S04.E10: This Is Rome

[yeswedo]

 

Harvey and Jessica take measures to protect the firm; Louis tries to get his affairs in order.

 

[betsyboo]

Rick Hoffman? NAILED. IT.

Edited August 21, 2014 by betsyboo

[Congo]

Rick Hoffman is just too goddamn good for this show. Those last 10 minutes were riveting.

Jessica just got Litt up!

Edited August 21, 2014 by Congo

[el perro fumando]

For me, this was just about as perfect a "Suits" episode as I could have asked for. It had crazy drama, great relationships, terrific intrigue, humor, bromance, everyone scrambling to save Louis only to have him go rogue ... and that ending. Wow. That ending was fantastic. Absolutely love that Louis finally figured out the Mike thing and went right to Harvey/Donna and Jessica and demanded, "Pearson. Spector. LITT!" Goddamn awesome.

 

Really, just about everything in this one makes me want to rewatch a couple of times. Love that Mike, Harvey and Donna were going great guns to try and save Louis from his predicament ... and to save him from himself. Interesting that Mike and Louis are always shooting themselves in the foot with their good intentions (Mike with trying to get Louis a job and then with trying to console him and make sure he was OK - stupid key!; and Louis with ... well, just about everything else!).

 

Loved the scene with Papa Keaton/Walter Gillis. Harvey standing up for Mike, and Mike taking responsibility for his mistakes ... golden. Just ... well, everything in this one. Really. I would rewatch it just for the dinner scene between Harvey and Mike, with all the pussy and prostate and recycled jokes dialogue. Fantastic. But to follow that up with Rick Hoffman's two unbelieveable scenes with Donna and Jessica ... perfection. Just perfection.

 

I goddamn can't goddamn wait until this goddamn show comes goddamn back. Whew.

[Jediknight]

That was easily the best episode of the season, and possibly the best episode this show has done.

 

I may have done the Daniel Bryan "YES!" taunt when Louis put it all together.  Louis is why I stuck with the show.  I know I probably should have hated Louis for blackmailing his way into name partner, but I can't.  Everything he said was correct.  They've broken the law and continue to break, and get rid of Louis when he does that, that's just 100% wrong.  Thank you for that scene, and this episode.  Now Louis' first act has to be to hire Katrina back.

 

I'd like to hear them say that they wrote Harvey and Jessica as horrible people, so we wouldn't hate Louis when he threw it all back in Jessica's face.

[FireFoxy]

All I know is that Katrina better be back. Her dynamic with Louis is the best.

[BkWurm1]

Chills!!! 

 

That was as near perfect as I could imagine.  I was so caught up in what was happening and the rage just burning off  of Louis in waves that I didn't see his price coming until right before he spelled it out. 

 

Half of me thinks I should be outraged but all I could do was cheer as Louis called them out on what they'd done and not really even what they'd done, just what they weren't willing to do for him. 

 

Adored that Jessica even in that moment of defeat never bent, never really broke.  No, hell no, she's not sorry.  Heee! 

 

The scene with Donna - brutal. 

 

Honestly, I can't wait for Pearson, Spector and Litt.  Light em up Louis, light em up!!

[Dowel Jones]

I fear it's a Pyrrhic victory for Louis, though.  How can he expect to function in the toxic environment that is to be PSL?  The knives will be out at every corner; trust will be a commodity available only until the end of each conversation.

Plot requirements aside, wouldn't any large firm be interested in Louis, based on his skills and reputation alone?  He would pick up clients on his own, rather than having to scavenge from Pearson Spector.

[TD3000]

Man, Louis came through and crushed the buildings. I was so glad to see the fire lit (no pun intended) inside of him. Yeah, it sucks that it came on the heels of Mike/Harvey/Donna trying to help him out, but oh well, too little too late. Louis has been the kicked dog for too long and now the dog is finally biting back. Even with Jessica refusing to back down, Louis still stood his ground.

[Elysium1973]

I thought this episode was well written, well constructed, and incredibly well acted. I cheered for Rick Hoffman's performance. Absolutely outstanding. I really loved his scene with Jessica and his palpable rage. He has finally gone over to the dark side of Harvey and Jessica, he has been initiated, broken, and now he can join their damaged ranks.

Suits is a new show for me and it's quickly becoming a favorite. I can't wait to go back and catch up!

[Jediknight]

The scene with Donna - brutal. 

Yeah, and after Donna said "I'm sorry", Louis gulps and has to gather himself for a second.  For Louis Mike being a fraud, and Harvey and Jessica knowing about it are nothing compared to Donna knowing and not telling him.  Mike, Harvey and Jessica were all a slap to the face, Donna on the other hand was a sword to the chest.  He wanted his theory about Donna knowing to be wrong, instead he was right and he couldn't have felt worse that he was right.  Hoffman played it perfectly, he played it as that was the worst thing that could happen to Louis, and that he was on the verge of tears.

[CleoCaesar]

Rick Hoffman for episode, season, and series MVP.

 

The last 10 minutes were chilling. Louis's fury was palpable and I genuinely feared for Donna for a few seconds there. Interesting to see what kind of morally corrupt, toxic swamp Pearson Specter Litt turns out to be.

 

After a boring season of yet-another season-long arc (not as bad as Daniel Hardman or Eva Hessington, but still boring), the finale was great.

 

Shit goddamn!

[FormerMod-a1]

The last scene with Louis... his anger was scary.  He was right but man, when he gets well and truly mad - watch out.  It was worth it though to wipe the smug off of Donna's face.  For once she wasn't so sure of herself and everyone else and telling everyone what to do.  I do want to see the fall out with the firm and Mike.  I've been wanting Mike to be exposed and having to deal with that.  Get it out there, get it resolved (in some way or another, believable or not, etc) and move on.

 

Not that I think it will end up with public exposure, just that it would be ideal for me.

[fauntleroy]

Well cheers to Rick Hoffman, and I hope he brings Katrina back, but in general I think this season has been exhausting, with no progress. They are just back to where they were, only now yet another person is exposed to criminal prosecution thanks to Mike's fraud.

 

Mike's presence only makes everything worse and it's amazing that he cannot see that. I hope next season he does the right thing and gets out of there. They should hire him as an investigator not a lawyer, and instead of being at each other's throats, they should work together to deal with clients and their cases.

 

Jessica's righteous "I only did what I did to protect this company" line seems like nonsense to me. Damage was already done, but she could have gotten Mike out quietly so that new cases are also not tainted by his presence.

Edited August 21, 2014 by fauntleroy

[truecrystal]

I'm glad that all the cards are on the table at PS about Mike, and I'm especially glad that Louis called Jessica out on her hypocrisy. But I'm equally as glad that Jessica didn't apologize because that would not have been realistic for her and, frankly, I don't think she has anything to apologize for. Everybody else at PS runs around making irrational decisions based on high emotions. Jessica may make emotional decisions but she's rarely if ever irrational. She's pretty much the only one who doesn't make decisions based on whether or not she "feels bad" or "feels good". It may not make her likable (though I love her) but it's how she got her name on the door.

 

My favorite part was Louis lighting in to Donna. I'm glad Louis called her out on her version of friendship which essentially is that she's your friend as long as it's beneficial for Harvey or her but you will get kicked to the curb quick for Harvey's sake. Really, when will people stop taking romantic advice from her?

 

I'm actually not keen on Katrina coming back because I'm really not sure what purpose she serves other than to fluff Louis. Even as a tertiary character, she's painfully underdeveloped. She's literally in exactly the same position she was in when we first met her: trying to turn a disastrous career choice into a better position. Except now she's not even in a position of power while doing so. I'd like to see her trying to pursue her own success instead of only boosting Louis' ego and hitching her wagon to him.

 

Overall, I liked a lot of this season. The legal plot played out in a way that showcased all the characters unlike the Hessington mess which was so unbelievably ridiculous. I still vote to bring back Eric Roberts and Wendell Pierce because they make great antagonists. And for the first time since the first season, I'm really looking forward to what the new season has in store.

[Good Queen Jane]

No wonder Mike didn't recognize the key, since Harvard Law School isn't a member school of the Order of the Coif (which is the law school's world version of Phi Beta Kappa.) If Louis was awarded the Order of the Coif, then he didn't go to Harvard. Really, writers, you couldn't do a little research on such a key point? (pun not intended, especially since I believe that the Order of the Coif doesn't present a key to members anyway) Proof once more that the Suits Universe is not our Universe

[Orwell1984]

 

Jessica's righteous "I only did what I did to protect this company" line seems like nonsense to me. Damage was already done, but she could have gotten Mike out quietly so that new cases are also not tainted by his presence.

 

Ah.....but you are forgetting the most important thing which was that Harvey threatened to quit if Jessica got rid of Mike.  As shown endlessly, Jessica believes that Harvey is integral to the firm and gives him tons of leeway to break the rules.  That's one reason I was pleased that she refused to hire back Mike when asked by Harvey.  

Edited August 21, 2014 by Orwell1984

[Primetimer]

And the suits are going to wish he never found his way back.

Read the story

[Dowel Jones]

For once she wasn't so sure of herself and everyone else

 

After rewatching the last ten minutes, I realized what was so off about Donna.  Sarah Rafferty carried that part with her facial expression.  Her house of cards is crumbling fast, too.  Louis originally said he was waiting for Harvey, "but you'll do".  I can only imagine what the confrontation would have been like had Harvey actually been there.  It's too bad that Louis's failing (IMHO) is that he craves support and approval from other people so much that he's willing to prostrate himself at the feet of those who abuse him, just so that he can be recognized by them.

[CleoCaesar]

But I'm equally as glad that Jessica didn't apologize because that would not have been realistic for her and, frankly, I don't think she has anything to apologize for.

 

Louis wanted Jessica to apologize for not liking him as much as Harvey. Petty, irrational, and human. I'm glad she didn't apologize too.

[zillabreeze]

I was completely riveted for the whole epi! It was like the old writers woke up after the draggy season to pull it off.

It flashed on me for a moment that when Louis was sitting waiting on Harvey, that he may have had a gun.

Awesome final scene(s)!

And please bring back more of the bromance banter like in the resto!

[marcee]

No denying, that was a fantastic 'finale' with some of the most incredible acting I've ever seen on TV, but I still hold in my heart the hope that next season won't be weighed down by the anger, threats and betrayal aspect. I know there has to be some of it - but I prefer the witty dialogue and snappy banter over the angst and high drama. Maybe that's just me, though.

[el perro fumando]

I have to say, I LOVE Rick Hoffman's performance and his characterization, but the biggest reason I loved Louis last  night isn't because I felt bad for him and wanted him to triumph over mean ol' Jessica and Harvey and Mike and Donna - because I don't see it that way. I loved him last night because this is the side of Louis that makes him so much more fun to watch than the sad sack Louis we've seen lately. I never enjoyed lovable loser Louis as much as I enjoyed slimy, mean, bullying manipulative (but ferociously smart at his job and billables!) Louis. I like that he's evolved over the last season or 2, but I definitely haven't forgotten the old Louis, who did as many questionable "grey area" things as anyone else. In fact, all the Louis love makes me want to go back and rewatch the early seasons so I can remind myself that he hasn't always been a poor little victim - because I don't think he has at all.

 

And I rewatched last night's episode (because it was so goddamn fantastic!), and I definitely felt worse for Donna than for Louis in that scene, because while he can be as angry as he was, I as an observer know that Donna certainly has been the best friend Louis could ask for at that firm. We spent two episodes watching Donna, Mike and Harvey scrambling their asses off to save Louis, not because they had to, but out of compassion, just as Harvey said. I understand Louis' anger - but I also understand it from Donna's perspective, so I didn't feel at all the, "Go Louis! Rip her up!" vibe. I felt horrible for both characters, and I hope Louis, when his anger fades, can see that Donna has been a HUGE champion for him. Did she keep Mike's background a secret? Yep. Is that evidence that she's secretly hated Louis? No way. Frankly, Louis was safer not knowing. Anyway, hope those two crazy kids find their friendship again, but I sense it will be a while.

 

As for his thing with Jessica, I didn't feel any great, "Go Louis! Rip her up!" vibe there either. Yea, he could definitely take that attitude to Harvey and Mike, but Jessica was 100 percent correct in saying to him that she was unaware of what Harvey and Mike cooked up when it happened, and by the time she found out, her concern was protecting her firm. The one thing I really 100-percent agreed with him on? The VersaLife thing. Ah, hubris. Always the undoing of these characters. If Jessica and Harvey had just let Louis have that one client to take with him, it would have all worked out. Instead, as usual, they were so intent on winning at all costs that it led to where they are now.

 

Anyway, just thought I'd throw out this less popular opinion. I know Louis has gotten a lot of cheers for last night, and I definitely was thrilled at the ending, but it wasn't for the same reasons. I didn't see it as some big moment of justice, so much as putting Louis back in the game as the nasty fighter he used to be. That's the Louis I love!

 

On edit: I have to add again how much I adored the restaurant scene. I went back and rewatched it and just howled at some of the lines between Harvey and Mike. "Miss, can I get a Cosmo here for my friend?" " 'You see, that's funny because blah blah blah,' and 'By blah blah blah, I mean blah blah blah.' " HA! Not to mention the bit about Harvey and Donna being ready to take the plunge. I just loved that whole exchange. Best Harvey-Mike banter of the season.

Edited August 21, 2014 by el perro fumando

[PepperMonkey]

Interesting to note re: Order of the Coif not having a chapter at Harvard Law, although, I doubt that's why Mike didn't recognize the key since we were supposed to play along with the key thing (lol).

So Louis has realized Mike didn't go to Harvard Law (neither is Rachel, but she is being welcomed into the firm as well), but what happens when - please, WHEN - he finds out Mike didn't even graduate law school anywhere?

I still say Jessica's righteous indignation is crap when you consider that Mike's involvement in all the high profile cases can set them on their ear; remember, he's not a law school graduate at ALL. He just passed the LSATs. Does anyone remember: did he even graduate from college with a bachelor's degree?

[NJ RadioGuy]

I've been thinking about this last night after my second re-watch of the ending. What if Jessica calls his bluff and says no. She could still have him arrested for what he did, but does he know the full depth of Mike's secret (i.e. not any kind of a lawyer, not just not-Harvard)? If it was just a case of him thinking Mike was just not a Harvard law grad, would that be an arrestable offense in that universe?

 

Jessica could just as well say "I could call the US att'y and turn you into someone's wife for the next 20 years by the time the sun rises tomorrow, but all you have on this firm is a faked transcript by an associate, so Get. Out. Now. while you still can." This would free Louis up to do far, far more interesting things in the show.

 

Think about this: He's got 40 years at the number one firm in NYC. Wouldn't he make a pretty damned good judge with that amount of both boardroom and courtroom expertise? How'd you like to be Jessica, Harvey or even Mike in that courtroom? With deep, dark secrets on both sides of the bench, and good writers at the helm, there could be some seriously good drama.

[DeepRunner]

Wow. Just wow. Rick Hoffman brought it. The intensity of the last ten minutes of this episode turned on a little skeleton key that locked-up a great installment and season-ender for Suits. 

 

First, a nod to the humanitarian efforts of Harvey and Mike. Trying like heck to get Louis a job, placed with a firm.

 

Now, the stuff that was really good...

 

Louis's scene with Katrina. When she first got to the firm, thought she was a bit much. Her points about loyalty were good. It ultimately cost her her job, for now. But she is firmly in Louis's corner.

 

Louis's scene with Sheila, and perfectly played. She threw him to the curb. Crushed. And you saw his pain.

 

Louis's scene with Robert Zane was perfect, and perfectly played. He threw Louis to the curb. Crushed. And you saw his pain.

 

Louis's scenes with Mike were perfect, and perfectly played. He tried to help Louis, who was inconsolable. Crushed.

 

Louis's scene with Donna was perfect, and perfectly played. You saw his pain. He caught her in her lie. And then tightened the leash on their relationship to the choking point.

 

Louis's scene with Jessica.was...almost perfect. He called her out for the hypocrisy of Mike Ross, and for the haughty tigress she is generally. It would have made it perfect if he had called her what she is. He made the only demand he could make with the huge bargaining he now has...She was "Litt the Hell Up." Here's hoping he gets his name on the door.

 

Wow. Just wow. This was the season of Louis, and it was great, insofar as the focus was on him. This is the best season-ending episode for a show I have seen in a long time, and certainly the best episode of this show this season. Let's see what season 5 brings.

Edited August 21, 2014 by DeepRunner

[fauntleroy]

Yes it was an acting tour de force, on the other hand I thought of Jon Lovitz, the "Master Thespian". Acting! It seemed to me so jacked up. Not just Louis, but everyone, constantly out-ruthlessing each other and storming off. I crush you, mwa-ha-ha!

 

The show is one-tone. All harsh edges of glass and steel, and stuck in tedious cycles of confrontation, leverage, betrayal. Always some new outrage. And of course the stage is set for more of the same next season, as now even more people have leverage to put everyone else in prison and do not only thanks to the principle of mutually assured destruction. There's no need of it I say--it's not necessary for "drama".

 

Give me a scene of somebody feeding pigeons, or flying a kite. Or walking a dog. Tending an urban garden. You need contrast to offset the relentless pounding. In the case of Mike in particular and now Louis, all this melodrama seems forced to me, because they won't take the simple and obvious step of moving the trouble out the door. Doesn't have to be out of the show, just out of the firm. Mike should hang up a PI shingle. If they could take fraud Mike on, they could have dreamt up a finagle to extricate Louis. And still named him partner, why not! He's no more a crook than the rest of them, and bills monster hours.

 

Ease up. Go fishing. Louis should get another cat. Mike should ride his bicycle.

[el perro fumando]

HA. Different strokes and all that, I guess. I'm in the minority perhaps of wanting Mike to stay at PH (or PHL!). I hated the eps of him gone to the point that I stopped watching until it was resolved. I was more tired of the ramped-up season arcs, tho, since my favorite parts of the show usually revolve around cases and banter, so I concur on desiring a little less over the top melodrama.

I personally hope the Louis drama provides the intensity next season so we can get more cases of the week. Throw in more banter scenes like they had last night (Mike/Harvey; Mike/Donna; Harvey/Jessica: etc - I even loved the Mike/Jessica scene last night!) and I shall remain a slave to this show.

[Percysowner]

I may have done the Daniel Bryan "YES!" taunt when Louis put it all together.  Louis is why I stuck with the show.  I know I probably should have hated Louis for blackmailing his way into name partner, but I can't.  Everything he said was correct.  They've broken the law and continue to break, and get rid of Louis when he does that, that's just 100% wrong.  Thank you for that scene, and this episode.  Now Louis' first act has to be to hire Katrina back.

 

Considering Mike blackmailed Jessica by finding the document that proved she knew he wasn't a lawyer and continued to let him practice because she was fighting Hardman at the time, I have zero problem with Louis doing the same. Jessica managed to work with Mike even though he was blackmailing her, she needs to suck it up and do the same with Louis.

 

I still say Jessica's righteous indignation is crap when you consider that Mike's involvement in all the high profile cases can set them on their ear; remember, he's not a law school graduate at ALL. He just passed the LSATs. Does anyone remember: did he even graduate from college with a bachelor's degree?

 

No, he doesn't have a Bachelor's Degree. He was kicked out for due to a cheating scandal involving the daughter of a Vice Chancellor and Trevor dealing drugs before he got it.I didn't care enough to remember the details. The Vice Chancellor said something about the scandal keeping him from ever going to another college, but that seemed bogus at the time. It probably would keep him from becoming a lawyer, due to the being an upstanding citizen requirements, but a Bachelor's Degree shouldn't be an issue.

[DeepRunner]

After reflecting on it some, I think the stage is set for Jessica, Harvey, Mike, and Donna to team-up to beat Louis, should the firm become PSL. Nothing unifies a band of thieves like a common enemy, and Louis now appears to be that figure of focus. Jessica and Harvey won't sit still under a threat of blackmail, Mike can't afford to, and Donna has no reason to, now that Louis has cut her off. And what we may have at the end of this road, I fear, is Louis as the piñata all over again.

[roomtorome]

I agree with whoever said Hoffman is the best thing on this show- without him, I would have left early in season one.  Glad they seem to have a clue as well.

 

The two guys I really don't much care about - I don't find either interesting enough so without Louis, nada for me.

 

But, I really find the character of Jessica to be revolting and simply cartoonish - I don't know if it is the direction of the actress or the actress just can't bring dimension to this character but she is just a completely distasteful person - while other characters are not likable to me, at least there are moments where we seem some modicum of humanity - with her, if she does attempt to show some empathy, it just registers as false.  I'm sorry they haven't fleshed out that character in a more interesting way than they have.

 

Hoffman has always been good though - in everything I've ever seen him in.  Would like to see him in more than just this - 

[Chicago Redshirt]

That last 10 minutes was riveting to watch, for sure. Overall, the episode had a lot of the stuff that I think had been missing from much of the season -- the repartee in the restaurant, Big Daddy Zane, bad-ass Louis, for example. 

 

Still, there's a lot of stuff to nitpick:

 

1. I thought that all partners or senior partners had a non-complete clause that prevents them from working in the NY area. It was an issue with both Hardman and Harvey. It was sort of ret-conned and weakened so that we have this drama with Louis potentially going to Big Daddy Zane.

 

2. I'm surprised BDZ didn't read Mike the riot act. In the time since we've last seen him, Mike quit the law to become an investment banker, apparently failed at that, let Rachel overwork herself to the point of exhaustion and hospitalization, broke up with Rachel, had the SEC crawl up his ass and made up with her and then comes asking for a favor. Granted, BDZ may not know the details about all this, or may have dealt with Mike about this in Offscreenville, but still.

 

3. Sheila. I know that as long as the show goes on, Louis is not going to get a happily-ever-after in Boston. But is it me, or was she pretty much a total bitch? I suppose that they might be paving the way for Louis/Donna. ("Lounna"? "Donis"?) But of course that came with a big setback with the reveal...

 

4. The Secret. Such a tragic flaw for this show. I wish there were some way to put it in the past. Since we're stuck with it, though, I kind of wish that we had more lead up to Louis knowing. The Mike cheering Louis up scenes didn't really convey that Louis was putting the pieces together. I kind of would have liked to see him do more detective work, and be fully sure that Mike was a fraud, and the extent of his fraud. It shouldn't be ambiguous about whether he has just guessed that Mike hasn't gone to Harvard versus hasn't gone to any law school (or even finished college).

 

5. The notion of down-and-out Louis is more laughable than down-and-out Mike. I know the show put a fig leaf on that by talking about the economy or what not. But the notion that Louis hypothetically could get walked into the general counsel spot at Proctor & Gamble, that he's delivered all the billables that he did, etc., suggests he should be able to get some position in New York if he really wanted. 

 

6. I wouldn't have minded a scene where Louis was talking to his parents about the roller coaster stuff that was happening to him.

[statsgirl]

Plot requirements aside, wouldn't any large firm be interested in Louis, based on his skills and reputation alone?  He would pick up clients on his own, rather than having to scavenge from Pearson Spector.

 

It did provide the opportunity for some good acting but this plot has more holes than a sieve.  Louis has a great track record and proven skills; even if the water is bloody from the sharks someone still should have had the foresight to hire him.

 

And then it just gets worse and worse ... Harvey comes up with a job offer that is third rate, Sheila rejects him, he loses Versatech, and then he finds out everyone betrayed him.  Was this a re-make of the Job Story?

Mike's presence only makes everything worse and it's amazing that he cannot see that. I hope next season he does the right thing and gets out of there. They should hire him as an investigator not a lawyer, and instead of being at each other's throats, they should work together to deal with clients and their cases.

For the past two seasons, I've felt that they've been dragging out the Mike is a fraud! storyline far too much.  Here's a fix that they should have done when Rachel got accepted to Stanford:  have Mike take a sabbatical during which he finishes law school somewhere, anywhere, near her and then return for a Masters or Doctorate at Harvard.  He's smart enough to do it and work at the same time, it settles the Harvard problem since he graduates from there in the end, and then he's back on the partnership track and PSL.

 

Until they put that storyline in the ground, the show will continue to spin its wheels.

Edited August 21, 2014 by statsgirl

[Joimiaroxeu]

That was the best season finale I've seen in a while. Bravo!

[Eliz]

Tara, I feel you on not following the ins-and-outs of the purported legal maneuverings. I'm a lawyer, so if I were to pay attention to what they say they're doing, it's so stupid I'd have to turn it off and never look back. The depositions on this show are the most ridiculous fictional depiction I've ever seen. Which is saying a lot.

[Dowel Jones]

Thank you, Eliz.  All professions have their albatross on television.  Firefighters have Chicago Fire, Attorneys have Suits, Medical people have Night Shift, and on and on.  Even zombies laugh at Walking Dead.  It's all just entertainment.

[catrice2]

I actually did not like the episode because it was too predictable.  I knew the season would end with Louis finding out the season, the only thing I was wrong about was Mike telling him.  Of course, however he did figure it out because of something that Mike did.  It is just so unrealistic that after the reunion party that he and Jenny went to, the female attorney they didn't hire, and the ethics teacher thing  that Mike would not have spent some days or weeks down at Harvard learning all the local hangouts, teachers, traditions etc to make his lie believable, or at least reading about those things.  

 

I am frustrated by the Jessica character, but only because they keep making her the helpless victim of MIke and Harvey's shenanigans. Jessica respects Louis' business abilities, but she does not like his neediness. I think this is totally realistic.  Jessica needs a strong personality like Harvey to stand up to her and would be frustrated by someone like Louis needing constant validation. Louis may be good as some things, but it has also been shown he is not good at others, like building relationships with the majority of the people he worked with, or even a woman until Shelia.  I would have been way more entertained with a story of Louis working for Zane and proving he does not need any validation from Harvey and Jessica than the same boring I am going to blackmail you with Mike's secret, or ANYTHING to do with that secret.

 

The only thing I did like was Louis calling Donna on her hypocrisy and supposed friendship.   I have often said that she is no friend to Louis or to Rachel, and needs to find an identify of her own outside of Harvey.

 

This show has just proven again that it cannot figure out a way to get around the flaw in the premise of the show.

 

Gina Torres looked great, and we had very little of Rachel and no Mike and Rachel drama.  I also wish they would stop finding reasons for bring back Michael Gross. 

[Happytobehere]

Last 10 minutes = Best 10 minutes of Suits EVER! This is indeed Rome and Baby Rome is Burning. Jessica just got Litt the F. Up. Can't wait for Harvey to get his.

Can I say that I literally can no longer stand Mike. He is arrogant and entitled. Guess what show, if Mike really was the ish, you wouldn't have Harvey repeatedly telling us Mike is the ish in GM's you better take heed voice.

Rachel still serves no purpose.

Louis' secretary is clearly in love with him. Perhaps Donna will realize she cares more than in a friendship level now that she is on Louis's ish list. Loved Louis verbally bitch-slapping Donna. It's about time she wasn't able to "I'm Donna" her way thought something. The only other person I ever saw do that to her was Jessica, and she holds the I can fire you card.

Rick Hoffman truly owned this episode. Love him and Gina Torres together, hope we get to see more of that in the winter episodes.

[el perro fumando]

 

Can I say that I literally can no longer stand Mike. He is arrogant and entitled.

 

I don't get this at all from last night's episode. Some of the mid-season episodes, sure. But last night - and the last episode - I thought Mike was back to Original Recipe Mike. Other than bantering cockily with Harvey, which is their thing, I thought he was very earnest, very sincere and very conflicted about Louis. He spent two episodes scrambling to save Louis - professionally (appealing to Harvey last week and then to Zane this week) and personally (going to Louis several times to offer comfort and support). He even attempted to stand up for Katrina to Jessica last night, although it fell on deaf ears.

 

Add to that him absolutely reverting to early Mike when he totally laid himself bare to Gillis and took all responsibility for screwing him over (even as Harvey tried to absolve Mike and take the blame).

 

I don't know. I just didn't see any arrogance last night at all (other than the restaurant scene, which is how I love my Mike/Harvey moments, so I'll take that). IMO, the show went out of its way to write Mike as arrogant in the investment firm storyline, which is why I tuned out at the time (and went back later when I knew old Mike would return). I'll agree that I very much disliked that version of Mike. But last night, particularly in the scenes with Louis and Gillis, I totally remembered what I love about the Mike character. 

 

Interestingly, it seems like whoever you like on the show, and for whatever reason, last night had something exciting. I love pretty much every character (except Rachel, who I like but can take or leave most weeks). I may have to go rewatch from season 1 now, but it's hard for me to remember a better episode. I've loved a lot of them, but this one really stood out. Every scene crackled. Even upon rewatch I was glued to it. Damn. When does it come back?

Edited August 22, 2014 by el perro fumando

[Cranston]

Having been the personal assistant to a fancy person I can understand Donna's total loyalty to Harvey, even when it conflicts with her other friendships.  I hope she and Louis work it out somehow, because he needs her support and friendship and she genuinely likes him. 

[Happytobehere]

Mike's presence only makes everything worse and it's amazing that he cannot see that. I hope next season he does the right thing and gets out of there.

Mike does know. He simply doesn't care so long as bring there serves his agenda. Remember, one of his stated reasons for leaving was that as long as he is at PS, Harvey, Jessica and the firm are in peril. But I guess that was only an issue when he had a safety cushion to land on. Once that cushion was gone, the threats to others was no longer an issue to him. I personally don't care that he is an arrogant d..k,(Harvey is far from likable and the same can be said for Jessica, however, I like them both because they own who they are), I just want the truth of who he is acknowledged and for he who has no moral authority (remember, we are talking about an all-around fraud, he doesn't even have a college degree, let alone a law degree) to stop acting as if he is the morality police of the world and stop beating people over the head with his alleged righteousness. The truly righteous walk the walk even if they are hurt by it, but that ain't Mike. However, the show refuses to do this, it keeps trying to sell us a bill of goods that no longer has any value.

I guess this is why I feel they way I do about Mike, El perro fumando.

The only thing I can say in Mike's defense is that ultimately, the problem is that the writers can't seem to think of a way to write themselves out of the hole the very premise of the show creates.

Edited August 22, 2014 by Happytobehere

[zillabreeze]

But, I really find the character of Jessica to be revolting and simply cartoonish -

Me too- That's why I kind of hoped for a little "Who Shot Jessica" as a season finale. I just hoped quiet, waitng, Louis was packing....still love him though.

As someone mentioned upthread, I too, would like to see Mike Ross as some kind of investigator. That would certainly be his forte. However, any client that saw his name on a document as a P.I. would send up flags as to why there was a demotion from high falutting lawyer to P.I. So that's not happening.

Was it just me, or were the "scenes from next season" nothing more than crap we have already watched?

Edited August 22, 2014 by zillabreeze

[Jediknight]

I've been thinking about this last night after my second re-watch of the ending. What if Jessica calls his bluff and says no. She could still have him arrested for what he did, but does he know the full depth of Mike's secret (i.e. not any kind of a lawyer, not just not-Harvard)? If it was just a case of him thinking Mike was just not a Harvard law grad, would that be an arrestable offense in that universe?

 

Jessica could just as well say "I could call the US att'y and turn you into someone's wife for the next 20 years by the time the sun rises tomorrow, but all you have on this firm is a faked transcript by an associate, so Get. Out. Now. while you still can." This would free Louis up to do far, far more interesting things in the show.

It would still be arrestable.  The firm prides itself on only Harvard lawyers, and the clients know that.  So if someone is working there that went to Idaho State for law school, and yet the firm says he went to Harvard, that's fraud.  They'd get the crap sued out of them, and some would wind up in jail.  I'd imagine with Rachel they let their clients know she's going to Columbia.

 

If Mike was an investigator or consultant, there wouldn't be a problem.

 

About Donna, I think she does genuinely like Louis.  She forgave pretty quickly for the mock trial thing, she helped him get over his stage fright, she gave him the photo of her as Ophelia, she comforted him after Sheila left, and her "I'm sorry" was genuine.  I think she wasn't sorry that Louis found out, she was genuinely sorry that she had lied to Louis and betrayed his trust.  And like I had mentioned, that's what hurt Louis more than anything.

Edited August 22, 2014 by Jediknight

[BkWurm1]

also wish they would stop finding reasons for bring back Michael Gross.

 

I had the opposite reaction.  I needed the closure bringing him back provided.  It never sat well that Gillis got screwed over and I was supposed to shrug and say, oh well, that's business.  I needed him to come back and get a shred of his dignity and a new focus in his life.  I was very pleased to see him tied back into the plot.   

I really find the character of Jessica to be revolting and simply cartoonish - I don't know if it is the direction of the actress or the actress just can't bring dimension to this character but she is just a completely distasteful person - while other characters are not likable to me, at least there are moments where we seem some modicum of humanity - with her, if she does attempt to show some empathy, it just registers as false.  I'm sorry they haven't fleshed out that character in a more interesting way than they have.

 

 

Jessica is the boss and she survives being the boss by never backing down to any threat to her staying the boss and I respect this show so much more for not trying to make Jessica nice when she feels that her company and her position in the company is threatened. 

 

She tolerates the Mike and Harvey ups and downs because in the end she trusts that Harvey will find a way .... doesn't matter what the circumstances and for better or worse, Mike is Harvey's. So rather than seeing her as helpless and losing to their shenanigans, I see her more generous blind eye toward them as a sign of her loyalty and belief in Harvey- no matter how much she'd prefer just cutting out the complications.  Still, they are not her soft spot.  She tolerates them because they are affective,  a proven asset. 

 

Jessica is never soft.  She may be smiles and curves but she is ruthless beneath the silky smooth perfect exterior and I would never want her to be anything less. I don't want her to come down to the level of mere human.  It at times messed with my head to see her in a relationship this season since most certainly she is first and foremost married to Pearson, Spector.  Jessica stays in power because she makes the moves that are necessary to stay in power and that means not worrying about being likable and I wouldn't want it any other way. 

 

I hope they never change the way they write Jessica.  She will bend and I expect the company name to expand to include Litt, but that isn't defeat for Jessica because she's still the boss and we know she will make everyone remember it before too much time goes on.   

 

I think the way Jessica is written is unique on television, not for a character but for a female character and there never  being any real question as to who is in charge is one of the things I like best about Suits.  Its a man's world but she's controlling it. 

Edited August 22, 2014 by BkWurm1

[CaptainCranky]

 

 

My guess is that if Jessica does indeed put his name on the wall then ole Louis is going to be part of the Mike coverup and that would be the ultimate in hypocrisy.

Edited August 22, 2014 by CaptainCranky

[zillabreeze]

BkWurm1- excellent analysis of the Jessica character.

[fauntleroy]

Jessica can't have it both ways. Either she cares about the firm above all, or she trusts Harvey above all. The Harvey who knowingly brought in a fraud who represents a greater threat to the firm than anything else that has happened.

 

If she actually cared about the firm above all she would have sacked Harvey immediately. She can't know that Harvey will "find a way" because the problem only grows. He is not superhuman. Now five people, virtually the entire cast (Jessica, Harvey, Rachel, Donna, Louis) all know about and are therefore complicit in the fraud. The possibilities for the secret to get out expand exponentially with each additional person in the know. Louis could easily tell Katrina--why not? He told her about his own fraud. Then there were six.

 

That's why to me Jessica admitting she lied and was a hypocrite, but not admitting she was sorry, rang false. It's a distinction without a difference. If by saying she's not sorry she meant she would have made the same decision again, then she is comfortable with the decision that poses a greater risk to the firm than anything else that has happened.

 

Get Mike out of the office ASAP. Set him up as a PI. They can dream up some reason for the change to curious clients, god knows they've explained more implausible things.

Edited August 22, 2014 by fauntleroy

[CaptainCranky]

 

Get Mike out of the office ASAP. Set him up as a PI. They can dream up some reason for the change to curious clients, god knows they've explained more implausible things.

Since they know he can pass the bar exam what needs to be done is get him a degree plus law school and tell clients that they have non-Harvard lawyers on staff. Mike is probably a better attorney than 90% of Harvard graduates anyway.

[el perro fumando]

Eh, I really don't think Mike's going anywhere. Frankly, I'm hoping now that Louis is in on it, we just move forward. It seems to me that he was the last big threat standing. He's always been the question, as he's the one who was after Mike (and Harvey's job) from day one. This latest turn actually gives the show the chance to tuck it away now and have it not be an issue until the final six episodes of the series are at hand. Now, as pointed out, every major player knows, and every major player has a vested interest in keeping the secret. If one goes down, they all go down. So with any luck, that won't hang over their heads anymore. Which is good, since they've wrung all the storylines out of it that they could.

Now we can get back to legal wranglings, I hope, with some great adversarial action involving Louis.

Last character who might restart the fraud frenzy, IMO, would be Rachel's dad. At some point, if Mike and Rachel move forward, he could be the final issue. But really, there isn't another character currently on canvas who would have any reason to suspect Mike isn't the lawyer everyone says he is.

[Happytobehere]

Jessica is the boss and she survives being the boss by never backing down to any threat to her staying the boss and I respect this show so much more for not trying to make Jessica nice when she feels that her company and her position in the company is threatened. 

 

She tolerates the Mike and Harvey ups and downs because in the end she trusts that Harvey will find a way .... doesn't matter what the circumstances and for better or worse, Mike is Harvey's.

So much YES! to this. I love Louis as much as. Anyone, but for people to hate on Jessica because of her treatment of Louis is a bit much. She is his boss, not his friend or family member. If the show ever presented their relationship as anything more I would feel differently, but this is not the case. Louis' feelings of closeness to Jessica are his and she is not obligated to reciprocate his feelings. She has always had a different relationship with Harvey. She is his mentor, helped pay for his education and brought him into the firm. Louis can not and should not expect his relationship with Jessica to mirror her relationship with Harvey. Now can I agree that she takes Louis and his worth for granted, yes, I can and do. However, this is actually result of Louis' neediness. Jessica does not understand, cannot relate to and on a basic level does not respect this. As a woman and a black woman at that, she could never have gotten yo where she is by being like Louis. In fact, she probably saw too many Louis' of both genders damage things as she struggled to achieve. Jessica has often spoke of Louis' value to the company as a worker, it is his emotionality that prevents Louis from having the very relationship with Jessica he so desires.