Suits returns for the final batch of season two episodes, and it all culminates in one "explosive" finale, as actress Sarah Rafferty put it.
The first half of the season revolved around Pearson Hardman's civil war, but the next six episodes evokes an all-out war. "Harvey and Jessica are not seeing eye to eye," Rafferty tells The Hollywood Reporter, "so the stakes are really high."
STORY: 'Suits' Boss Teases Return: Power Shifts, Tangled Affairs and a Shaky Pearson Hardman
Series creator Aaron Korsh, who is at the beginning stages of honing in on the season three arc, hinted at cracks deepening between the duo. "If there are two people who might eventually have a power struggle, when there's a common enemy they throw that power struggle away and they band together," Korsh said. "Once the common enemy is gone, fissures can start to occur within their alliance and that's what happens."
[Warning: Some spoilers ahead.]
THR caught up with the Suits cast recently for some intel on what's to come in the final six episodes of season two:
Battle for power: "There is definitely trouble in paradise," Gina Torres said. "Harvey and Jessica are coming at the same situation from very different perspectives and they're each trying to convince the other they're right. Quite frankly it doesn't matter what Harvey thinks, it's my firm." Added Gabriel Macht: “As much as Harvey believes and trusts Jessica knows how to direct the ship, he has different ideas about doing it.” No matter how successful he is or not, Macht is a firm believer that Harvey's "quest" -- which is revealed soon -- is a "legitimate" one. As Korsh tells it, Harvey will have to do a lot to prove himself worthy, and when Hardman returns, he'll "drop mental bombs" that causes major conflict.
PHOTOS: Midseason 2013: TV's Newest Series
Harvey and Mike on the outs?: The two may not be on the same page by season's end. "They're at odds," Macht offers. “Mike’s put in an interesting position where he has to choose between what Harvey thinks are his best interests and what Harvey’s real best interests are," Patrick J. Adams shared. Later, he added, "It’s always a possibility that Harvey and Mike are going to be a strained relationship. Everybody loves these guys together but if it’s just them against the world all the time, [it gets boring]. You need that chance that maybe they’re not going to figure their stuff out and not remain partners in crime forever."
Will they, won't they?: The Mike-Rachel saga will be turning up a notch. While it's clear Mike screwed up by having an affair with a married woman, he'll be attempting to rectify the situation. "In terms of Mike Ross, my heart breaks for Rachel," Meghan Markle said. "I read the scripts and go, 'Ah! When is this guy going to figure it out?' But that's part of the fun, you want to watch the struggle. These back six are 100 percent a struggle for Rachel but I hope [there is] a happy ending."
From Adams' perspective, he hopes viewers will give Mike a shot as he rights some wrongs. "On the one hand, he's going to have some redeeming to do but on the other hand, perhaps some people have to understand where he's coming from." As far as whether the former couple will reunite, Adams was hopeful: "There are some interesting interactions to see how maturely she deals with this and how he can hopefully get back in her good graces. But there's a lot to do for him personally and romantically."
STORY: 'Suits' Casts 'Accidentally on Purpose' Star as Social Media Wiz
Father knows best: Rachel's father, a powerful lawyer played by The Wire's Wendell Pierce, will cause ripples. "You get to see where she comes from -- always wanting to exceed expectations -- and you realize it's not as cushiony as we thought Rachel's life was at the onset," said Markle. "Whether you're rich or poor, if you aren't supported by your parents it really shifts how you move in this world."
From Mike's perspective, things aren't as clean-cut. "If we've seen Mike having a problem with anything it's dealing directly with people in positions of power," Adams said, "so it's almost the lack of relationship. We have some funny stuff: trying to impress him but at the same time trying to beat him in a case, it's an interesting balance."
Harvey, the romantic?: There's a different side to the hotshot New York lawyer and much of that has to do with Zoe's reappearance. Zoe really brought out "Harvey's sensitivity, his vulnerability" and "what it shows is that he really fell for her and he thinks that they can potentially have a future," Macht said, who adds that Harvey's "very upset" when Zoe is forced to leave. That leads to another one of his "complicated" conquests, Dana Scott (Abigail Spencer), who left him for her fiance. "He remembers that and he doesn't let her get off easy," Macht hints. "There are some other intentions that are going on with Scotty when she comes back in. That trust issue is a real dramatic moment."
A possible departure: There is a chance one of Suits' major players may be eyeing another gig that will lead him/her outside the walls of Pearson Hardman. "In the world of law, there's always that risk or chance," Hoffman said, "so possibly."
STORY: 'Suits,' 'Burn Notice' Summer Finales Hit Ratings Gold
Huge confrontations: In the second episode back, expect fireworks between two formidable foes -- and one of them just may be Louis Litt. "My back almost fell out -- literally, as far as getting hit on the floor," Hoffman recalled of filming the specific scene. "It was intense."
More Harvey and Donna: As Harvey's personal life starts to blur into his professional, Donna will be there to offer her support. "She’s protective of the choices that he makes, both personally and professionally, so you’ll see scenes where [that's evident]," said Rafferty. "She also really cares. She’s really invested." This doesn't necessarily mean, Rafferty pointed out, that she always sides with Harvey.
Girls just wanna have fun: "The relationship between Rachel and Donna really comes to a head and you get to see Rachel's friendships, going to a bar and her outside of the office," said Markle. When times are tough with Rachel and Mike, expect more girl time. "As a result of all that is opened up," Rafferty said, "she's going to have out with her girlfriend and we'll probably do more of that in season three."
"Getting his shit together": In one of the early episodes, Harvey demands Mike "get his shit together." As Adams tells it, he doesn't believe Mike will ever truly have his life in order -- at least not yet. "The whole show of Suits is him trying to get his shit together. Maybe by the last episode of the show ever, he will have his shit together," he pontificates. "He pulls it together a little bit because he has to. It’s always going to be a struggle for Mike to fit into this world. There’s always some part of him that realizes that even though this is his dream come true, it’s not exactly him and it’s not necessarily the person he wants to be."
Suits returns 10 p.m. Thursday on USA Network.
E-mail: Philiana.Ng@thr.com
Twitter: @insidethetube
