S03.E16: No Way Out

[formerlyfreedom]

Things are anything but business as usual when Harvey and Mike find themselves at odds with a tenacious U.S. Attorney. Scottie and Harvey can’t seem to get on the same page and Mike and Rachel clash over plans for the future.

Original airdate: 4/10/14

[DeeDee79]

The finale was so-so. The interrogation scenes dragged and since we knew Harvey was going to save Mike from jailtime kinda pointless. I was more worried about Harold cracking then Mike being charged with anything. Now that he's been fired from Bratton-Gould I do wonder if he will get rehired at Pearson-Specter. He's not Louis's favorite person but he does seem to respect him more as an attorney than he did when he was an associate. I also have mixed feelings about Mike taking the job: it absolves everyone of the fraud and makes Rachel happy but for the show it doesn't work. There has to be a reason for Mike to be Harvey's right hand; their relationship is the point of the show as is the fake lawyer plotline. In season 4 I forsee someone at Mike's new job checking his background and realizing his credentials are bogus and the fraud storyline will be resurrected. If it plays out that way this time there's no way in hell Jessica will let him come back after she's rid of him. Harvey and Scottie: don't care.

[Jediknight]

I love that Louis was the big damn hero in this. He's the one that smacked down the attorney, and got Harold not to talk. It was like last week when Louis showed up for the hearing and Jessica showed Van Dyke that Louis was there, Van Dyke realized he was in trouble. Louis doesn't back down, it doesn't matter who it is, unless it's Harvey or Jessica. If you dare threaten his firm, Zod have mercy on your soul, because Louis won't.

Harold could probably get his job back at Bratton Gould, he was arrested but no charges have been filed. And if he can't get his job back, I'm pretty sure they could say any number of firms would take a chance on the guy that stuck it to Pearson Specter, and was trained by Louis Litt.

On a shallow note Sarah Rafferty is a beautiful woman, but tonight she looked amazing. Whoever put together her wardrobe deserves a raise.

[Curious5]

Though I began the episode not expecting much, I did think it was great.  For one thing - Scottie is gone for now.  I didn't see how they could get out of it in one episode but glad they did.

It showed a lot more about Harvey's character background and why he is as tough as he is.  He never backs down and maybe it is about the relationship between him and a mother who cheated on his father.  Harvey is still my favorite - love that character!

There's a good write up at Entertainment Weekly on the episode and a look at next season in June.

[yeswedo]

I had not realized we were at the season finale already. Louis was great. First at the beginning of the episode when he was so worried about Harvey being sick. Then pitching in to save Harvey. Those were my favorite parts. I did not start off as a Louis fan but I've turned around on that.

One point that bothered me was Jessica telling Rachel she was going to work there and be family as a future event and discounting the years she has already worked there. Are paralegals not included in the family? 

[rogueprinzess]

I also have mixed feelings about Mike taking the job: it absolves everyone of the fraud and makes Rachel happy but for the show it doesn't work. There has to be a reason for Mike to be Harvey's right hand; their relationship is the point of the show as is the fake lawyer plotline. In season 4 I forsee someone at Mike's new job checking his background and realizing his credentials are bogus and the fraud storyline will be resurrected.

 

I don't think it really absolves them of anything. If someone takes the time to look into Mike and finds out the truth, they could still go after Pearson-Specter for all of the cases that were tried/deals made/contracts signed etc. that were done while Mike was in their employ. Former clients and people who lost to them could still attempt to get their cases declared mistrials. All Mike's leaving now would do is absolve Jessica, Harvey and co. from being conspirators. 

I actually like the idea of Mike trying something else. Yes he loves the law and is great at it, but I like the idea of him trying something else where his eidetic memory and super brain can serve him. Just because Mike isn't right beside Harvey doesn't mean that he can't still help Harvey with cases (or won't). I think Mike needs to do something else so that he can truly know if law is the only thing that can/will make him happy. I get that the show painted itself in a corner with Mike's story when they killed his grandmother so soon. His story lost it's symapathy angle for his plight and now it makes him seem like a selfish jerk to continue endangering people around him (as he said) when he has an out.

He actually wouldn't be a fraud at his new job. Since he wouldn't be there as a lawyer, his actual university degree would still serve him. If anything, Mike may have to go back and get some sort of broker/advisory licensing (i know nothing about this line of work so I'm strictly speculating) but he would not require a law degree or to be a member of the bar to do this job. Of course, if his past fraud came to light, he would lose his new job (and go to jail etc, etc).

I'm glad Mike took Rachel's life into account. I know some peeps on other forums are bashing her for not simply supporting Mike when he reversed his decision, but everything she said was perfectly correct. Yes, she got with Mike knowing what that would mean, but Mike should love her enough to realize that if he has a way to take the noose around her neck off, he should seriously consider it, or be willing to let her go if she couldn't handle it anymore.

I'm glad Scottie's gone (even if it's temporary). I just don't feel the chem with her and Harvey, and her character seems to be overly combative/catty/immature to be likable to me. It's sad that the only women that I feel Harvey's ever had chemistry with since this show started are Jessica and Donna, and both seem to be off-limits to him. I really loved the little banter between Harvey and Jessica after he returned from the US Attorney's office. The whole "honey, I'm home" "Did you get the kids" rolled out so easily and felt so natural that I wanted to believe it. I still don't understand why Jessica is still being relegated to spinsterhood when she's a smart, savvy, powerful, gorgeous woman. It doesn't have to be Harvey (though I wish it was) but for the love of cheese, let her have someone! 

All in all, a decent finale. It was nice to finally see the scenes that I saw being filmed last summer.

Edited April 13, 2014 by rogueprinzess

[DeeDee79]

All Mike's leaving now would do is absolve Jessica, Harvey and co. from being conspirators.

 

This is basically what I was getting at. He's surrounded by people who are covering up his fraud; his leaving gets that weight off of their shoulders.

Since he wouldn't be there as a lawyer, his actual university degree would still serve him.

 

If I'm remembering correctly he doesn't have a university degree; at the beginning of season 2 Jessica pointed out that there was no record of him graduating from any college. Mike himself said he was kicked out for selling test answers to the Dean's daughter. Even though they never mentioned it I would hope that at some point Lola hacked into system at the college as well and put him in as a graduate.

I'm glad Mike took Rachel's life into account. I know some peeps on other forums are bashing her for not simply supporting Mike when he reversed his decision, but everything she said was perfectly correct. Yes, she got with Mike knowing what that would mean, but Mike should love her enough to realize that if he has a way to take the noose around her neck off, he should seriously consider it, or be willing to let her go if she couldn't handle it anymore.

 

I agree with this. Rachel is far from my favorite character but her reaction was on point. They are clearly in it for the long haul and his fraud would seriously jeopardize their future. Besides the jail time he could face her knowing and not reporting him would kill her career in law.

I still don't understand why Jessica is still being relegated to spinsterhood when she's a smart, savvy, powerful, gorgeous woman. It doesn't have to be Harvey (though I wish it was) but for the love of cheese, let her have someone!

 

A thousand times yes! Jessica is the most awesome woman on the show and she deserves a little romance of her own. I too would love to see her and Harvey together; their chemistry is amazing.  I'd enjoy that pairing more than Harvey and Donna.

[Guest]

I actually like the idea of Mike trying something else. Yes he loves the law and is great at it, but I like the idea of him trying something else where his eidetic memory and super brain can serve him. Just because Mike isn't right beside Harvey doesn't mean that he can't still help Harvey with cases (or won't). I think Mike needs to do something else so that he can truly know if law is the only thing that can/will make him happy..

I agree with all of this! Angsting about The Secret every episode was getting tiresome for me to watch. I'm very interested to see how the Harvey & Mike and Mike/Rachel dynamics change when they are not constantly bogged down by conversations about The Secret.

Edited April 13, 2014 by deargravity

[Slovenly Muse]

I think it was absolutely the right move for Mike to take the job, for so many reasons, and I would love to see the dynamic get shaken up by a change like this... that said, I'm not optimistic it will stick. I remember when Harvey wouldn't take Mike back, and so Mike was getting set to work with Louis instead, and I got really excited about that too and the possibilities that would open up, but then by the end of that same episode, Mike and Harvey were back together again and by the next episode it was like it had never happened. The writers are very leery about splitting up Mike and Harvey or messing with that dynamic in any way (understandably, since it is the central relationship of the show), so I'm trying not to get my hopes up that this will actually turn out to be a significant, lasting change. But they've definitely got me coming back for the next season!

Also, I loved, LOVED Harvey taking responsibility for his actions and telling Mike to roll on him. He broke the law, and his actions show that 1) He acknowledges his own responsibility for the shady deals he's been involved in, and 2) he is not willing to see Mike suffer in order to protect himself. I also like that he told Scottie the truth, even though it will probably bite him in the ass. This was a damn good episode for Harvey. He has come a long way in the last three seasons, and it's not always easy to see, so I'm glad we got to see it now!

[Happytobehere]

I really loved the little banter between Harvey and Jessica after he returned from the US Attorney's office. The whole "honey, I'm home" "Did you get the kids" rolled out so easily and felt so natural that I wanted to believe it. I still don't understand why Jessica is still being relegated to spinsterhood when she's a smart, savvy, powerful, gorgeous woman. It doesn't have to be Harvey (though I wish it was) but for the love of cheese, let her have someone! 

So much this. Jessica is a goddess and it is disgusting that every other woman on the show gets a love life. Jessica deserves someone who loves and appreciates her; be that someone Harvey or someone else.

Can't stand Scottie, she sucks the life out of every scene she is in and if I never see her again, I would be overjoyed. Unfortunately, not only will she be back, she is going to find a way to use Harvey's honesty to compromise him.

I like Luis as a love interest for Donna. The bond between them is fantastic and I think that pure friendship is an amazing foundation for a solid, loving and lasting relationship.

Will Pearson Spector take Harold back. If so, how will his relationship with Luis be changed?

Overall good episode, sans all the Scottie scenes.

[DeeDee79]

Can't stand Scottie, she sucks the life out of every scene she is in and if I never see her again, I would be overjoyed. Unfortunately, not only will she be back, she is going to find a way to use Harvey's honesty to compromise him.

 

I'm don't know if you prefer to stay spoiler free so I'll just say you have nothing to worry about.

Edited April 15, 2014 by David T. Cole

[David T. Cole]

That's still a spoiler. Use them spoiler tags.

[DeeDee79]

That's still a spoiler. Use them spoiler tags.

 

My mistake. Will do!

[Mr Rampage]

I wonder if the Louis of that episode is the Louis they had in mind when the show began? Or was he just meant to be the evil associate-driver? Rick Hoffman has made Louis something special.

[Cranston]

I suspect he was meant to be the Evil One.  But there was something about Louis that grabbed our hearts, we wanted to see good in him, we wanted to see him do well.  Rick Hoffman did, indeed, make Louis special.  He's now my fav character.  Well, next to Harvey.  I love Harvey.

[wayne67]

I found Harvey annoying when he was arguing with the attorney general where he was saying that if he was seeing a dirty lawyer it was because he was looking into a mirror. Completely invalidated his previous acknowledgement of his unethical and ILLEGAL actions.

 

He bends and breaks the rules and laws and then act all offended whenever anyone else does anything dodgy.

 

Seriously he spends so much time whining about other people actions. BORING.

[Roseanna]

On ‎15‎.‎4‎.‎2014 at 5:36 PM, Happytobehere said:

Can't stand Scottie, she sucks the life out of every scene she is in and if I never see her again, I would be overjoyed. Unfortunately, not only will she be back, she is going to find a way to use Harvey's honesty to compromise him.

I think Harvey did wrong to tell Scottie and what's more he had no right and no reason to tell her.

Scottie had all the time mixed up their private relationship and their work relationship.