Shadowing Practice: The Suits Cast Talk Season 1 - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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Our show is a legal show set in the legal world,
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Our show is a legal show set in the legal world,
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New York, the most international city in the world.
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I like how it's going.
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And, you know, it's really all about the character.
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So we do deal with a case each week,
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but we're dealing with our maneuvering of how to figure out how to win this case.
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And the ensemble that we're working with,
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with, you know, the characters of Jessica and Rick and Donna and Rachel and Mike and Harvey,
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they're all very unique characters.
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And they all work with each other in a way that supports each other.
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And at times, you know,
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there's contentious battles along the way.
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I just think that they're so unique and playful with each other.
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There's a lot of wit and great banter and every culture's got that.
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So I think there's a lot,
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there are certain qualities that are universal as human beings.
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And like for my story,
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in Suits, it's the fish out of water story.
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It's somebody feeling like they're entering into a new world
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and they are not entirely comfortable and not entirely in their element
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and they have to figure out a way in which to operate and to learn quickly and adapt.
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And I think that that's a universal thing.
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I think anybody can really relate to that no matter where you're from.
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So we're constantly dealing with stories like that throughout the whole show.
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So I think that it has broad reach to people.
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You know, anyone who's ever felt like they're not entirely comfortable
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or have to sort of stand up and rise up to their own potential,
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I think could relate to Mike Ross or the show.
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For my money, it's really balancing out.
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I think the first season has been all about Mike learning from Harvey,
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trying to figure out who he's going to be in this environment.
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But I think moving forward as the story evolves towards the end of the season,
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we're seeing Harvey undergo, I wouldn't say a lot of changes,
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but we're seeing behind the armor a little bit with his character.
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It's been really fun to be shooting that stuff.
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So I think moving into hopefully a second season,
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we would see these characters having related to each other a little bit more
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and really affected each other and then moving forward from that point.
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I think we're definitely who we are,
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and there are certain elements of Mike Ross that don't want to become Harvey Specter,
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and definitely elements of Harvey Specter that don't want to become Mike Ross.
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Don't lie, you want to be Harvey Specter.
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A little bit, I mean, just very little.
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Everyone wants to be Harvey Specter.
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But there are, I don't think it's ever going to be one becomes the other.
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I think there are always going to be unique people and move forward into the world that way.
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I think there's this harsh,
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sort of tough-as-nails quality that Harvey has that Mike needs to sort of bring on,
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you know, put into his sort of arsenal as far as the law goes.
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And I think, you know,
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maybe in his personal life,
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Harvey could, you know, take some of the softness and some of the,
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you know, the heart that he's got.
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And so I think they're sort of two sides of the same cling.
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I think there's something interesting about all of the dealings that are being done really are happening outside of the courtroom,
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you know, where there are,
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you know, the law dramas,
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a lot of them are happening in court.
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And, you know, we're doing it on the streets of New York.
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We're doing it in the conference rooms,
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you know, behind closed doors.
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I think there's something interesting about that because it lets some of the formality down.
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And you see how the maneuvering exists.
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Where we as characters are thinking outside the box of how to figure out how to win the case.
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And I think both of these guys have a real moral code.
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I think it's pretty strict in finding what's right.
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And sometimes maybe the means and how they get what's right is not right.
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But I think for the most part, there's heart underneath it.
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And I think that's pretty universal when people really connect to that.
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Yeah, I think it's a show where the procedure is just not the focus.
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And you could really, we have an episode coming up that's a mock trial,
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and the stakes feel just as real and just as alive in
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that episode as they do in an episode with the real trials.
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Even though nobody's going to go to jail,
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nobody's going to need to pay millions of dollars in some settlement,
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and it's still affecting our characters really profoundly,
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and therefore the case is just there in order to push these characters forward
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and to have us have to deal with new situations that cause us to grow and learn.
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I think the main thread of what's so great about the show
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and would appeal to really anyone is that it's so character-driven,
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and there's such layered, interesting character,
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and obviously what Rick has done to create Lewis Lit is something that,
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we were talking about it earlier,
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No matter where you are,
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the UK, Australia, even the States,
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you know someone who is damaged or perhaps that people just love to hate.
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One of those great characters you see in Mike Ross,
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like this drive and watching him acclimate in this world.
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And, you know, I think every one of us is bringing something that's really interesting and unique to the role.
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And I hope that no matter where people are watching from,
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that they are able to either relate to it or to root for us, really.
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I think it's a smart recipe, what USA does.
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Any of the characters that are involved, they're not perfect people.
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And they're easily identifiable with just whoever,
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whether it be in Australia or Indochina.
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It's like everybody has had,
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hopefully, a job where there's a guy that you just want to avoid at all costs.
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There's this smart, upstart, paralegal,
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gorgeous, really sassy, who you automatically,
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when you're in the workplace, fall in love with.
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And then there's Patrick, who pretty much is the audience himself.
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It's his view of the world.
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Gabriel, who's like the overconfident,
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flawed, but, you know, do-gooder.
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So, I mean, it covers with Jessica being the boss,
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and then Sarah being the secretary.
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I mean, it's got...
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It's amazing.
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characters
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that I think the audiences I hope are starting to enjoy
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I think that's ultimately the recipe my character as the season
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has gone on it has changed a little bit with Harvey
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and it's definitely going to change towards the end
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and almost in a reverse type of fashion for a brief moment
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but um you know it's two guys who pretty much got their start at the same time and probably
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close to being smart of one another.
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But one's just, you know,
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like everybody has experienced in their own life.
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Somebody just smoother than you,
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quicker than you, faster than you.
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And everybody has had their share of rejection,
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and that's where this character starts.
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You know, defeated.
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And that's then his choice throughout the season of like how does he handle that defeat.
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Harvey's been defeated, but he handles it in a whole different way.
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Lewis handles it like he wants to get back at the world,
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which is the poor choice.
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Something I definitely, as a person,
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would never choose to do.
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A lot of people keep saying that they are the Pam and Jim of Cable,
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which I'm happy to take.
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I think what's so funny is Rachel is accustomed to these first-year associates
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that come in with their larger-than-life ego and in our first episode you see
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that she is assuming that Mike Gross is that same type of person
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and very quickly writes him off and I think just as quickly as she does
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that she realizes that he's different and finds that so refreshing.
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So, you know, to be able to play with the trajectory of what may or may not happen in their relationship together,
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friendship or otherwise, has been really fun because she's his confidant
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and his biggest helper at the firm
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and yet she's still working on her own stuff to try to work her way up at Pearson Hardman.
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So it's a lot of fun.
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I think a lot of shows,
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unfortunately, I think we're lucky to be on USA.
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Because I don't know if the show,
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I mean, I would hope a show like this where it's given a chance to have legs
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so you get to see the characters develop because it doesn't take a pilot.
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Otherwise, we just shoot pilots and then that would be that.
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I think certain networks look at it where it has to
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be an immediate hit in order for a show to be successful.
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And I think USA is very smart about their show selections.
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And if they take on a show,
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they're going to let it swim for a while.
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It's the character development as opposed to these one-dimensional characters
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that walk around and maybe something funny is said and there's a little bit of...
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Banter, quips or...
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Yeah, I'm sure all of us can name a bunch of shows like that.
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And as actors, you're just lucky to get a job,
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let alone a job that has real substance in their characters.
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We're extremely lucky.
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That's why I think this show is separate from others.
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I mean the writing, the character development obviously,
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but I think, you know,
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just, when I saw the pilot after it was shot,
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I thought it was such a sexy looking show.
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Like it just felt different and interesting and I hope that that's how it's reading for other viewers.
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I hope that it's the same feeling that we have when we get the script for the next episode and go,
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oh my gosh, did you see what happened?
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Like email Rick immediately.
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Because it's just as exciting for us.
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I think whether I was in this show or not,
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I am a big fan of the show.
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I think we're just really lucky to be a part of it.
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True to USA's promise, characters welcome.
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We have such rich characters on this show that I think they will appeal to everybody.
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Because we deal with very human situations, although at times heightened.
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there is someone on this show,
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if not all the characters on this show,
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that you can relate to.
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Yeah.
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And it's a procedural.
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You would expect it to be a procedural,
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because it's a law show,
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but you do find that it's not heavy on the procedural aspects of things.
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It's heavy on the people,
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on the personalities, on the relationships.
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So I think that's what makes it really fun and sort of for everyone.
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And it's funny.
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What I admire about Jessica is that she's so comfortable in her skin.
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She's so comfortable in her power,
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which is something that I always aspire to and hope to be.
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Every morning I think, okay,
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this is another morning where I can just be me and be the best me that I can be.
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And Jessica has arrived at a place in her life where she has nothing to prove to anybody
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except what she chooses to prove to herself on that day.
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Awesome.
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I think Donna shares a little bit of that too
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because she enjoys so much job security as Harvey's lifetime secretary
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that she's sort of fearless in her life and she loves to have fun and be sassy,
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but also is an incredibly loyal person and smart and has his back and everybody else's back.
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Thank you.
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About This Lesson
In this lesson, learners will engage with a dialogue from the popular series "Suits," focusing on themes of adaptation and personal growth in a challenging environment. By practicing the spoken lines, students will enhance their listening and speaking skills while gaining an insight into character dynamics. Expect to improve your confidence in handling conversations where conflicting personalities interact, as well as developing a better understanding of the nuances in tone and pacing.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- Legal show: A television program centered around law and legal proceedings.
- Character: An individual portrayed in a narrative or story.
- Fish out of water: Someone who feels uncomfortable or out of place in a new environment.
- Contemptuous battles: Conflicts or disagreements that can be intense or fierce.
- Universal qualities: Traits or experiences that are common across different cultures and backgrounds.
- Wit and banter: Quick, clever remarks and playful conversation.
- Rise up to potential: To strive and work towards fulfilling one's abilities.
- Armor: A metaphor for protection; in this context, it refers to emotional defenses.
Practice Tips
To effectively grasp the dialogues and character interactions from the video, consider using shadow speech techniques. Find a shadowing app or shadowing site that allows you to practice alongside the video. Start by playing short clips at a slower speed to clearly hear the pronunciation and intonation. As you listen, pause and repeat each line, focusing on mimicking the actors' emotions and energy. This exercise will help you improve your English pronunciation and get comfortable with the rhythm of natural speech.
For optimal results, shadow speak several times until you feel confident. Pay attention to the contrast between the characters' tones—notice how their unique styles reflect their personalities. Incorporate these aspects into your practice, as understanding emotional cues can elevate your conversational skills in real-life scenarios. By consistently revisiting this content, you'll enhance both your vocabulary and your ability to participate in discussions that reflect similar themes, ultimately improving your overall fluency.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.
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