‘Suits’: How Big Is Robert Zane’s Role In Season 7, Episode 8?

“Suits” star Patrick J. Adams revealed that Robert Zane (Wendell Pierce) plays a significant role in Season 7, episode 8 of the USA Network series.

According to the synopsis for tonight’s episode — which also happens to be the show’s 100th installment — Mike and Harvey (Gabriel Macht) seek assistance outside of Pearson Specter Litt in order to move forward with the prison case without jeopardizing Alex’s (Dulé Hill) future. The episode logline doesn’t specify who the “outside help” is, but Adams revealed in a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly that it’s actually Rachel’s (Meghan Markle) father, Robert.

“[Robert] becomes a very important figure in helping us finally put this case to bed,” said Adams, who also directed the episode. “So, we have a lot of big guns involved and trying to use all of that combined skill to make sure that not only do these guys pay for what they did but, at the same time, try our best to keep Alex from getting caught in the crossfire.”

Although Robert mentioned to Harvey in Season 7, episode 4 that he has “no love” for Bratton Gould (Alex’s former law firm that engaged him to Reform Corp and Masterson Construction’s shady business years ago), Adams said that there’s a much deeper reason why Robert agrees to help Mike and Harvey on the case.

“Well, you know, it’s an interesting case. Without saying too much, the way that it’s presented to him is that there’s a settlement in play,” Adams said when asked how Mike and Harvey get to convince Robert to help them on the case. “All Robert needs to do is show up for a meeting and collect the settlement, and then this whole thing can be over and done with. That’s sort of the game plan that these guys begin with, but it being a case that deals directly with prisoner’s rights and that those prisoners’ rights in this country seem to adversely affect members of the African American community, that’s something that gets under Robert Zane’s skin quickly.”

“So, the more that he looks at this case, I think the more that he understands where Mike was coming from in the first place,” Adams continued. “He’s not really interested in settling for a small amount of money. He’s interested in seeing these people pay for what they did. So, that’s why, for my money, it’s some of the best Wendell Pierce that we’ve ever had on ‘Suits’, because it really gets to the marrow of who this guy is and what he cares about and what he’s not willing to look the other way about.”

“Suits” Season 7, episode 8, titled “100,” airs on Wednesday, Aug. 30 at 9 p.m. EDT on USA Network.