Season 1 of Suits debuted on June 23, 2011, with a 90-minute premiere on USA Network in the United States. It concluded on September 8, 2011.
Episodes[]
| Image | No. in season |
Title | Director | Writer(s) | Airdate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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1 | "Pilot" | Kevin Bray | Aaron Korsh | June 23, 2011 |
| Securing a senior partnership at Pearson Hardman, New York City's premier closer, Harvey Specter, is tasked with recruiting a new associate from Harvard Law. Unexpectedly, his search introduces him to Mike Ross, a college dropout who was evading a marijuana sting operation and stumbled into Harvey's interview accidentally. Impressed by Mike's photographic memory and kindred personality, Harvey overlooks Mike's lack of a law degree and hires him, advising him to disassociate from his criminal past. Later, Harvey's promotion is threatened when he fails to close a case due to covert interference from another partner, Louis Litt. Managing partner Jessica Pearson considers reversing Harvey's promotion but offers him a chance at redemption: personally, handling a pro bono case involving sexual harassment allegations by a woman. Yet, despite this directive, Harvey delegates this task to Mike. | |||||
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2 | "Errors and Omissions" | John Scott | Sean Jablonski | June 30, 2011 |
| A judge insists that Harvey had an affair with his wife and refuses to fairly judge Harvey's case. Meanwhile, Louis Litt, another partner at Pearson Hardman, reveals that Mike failed his drug test and blackmails him into smoking marijuana to win over a prestigious client. | |||||
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3 | "Inside Track" | Kevin Bray | Aaron Korsh | July 7, 2011 |
| When the new CEO of a motor company wants to move production overseas, Harvey and Mike try to find a loophole to oust him and persuade one of the company's most loyal employees to take the job of CEO. Meanwhile, Mike prepares for the Rookie Dinner and tries to convince his friend Trevor to stop dealing marijuana. | |||||
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4 | "Dirty Little Secrets" | Dennie Gordon | Jon Cowan | July 14, 2011 |
| Harvey defends Jessica's ex-husband from allegations that his ALS medication is causing serious side effects. Meanwhile, Mike is assigned his first solo case, and his secret is almost discovered. | |||||
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5 | "Bail Out" | Kate Woods | Ethan Drogin | July 21, 2011 |
| Harvey must choose between closing a lucrative deal and helping his trusted driver defend against a lawsuit. Meanwhile, Trevor has given up dealing drugs and needs Mike to help him restart his life and escape his past. | |||||
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6 | "Tricks of the Trade" | Terry McDonough | Rick Muirragui | July 28, 2011 |
| Mike and Harvey work together to defend a woman, who they believe has been falsely accused of insider trading. Mike helps Rachel study for the LSAT, but he struggles to hide the fact that he used to take the LSAT for others. | |||||
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7 | "Play the Man" | Tim Matherson | Erica Lipez | August 4, 2011 |
| Mike is pitted against one of Louis' protégés in a mock trial. Harvey takes on an old rival and romantic interest. Rachel is a witness in the mock trial, and Mike accepts defeat in order to not hurt her. | |||||
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8 | "Identity Crisis" | Norberto Barba | Ethan Drogin | August 11, 2011 |
| The daughter of a businessman threatens to reveal Mike's secret unless he and the firm drop the case, they have against her while Harvey tries to fix problems Louis has made for the firm. She turns out to be a skilled hacker, who creates an entry for Mike in Harvard's computer system tracking graduates, along with attaining a replacement copy of the degree. | |||||
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9 | "Undefeated" | Felix Alcala | Rick Muirragui | August 18, 2011 |
| Harvey must decide if he can break his ethical code in order to defeat shady lawyer Travis Tanner. Meanwhile, Rachel is accused of leaking Pearson Hardman information to a competitor and is defended by Mike. Cleared, she returns to Pearson Hardman and obtains a raise from Louis. | |||||
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10 | "The Shelf Life" | Jennifer Getzinger | Sean Jablonski | August 25, 2011 |
| Mike and Harvey have to fire a man who has been working for nine years with a fake diploma. Mike identifies with this man and defends him, revealing a conspiracy. Mike and Rachel struggle with their feelings for each other while Louis creates a rift in Mike's relationship with Jenny Griffith. | |||||
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11 | "Rules of the Game" | Mike Smith | Jon Cowan | September 1, 2011 |
| The district attorney and Harvey's former mentor turns to his protégé when his office is being investigated for burying evidence. Meanwhile, Mike and Louis try to divide a mogul's estate between his two daughters, and Jenny worries that Mike is hiding something. | |||||
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12 | "Dog Fight" | Kevin Bray | Aaron Korsh | September 8, 2011 |
| Harvey tries to correct a past mistake by freeing an innocent man. However, the new district attorney seems more focused on preserving the system than seeking justice. Elsewhere, Trevor returns and seeks help from Mike. | |||||
Cast[]
Main Characters[]
- Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht), New York's best closer, a senior partner at Pearson Hardman, and former ADA in the New York County District Attorney's Office.
- Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams), a lawyer who never attended law school.
- Louis Litt (Rick Hoffman), a junior partner at Pearson Hardman who serves as the "disciplinarian" of the associates, as well as Harvey's antagonist.
- Rachel Zane (Meghan Markle), the firm's top paralegal who cannot score high enough on the LSAT to enter law school.
- Donna Paulsen (Sarah Rafferty), Harvey's assistant. She's been with him since he was an ADA.
- Jessica Pearson (Gina Torres), Harvey's boss and managing and founding partner of Pearson Hardman
Recurring Characters[]
- Trevor Evans (Tom Lipinski), Mike's drug-dealing best friend.
- Jenny Griffith (Vanessa Ray), Trevor's ex-girlfriend; Mike's confidant and current girlfriend.
- Edith Ross (Rebecca Schull), Mike's grandmother who resides in a nursing home and gives him advice and motivation
- Kyle Durant (Ben Hollingsworth), one of Louis Litt's star proteges; frequently against Mike to be the firm's top dog.