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Making poor choices has consequences. Lies and deceit will eventually catch up to you. Innocent people deserve help from those who can give it. You can achieve more through teamwork than by doing things alone. But good intentions don't always work out -- in this cutthroat world, being "soft" backfires. There's an emphasis on money and "alpha dog" masculinity that devalues other important life skills, such as selflessness, inclusion, and community-building.
Positive Role Models
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Mike has made big mistakes in the past, including lying, cheating, and getting involved in a drug deal. But he puts his smarts to good use and always tries to do the right thing. Harvey is outwardly selfish and arrogant, but he genuinely cares for Mike and wants to see him succeed. Most of the characters in Suits act in morally gray ways, especially when it comes to bending the law in their favor. And they don't always treat each other very well -- yelling, mocking, and cheating are frequent themes. But in the end, characters grow to love and support one another.
Characters frequently argue, yell, and belittle others. On rare occasions, they shatter objects, face slap, and throw punches (but no one is ever seriously injured). Prison scenes include fistfights, intimidation, and an attempted stabbing. Characters' parents pass away; sad scenes at funerals. A woman has complications while delivering a baby and is rushed into surgery (everyone makes it through safely).
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Characters flirt, date, kiss, have romantic relationships, and get married. They frequently talk about sex, and there are several instances of adultery/cheating, both on-screen and verbally discussed. On screen, sex is implied in bedroom and shower scenes (nothing explicit is shown, with characters covered by blankets, seen with bare backs, dressed in lingerie, etc.).
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Frequent use of "s--t" and "goddammit." Characters also say "hell," "ass," "d--k," "p---y," "balls," and "douche." Sexual innuendo, usually played for humor ("I eat c--k for breakfast, lunch, and dinner").
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Characters frequently reference pop culture, especially sports teams, athletes, and quotes from movies. Mentions include the Brooklyn Nets, Michael Jordan, Daft Punk, Game of Thrones, Jerry Maguire, Subway, etc.
Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
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Characters drink in social settings and with meals. A supporting character smokes and sells pot, using terms like "weed" and "bud." In one scene, main characters smoke joints and get high.
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Parents need to know that Suits is a legal drama that centers around a man (Patrick J. Adams) whose photographic memory lands him a job at New York City law firm. Characters frequently say "s--t" and "goddammit," plus mentions of "hell," "ass," "d--k," "p---y," and various sexual innuendo ("I eat c--k for breakfast, lunch, and dinner"). Romantic relationships develop between characters, who talk about sex and adultery/cheating. On screen, sex is implied in non-explicit bedroom and shower scenes. Characters drink socially, and a supporting character sells pot; in one scene, main characters smoke joints and get high. Characters frequently argue, yell, and belittle others, but physical violence -- such as face slaps and punches -- is rare. Characters also experience loss and grief. There's surface-level diversity, with several Black characters in key roles, but main characters are White men who get the lion's share of screen time. And women fall into supporting roles as love interests and colleagues -- often both -- and there's a strong emphasis on "alpha dog" masculinity. Overall, Suits shows the serious consequences of lying and pretending to be someone you're not. But it also celebrates teamwork, even when characters use morally (and legally) gray tactics to achieve their goals.
This show features a young man who turns from a life of drug dealing to the high-stakes world of law in NYC. Overall, the story is interesting. There are a few likeable characters but (as with most shows), the majority of the main characters have major flaws (lying being one of them which gets old).
One thing that kind of bugs me about the show is all the unnecessary sex scenes. Now let me preface this by saying that I have a very low tolerance when it comes to sex scenes in general (especially if I'm watching a show with my husband) so to someone else it may not be that bad. The very first scene of the show is with the main character getting in bed with a very scantily clad woman (which the camera focuses in on). There are many, many scenes like this throughout the show (especially one of the main character's girlfriend-we get it, they like having sex!). The show glorifies having multiple sexual partners and in pretty much every episode there is a scene that implies sex or shows a woman in lingerie or completely naked on top from the back. What is even more dumb is that every woman in the show wears incredibly tight skirts and dresses with super low cut necklines (um what happened to office dress codes?!) and the camera literally pans over their butts and their cleavage in slow motion throughout the show.
Like, I said, great storyline. Has the makings to be a great and really interesting show that showcases the world of lawyers but the sex and the clear objectification of every woman just ruins it for me.
It makes me cringe that they say the GodD..... I've tried to watch after quitting because my husband still watches. It seems that in the beginning, they didn't do that. What happened? Why ??? I'm 56 and cannot stand it.
What's the Story?
When brilliant college dropout Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams) stumbles into an interview for an associate's job at a top New York City law firm, arrogant closer Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht) hires him on the spot -- in spite of the fact that Mike has no legal background. But while Mike learns to walk and talk among the SUITS -- including Harvey's bitter rival (Rick Hoffman) and their razor-sharp boss, Jessica (Gina Torres) -- he must keep his secret under wraps. Along the way, Mike and Harvey build something of a workplace family, including paralegal Rachel (Meghan Markle), Harvey's all-knowing secretary Donna (Sarah Rafferty), and others.
This likable legal drama toes the line between earnestness and edge. In many ways, Suits follows a formula, pairing two polar-opposite characters and pointing them toward a common goal (which seemed to work pretty well for White Collar). But the series also introduces a bright new talent in relative newcomer Adams, a Canadian actor who brings just the right mix of boyish charm and believability to playing Mike. Over the course of the series, Mike and his cutthroat mentor, Harvey, anchor Suits' rotating cast of lawyers, love interests, and corporate enemies, providing enough stability and chemistry to keep viewers bingeing episode after episode.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the way colleagues communicate in Suits. Is it normal/healthy for bosses to yell and snap at their direct reports? Is yelling an effective way to communicate, overall? What are other ways you can assert yourself in a conversation that's just as effective, if not more so?
What are the real-life consequences to the iffy behavior you see on the show, including lying about your credentials or cheating on standardized tests? Are questionable choices easier to forgive if a character has good intentions?
How are the women in Suits portrayed? Are they complex characters? Do we learn much about them across the series? Did you notice any gender-based stereotypes? If so, did the stereotypes distract from the overall viewing experience?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.