non-sympathetic, arrogant, irredeemable, shallow, lifeless, badly drawn, arseholes in thousand dollar suits.

But I like Gina Torres, so I'll be checking this out next season. Also to remind myself about why I can't stand this show.

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Out of curiosity, how much of this show have you watched?

The first three episodes and the finale. And I think two half episodes somewhere in between. Is what I'm saying dramatically inaccurate, then?

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Wait, Gina Torres is in this show?

Maybe I will watch it.

Also: "Badly drawn?" Uh... I'm pretty sure it's live-action.

"It's so hard to be humble, knowing how great I am."

It's a very writerly term that evolved out of literature criticism. It just means that the characters are badly "sketched out", so to speak. Not three-dimensional, barely even two.

I'm also referring to the fact that I feel the character's not very well observed, more of a glib statement of snark and entitlement than anything else.

For comparison, compare to Don Cheadle's lead character from House Of Lies. Even only two episodes deep, the character feels more believable. He's better drawn.

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Never seen House of Lies, so I don't get the reference, but I get your gist.

"It's so hard to be humble, knowing how great I am."

Well, first, the characters are smug, arrogant, and often assholes, but sometimes characters other than Mike Ross admit they're mistakes, and the are very redeemable, often showing their standards, and respect for one another, nor are they un-sympathetic, shallow, lifeless and badly drawn. They are nicely rounded characters that have both flaws and strengths, making them seem more human, and, by extension, more sympathetic. They are all dynamic, well rounded characters, who, while they aren't perfect, or always good, people, are far more human because of it.

edited 19th Jan '12 3:48:11 AM by deathpigeon

Any particularly good episodes that could turn my opinion around? I'm halfway through rewatching the finale right now, if that's any help on where to start.

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I personally like Bail Out (episode 5), but the ones that would show how human they are would probably be Tricks Of The Trade (episode 6), Undefeated (episode 9), and Shelf Life (episode 10. I should also note that, if you want to make more sense of the finale, you should watch Rules Of The Game (episode 11, the episode before the finale).

I'll let you know how I go. The internet recommended me episode seven as well, so I'll be trying that one out too.

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Yes, that's a good one too, but you wanted to see how human they were, so I recommended the episodes that do.

Suits is awesome fun. Love the dynamic between Harvey (probably one of my favourite characters of recent times) and Mike. Don't expect accuracy or anything but its a rollicking good ride.

"You want to see how a human dies? At ramming speed." - Emily Wong.

Oh! Right! I nearly forgot about my theory! Who wants to hear it?

Me, since I seem to be the only other guy in the thread that likes the show, 8-)

Ok, so my theory is that Suits is, in fact, NOT a show about lawyers. It is a show about suits, and most of the main characters are lawyers because lawyers wear a lot of suits.

Maybe the suits change the personalities of those who wear them? Symbiosis and all that stuff. Look at Mike when he is wearing his civvies, (jeans, t-shirts) and how he acts when the suits are on. Heck, look at the difference between him wearing the first suit he bought versus when he is wearing the ones he took from Trevor. He is way more focused, and seems to be better at his job.

Oh, my theory goes even deeper than that. I mean, suits are quite often important to the plot, eg the suit that Rachel brought up to Mike and the suit Mike tore when running from the drug dealers, or character, eg Mike being told to get suits a lot and, again, the suit that Rachel brought up to Mike. There's also a lot of symbolism in them, whether intentional or not. For example, you'll notice that the characters more inclined to follow the law tend to wear fancier suits, compare Harvey and Travis's suits, as well as how Mike starts wearing fancier suits after becoming a lawyer, stopping his test cheating business and the drug dealing, and compare the suits of the lawyers to the suits Trevor wears, and how Trevor dresses fancier at the end of the season finale when it's implies he's about to come clean about Mike's lying to the firm.

From watching the show, I don't think Mike has bought any other suits than the first one you see him with, which Harvey rips the shit out of. He seems to me to still be using Trevor's old property. Maybe those suits make you better at your job or luckier at it? Trevor got away with dealing drugs and from the hitmen who had captured him, and Mike got away with everything that he did as a lawyer up until the end of season one, thanks to the suits.

I don't know, it's just me WMGing.

edited 20th Jan '12 3:26:57 PM by deathpigeon

It's a good wmg. Makes the show even more interesting.

I came up with the idea during the chase when the camera focused on the ripping suit, and remembered the entry in The Walrus Was Paul on Shade The Changing Man:

and I applied the same sort of logic applied to hair in that to Suits, except with suits, and not hair.

edited 20th Jan '12 3:41:51 PM by deathpigeon