A new era began on Suits last night.  The USA Network drama, airing here in Canada on Bravo kicked off its eighth season, and the first without  Patrick J. Adams (Mike Ross) and Meghan Markle (Rachel Zane).

The episode felt like a blend of a reboot, and a continuation from last season.  The first scenes took place immediately after Mike, and Rachel’s wedding; a conversation about the firm between Robert Zane (Wendell Pierce) and Harvey (Gabriel Macht).  The episode was a battle of sorts between those two and their subordinates for managing partner of the newly merged firm.   Robert Zane appeared periodically through the series, but this season appears set for a larger role.

The same can be said for Dulé Hill as Alex Renyolds, and Amanda Schull as Katrina.  This episode Hill’s Alex went to bat for Harvey.  Katrina meanwhile was given a tough job by Louis (Rick Hoffman).  The newest, and probably the character with the most impact was Samantha Wheeler (Katherine Heigl).  She’s literally fighting when we meet her- in a boxing ring.  She continues to show a rough edge right throughout the episode.

One of the best parts of the episode is the fact they don’t ignore the absence of Mike and Rachel. There’s a small reminder in the form of a photo given to Robert Zane, shown a couple of times.  And there’s Harvey.  He seems lost without Mike, unsure of what he wants.  As Donna commented- he’s seen the mountaintop, and now needs to figure out who he is without Mike.

This episode works as both a reboot, and a continuation of what makes Suits the show that it is.  The creators say they had a year to prepare for it, and it showed.

Episode notes:

• Is it just me, or does Samantha seem like a female Harvey in some ways?
• It seems like they all have a younger/ different them.  Harvey has Samantha, Donna has Brian, Louis has Katrina.  Alex is season 8 Mike.  That’s smart writing, making the characters different, but not in a way that will reinvent the wheel
• Hopefully we get a Donna/ Harvey payoff this season… finally.  There’s still fallout from last season’s kiss to deal with.
• This show is so ridiculously Toronto.  It’s a game of spot the streetscape every week.