Erin9

Wow. 2 episodes in a row that I was proud of Louis. I was worried when he confronted Stephanie, but in the end, he got real with her and made things right with the associate (Brian?) that he was so nasty to. He needed to do that. And, it was kind of him to offer Louis the advice of just apologizing to her, risky as it was, because that's what he'd want to hear.

I really really can't stand Mike right now. I thought it couldn't get worse, but it has. His ability to rationalize his behavior is truly stunning. It's okay to break his word to Harvey because Oliver's is more important. Some guy he barely knows. He kept right on rationalizing when Harvey caught him, right on when Rachel told him she'd had to lie to Harvey. Clearly neither were big deals to him. Yeah- he temporarily dropped the case, but he doesn't get it. At all. Then- after all that he cops an attitude with Harvey because he thinks he told Alex the truth. Really? He has no remorse. Nothing. Harvey should have fired him, and he may as well because the job and the people there seem to mean nothing to him now. He owes Harvey an apology. And Rachel. But- he'll have to feel some remorse for screwing over his boss, friends, fiancé and firm first. He's sorry he got caught right now. That's it. The only thing he cares about fixing is the case HE screwed up.

Rachel screaming at Mike that she'd had to lie to Harvey and didn't ever want to have to do it again was one of her finest moments ever. Loved it. I wish she hadn't lied at all. Mike didn't deserve her loyalty. Which was made obvious by his attempt at rationalization. That apparently wasn't super important to him either.

I loved watching Harvey put the pieces together about both Alex and Mike. I love watching him be smart. The only thing that would have made his confrontation with Mike better was firing him, but I'm not sure Mike would have really cared anyway. Alex is hiding something, but I have no sympathy for Oliver or Mike that it happened in open court anyway. They deserved it. They played with fire. I almost laughed when Mike said some other firm could help.....no joke. An option he should have exercised from day one.

If Louis or Donna never get to comment on this, I'll be disappointed. Mike screwed them over too. And still doesn't care that he did.

I was glad that Donna really didn't know about Harvey and Paula. It wasn't believable. She sold knowing- and not really caring- really well though. But I'm glad she was straight with Harvey in the end about that. These two have zero shot of getting together if they can't be honest about the personal stuff. Baby steps here. So Donna admitted it had bothered her a bit and Harvey reminded her it had bothered him back in the day about Stephen. Yep. Unresolved feelings there.

Love Rachel and Donna as girlfriends. Glad Rachel got Donna to open up and be real. Donna was caught off guard, but I think her biggest thing is knowing that Harvey telling her about Paula means it is serious.

L i N d $ @ y

It is! OMG it is extremely laughable by now. Remember that ep where they had Donna & Harvey in a bed together? I was thinking the whole time that there was a catch and there was. The show is trolling with Darvey fans, that's for sure.

I am going to watch this! I've loved Gina since Alias so yes, I'll watch anything she's on.

Alexa

I dont think ill watch. Gina is great but I wasnt Jessica's biggest fan and i dont like spin offs much.


Darvey is my otp on the show but I have to admit, Harvey/Mike is my true favorite interaction. (In my head its more than friends too . They were just so slashy in season 1 LBR )

You are right, Mike is selfish. Mike's never been my favorite character tbh.

I'm glad that Rachel/Mike are fighting, at least its a more interesting SL for them. I wish they would break up so that Rachel could shine on her own. She kinda started the show has Mike's love interest and her main plot was him. Id rather see her focused on something else.

Haven't seen the episode yet but cant wait for the darvey stuff.

Erin9

I'm interested in what Alex did, but I doubt it'll hurt my opinion of him because I don't care about this case. And I don't care that Mike cares either. It's made him a lousy friend, fiancé and employee. I'm so sick of hearing about it and the airtime devoted to it. And we're still not done with it.

I don't really feel like Mike chose corporate law in any real way. He did.....but not really imo. He has no recognition that he did anything wrong. And he sure isn't done with the case. But I expect the conversation to come up again. Thing is: if Mike isn't working at PSL, then I'm really not interested in his constant side stories. It isolates him too much. And it's frankly not fun to watch. PSL hasn't felt like a family this year, and I think a big part of the problem is Mike's isolation from anyone else. I mean Louis and Donna didn't even get to yell at him last night. It's basically Mike and the rest of the show. And has been for 5 straight episodes.

Mike not keeping secrets anymore- besides Gallo- doesn't do much for me because it's only out because he got caught. He's still ungrateful, self righteous and doesn't think he owes anyone an apology. I'm just not clear on what it's going to take for Mike to really admit he was wrong. And I need to see him get that.

Harvey emphasized repeatedly how stupid Mike was to get involved with Gallo. I expect this to be a real problem. And not just that he's still lying to Rachel about it. I imagine Harvey will get dragged into it since Gallo thinks Harvey is involved in this mess.

DiamondGirl5

Regardless of whether we're caring by that point, Mike still needs to make a conscious decision what kind of lawyer he wants to be. Right now, he's mostly letting himself be moved by opportunity and circumstances.

But, yes, I agree about his attitude and behavior. I'm sick of the prison case, but my anger at Mike isn't even about that anymore. I could tolerate his making stupid choices if he wasn't behaving with such arrogant and delusional self-importance. Knowing the Suits m.o., and the fact that we're leading up to the 100th episode, I expect one or two or ten curveballs thrown into the story in 707, 708, 709, and 710 that make this a different conversation, and I desperately hope one of those curveballs hits Mike square in the face and gives him a much-needed wake-up call.

Wherever the Frank Gallo arc leads, Harvey will be involved because it's Frank Gallo. Harvey would never let go of anything relating to Gallo, no matter how he got dragged into it. He's too dangerous. (Even Oliver questioned Mike bringing Gallo into the case. Mike replied it would be worth it--that stupid decision will be what comes back to bite him, because I think the prison case will be resolved.)

ETA: After reading a few reviews and other reactions to this episode, I'm starting to think I've been looking at this prison case all wrong. It's not about the case or Oliver or Alex or any of those things none of us care about. It's about showing that Mike is not ready to go out on his own. Mike has a history of, to put it in Suits vernacular, "****ting the bed" when he tries to go his own way. This is about Mike recognizing his limitations, that just because he's a legitimate lawyer doesn't mean he is deserving of the authority he's somehow given himself. This story is a variation on the investment banker story of early season 4, Mike trying to be legitimate in all the wrong ways and finding himself in over his head. On a personal level, it's about loyalty, which has been the over-arching theme of this series since the pilot, and testing his relationships with Harvey and Rachel. The case is just a storytelling vehicle.

And I thought about which character I want to give Mike a take--down: Donna. Donna is the character who stood in Mike's new office and told him how proud she was of him, and that he deserved Harvey's old office. Now I want her to be the one to say how disappointed she is in him, and that both Harvey and Rachel deserve better.

Erin9

IA- this story is partly about loyalty. It also seems like it's about Mike deciding which kind of law to practice. I hadn't really thought about it, but yeah, it certainly seems to be about the fact Mike is not ready to be on his own. He has handled this case in the poorest way possible. IA the case is a vehicle for these issues, but.....I don't think it's made entertaining viewing. Could you point me in the direction of some of those reviews/comments?

I would enjoy watching Donna take down Mike. I'm rather surprised she didn't seem to know what was up with Mike. The opportunities were there. She knew about the Frank Gallo phone call. I'm surprised we never saw her ask what Harvey found out. And while Donna was sharing her feelings about Harvey, Rachel could have talked about her problems with Mike. At the least- I hope it's not glossed over and not mentioned by her at all. It's not a small thing.

I do wonder what it will take for Mike to get it. I feel like it's going to take something big, because he is so arrogant right now, so thinks he knows everything- delusional self importance is a great way of putting it.

What I really wonder is if we'll have a season 8.....if not, they have 10 episodes to tie it all together.

DiamondGirl5

No, it hasn't. Early season 4 wasn't entertaining either--it was interminable, but that turned around nicely. Once Mike fell out with Forstman and realized how badly he'd been played, he found himself lost between a rock and a hard place until Louis struck a deal with Forstman to reel him back into the PSL fold...of course, all heck broke lose soon thereafter, ultimately leading to Louis discovering Mike's fraud, but some of those episodes are among my favorites. I've re-watched season 4 several times.

I always read the recaps/reviews from EW, TV Guide, Matt Carter, TV Fanatic. When I remember, I also read the TV Fanatic Suits Round Table. I scan comments on the Suits FB page, and sometimes Twitter (though Twitter comments are mostly soundbites). I can't remember where I read a reference to Mike's lack of success when going it alone--it was an online recap/review, maybe Matt Carter--but reading it changed my perspective a little.

Part of Mike's nature is his competitiveness. Back in season 4, once he started working for Jonathan Sidwell, beating Harvey seemed a primary goal. Harvey was equally competitive with Mike, the difference being his experience and savvy, something Mike lacked. Anyway, my point is, when Mike starts thinking he's smarter than Harvey, he usually gets in trouble.

ETA: In two very recent interviews, Patrick J Adams commented on the Mike/Harvey dynamic in this way (paraphrasing, and I hope this isn't considered a spoiler): "Their friendship will be tested, in some familiar ways and some new ways...as strong as it is, it means nothing if it isn't tested from time to time....the fun part is watching them work it out and their friendship become even deeper "....and (from a different
interview)..."you can get away with more in a friendship than you can in a romance...your friends see your worst, you show your true self to them." For Mike and Harvey, it's hard to argue that last part, but it is outweighed by the good they've done for each other.

Every character seems a little off-kilter, disconnected. Donna might be distracted by her work as COO (whatever that work is) and/or the changes she senses in Harvey, but she is definitely off her game a little. Donna's take-downs can be a thing of beauty--no yelling required, just a certain look and turn of phrase deal a deadly blow. But, I don't know--when Mike and Harvey went toe-to-toe in season 4, Donna got fed up with both of them and just let them hash it out.

In the investment banker story, it took him getting played by Forstman and fired by Sidwell.
Mike got stuck in a lose-lose situation. This time, the situation is different but I think it will still come down to Mike getting stuck in a no-win scenario, or worse. Maybe that's where Gallo comes in--Mike brought this very dangerous man back into their lives without any thought to the potential consequences.

I'm optimistic. For a 7-year-old cable series, it's still pulling relatively high numbers, plus it's wildly popular on streaming services. I've thought for some time we'd get 8 seasons, and Aaron Korsh reminds viewers on Twitter from time to time that he's almost certain for season 8. After that is anyone's guess though.

But, if season 7 is it...well, we're down to 6 episodes because filming is complete on the first 10 (shooting starts on the back half in September). Suits has usually written separate arcs for the first and second "halves" of each season, so I hope if season 7 is the last, the writers will have time to give us a satisfactory series finale. We already know that the s7 finale will be the backdoor pilot for Gina's spin-off series so I really hope that's not also the series finale. That would be far too much story for a 43-minute episode.

My Kind Of Crazy

as much as i love mike, i havent liked him this season at all. he needs to chose who he wants to work for and stick with it. i hate that he has been lying to harvey and rachael. not sure what alex's deal is and i really dont care either.

Erin9

Thank you! I'll take a look.

Donna has been a bit off- between the new job and Harvey most likely. I'd love to know what she's seeing in him that's different. Speaking of him- I was proud of him for telling Paula he hadn't been fair to her either regarding the Donna situation. He figured that one out on his own. Honestly I've been impressed that Harvey has really worked on this relationship. And listened. He's put a lot of effort into it.

Even if Donna doesn't confront Mike- a wasted opportunity imo though- I'd at least like to know she knows and get her pov. Otherwise- that really does make everyone seem very disconnected. This lie is a big deal. Treat it that way. Likewise- let Rachel talk to her friend. And get Louis in on it. I know he had his own problems this week, but going forward.....

I feel like Gallo will be some part of his wake up call- if for no other reason than he's been warned repeatedly that he's playing with fire there. And Mike seems to think he's got it under control.

I don't think those interview tidbits were spoilery. We know they'll make up at some point. I liked reading his perspective on this season. I just need Mike to take a real fall and to get how wrong and insufferable he's been. Even though he got yelled at most of the episode and the case got thrown out, he still believed he was totally in the right and could handle everything. It didn't really feel like he was getting any consequences at all. And he was pretty busy passing the blame off himself when it got tossed.

I'm not super excited that Jessica's pilot will be part of the episode. I've rarely enjoyed those type of episodes. And, much as I love Jessica, I love her with this group. Hope you're right about another season. It feels like there's still a lot of ground to cover. That's how I feel about the Americans and there are only 10 episodes left of it.

ds44

Mike’s sense of loyalty is totally screwed up. He is so self-righteous.
Involving Frank Gallo is stupid and he needs to get Harvey involved.
Sexual Harassment is a serious issue. What happened to her was not sexual harassment. Stephanie is already problematic for ignoring and trying to undermine Rachel, but this is just ridiculous.
Harvey is sneaky and excellent at sleuthing.
Good for Rachel for holding Mike’s feet to the fire. He needs to decide about where his future lies.
Dangling Darvey again. They really need to take this somewhere.
So, Donna was faking already knowing. Aww poor Boo ☹

L i N d $ @ y

Finally watched the new ep. So glad to see Katrina back. Good SL with Louis and I like him more when he's not being annoying.

I'm not even that sad about Darvey. Show has been trolling us for 7 years now. Harvey and the therapist aren't going to last so I'll just wait for that.

I like Rachel putting some sense into Mike. I understand Mike's need to help Oliver and his own personal way of making things right but conflict of interest and I just want Mike to stop.

Alexa

Katrina! I love whenever she is in the episodes. I just love her so much. Katrina and Louis interaction is great too, I love that friendship.

I LOVED ALL THE DONNA/HARVEY STUFF. I love the implications that they have feelings for one another, but I wish that it moved a bit quicker. Hopefully Donna’s ex coming in will get the ball rolling.

I just don’t like Paula. Her and Harvey just fight constantly. But at least she can see that Harvey and Donna have feelings for one another. When she told Harvey that Donna was in love with him, UGHHHHH his face.

I love that Donna told Harvey that she already knew about him and Paula. I love that she kind of dismissed him quickly. Harvey actually seemed upset that she didn’t seem to care. Donna’s face afterwards was everything. She had legit tears in her eyes. Then later Donna admitting to Rachel she cared about Harvey, that was sweet. I love that friendship.

And then Harvey admitted he was jealous of Stephen. But WTF, why can’t these two figure out how they feel? Harvey definitely seemed sad after she returned the key.

Are we ever gonna find out about that damn can opener? lol.

I hate seeing Mike and Harvey fight. But Mike is being a little punk. He shouldn’t have lied to Mike to begin with. Harvey would have fired anyone else. He just cares a lot about Mike so that’s the only reason he didnt do it.

Louis was actually tolerable this episode... Hate Stephanie... Also seeing Jake Epstein (Craig from Degrassi) just makes my heart happy. I love that he is still acting.

L i N d $ @ y

I just realized that I still can't register the name of Harvey's therapist. Like I don't even bother remembering her name.

UGH. I can't begin to explain how I love Sarah so much. This picture is A+.

cyndie57

Wow she looks stunning perfection in one picture thanks for sharing



When I read Amanda Schull's name in the credits

Too much Oliver/Mike… again

Louis is really freaky the prune juices but his speech at the end really got to me and when he talked about hugging Stephanie, haha he just can't help himself, can he ?

K A T R I N A

OMG Harvey’s face when Paula told him Donna loves him and he likes it and don’t want it to stop

Oh no Mike keeps lying to Harvey that’s not good my baby I’m glad Mike got angry at Oliver, pissed Mike is hot Mike is a mess and Harvey is 100% right about Gallo but unpopular opinion, I'm still not mad at him I love me some good Marvey fight

My poor Donna As I already said in the Darvey couple thread, I don't know where to stand anymore about these 2 but Mark can't come fast enough, that's for sure

Bonus point : Michelle Ross and Harriet Specter

Erin9

I don't think Harvey and Paula fight much. Certainly not on a show like this where everyone yells a lot. Scottie and Harvey argued a lot though. Generally- the show has been writing them as growing closer and more serious by the episode. But I can want Darvey to get together in the end and still like what Harvey's relationship with Paula brings to the table. It shows some growth on his part, and that's a good thing.

I said this in the couples thread, but if Harvey's relationship with Paula wasn't working and wasn't getting serious.....it wouldn't bother Donna that much. Harvey wouldn't have struggled with telling her. It had to be to get the bit of forward movement we saw. I think the pace of Harvey/Donna- assuming they plan to put them together-is fine. Their feelings for each other are pretty deeply repressed. The most they can admit to is being bothered by each other's relationships. But- what does that mean? I don't think they have the answer to that. It could just be because of their history with each other- but I doubt that's all it is.

Donna is supposed to be on a quest to figuring out what she wants. This jumpstarts the personal part. I think she was starting to realize she really didn't get everything she wanted even though she said she did. So- does she want Harvey? (And if she does- will he want the same thing? And vice versa for him.) Someone else? Or does she want Harvey enough to risk what they already have for more? And Harvey can certainly ask himself similar questions. His relationship with Paula is so far working very well, but is she the one? Not a question he could have ever asked himself before because he wasn't ready for a relationship.

Darvey getting together is risky given their long very successful working relationship and friendship. They've been settled in this place for over a decade. So they have to be willing to risk that for more. If they decide they want more from each other of course!