Today's Entertainment

USA's 'Suits' still tailor-made for success By John Crook © Zap2it first season last Septem- ber, things looked grim for faux-lawyer Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams) as his shady former best friend marched himself into the office of Jessica Pearson (Gina Torres), the founding partner of Mike's law firm, to reveal Mike's secret: He doesn't even have a law degree, just an eidetic memory that allows him to retain a comprehensive knowledge of the law. Last week's gripping When "Suits" ended its season premiere of USA Network's hit Thursday legal dramedy neatly re- solved the most burning issues in that cliffhanger. Jessica is decidedly un- happy to learn that Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht), her right-hand guy, con- spired in Mike's deception, but she ultimately agreed not to fire Mike in the face of a much more seri- ous threat: the return of previously unseen senior partner Daniel Hardman (new cast member David Costabile), who has a ma- jor grudge against Jessica and Harvey. "Now we have Daniel Hardman coming in to re- claim his space and try to get his power back," says Macht of this season's major new story wrinkle. "Hardman's return may be a game-changer, and (Harvey and Jessica are) not sure what that means. He doesn't come across as a very trustworthy guy, but as we move forward you'll see that he has some good qualities, and at least to some extent, he's trying to make amends." Macht pauses, then adds with a chuckle, "OK, Hardman basically was blackmailed by us in the first place, so he definitely wants Jessica and me out of there." But then, twists and re- lawyer fatally torpedoed after he was caught selling an exam to the daughter of the local dean. Gifted with a prodigious memory, Mike was eking out a liv- ing taking tests (especially LSATs) for other people when fate led him to Har- vey, a newly minted senior partner at Pearson Hard- man who was looking for a legal associate. The part instantly reso- versals are second nature on "Suits," which premiered last summer to relatively little fanfare but quickly blossomed into a critical and popular hit. In fact, many of the show's fans (including this one) con- sider it the gold standard among USA's consistently successful original series. "The reaction I am nated with Adams, who was at a low point himself after getting fired off an NBC comedy pilot that left him wondering whether he needed to make a career change. "The show wasn't about potential, but it just hasn't come together yet." Adams not only con- nected with fansbut with the voters at the Screen Actors Guild, who nomi- nated his work in the first season as best perfor- mance by a male actor in drama series. "To be honest, it was an getting on the street is incredible," Macht says. "It's very odd. I'm actually very different than Harvey in so many ways, and I definitely dress nothing like him when I am not work- ing. I'll run into people who ask me what I'm working on, and I say, 'Suits,' and they say, 'Oh, my God, that's like my favorite show. That's you?' My point is, I always get a strong reac- tion because people have become so invested in these characters." None of them more than Mike, the gifted col- lege dropout who saw his dreams of becoming a his gift; it was about how he had squandered it and how he had this potential that he never had found a way to realize his dream," Adams recalls. "Through some very strange circum- stances in the pilot, he was given this opportunity to finally prove to himself that he is capable of doing something he was always meant to do. I thought for sure that was something I could connect to in a very real and personal and emotional way. I mean, I had been fired and broken down, and here I got the opportunity to go in and just speak from the heart and do these scenes about a young guy who feels that he has all this honor just to be consid- ered to be nominated," Ad- ams says. "Last year was such a strange, surreal year for me. When the ac- tual nomination came out, I already imagined I had won the prize, because I couldn't imagine feeling any better than that." But then, the core en- Catch the Craze & Save! semble of "Suits" doesn't really have a weak link. Torres radiates smart, elegant power as Jessica, while Rick Hoffman man- ages somehow to be both dangerous and pricelessly comic as Harvey's jeal- ous rival, Louis Litt, and Meghan Markle's smitten Rachel starts out this sea- son not realizing that Mike still hasn't heard the call she drunk-dialed one night in which she poured out her feelings for him. "Suits" fans also will be finding out more about the history of Harvey and his wisecracking assistant, Donna, played by the incomparable Sarah Raf- ferty. Save on Rentals • Breakfast Get Free Glass Cleaner Save on a Quilt Find these great savings plus more on Coupon Craze! In The Goshen News every Monday, Online everyday! Nobody covers your hometown better 114 S. Main St., Goshen 574-533-2151 www.goshennews.com Employment Ad Today! Place Your Over 3,500 resumes are posted on monster.com in The Goshen News readership areas. 574-533-2151 ext. 398 goshennews.com / 574.522.4475 www.GurleyLeepHonda.com Patrick J. Adams (left) and Gabriel Macht star in "Suits" Thursdays on USA Network. 2 The Goshen News • Viewer's Choice • Saturday, June 16, 2012-Friday, June 22, 2012 Information on your doorstep source of information. At The Goshen News , you can find the latest local and business news , sports highlights, travel features, financial tips and more. Subscribe today! senior, newspapers are a great you're a teenager, a baby boomer or a Whether 533-2151 ext. 393

• Cover