Suits: Compensation (5x02)

Mike and Harvey did not interact at all in this episode. That makes me sad. But this episode was really awesome, and that makes me happy. Let's try and discuss all the new plot developments, because there was actually a lot going on here!

Harvey looks for a replacement for Donna, foregoing several beautiful Donna-like candidates for an older woman with a practical head on her shoulders.

Meanwhile, Jack, one of the firm's senior partners, comes to Louis with an idea to change the structure of the company's salaries. This new idea would favor Louis, and leave Harvey with less. Louis decides to encourage Jack so that he can later shoot down Jack's idea at a meeting, in order to solidify his loyalty to Harvey. During the meeting, however, Harvey acts like a jerk and storms out. Louis is now on Jack's side, and decides to "accidentally" leave Harvey's salary lying around so that the other partners will see it and get mad about how much Harvey makes.

However, at this point Harvey comes to Louis and apologizes. Louis wants to stop the plan, but it's too late - Harvey's salary has been leaked. Harvey realizes that this whole thing started when Louis found out that Harvey helped pay Donna's salary, since Donna deserved more than the standard rate. Louis is intimidated by how much money it is. Harvey goes to Donna and asks her to tell the truth about Louis' plan to share his salary with everybody. Donna knows she can't betray Louis' trust, because Louis will lose his job. She accuses Harvey of being jealous of Donna and Louis' new relationship. Her feelings are only confirmed when Harvey reveals that he's been paying her salary all these years.

Louis pushes through a vote to change the way the firm pays its employees, meaning that Harvey will make less money. Louis says that this means Harvey no longer has anything over Louis - Louis is name partner, he has Donna, and now he makes just as much money as Harvey. Harvey promises to come after the one thing Louis values most, and win it back: Donna.

Meanwhile, Mike is given a case by Jimmy, an old friend from the firm. The case is meant to help a lot of people who got hurt and even died as a result of faulty insurance coverage. However, Mike can't work the case, since Jessica won't clear the extra expense. He tries going to Sidwell for help, but Jonathan predictably turns him down. When Mike tries to give the case back to Jimmy, Jimmy reveals that his uncle was one of the people who died.

While all of this is going on, Rachel is annoyed with her father for setting up a prenup for Rachel and Mike to sign. She doesn't think a good marriage should start by planning how it will end. Rachel tells Mike that Robert said he didn't know what kind of man Mike was. Mike goes to Robert and tells him about the case, about how he wants to help people. He would never try to take Rachel's money, even if things did go wrong between them. However, Robert ends up convincing Mike of his position - he wants to protect Rachel no matter what. Even if Mike doesn't go after her money, somebody else might go after Mike because of the type of lawyer he wants to be.

Mike signs the prenup, but Rachel is still torn. She asks Jessica for advice about it, and Jessica says it all depends on how much she loves Mike. Rachel says she loves him all the way, and decides not to sign the prenup. Mike goes to Robert, acting as a go-between for Rachel and Robert. He tells Robert that Rachel decided not to sign the prenup, but that she recognizes now that it's a sign of love, not of control. Mike also asks Robert to take on the case he was unable to do. Robert says they should work the case together.

Complaints?

Uh... no Mike/Harvey. But also, I thought the part with Jonathan Sidwell was super random. Why was he in this episode? What was the point? Is he coming back into the story, or was that just a really random return for his character? It felt a little out of place, if so.

But mostly, I think this episode is really exciting in terms of what it's promising for the coming season. Lots of interesting dynamics, lots of fun relationships. Let's go over some of the good stuff.

Jessica Pearson. Again, she's pretty much relegated to the subplot stuff, but I absolutely adored her moments with Mike and with Rachel. I think it's so wonderful how Jessica can so deftly separate her professional and personal lives. She is harshly professional with Mike, cutting him off and refusing to let him take a charity case. But later, with Rachel, Jessica was kind, using her personal experience with Jeff to advise Rachel in her relationship with Mike. This was all great stuff.

Robert Zane had great moments with both Rachel and Mike. I feel like this episode did a really good job of showing just how much Mike has changed and grown since the first season. He still has that idealist streak in him, and he's willing to fight for the little guy. But he doesn't try to go behind Jessica's back, or beg Harvey to help him when he knows there are other things going on. He approaches Robert and Rachel both, and attempts to communicate with them honestly and openly. And it actually works! Both Zanes, as stubborn as they can be, are placated by Mike's gentle problem solving. I really enjoyed watching this plot thread, and I'm very interested to see what happens with Mike and Robert Zane in the coming weeks.

Then there's this Louis and Harvey situation, with the new player Jack thrown into the mix. Now, there's a part of me that's annoyed by the repetition here... Louis makes a drastic move, it doesn't work the way he was expecting it to, things get out of hand, Harvey's a jerk, Louis makes more mistakes. We've seen this pattern play out dozens of times over the course of this show. However, I really liked this version, because we got to see how Harvey copes without Donna to reign him in. And you know what? He does a pretty damn good job. He's rude to Louis, but then he apologizes. He wants to make things right, and he actually does a good job of holding himself back, even without Donna's guidance. Louis, on the other hand, turns out to be his old self, even with Donna to try and hold him back.

I must briefly mention the new secretary. I love her. She's just what Harvey needs at this moment in his life, and I hope this character sticks around for a while. She was funny, and smart, and she could keep up with Harvey. I loved the moment when she joked around with him and we saw Harvey smile.

But then there's the devastating strangeness of Donna and Harvey, of their estrangement. It just feels so wrong to see them so distant from one another. I thought the final moments of the episode, with Donna accusing Harvey of jealousy, were just perfect. It made my heart hurt to see Harvey show up at Donna's house like that, like things could somehow be the way they once were.

In the end, despite the lack of Harvey/Mike interactions, this episode really delivered in terms of great acting and storytelling. And did you see the promo for next week?! Harvey has a panic attack and Mike is there to witness it?! This is the stuff fanfictions are made of, my friends. Can't wait!

8/10