Suits Review: ‘Discovery’ at Pearson Hardman

Suits may very well be one of the best shows on TV at exploring character relationships and development. This week’s episode had the usual lawyer-gab and quick twists, but focused on the office dynamics. With Daniel Hardman back at the firm, the balance of power has been far from stable. Louis is uncertain about who he should offer his loyalty to, and Harvey is… well, Harvey. Mike remains a popular associate, with all three of the above asking for him. Jessica appears as calm as ever, but the firm faces some very serious threats in this episode.

When Travis Tanner shows up with an old case and accuses Harvey and the firm of fraud, Harvey actually looks apprehensive. That anxiety is shared by Jessica, who warns Harvey to keep the news from Daniel. When Harvey finds out that in the old case he mistakenly defended a murderer, he is obviously troubled. After getting himself fired (wouldn’t want that attorney-client privilege thing getting in the way), Harvey forces his old client to settle with Tanner’s terms.

You would think that would be the end of that, but Tanner is unsatisfied. He repeats that he is going after Harvey and the firm for fraud, stating that he wants a pound of flesh.

Meanwhile, Mike mocks Harvey’s vinyl collection and ends up being ‘given’ to Louis as a punishment. Louis and Mike – Litt/Ross, as they call themselves – make a good team. The duo is quite entertaining as Louis clearly wants to bond with Mike. Despite’s Mike’s reluctance, Louis awkwardly tries to mimic the charming ‘bromance’ that Mike has with Harvey. Mike softens when Louis laments about slaving away for a company that does not reward your efforts.

Things seem to be looking up for Louis, until he grows suspicious that Harvey and Mike are keeping something from him. Swallowing his pride, Louis admits to Harvey that while he has not always been well-behaved in the past, he would like Harvey’s trust. The man wants to help. Without hesitating, Harvey coldly tells Louis to go away. When Louis does leave, Mike admonishes his indifferent boss for being so harsh.

Scorned by Harvey’s dismissal, Louis uses his recorder – conveniently placed in Harvey’s office – to gain the information he wanted. He also hears a few other degrading things said about himself, so when Daniel comes knocking, Louis spills.

A troubled Harvey tries to set the record straight. Photo: © Steve Wilkie/USA Network

Infuriated by the news that Jessica and Harvey kept the fraud lawsuit a secret, Daniel storms into Jessica’s office to confront them. David Costabile as Daniel is very impressive in this scene. He is rightfully angry that a threat to the firm was kept from him, but that rage shifts into simple determination quite smoothly. He tells Jessica and Harvey that he is going to give them the chance they previously refused to offer him. The three agree to work together to battle the foreboding lawsuit. When Daniel leaves the office, Harvey asks Jessica if they trust him. Jessica’s response is simple: “At the moment, we don’t really have a choice.”

After that whirlwind of emotion and drama, the bombshell ending is almost too much to bear. Donna, who spends the entire episode looking for a file they hope does not exist, realizes she made a horrible mistake four years earlier. She finds the file with her own stamp and signature on it. That file, something that Harvey was adamant the firm never received, has the power to devastate Donna’s career as well as the firm’s future.

This week’s show set the stage for some very exciting plot lines. Somehow Suits manages to make the build-up to a good story just as intriguing as the climax and inevitable aftermath. We get to see how all of the actions have gritty consequences in a wonderfully realistic way. The show also finds time to throw in some truly entertaining humour, mainly thanks to the co-dependent and admittedly adorable relationship between Harvey and Mike. After this episode, we have to wonder if Litt/Ross will give them a run for their money. Then again, Harvey doesn’t monitor Mike’s bathroom breaks, so he may still have the lead.

What did you think of the episode? Who else is already panicking for poor Donna? It will be nice to see Sarah Rafferty (Donna) gain more screen time. Will Jessica, Harvey and Daniel be able to play nice? We have our doubts, but tune in Thursday at 10 PM ET/PT on USA to find out for yourself.