Essential Episodes of Suits to Watch Before the Spinoff

Summary

• Suits joins shows like Breaking Bad with “The Netflix Effect,” hitting 20 billion minutes viewed on the platform.
• The spinoff Suits: LA stars Josh McDermitt, Lex Scott Davis, and promises the same witty banter and quick decisions.
• Key episodes like “Faith” and “This Is Rome” show the emotional depth and high-stakes drama that Suits is known for.

The bingeable legal drama Suits is the latest show to come down with “The Netflix Effect.” Otherwise, known as a show or movie that once its network run is finished, it comes to the powerhouse streamer and goes viral, as new and faithful eyes get to see it! Joining the ranks of others that have fallen to the same effect: Breaking Bad, You, Manifest, and Lucifer, Suits finds itself with a whopping 20 billion minutes viewed on Netflix, since it hit the platform in June of 2023. For new eyes, it is an edge-of-your-seat show about a gang of get-it-done lawyers. For the faithful eyes, it’s the perfect comfort show to have on in the background. Plus a reason to re-watch favorite scenes.

This resurgence in popularity has led original showrunner Aaron Korsh, to helm a spinoff nearly four years after the original’s season finale. The spinoff, titled, Suits: LA, already has its starring role of Ted Black, a hotshot former New York prosecutor, who now caters to the rich and powerful in Los Angeles, and making a name for himself in doing so. Suits: LA has also added Josh McDermitt as Stuart Lane, and Lex Scott Davis, as Erica Rollins. The show is planned to premiere on NBC, during the 2025-2026 season. To get ready for the spinoff, here are the 12 must-watch episodes to binge from the original show.

11 “Pilot”

Season 1, Episode 1

In its Pilot episode, Suits does one of the things it does best. It shows its viewers the unique, comedic, and unbreakable, almost instant bond all of these characters have. The first episode sees an expert closer, Harvey Specter, with Donna, his right arm, searching for his new guy to mentor. Viewers also meet Mike Ross and his humble yet unconventional entry into the world of law. In a particularly standout way, Mike Ross gets in front of Harvey, and wows him with his photographic memory, gaining the spot that the other prospects were waiting for.

What Does the Spinoff Have Up Its Sleeve?

This episode features characters that viewers instantly fall in love with, want to be, and wish they could be in the inner circle of. The dynamic between them, and their non-stop determination to get things done, shows viewers what to expect from Stephen Amell and his crew in Suits: LA. This season premiere directs viewers to what kind of witty and lightning-quick banter and quick decisions that should be expected of a show in the Suits universe. It also introduces one of the main issues that will span most of the show’s seasons, regarding Mike Ross, and his complete lack of a law degree. Will Suits: LA have a similar issue? Or will it pave its own way?

10 “Shelf Life”

Season 1, Episode 10

Not too long after Mike starts working at Pearson Hardman, he finds himself face-to-face with his possible future. While he is currently practicing law without a law degree, the team has found out that one of the firm’s own lied on his application years ago. Their own accountant, Stan played wonderfully by John Billingsley. Mike lets his big heart get in the way and breaks the news to Stan early on. Stan discloses that there might be more going on behind the scenes than the firm’s leaders know. Something isn’t adding up. Even though Harvey tells Mike to let it go, Mike does some investigating and finds out that Stan might just be right.

No Law Degree, But the Biggest Heart

This episode is vital for spinoff viewers to watch since it shows a side of Mike that gets him over the finish line and gets him into trouble and tricky spots later on in the series. While some lawyers are in it for the money, the power, and the status, Mike is in this to help others as well. He has a special and heartfelt reason that keeps him tied to his love of the law.

While most of the team at Pearson Hardman bends the rules behind the law’s back when they need to; Mike does it mostly when he is trying to help someone. In this case, he sees his possible future in Stan, and in Stan’s eventual firing. Perhaps there will be a character with a heart as big as their paycheck on Suits: LA as well, that brings out the best in the team?

9 “She Knows”

Season 2, Episode 1

The beginning of Season 2 starts off with Mike’s dream to practice law without a degree in jeopardy. As the Pearson in Pearson Hardman, Jessica, reveals that she knows about Mike’s secret and that Harvey knew too when he hired him. In classic “That’s going to have to wait” Suits style, Jessica doesn’t have time for this issue, as another one takes speedy precedence.

As in its season premiere, Daniel Hardman returns to the firm, trying to claim back the spot he lost as he was pushed out of the firm not too long ago for his sneaky behind-the-scenes ways. While Hardman’s return is at the forefront of everyone’s mind, as well as how to get him to leave again, Harvey does his best to stall, and not fire Mike, like Jessica wants him to.

Harvey Doesn’t Back Down

The first episode of the second season is vital viewing because it is one of the first times that Harvey shows that he isn’t just New York’s hard-as-rocks closer. He stands by his man. He stands by his choices. This tells viewers that this team has an incredible bond. One will wish or be grateful that they have friends like this group. Jessica is impressed by Mike’s photographic memory and sees the usefulness that has already been put to good use and displayed in the cases he’s run with Harvey. What secrets will the Black Lane Law firm in LA have to keep close to the chest?

8 “Heartburn”

Season 3, Episode 14

This Season 3 episode is jam-packed and has several storylines going at once. The main one shines the spotlight on Louis Litt. The exceedingly passionate and aggressively quirky lawyer at Pearson Specter. While running late from his girlfriend Sheila Sazs, a Harvard Law employee, Louis finds he needs to run to court after his cab is stolen.

Once in court, he delivers a powerful closing argument. But on his way back to his seat, he realizes he’s experiencing a heart attack. While in the hospital, his near brush with death has made him realize his intense love for Sheila, and once she arrives, he proposes at once — backless hospital gown and all. Back at the firm, the team is dealing with a not-so-pleasant case, and Rachel (Meghan Markle) needs to talk to Louis desperately.

They Don’t Suffer Alone

Even though there is chaos going on at the firm, this team doesn’t leave Louis alone in the hospital. Donna drops everything and immediately goes to see Louis and be there for him. Viewers will be touched, or weirded out perhaps, at how close these colleagues are. Minds will be tested as the cycle of multiple cases, problems, and hiccups arise in this single episode. This continues across the series. Every case file, secret make-out session, and new evidence in a case must be dealt with right then and there. But yet, the team still manages to keep it all straight. Pros they all are. Will the same cycle be present in Suits: LA?

7 “No Way Out’

Season 3, Episode 16

Since Harvey is the top closer in New York City, he always has people gunning for him and trying to take him down. One of those people is Eric Woodall, an attorney who despises shady lawyers. His real target is Harvey, but he will use even Mike’s associate coworkers to get Mike to turn on Harvey and bury him. Dana Scott appears in the episode as well, played by Abigail Spencer, as the on-again-off-again coworker and fling of Harvey’s. She once again finds herself second string to him, despite all of her efforts. This problem goes as far as Mike being brought into the US Attorney’s office for questioning.

We’re Not Just CoWorkers, We’re a Family

At this point, viewers can guess that this law firm exists and runs the way that it does to these lawyers having each other’s backs, always. The lengths they go to, to protect each other, moral and immoral, are something to be celebrated. The always clever, witty, and fast-paced writing and conversation put that on display as well. It makes each episode quite satisfying, as one always wants the best comeback at the perfect time. In the high stakes of Entertainment Law, the lawyers at Black Lane Law in Suits: LA are bound to run into adversaries that will force them to band together to save each other’s own.

6 “This Is Rome”

Season 4, Episode 10

In a very surprising twist, Louis does the unthinkable in this episode. He resigns from his beloved Pearson Specter. Even after that, his colleagues jumped in to help him get settled, even going as far as helping him try to find another job. Mike does his part by bringing a box of Louis’ things to his house.

They get to talking about a legendary honor named the Coif that some scholars received at Harvard. Mike lets his truth show, and Louis realizes that this is the final nail in the coffin. He figures out that Mike didn’t go to Harvard at all. In one of Rick Hoffman’s best performances, he confronts each member of the team at the law firm and lets them have it. He finally gets to Jessica and uses Mike’s secret to get what he’s always wanted, his name on Pearson Specter’s wall.

Pearson Specter Gets Litt Up

While in previous episodes “You got Litt up!” has been a humorous catchphrase for Louis, in this episode he means nothing but cold, hard, business. He knows he deserves his name up on the wall, and he promises to keep Mike’s secret to get it there. If anyone thought Louis was only the odd man out at the firm, this episode, and several others, shows that he is extremely smart, cunning, and ruthless.

The dimmed lighting throughout the episode indicates the significance of one more person being in on the secret. Is it dangerous or helpful to Mike to have another person in on his secret? Will Stephen Amell as Ted Black be the odd man out in Suits: LA? Or will there be another unrealized and talented lawyer to stand out?

5 “Intent”

Season 4, Episode 15

Over the course of Suits, there are occasional cases that span multiple episodes. One of those is Liberty Rail. Donna is referenced as the greatest legal secretary in all of New York several times. All know that she is Harvey’s, and the firm’s right-hand woman. While she does her own impressive work, daily, she gets to see Harvey and Mike swoop in and save the day with that one piece of evidence that couldn’t be found, or a mysterious witness that finally came out of the woodwork.

So she wants to be part of this heroic effort as well. The way that she decides to do this, is to use her intuition and ability at reading people, to illegally obtain evidence for their whistleblower case. She did this figuring that Harvey could get her out of it because he could get anyone out of anything. The team struggles with this and has to pull some strings to right everything as it should be again.

Donna Does Her Thing

Donna is one of those characters that audiences immediately love, and probably know someone like her in real life. While she had good intentions, the way she went about them put her and the firm in jeopardy. It is yet another example of the people of Pearson Specter Litt practicing tactics that some other lawyers might avoid due to discretion and shadiness. Viewers come to know that Harvey can indeed get anyone out of anything.

So when one of the character’s fates is up in the air for so long, as is Donna’s in this episode, it brings viewers to the edge of their seats. The quick-witted writing isn’t the only thing this show had going for it. Suits has a striking pace to it, as people’s lives hang in the balance every day. Since Suits: LA is based on entertainment law, what will be the decisions that will have to be made and made quickly at Black Lane Law?

4 “Faith”

Season 5, Episode 10

This episode has the whole crew in fear of being disbanded and everything as they know it changing. Harvey and Mike, both emotional and fed up with putting those they care about in danger, each go their separate ways (in flashback form) to help them figure out what direction they need to go next. Back at the firm, Daniel Hardman has snaked his way back in with the help of another lawyer at the firm.

Jessica and Louis race to find her supporters so she doesn’t get voted out. Mike finally ends up back at the church and school he attended as a child, and speaking to the reverend there that he knows. He bares his soul and realizes that the thing he has to do to give Rachel her peace of mind has to do with his dream of practicing the law that he loves. Harvey makes it back in time to hopefully save Jessica and his firm.

Emotion Packed Episode

“Faith” has viewers on the edge of their seats for its entire runtime. Up until the very last moment. Just when you think the characters are safe once again, the last few moments shock viewers. This episode was the highest-rated of the entire series. Suits encourages viewers to think and experience the many ups and downs of this high-stakes career choice along with the main characters every step of the way.

The emotional depth of these characters, Mike’s heart for others, and Harvey’s heart which isn’t only filled with his job, absolutely shined in this episode. It might seem like it’s only law jargon thrown around each episode, but this one displayed what a nail-biter it can really be.

3 “Tick Tock”

Season 5, Episode 15

Mike is now in one of the places that he had never hoped to be. While he’s in the courtroom, he is the one on trial. Against others’ wishes, he had decided to represent himself. The night before, he frets to Rachel that he cannot come up with a closing argument. The stakes are too high. Rachel comes along with advice for him to just be himself. He had received this advice before, and it worked for him. After a startling realization that something terrible happened to their key witness, Mike and Harvey have to come up with a different plan. Mike’s closing argument is heartfelt and exceedingly honest, exactly what Suits is known for.

Mike’s Clock Is Ticking

In many episodes of Suits, a viewer may ask themselves, when do these people sleep? But the dark and moody lighting throughout the show as well as this episode enhances the urgency and seriousness of the situation at hand. Pearson Specter Litt’s big secret and all that Mike has worked for could come crashing down at any moment. It almost feels as though the viewer has been keeping Mike’s secret this long as well, and is on the verge of being discovered.

2 “25th Hour”

Season 5, Episode 16

Season 5 is where everything comes to a head in Suits. It is jam-packed with possible consequences for actions, however well intended. “25th Hour” takes viewers into the final moments of Mike’s trial, and the multiple plea deals that go on behind multiple people’s backs. Audiences know that this family of lawyers only wants what’s best for each other. So each attempt to do just that, all at the exact same moment, it seems. As Mike literally runs to accept a plea deal that will only hurt him, Harvey goes straight to the jury foreman to find out what their actual decision was. The result is heartbreaking.

Season 5 Keeps Viewers in Suspense

This episode is essential viewing for audiences of Suits: LA as it shows just how nail-biting a drama about a legal firm can be. Episodes 15 and 16 of Season 5 are best-watched binge-style. One right after the other. At this point, one has grown to care about this team and doesn’t necessarily want things to change. The genuine emotions and reactions of the main characters tug at heartstrings and leave a lump in the throat. What great turmoil does the team at Black Lane Law have to deal with? In the world of entertainment law, it could be anything.

1 “One Last Con”

Season 9, Episode 10

“Faye, Fi, Foe, Fum” Everyone’s favorite law firm has one last foe to defeat, and her name is Faye. Some new team members have been added since Season 5, and they are just as cutthroat at getting what needs to be done, done. Faye has caught wind of the firm’s activities and comes to end them once and for all. The entire gang that is left fights tooth and nail to keep their law firm the way it is. While this episode is intense, it also sees several happy endings for this gang. Seeing as it is the season finale, most storylines, relationships, and “what’s nexts” come to a close. Happy and sad tears could drop.

The Drama of Law Lives On

In the closing moments, one might want to switch to binge-watching Suits all over again and contribute to those 20 million watching minutes. Yet, with the first-try spinoff Pearson, that continues Jessica’s story, the original creators set out to bring in an ensemble once again with the iteration of Suits: LA. Where there is no doubt, the clientele will most likely be just as in charge and power-hungry as the lawyers they have on retainer. The entire Suits library is essential viewing, just as the law library is essential to a 1st year associate. So get to it, and *slaps file on desk* this cannot wait.