Suits is heading in a fresh direction for season 8.

The legal drama has been a staple on USA Network’s roster since 2011. But, the end of season 7 ushered in major changes to the show’s ensemble cast. Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams) and Rachel Zane (Meghan Markle) finally tied the knot and left New York to start their own firm in Seattle.

In real life, Adams was ready to leave and focus on his family while Markle started a new chapter in her life in the British royal family as The Duchess of Sussex. Mike’s journey was the series’ primary focus as he went from a brilliant (but fraudulent) associate to a full-fledged lawyer with a heart for class-action cases.

His relationship with Rachel was a big draw for fans (aka “Suitors”) as she stuck by him through all the ups and downs, including a short prison stint. But, Rachel was a formidable force in her own right as the daughter of a big-time lawyer who carved her own path as a paralegal with test anxiety toward achieving her dreams and exonerating a man on death row.

Her friendship with Donna Paulsen (Sarah Rafferty) rivaled the bromance between Mike and Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht) and she brought a quiet strength to the firm.

Former name partner (and unquestionably the “glue” of the firm formerly known as Pearson Specter Litt) Jessica Pearson (Gina Torres) officially left the firm and went to Chicago in season 6, but she still came back in season 7 to guide Harvey as he tried to step into her shoes.

Jessica’s new journey in the gritty world of Chicago politics will be chronicled on Second City, a spin-off series centered around the character. Second City is a major move for Torres as an Afro-Latina woman leading her own series – a rarity in the industry.

The witty, intelligent, stylish, and powerful character captured the hearts of fans and brought an interesting dynamic to TV as a Black woman name partner in a world where White men reign supreme.

The absence of these three key characters is enough to make next season feel like a new show. But, according to cast interviews, a fresh start is exactly what the long-running series needs right now.

USA Network sat down with veteran Suits cast members Gabriel Macht and Sarah Rafferty, who both said that Mike and Rachel’s influence on their characters will still be felt in their absence. Rafferty believes this major turning point is a great time for new viewers to jump in, but dedicated fans would not feel like the show they loved is completely different.

Macht said the opportunities for the characters to continue to grow are endless and the new characters will help to expand this world. Amanda Schull, who portrays the long-term character Katrina Bennett, says it is “an all-new show with a lot of the same bones.”

Schull was promoted to series regular along with Dule Hill, who was introduced as Harvey’s old lawyer friend Alex Williams, who recently joined the firm. The cast will be rounded out with Katherine Heigl’s Samantha Wheeler, a new character whose purpose is to shake things up and one-up her male counterparts.

Revamping a series and adding new characters isn’t necessarily a bad thing. After several years, some character arcs are completed or tend to go stale. Much of the buildup for Mike’s character was if he would ever become a licensed lawyer and marry Rachel.

He did that and discovered his purpose in life. Rachel also served her purpose on the series by getting back into school, moving up the ladder at Pearson Specter Litt, marrying the man of her dreams, and taking a chance to start an amazing firm to help others alongside Mike.

Their ending was the perfect sendoff for both characters and, although they will be missed, it was a great time for them to go.

Rachel’s replacement seems to be Katrina Bennett, which is a good choice despite their rocky start. Katrina has several years of associate experience and has been around since season 2.

She started off as an antagonist of sorts, but her character has grown and she shares some personality traits with Rachel – smart, sharp, and a deep passion for her career. She has great chemistry with prominent characters like name partner Louis Litt (Rick Hoffman) and Rachel’s father Robert Zane, whom she worked with for a brief time.

She has no current romantic ties to anyone at the firm (now known as Specter Zane Litt…or maybe Zane Specter Litt?) but I can definitely see her building a closer relationship with Donna and the two of them teaming up to make magic happen.

Mike’s replacement Alex Williams is a mixed bag. Alex is a great character and it is always a good look to bring more diversity into the cast, especially after losing Markle and Torres, both women of color.

And his tense relationship with Louis Litt in season 7 was comedy gold. Watching Louis seethe over Alex unintentionally taking his spot as Harvey’s unofficial best friend brought some laughable moments in the midst of heavy situations.

Alex has the same bravado and swag as Harvey, so it’s easy to see why Harvey brought him over as a senior partner. Alex and Harvey have survived some ups and downs in their friendship, but can they really match the “Batman and Robin” broship between Harvey and Mike?

Watching the two of them take on cases and hit opponents with a gut punch in the 11th hour was TV magic for so many years. Harvey groomed Mike in the same way that Jessica groomed him years before and now that tradition has ended with Mike’s exit.

Alex just came on the scene in season 7, so Suitors have not had the chance to bond with his character in the same way. Season 8 will be an important arc for Alex, who will continue to assimilate into the firm and build relationships with his colleagues.

There is little known about Samantha Wheeler outside of a few preview clips. She’s a new partner at the firm who gives off some Jessica Pearson vibes.

She quickly puts Harvey in his place and strolls into the room with the confidence and dominance of a boss lady. Her morality is questionable, her wardrobe is impeccable, and she’s determined to make a name for herself in a world dominated by men.

All of these traits may make her an interesting character to watch, but its impossible to walk in Jessica’s Louboutin heels. Jessica may have done some shady dealings, but she has always been fiercely loyal and protective over her work family.

Samantha seems to be less of a team player, but this could change as her character develops. Of course, Samantha is not a direct replacement of Jessica Pearson since she’s not a name partner, but it is nice to see another woman at the firm.

But, I wish Suits would have cast another woman of color in the role. Rachel Zane and Jessica Pearson were explicitly written as Black women and their gender/race challenges brought welcome discourse to the show about the challenges of being a minority in their field.

Now, there isn’t a woman of color in the cast outside of Gretchen, a Black woman and Louis’ secretary who is severely underutilized despite being a comedic yet wise character. It would have been interesting to have a non-Black woman of color come to the firm and bring more representation to this series.

As a longtime fan, I will certainly tune in for season 8 of Suits as well as Jessica’s spin-off series. It’s going to be a different world without Mike and Rachel, but Harvey’s charisma, Louis’ antics, and pure curiosity about what will happen next are enough to keep most die-hard fans around for at least one more season.

Changes in a real-life firm are inevitable as people outgrow situations and move on, so why not reflect this on TV? It’s a season that could make or break Suits and I hope it can usher in new fans who discovered the show through Meghan’s royal journey without abandoning the things that made Suitors fall in love with this legal drama.