20 Best Suits Episodes, Ranked
Suits is one of the most captivating legal drama series TV has ever seen, with a handful of episodes that stand out as the very best. Suits ran from 2011 to 2019 for a total of 9 seasons with 134 episodes. Early seasons of the show focused on the relationship between high-flying lawyer Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht), and his protégé, Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams). Other regular cast members who appeared throughout are Sarah Rafferty, who played Harvey's secretary, Donna Paulsen, and Rick Hoffman, who played his rival, Louis Litt.
After the show's seventh season, the show was forced to undergo dramatic changes as Rachel Zane (Meghan Markle), Mike Ross's partner, left the show. As a result, Adams also decided to step away to preserve the story of Mike and Rachel and only returned towards the end of the show to wrap things up and say goodbye. While the focus shifted away from Mike and Harvey's relationship, Suits managed to continue for another two seasons with persistently good quality.
Suits LA's Opposite Premise Removes The Best Thing About The Original Legal Drama
Based on the spinoff's premise, Suits: LA is inverting the pilot episode of Suits, which effectively sets it up to be a more intense series.
20 "Thunder Away"
Season 9, Episode 9
While season 9 caused a lot of debate among the fandom, it still contains one of the best Suits episodes. As the penultimate episode of Suits, season 9's "Thunder Away" brings years of tension to a boiling point. The episode sees Harvey and Louis scrambling to protect the firm while Faye Richardson's reign of terror reaches its climax. Meanwhile, Donna and Harvey's relationship takes center stage as they prepare to make a life-changing decision.
What makes Thunder Away one of the best episodes of Suits is its payoff for long-running character arcs. Harvey finally lets go of his emotional walls, embracing both his personal and professional commitments. The high-stakes legal maneuvering and intense rivalries feel like a fitting farewell to the firm as the show heads into its finale. With sharp writing and emotional weight, this episode exemplifies Suits at its most compelling.
19 "Sucker Punch"
Season 2, Episode 7
Many of the best Suits episodes came early on in the show, especially in season 2. "Sucker Punch" is among them, and not only is it one of the top episodes of the show, but it's also one of the most significant for Harvey's character development - and Louis's. One of the most intense courtroom-style battles in Suits, "Sucker Punch" sees Harvey facing a mock trial orchestrated by Jessica to prepare for his real hearing against Hardman. As Louis takes the role of prosecutor, Harvey's deepest vulnerabilities are laid bare, exposing cracks in his tough exterior.
The brilliance of "Sucker Punch" lies in its psychological warfare. Watching Harvey - normally in control - struggle against a ruthless and prepared Louis makes for some of the show's most dramatic moments. The verbal sparring is some of the sharpest in all of Suits, and it’s a defining moment for Louis, showing his capability when pitted against the firm’s best. This episode also strengthens the show’s core relationships, as Mike, Donna, and Jessica rally behind Harvey.
18 "Blowback"
Season 5, Episode 11
Mike's character arc in Suitsis divisive among the fandom, but none deny it contained some incredibly great moments before he stepped back from the central story - and season 5's "Blowback" was pivotal for his journey. Kicking off the second half of Season 5, "Blowback" follows the aftermath of Mike’s arrest for fraud. With Harvey having resigned from the firm to save him, Jessica and Louis are left to pick up the pieces while Mike fights to prove his innocence. The pressure on everyone is suffocating, as their past deceptions come back to haunt them.
What makes Blowback stand out from many other episodes of Suits, including the very best in the show, is its sense of urgency. The tension is relentless, making it one of the most nail-biting episodes in the series. Mike’s arrest was a long time coming, and seeing the consequences play out in real-time is both nerve-wracking and deeply satisfying. The performances -especially from Gabriel Macht and Patrick J. Adams - elevate the drama, making the all round viewing experience the perfect example of Suits at its best.
17 "The Hand That Feeds You"
Season 6, Episode 9
Taking place as Mike nears the end of his prison sentence, season 6's "The Hand That Feeds You" delivers some of the most emotionally charged moments in the entirety of Suits, and it's this that makes it stands out as one of the best episodes. Mike faces an impossible choice: betray his cellmate Kevin to get out early or stay behind bars. Meanwhile, Harvey pulls every string he can to secure Mike’s release, while Jessica makes a game-changing decision about her own future.
With powerful character moments and high emotional stakes, "The Hand That Feeds You" is Suits at its most dramatic.
"The Hand That Feeds You" is also one of the best because it tests the morality of Suits' central characters. Mike’s struggle with his conscience is deeply compelling, showing his evolution from a conman to someone who values integrity above all. Jessica’s departure from the firm is a landmark moment, marking the end of an era. With powerful character moments and high emotional stakes, "The Hand That Feeds You" is Suits at its most dramatic.
16 "Not Just A Pretty Face"
Season 4, Episode 16
The season 4 finale, "Not Just A Pretty Face", delivers everything that makes Suits great: high-stakes legal battles, major character revelations, and emotional payoffs. The episode sees Harvey take down Charles Forstman, Louis finally earning Harvey’s respect, and Mike proposing to Rachel. But just as everything seems to be going well, the episode drops a bombshell - Mike is arrested for fraud.
The place of "Not Just A Pretty Face" among the best Suits episodes is hard to debate since, in many ways, it represents the series at its peak. The dynamic between Harvey and Louis reaches a satisfying turning point, with one of the show’s most heartfelt moments as Louis tells Harvey he’s proud to be his partner. Mike’s proposal is a long-awaited moment for fans, only to be undercut by the shocking twist at the end. The combination of clever legal maneuvering, emotional depth, and an unforgettable cliffhanger makes "Not Just A Pretty Face" one of the best episodes in the entire series.
15 "War"
Season 2, Episode 16
"War" is the Suits season 2 finale, and it centers on a huge battle that plays out in spectacular fashion. The season began with former partner Daniel Hardman returning to the firm and starting a civil war between himself and Jessica Pearson (Gina Torres), where the lawyers had to choose sides. By the end, things had mostly worked themselves out, but Jessica was making other moves that Harvey wasn't totally on board with. This involved a merging with Darby International.
The one thing that fans know about Harvey, though, is that he doesn't lose.
Harvey fights this, and he has a lot on the line. If he wins this battle, he could end up as a name partner in the firm. However, if he loses, it will cost him everything. The one thing that fans know about Harvey, though, is that he doesn't lose. He will find a plan and finally figure out what his path needs to be by the time the season ends. This is also the episode where Mike finally tells Rachel the truth, and that really does change everything, so the stakes couldn't be higher.
14 "Intent"
Season 4, Episode 15
The penultimate episode of Suits season 4, "Intent," saw bad things starting to happen to Donna. Things get worse when district attorney Terrence Wolf files charges against Donna for unlawfully gaining classified information. If this goes through, she could lose her entire career. This episode saw Harvey step up because he knew that he had to find a solution fast, or else Donna could lose everything.
Being a confident lawyer who knows all the dark corners of the law, Harvey starts tirelessly looking for ways to help get Donna off the hook and out of trouble here. This episode was a great one for fans who wanted to see Harvey and Donna end up together, because there were plenty of hints throughout that was what the end game was for these two beloved Suits characters. Next to "This is Rome," this was the best Suits season 4 episode.
13 "Tick Tock"
Season 5, Episode 15
Suits season 5, episode 15, "Tick Tock," sees Mike's case go to trial. However, as he tries to prepare, he becomes distracted by a brand-new case. Jessica and Harvey are spending much of this episode trying to find a way to keep Mike out of prison. Louis can't handle the entire predicament either because he doesn't want to go to prison just for knowing what Mike was doing and keeping quiet about it. Needless to say, the tension here was palpable.
This episode was the penultimate Suits season 5 episode, and a lot was on the line. Mike was pressured to become a legitimate lawyer after a witness was murdered, and this entire situation brought him one step closer to achieving his dream. This was the high point of the series, as the group of episodes, from the one before this to the finale where Mike agreed to go to prison, showed how much these characters had grown over the five seasons and the entire story was at a boiling point here.
12 "She Knows"
Season 2, Episode 1
The title of the Suits season 2 episode, "She Knows," says it all. This is the episode where Jessica tells Harvey that she knows that Mike is a fraud. It's Jessica's "come to God" moment, and she demands that Harvey fire Mike, which causes problems for everyone at the firm. However, she memorably gives Harvey the benefit of the doubt that he didn't know, which was a brilliant moment in the show's history.
But there was one crucial thing that happened in this one that really made "She Knows" one of the best Suits episodes. A co-founder of the firm returned after a five-year hiatus in David Costabile's Daniel Hardman. Daniel's arrival on Suits added a phenomenal antagonist to the series. Everyone has to choose sides here between Daniel and Jessica, and this kickstarts an amazing season.
11 "Dog Fight"
Season 1, Episode 12
The Suits characters and drama were always top-notch throughout its run. When the show wanted to tell a gripping courtroom drama, it could go head-to-head with the best legal dramas on television any day. This is what makes "Dog Fight" such a great Suits episode. The main focus of this episode wasn't about Mike, Harvey, or any of the other attorneys, specifically. It was about Harvey wanting to free a man wrongly imprisoned.
He faces off with a district attorney who doesn't care about the pursuit of justice and only cares about the integrity of the legal system.
However, he meets an immediate problem when trying to do the right thing. He faces off with a district attorney who doesn't care about the pursuit of justice and only cares about the integrity of the legal system. This causes Harvey to bring in an old friend in Trevor (Tom Lipinski) to help out with the case. This led to all the courtroom drama, which was incredibly intense and kept the viewers on the edge of their seats until the final moments.
