Despite nine seasons airing from 2011 to 2019, To take is probably best known as the show Meghan Markle had to quit to become the Duchess of Sussex. But despite that dismissive reputation, the show is actually really, really good. Think… Scandal meets The good fight meets The exercisewith a touch Miss Sloane and a pinch Ally McBeal for the record. Now it’s on Netflix in full and it’s perfect for making time to watch (or re-watch).
As with many shows focused on powerful professions, To take is driven by the hubris of its white male stars. At the beginning of the series, Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht) takes Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams) under his wing as an associate at the Pearson Hardman law firm. Although Mike is a high school dropout who has never gone to law school, he does have a photographic memory – and he makes money by taking the (notoriously hard to pass) New York bar exam for lazy little cheaters who don’t want to study.
Impressed by his recall and amused by what he sees largely as a party trick, Harvey escorts and confides in Mike. Together they tackle some of the firm’s toughest cases, all while trying to keep Mike’s secret a secret. (Because, as you may recall, practicing law without a license is a crime!) Of course, hijinks ensue. And much of the fun of the show is watching the company’s internal machinations as the circle of trust expands.
Propulsive and smooth, To take excels at tying and untangling narrative knots. Politics to the core, Harvey, Mike and the cast of characters who fill the show are at the top of their game taking on bankers, prosecutors, businessmen and other such unsavory characters to fight for justice – all of it while they diligently and artfully evade their own complicity. Frustrating as they are, Harvey and Mike are smooth operators who thoroughly enjoy practicing the law. Winning business is fun, but their bond is mostly about their shared love of the law as an intellectual exercise. We may see a billion dollar lawsuit, but they see a high stakes 4D puzzle to solve.
Image: USA Network/Everett Collection
Image: USA Network/Everett Collection
But the real joy of To take are his characters. Over nine seasons, the show meticulously undoes its own suspicions about the wishes and goals of the people in the story, allowing them to expand and contract as humans as they encounter new problems. Jessica Pearson in particular is a wonderful example. Gina Torres’ majestic and towering performance gives us a smart Afro-Latina lawyer at the top of her game. Her career is hard-fought, and To take never forget that, allowing her to come face to face with the maverick lawyers who report to her and challenge her. As the show progresses, she bonds with both paralegal Rachel Zane (Meghan Markle) and legal secretary Donna Paulsen (Sarah Rafferty), forming a little sisterhood that they each use to support themselves in a male-dominated profession. When Harvey and Mike’s pranks threaten her status and reputation, she explains with genuine anger why there is so much more at stake for her. In an era of Olivia Popes and Annalize Keatings, Jessica Pearson was a silent torchbearer for irrefutable excellence. And that’s before we get there That to take.
A decadent little drama, To take is a perfect comfort marathon watch. With exciting business, great interpersonal relationships, and a don’t-they-want-them to satisfy even the most impatient shippers, there are worse ways you can spend 134 hours of your time. Yes, I counted.
To take Seasons 1-8 are now streaming on Netflix.