20 Best 'Suits' Episodes, Ranked (original) (raw)
Updated Sep 15, 2024, 8:00 PM EDT
Ryan Heffernan is a Senior Writer at Collider. Storytelling has been one of his interests since an early age, with his appreciation for film and television becoming a particular interest of his during his teenage years.
This passion saw Ryan graduate from the University of Canberra in 2020 with an Honours Degree in Film Production. In the years since, he has found freelance work as a videographer and editor in the Canberra region while also becoming entrenched in the city's film-making community.
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Premiering in 2011 and running for nine seasons, the hit legal series Suits was one of the biggest television shows of the 2010s, thriving off the back of its dramatic tension, comedic fun, romantic intrigue, and the pulsating thrill of courtroom squabbling. Across its 134-episode run, Suits juggled its tonal sensitivities immaculately, providing fans with everything from fun-loving con jobs with a triumphant flourish to heart-stopping entries that delved into character drama, and even some episodes that were devastatingly heartbreaking.
The series as a whole followed Mike (Patrick J. Adams), a brilliant though unambitious con artist who finds his calling as a lawyer, and Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht), the major corporate lawyer in Manhattan who takes Mike under his wing despite the fact that he doesn't have a law degree. From spellbinding season finales to episodes that flipped the story on its head, these 20 entries mark the best Suits episodes.
Release Date
2011 - 2019
Network
Showrunner
Aaron Korsh
Cast
Gabriel Macht
Harvey Specter
20 "Thunder Away"
Season 9, Episode 9 (2019)
Image via USA Network
The penultimate episode of the whole series ends up being one of the best ones in the context of Mike and Harvey’s friendship. Receiving news of the sudden death of his mother, Harvey confronts his grief with help from Mike. All the while, Mike and Sam (Katherine Heigl) make an aggressive press against Faye (Denise Crosby), who returns serve by making a deal with Harvey and Louis that drags the entire firm into the squabble.
As great as the episode is in terms of the sweeping legal battle and the thrills that come with it, “Thunder Away” truly thrives thanks to its quieter character moments. Harvey’s eulogy for his mother is a tender, tear-jerking highlight of the series, his confrontation with Katrina (Amanda Schull) is similarly brilliant, while his bond with Mike reaches new heights amid the turmoil of the episode.
19 "Sucker Punch"
Season 2, Episode 7 (2012)
Rick Hoffman as Louis Litt cross examines Sarah Rafferty as Donna Paulsen in a mock trial in Suits.
Image via USA Network
Plenty of internal feelings spill out in the Season 2 episode “Sucker Punch” which sees an under-pressure Pearson Hardman firm orchestrate a mock trial of their upcoming lawsuit to gauge what could transpire. Home truths about many of the lawyers involved in the trial run are revealed, while Harvey turns to a former colleague and love interest for advice, despite the fact they didn’t end their relationship on good terms.
The episode teases Harvey’s haunted past while consolidating his callous exterior – particularly in the courtroom – as being close to unbreakable yet entirely manufactured. It also sees an unlikely collaboration in the form of Mike and Hardman, with the duo actually working well together as a team in a sequence which makes Hardman far more interesting as a character. Ultimately a great episode for all the characters, “Sucker Punch” is a tightly written and brilliantly acted entry that, while not being too flashy, still excels throughout.
18 "Intent"
Season 4, Episode 15 (2015)
Donna Paulsen (Sarah Rafferty) getting confronted in Season 4, Episode 15 of "Suits"
Image via USA Network
While parts of Season 4 were bogged down by too heavy an emphasis on character and drama, “Intent” marks a highlight of the suspense and thrills of the courtroom taking center stage in the legal drama series. Celebrations over the success of the whistler-blower case are cut short when Harvey learns that Donna (Sarah Rafferty) broke the law to help secure a defining document. With Donna confronted by the very real possibility of serving time, Mike and Harvey scramble to help her while Jessica navigates a serious step in her relationship with Jeff Malone (D.B. Woodside).
The Season 4 finale marks a pivotal point in Harvey and Donna’s relationship, one that again solidifies their undying support of one another while taking steps to spur a romance between the two. Also enriched with insights into Jessica’s siege mentality headspace and how that impacts personal relationships, “Intent” is an intriguing highlight of connection and romance despite thriving as a legal narrative. In essence, it embodies the balance that defines Suits when operating at its best.
17 "Blowback"
Season 5, Episode 11 (2016)
Image via USA Network
The mid-season break in _Suits_’ fifth season was a particularly agonizing one for fans, but it eventually subsided in phenomenal fashion with the grand return in the form of “Blowback”. With Mike arrested on charges of conspiracy to commit fraud, Harvey and Jessica devise a plan to defend him despite knowing he is guilty. Rachel (Meghan Markle) finds herself cornered by her father while Mike is offered a deal to turn on Harvey by the ruthless prosecutor who will be handling his case.
Loaded with exceptional character moments, “Blowback” brilliantly explores the aftermath of the explosive mid-season finale while plotting a new course forward for the second half of the exceptional season. It is a thrill to see many of the characters do what they can to rally behind Mike, while his blackmailing confrontation with Soloff (John Pyper-Ferguson) and Hardman is incredibly rewarding to say the least.
16 "The Hand That Feeds You"
Season 6, Episode 9 (2016)
Image via USA Network
It is fair to say that “The Hand That Feeds You” has its fair share of moments that frustrated fans. Some of these moments were good, others less so, but the Season 6 episode remains one of the strongest entries in the series due to its narrative might. A hitch in the plan to free Mike from prison sees Harvey consider freeing Frank Gallo (Paul Schulze), while Jessica and Rachel butt heads over how to approach a re-opened case. Meanwhile, Louis struggles to handle his anxiety issues surrounding Tara (Carly Pope).
It is as thrilling as it is sometimes rage-inducing, making for an emotionally conflicted yet rousing episode that raises questions over Mike’s state of mind and what the future may hold for he and Rachel. It has some intense sequences, some triumphant ones, and ultimately thrives as a rousing and engrossing episode.
15 "Tick Tock"
Season 5, Episode 15 (2016)
Image via USA Network
While Suits was able to maintain a high quality of entertainment and drama throughout its nine-season run, few would deny that the illustrious back half of Season 5 stands as the definitive highlight of the series. Within that, the season’s penultimate episode was a beautifully balanced chapter that set the scene fantastically ahead of the finale while still offering plenty of intrigue, suspense, and character drama in its own right.
“Tick Tock” sees Jessica (Gina Torres) and Harvey set their minds on a new strategy to keep Mike out of jail while Louis (Rick Hoffman) grapples with making a deal or staying true to his colleagues. The episode moves at a quick though calculated case, giving every major character significant moments while also featuring a powerful guest appearance from Donzaleigh Abernathy who portrays Clifford Danner’s (Neil Brown Jr.) mother and takes to the stand to speak on behalf of Mike.
14 "Self Defense"
Season 5, Episode 14 (2016)
Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams) and Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht) sit in a packed courtroom in 'Suits' Season 5, Episode 15 "Tick Tock" (2016).
Image via USA Network
Another episode that helped mark Season 5 as the best season of Suits, “Self Defense” effectively sets in motion what will be the defining last stanza of the season, with Mike and Harvey committing to big decisions that will re-shape their lives. With Mike’s trial rapidly approaching, he and Harvey clash over who should represent him. As both men want to take the lead, they agree to a challenge to determine who will speak in court. All the while, Louis begins to doubt where he stands should Mike lose the case, and Anita Gibbs (Leslie Hope) casts a spanner in the works at the last minute.
Riveting from start to finish, “Self Defense” is Suits at its frenetic, energetic best. The story is rife with twists and turns that completely blindside the audience, while all the major characters get their chance to shine. Gripping and intense, it is a contained, concise highlight of Suits that stands as an impressive testament to Patrick J. Adams’ talents as a director as well as a star.
13 "No Way Out"
Season 3, Episode 16 (2014)
Željko Ivanek and Patrick J. Adams in 'Suits' Season 3, Episode 16 "No Way Out" (2014).
Image via USA Network
A common theme on this list will be _Suits_’ ability to constantly deliver on season finales, with the Season 3 closer, “No Way Out”, a magnificent example of the series’ excellence at closing out its seasons with satisfying yet exhilarating results. It sees Harvey and Mike in a war of wits against a tenacious U.S. attorney with a hatred for dirty lawyers. Meanwhile, Mike and Rachel begin to realize they have different ideas concerning their future, and Harvey and Dana Scott (Abigail Spencer) have difficulties with their own relationship.
With its stern focus on character bonds, “No Way Out” drums up compelling drama by testing relationships – both working and romantic – that audiences care about by applying both external and internal pressures upon them. Zeljko Ivanek is suitably spiteful as U.S. attorney Eric Woodall to give the episode a central figure of antagonism for the characters (and fans) to rally against, making it one of Suits' best episodes.
12 "Not Just a Pretty Face"
Season 4, Episode 16 (2015)
Patrick J. Adams and Meghan Markle in 'Suits' Season 4, Episode 16 "Not Just a Pretty Face" (2015).
Image via USA Network
Another great finale, “Not Just a Pretty Face” weaves together past and present to explore the predicament Harvey finds himself in as he tries to bring down Eric Roberts' Charles Forstman. In the past, Harvey’s success as an Assistant District Attorney leads to lucrative, albeit legally dubious, career opportunities that tie him and his younger brother to Forstman. In the present, he finds himself in a race against time to get dirt on Woodall so he’ll flip on Forstman, enlisting the help of Mike and Rachel in the process.
The episode beautifully mixes its suspenseful legal stakes with tender character moments, complementing its thrilling main plot with the backstory of how Donna came to work for Harvey, and Donna’s efforts to help Louis as she comes to terms with Harvey declaring his love for her. Culminating with Mike proposing to Rachel, “Not Just a Pretty Face” is a triumphant, crowd-pleasing outing that stands as one of _Suits_’ most satisfying episodes.
11 "Gone"
Season 4, Episode 9 (2015)
Rick Hoffman, Gabriel Macht, and Patrick J. Adams in 'Suits' Season 4, Episode 9 "Gone" (2014).
Image via USA Network
The mid-section of Season 4 marks a particularly noteworthy stanza of _Suits_’ run, with the ninth episode, “Gone”, a huge turning point in the context of the season’s arc. With Pearson Specter facing a round of depositions, Louis confesses his shady dealings to Jessica and Harvey, which leaves the firm with no option but to go on the offensive. Harvey, Mike, and Louis confront Sean Cahill (Neal McDonough) about Woodall’s collusion, a play that gets Pearson Specter off the hook, but doesn’t keep Louis from losing his job at the firm.
A brilliant backs-against-the-wall plot ensures that “Gone” is one of the more commanding and heart-racing episodes of the series. The plot moves forward with haste and calculation, standing as a pivotal point considering what would transpire in the latter part of Season 4, while the dramatic conclusion with Louis’ resignation gives the triumphant elation a somber and contemplative undertone by the time the credits rolled.