“Suits” ends its fiꦕfth season Wednesday at 9 p.m. on USA — and fiery, uber-confident power secretary ♛Donna Paulsen (Sarah Rafferty) is at the dramatic epicenter. So what else is new?
“What really intrigues me about the [season] finale … is that it’s called ‘Faith,’ and I feel like that title is so apt because this season has been more emotional — maybe the most emotional season yet,” says Rafferty, who’s been friends with “Suits” star Gabriel Macht (Harvey Specter) for 22 years. (𝓰Patrick J. Adams plays Harvey’s protege, Mike Ross).
“In the finale we get to do something I love, flashbacks, in terms of Harvey and Mike’s characters,” she says. “We take a deep dive into their past and their relationship … which really informs what happens in the present.”
As “Suits” fans know, Pearson Specter Litt is fixed in the sights of evil ex-managing partner Daniel Hardman (David Costabile), who’s hell-bent on wreaking havoc on the firm he co-f𝓰ounded. That will play out in Wednesday night’s episode. “The six main characters come together against Daniel Hardman, and you see them operating as a family — with loy🍃alty, love and faith in each other,” says Rafferty.
It’s been a roller coaster season for Donna, who switched allegiances from her boss (and not-so-secret true love) Harvey to brilliant, socially awkward Louis Litt (Rick Ho🔴ffman).
“Donna took stock and made the big move and ‘broke up’ with Harvey for lack of a better word,” she says. “Her move put Harvey in an emotional place … and it’s been really fascinating to see how Harvey’s relationship with Donna pushed him and what it revealed about him,” she says, alluding to Harvey’s proceeding panic attacks and psychotherapy.
And, Rafferty says, Donna will further evolve next season. “I can say that we’re going to learn a little bit more about Donna, through flashbacks, and 💙we’ll meet a member of her family,” she says. “[Series creator] Aaron Korsh has said that he sees Donna as the emotional glue for the firm and that makes it really fun to play her. It’s also really fun to play someone who’s totally unapologetic with that kind of self-confidence.”
Joy’s back on ‘The View’
Now that’s what I call making a statement.
Joy Behar’s return to “The View” — after a two-year absence — should bode well for ABC’s daytime warhorse, entering its 19th season next month. Behar’s departure in 2013, followed by Barbara Walters’ retirement in 2014, sent the show into a spiral from which it hasn’t recovered. Bringing the outspoken Behar back — to join Whoopi Goldberg, Raven-Symone, Michelle Collins and fellow newcomers Paula Faris and Candace Cameron Bure — is a step toward “The View” reclaiming some pop-culture mojo.
More daytime news: “” returns for💯 its third season Sept. 21 (on CBS-owned Ch. 55) in a good place: it finished Season 2 tied for third (among courtroom shows) in the coveted women 18-34 demo.