Suits

Suits is almost back - the slick legal drama's second season kicks off next week on Dave. Will Mike (Patrick J Adams) be exposed as a fraud? And what will Harvey (Gabriel Macht) do if his protégé finds himself in hot water?

To get answers to these questions and more, Digital Spy spoke to Gina Torres - who plays no-nonsense Jessica Pearson - about the new Suits episodes, as well as her Firefly past and her Hannibal future...

Jessica was about to learn the truth about Mike at the end of last season. Where does season two pick up?

"The very first episode back is entitled 'She Knows' - the title itself is kind of a spoiler! I do find it, and it's quite a fantastic launch into the second season, which I can promise you is full of all kinds of twists and turns and revelations - there's a lot of laughter and also a lot of personal vulnerabilities come up."

We didn't see much of Jessica's personal life in season one beyond meeting her ex-husband. Would you like to explore that more?

"I have to say, the people are demanding it! It's been very interesting and it's fun for me as well to know that people are interested in who this woman is and they want more of her - they want to know what makes her tick, they want to know what might really set her off... and we get to see some of that this season. As far as a love interest... there might be something in the air... or maybe not!"

Some Suits fans want Jessica to get together with Harvey - do you think that could ever work?

"It all depends on how it's handled. I think that's the case with anything - it might sound like a good idea, but there's historical reference to where sometimes that good idea goes horribly wrong! Right now, I would say that our relationship is best as a platonic one, as partners-in-crime, if you will.

"It's a very chewy, deep, dense season - there's so much at hand and so much to be dealt with, so you'll see loyalties strained and questioned... I have to say, I'm very proud of this season having come through the end of it, and I think people will be very pleased."

Daniel Hardman (David Costabile) returns to the firm this season - how does that shake things up for the characters?

"To the core! It shakes things to the core. The very existence of Pearson Hardman is at risk. We learn more about Daniel Hardman and why he has not been around. Also, look out for a flashback episode that is a little bit of an origin piece for us where we get to see who the characters were five years ago...

"But yes, Daniel becomes quite a force - a very mysterious one. You never quite know... is he for real or not? Can he be trusted? Has he changed? So I leave it to the audience."

You mentioned the flashback episode 'Rewind' - was it fun getting to see what Jessica was like five years ago?

"It was great. Five years isn't that much of a flashback - no-one's wearing bell-bottoms or afro wigs! But it's just enough and you see that moment in time where everything shifted - where just as a human being, you reach a crossroads. You see that moment in everybody's life."

Suits was picked up for a third season before season two had finished airing. That must be a big confidence boost?

"Yes, it is. People keep coming and wanting to spend time with us, and that's certainly inspiring our writers to continue to do great work. We're happy working together, we have become a family and we get along great. It's a pleasure to go to work having great words to say and having great people to say them with."

You've also been cast in Hannibal on NBC. Is there anything you can reveal about your involvement in that?

"I will say that I am playing Jack Crawford's (Laurence Fishburne) wife, which is a stretch as we all know! Again, I'm so blessed and so lucky to have Bryan Fuller think of me for this part. She's very different to Jessica Pearson.

"When you live in a character's skin for so long and you break free... you want to have a different meal. And they've cooked up a beautiful meal for Laurence and I to dine on!"

How do you think people will respond to that series, given how popular the Hannibal Lecter films starring Anthony Hopkins were?

"The fanbase is two-tiered - there are the fans of the books, who are rabid fans and their expectations of how it might be realised on-screen are very high. And then you have the die-hard fans of the movies. I don't believe that either type of fan will be disappointed.

"I've read the scripts, I've seen the first episode and... it is chilling. NBC is really doing something beautiful and smart, and they're pushing those boundaries. It is scary, it is creepy, it is heartening... and this cast that they've assembled - Hugh Dancy, Laurence Fishburne, Mads Mikkelsen - they're really quite a trio.

"I'm excited for when it airs. Just from my own personal tastes - and this isn't just me blowing smoke - this is something that I would watch... and I'm very picky!"

You're also going to be reuniting with your Firefly co-star Nathan Fillion on Castle...

"I'm very busy! My goodness!"

What can you reveal about your Castle role?

"I'm playing a fashion mogul, with tongue firmly planted in cheek. Y'know, it's Castle and I just jumped at the chance to work with Nathan again. I've missed him, as I've missed everybody in the Firefly cast. So when this came up, I just said, 'When do I show up?'.

"When it was announced that I was going to be on Castle, there were immediate messages on all the TV news sites from Firefly fans hoping for a nod to the series - some encrypted business just for them! I can't promise that, but I can say that a few people out there might get a thrill."

Suits season two begins on Thursday, January 24 at 9pm on Dave.