Suits: Why Harvey And Donna's Secret Can Opener Ritual Was Never Explained

Throughout the entire nine seasons of the legal drama "Suits," fans craved any ounce of information regarding attorney Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht) and his secretary –- and eventual wife -– Donna Paulsen's (Sarah Rafferty) can opener-focused custom. According to the creator of "Suits," Aaron Korsh, he wanted to leave the audience in the dark about the puzzling practice. In August 2023, he responded to an X user who inquired about his reasoning for fans not being given a comprehensive answer on how Donna and Harvey were handling a can opener in preparation for the latter's trials. "Because I'd rather you want to know than know. That's why," Korsh explained.

It appears Korsh never planned on writing a scene detailing Harvey and Donna's superstitious pre-trial rituals involving a can opener. In a 2011 interview, alongside the Season 1 cast of "Suits," Korsh suggested that he thought fans wouldn't be happy with whatever description the show provided. "When we came up with this can opener ritual, we thought it would be more fun for people to guess and conjecture about what it would be than to tell them. The notion was you think you want to know, but you really want to want to know," the writer said.

"Suits" sprinkled in some lore regarding the ritual during Season 3, Episode 6 ("The Other Time"). In the episode, viewers were treated to a flashback featuring Harvey and Donna in the middle of a flirtatious encounter. While the pair are drafting up possible celebratory rituals they could perform, Harvey draws an explicit picture on a Post-it note, suggesting a sexual act with whipped cream. 

Donna gently states she refuses any potential sexual partners if they share her workplace. For this reason, once they stop being Cameron Dennis' employees, Donna and Harvey share a romantic evening, presumably covered in whipped cream. However, during a meal following their encounter, Harvey reveals that Donna is more than welcome to remain his assistant as he takes on his new attorney role. While she is excited about the job opportunity, Donna asserts that there won't be any more risqué rituals. Harvey then sees a can opener and says they could try something more innocent to celebrate.

During a 2016 "BUILD Series" interview, Sarah Rafferty noted her surprise after Season 3, Episode 6, confirmed her character and Harvey had been romantic. She stated that she and Gabriel Macht were unaware that their characters had done more than just trade amorous quips. "We both were super surprised when they all of a sudden — what was it, like, season 3, that there was a flashback and you were like, 'Wait — they what? Huh.' 'I wasn't playing it that way. Were you playing it that way?' 'I wasn't playing it that way.'"