来源：Digitalspy

The second season of sharply-penned, sharply-dressed legal drama Suits finally debuts in the UK this month, continuing the story of reformed slacker Mike Ross (Patrick J Adams) who’s faked his way into a legal career with a little help from new mentor Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht).

Digital Spy caught up with Meghan Markle, who plays ambitious paralegal Rachel Zane, to get the lowdown on what’s coming up at Pearson Hardman.

What do you think sets Suits apart from other legal dramas on television?

“It’s the characters. I’ve said this before, and Aaron Korsch – the creator – and I have talked about it. I think if you took the characters of Louis Litt, and Rachel and Mike and Harvey and Jessica and Donna, and you put all of them in a school, and it was a show about teachers, or you put all of them in an ER and it was a show about a hospital, that it would still have the same appeal. Because in the end, people are tuning in for the characters.

“Yes, the law firm is so sexy, and the New York [vibe] of it all is amazing, but at the end of the day you’re watching is and connecting on such a personal level. Whether you’re tuning in and going ‘Oh my God, I’ve fallen for a guy like Mike,’ or ‘Oh my God, I have this guy in my office who sucks’, whatever it is. It’s a testament to the writing.”

What’s coming up for Rachel in the second season?

“It was a really special season for me, in that we branch out and get to see so much more of what’s going on in Rachel’s personal life. We meet her father, we get to see how she became who she is, and we stretch out more from the Mike and Rachel romance.

“As much as I love that, I was like, ‘Come on, where is the sassy chick we met in the pilot, who isn’t gonna sit here and pine over a guy all day?’ And so even though there is some of that, much more of her personal aspirations start to come through, like her wanting to be a lawyer, where she fits in at the firm.

“Her fear of taking tests is her Achilles heel, but what I love about playing Rachel is that as much as she’s savvy and confident and all of those things, she’s still human. And watching her overcome things is much more interesting than watching her sit around and not strive for more.”

Rachel’s friendship with Donna was a really nice dynamic that developed last season – do we see more of that?

“Yeah, I think they sort of tapped into Sarah [Rafferty]’s and my personal relationship. We’re so close, off camera, we have this banter and we’re very silly together, so I love that they picked up on that. There is a lot more of that in season two, which is fun. In scenes with Rachel and Donna, you’ll see a lot more improv than in most scenes, because they just let us do what we do.

“We’re so lucky, because there are a lot of shows you work on and it is… if you say “the” instead of “a”, or whatever, then they stop and you have to start over, because it’s so much about the minutiae of the writing.

“Whereas our writers really give us the liberty to get the sentiment of it, get through the scene, but then play. I think what makes the show kind of addictive is the fact that we look like we’re having fun, because we really are.

You mentioned the romance with Mike – what can viewers expect from them in season two?

“Ugh, this guy puts her through the ringer! At a certain point, you’re like… I called the creators and was like, ‘So, can Rachel get a guy? This is ridiculous!’ Mike went from being so insecure, he doesn’t have his bearings at this firm and he’s always coming to talk to Rachel to… now he’s just with everybody! Every blonde girl in New York, evidently, Mike Ross has a thing with.

“So with the romance, I’d like to see her find somebody else, because it would thicken the plot a bit, and make Mike Ross really realize what’s right in front of him and stop messing around, because it’s just getting old! Rachel’s got a lot going on, so it’s silly at this point to just assume that she’s gonna wait for Mike forever.”

How much does the arrival of Daniel Hardman (David Costabile) change things at the firm this season?

“Last season we had more of a ‘case of the week’ format, where you could really jump in and out. But now that we’ve built our fan base, this is more about the arc of what could happen to this firm. You see the power struggle for Jessica, see what Harvey does about it and again, interestingly Rachel’s father and her family has a lot to do with what’s happening with the firm.

“But more than anything else, you get to see how these people work as a unit. Mike may be new, and Rachel may be just a paralegal, but you get to see how they all have this ownership of Pearson Hardman, and how much pride they take in it, and how it unites all of them when the firm is up in the air.”

Are there any characters you’d like to have more interaction with in the future?

“In season two, Rachel has the most interaction she’s ever had with Harvey. Last season, they barely spoke a word to each other, and in season two finally you get to see the dynamic, and you see Harvey acknowledging this paralegal. She has this huge office, and yet they haven’t ever had a conversation.

“The one person that literally Rachel has probably only had two lines with is Jessica Pearson, played by Gina [Torres], who I love, and she’s so much fun to work with. So personally, because I’m excited about Rachel’s career aspirations, I would love to see her interact with Jessica as a mentor, and see what could happen with that.”

You’ve already been renewed for a third season, do you know anything about what’s coming up, and what would you like to see for Rachel?

“Again, I just want to see her continue to have more layers as a person; she’s not just a girl that pines over a guy. I really would love to see her become a lawyer, that’s what I want for her. Of course, that creates a whole conflict – she wants to go to Harvard, and that’s not in New York, so where does that leave Rachel with the firm?

“I will say, there is a new element that I think will sort of lead by the end of season two and go into season three. I think you viewers in the UK will specifically love it, because we have a whole thing happening with London. We have some new associates coming, one of whom I think would be a very fabulous love interest. Rachel may have a British suitor!”