Harvey Specter made us all swoon with his charisma as a lawyer, his slick dressing sense, and that smart mouth that curved into sly smiles and dropped sharp wit. It would’ve seemed like he would rarely have trouble with women. But, the man had commitment issues. While ‘Suits’ gave Harvey many chances to be with brilliant women, he lost more than he gained, until the ultimate jackpot of getting Donna Paulsen in the final season.
If you had been waiting for Harvey and Donna to get their happy ending and loved their ‘Suits’ finale wedding, let’s tell you that the original ending looked very different for New York’s best closer. In fact, there was no Donna.
Harvey Was Originally Meant To End Up With Scottie In ‘Suits’
In his life, before marrying Donna, Harvey had the fortune of dating many powerful women. But among them, Dana Scott stands out the most. They knew each other from law school, and had a passionate affair between their Harvard studies. Once they entered the professional sphere, they showed up for each other. Scottie helped Harvey out of more than one jam, even at the cost of her reputation. They lived together too, but secrets came between them, especially the big one about Mike not having a law degree. Yet, their chemistry was undeniable.
‘Suits‘ creator Aaron Korsh revealed on Twitter that Abigail Spencer’s Scottie was supposed to be Harvey’s romantic endgame initially. Their on-and-off relationship certainly got the ball rolling, but over the course of Harvey’s growth, it was clear that the woman he needed in his life was Donna.
That was sort of my original idea when she was introduced. https://t.co/liAkAdwTyN
— Aaron Korsh (@akorsh9) August 20, 2023
In retrospect, we see how Harvey and Dana always challenged each other and their parallel ambitions created strife. They often lied to each other, and their fights were colossal, leaving them with broken hearts. This also happened when Dana didn’t come clean about her engagement to Harvey. He always had issues with infidelity due to his mom cheating on his dad when he was growing up. So, he couldn’t quite forgive Scottie.
Related: ‘Suits’ Star Sarah Rafferty Reveals What’s Happening To Harvey And Donna’s Relationship Now
But the question remains, was Dana the wrong choice? Not quite. She was just a woman who didn’t have the patience to fix Harvey and wait for him. She had a separate life and dominated the law sphere in her career. Maybe if Harvey had resolved his issues sooner or Donna wasn’t the better choice, Scottie could’ve had a chance. But, fans needed to see Donna and Harvey together, and ‘Suits’ made the duo recognize and give in to their feelings after a slow-burn relationship.
Why Harvey And Donna Belong Together
From the very first episode of ‘Suits,’ it was clear that Donna understood Harvey the most. Even if he couldn’t see the bigger picture or made rash decisions, Donna acted as his voice of reason and his greatest comfort in vulnerable moments. Their fun banter also brought light-hearted moments to the show. But, Harvey was the hotshot boss, and Donna was his legal secretary. For more than a decade, they kept their relationship professional.
Of course, their were turmoils. Harvey didn’t know how to be in a relationship, and Donna wanted more respect for the role she played in his life. She needed to carve her own path, out of Harvey’s shadow. She emerged as a woman to be reckoned with.
In case you missed it: “The Story Is Done”: Gabriel Macht Wanted To Bury Harvey Specter After ‘Suits’ Finale, But ‘Suits LA’ Pulled Him Back
When Donna left Harvey to work for Louis Litt, Harvey started having panic attacks. They had been through too much during the firm’s ups and downs. Harvey went through a sea change when he sought counselling. Sure, he ended up dating his therapist, Paula. But it was a satisfying moment when after eight seasons, he ran into Donna’s arms. She was the person who could bring him peace – come hell or high water, and they both were better off for it. And ‘Suits’ fan would know how much Harvey valued loyalty, and that’s what Donna brought to the table.
Perhaps, Harvey’s feelings for Donna were best captured when he told her, “Anyone else loses faith in me; it doesn’t matter. With you, it’s different.” They were best friends who had a love simmering for years, and in the finale, Harvey finally proposed and they had an impromptu wedding. All was well, and they decided to move to Seattle, to work alongside Mike and Rachel. In the end, Darvey remains perfectly imperfect, and one of TV’s best couples.
