Suits: The Greater Good (8x13)

You get one guess as to what my favorite part of this episode was. I'm predictable.

Cons:

There was a lot to like, hypothetically, about Samantha's story this week. I'll talk about that below. I honestly think the one thing that stopped me from really liking this plot thread was Katherine Heigl's performance. I've liked Sam fine so far, but I've never loved her or felt super invested in her. The closest I get is when she's interacting with Robert, because I like that mentor/mentee dynamic. The thing is, though, when she's playing off of her old foster mom, I just don't feel the connection there. I don't get a sense of the relationship that they had, or what they really meant to each other. It was all tell, no show. I wish I could pinpoint it a little better than that, but all I can say is that all of the pieces were there to make me like this plot thread, and it just didn't come together for me.

Pros:

But I did like the way that Sam felt betrayed, and decided to help this woman out anyway. It was a good moment of growth for her character, and I like the way that Robert helped her to come to that realization. Robert actually played a really interesting role this week, as he also helped Louis in a mentoring way. Louis gets frustrated about Sam, and about Katrina, but Robert helps him to see that as Managing Partner, he needs to be considerate of problems going on among his colleagues.

Katrina and Brian continue to somewhat break my heart, but in a good way. I like that they got a little tense with each other, and that their usually stellar communication broke down. After talking with Donna, Katrina knows that she needs to find a way to control her feelings without hurting Brian's career by kicking him off of her desk. So, they find a compromise, but it's going to involve them continuing to work together for some time. I'm honestly torn as to what I want to happen. They have such good chemistry and I want Katrina to find happiness, but I don't want Brian, who seems like a genuinely good person, to compromise his marriage!

Louis gets brownie points for his cute little moment with Katrina at the end. He figures out, more or less, what's going on, and offers Katrina comfort and even a cute little joke and a hug. I adore the two of them and their odd working relationship. The fact that Louis was able to come through for Katrina when he's feeling so overwhelmed balancing his work and personal life was really nice. He's seeing the bigger picture and learning that not everything is about him.

Donna and Thomas continue to be delightful. I like that the show is going out of its way to emphasize how much these two genuinely like each other, and are eager about their relationship. They want to see each other every day, and they also understand each other's crazy busy schedules. It feels natural and good that they would fall so quickly into something somewhat serious. I know that this is all fodder for potential drama with Harvey later on, but for now I'm just enjoying the ride.

The main story this week involved Cahill, and Stu, and Kevin Miller, and it was such a fun journey through a wormhole back into Season Six. I loved the fact that Donna and Harvey both did what they could to help Stu. They knew that he was in a tough spot because of them, and even if he's not in the core group, he's still a friend of the firm. I like Stu a lot and wish he could be around more.

The best part of this plot thread was the stuff between Harvey and Cahill, though. I like that Cahill is sort of this frenemy character for Harvey. They're not on the same side, really, but Cahill probably thinks of Harvey as the lesser of two evils in this situation. They also feel undeniably bonded by everything that happened, and they know some pretty personal stuff about each other as a result. I loved the moment when Harvey tries to extend an olive branch at the end, and says that they make a pretty good team, and Cahill just tells Harvey that he'll totally arrest him next time something like this happens. Harvey's just like... "well, okay then..." that was pretty funny.

And now we get to the Mike Ross corner. First of all, I love that Cahill throws Mike's name in Harvey's face, reminding him that he helped to save Mike's life. Harvey, fierce negotiator that he is, immediately softens his tone and tells Cahill he'll always be grateful. I also love the fact that we got to see Kevin, and we learn that he's doing really well. I love the idea that Harvey is still keeping up with what he's up to in some way.

The final scene shows Harvey calling Donna and leaving a message, as Donna is about to go out for drinks with Thomas so she doesn't answer the call. Harvey then calls Mike and leaves a message for him too, telling him he has a story for him that involves Cahill, Kevin, Stu, etc. He ends the call with "miss you, buddy." This scene is obviously supposed to highlight Harvey's isolation, as Donna is off with a new beau, and Mike is far away in Seattle, Jessica is in Chicago, and Harvey spends the night alone. But my favorite thing about it is the way Harvey starts the call with "hey, it's me." Now, the show isn't being clear with us about this, but in my personal head-canon, Harvey and Mike are in touch. They talk on the phone semi-regularly. They are doing just fine, and Mike and Rachel totally visit New York to see Rachel's parents and Harvey on major holidays. I like that this phone call didn't seem like it was Harvey's first call to Mike in a while, or like they were totally disconnected from each other's lives. It spoke of a continuing friendship, albeit long-distance. Now if only Patrick J. Adams would come back to guest star, I'd just be as happy as can be!

8.5/10