Suits - Shake The Trees - Review

Suits is a law procedural show, it's a plot driven series most of the time, about its season main conflict, or the case of the week. Even if during the last 3 seasons there weren't too many one episode cases. Clients, like Sutter, Eva Hessington, or Leonard Bailey work as plot B or C to focus the tension in another direction, other than what everyone in this firm goes through, and usually the cases are tied to other problems, and quite commonly too, this ties help the conflicts to have closure, reason why the law part of the show sometimes is confusing. But, when episodes like 'Shake the trees' happen, or last season finale, and it shakes the ground the characters walk on is when the audience cheers Suits for what its core really is, the main 6 characters, and the ups and downs in their lives.

When you watch a show the story isn't only about conflict, but about the evolution the characters go through, Lost was about the mysteries but also why those characters were on that island, The X-Files were about paranormal cases but the soul is Scully and Mulder's relationship, Don Quixote is about the pursue of an unbelievable delusional adventure as well as Sancho and Don Quixote's friendship. A lot of the stories we love have something in common and you might say I'm crazy, but Han Solo and Harvey Specter can be related; and not because of their arrogance and good looks, but because these characters have an arc, they evolve according to how the story unfolds and what their goals are. Save the galaxy, or the firm, prioritize the characters needs, it's about writing and engaging with the audience.

Suits excels at this when the show realize the endless possibilities they have because of the complex characters they created. When the plot is driven merely by the conflict or the story the audience starts to complain, because it's like watching the characters react to what it's happening, instead of pursuing what they want.

Last night episode was ideal to watch unfold the characters' feelings. Harvey is fighting with everything he has, even betraying his beliefs, to free Mike. He and Louis are working together peacefully, and his interactions with Cahill show a side of the character we haven't see much, someone to be patient, doing what he's told and trying to work as a team. When everything he did, doesn't work you can actually see the transformation he goes through in seconds and how trapped he feels. How the shot was staged and Macht's performance was brilliant.

Mike mirrors in some way, his season 2 self. Someone that feels guilty and fights to have a clear conscience, that tries to make things right. His effort to help Kevin and his wife doesn't work, and Gallo is smarter than we thought. He's again at risk, and to help others he's not really watching his back.

Louis pursuit of Tara has a plot twist when she confesses she's in a relationship, although an open one. He needs a moment, but he's in. His reactions to her trying to talk were awkward, funny and louis like, but it pretty much settles what he says to Donna, he doesn't think he's good enough. And another layer to his character is shown.

Meanwhile Jessica keeps teaching Rachel the ways of law with a few life lessons in the mix. Their work relationship, works in more ways than one, it showcases the potential Rachel has as a lawyer, and exploring other sides of her character besides being a love interest. On top of this, Jessica as an ally and mentor, even if it was mentioned and we got brief glimpses in flashbacks it's enlightening to watch. Personally, I don't like the term strong female characters, because we don't refer to strong male characters, I get where it comes from. Jessica is the kind of archetype that solves things and takes cares of her people, she's hated because of her determination, and power. This season, after her monologue to Rachel in the premiere she has shown other sides, heightened in the scene were she comes back to take Rachel out, because Gretchen called her and told her what happened. Gretchen might be the best addition to the group and a great counterpart to Donna's fixer archetype.

Donna shined putting Stu in his place and reminding us what makes her be who she is. Besides helping Louis in his love life, she throws in an extra hand so he can achieve what Harvey needs, and in the meantime aids Mike too. What we didn't know is, that while she's running through Pearson Specter Litt solving little problems that have consequences on the bigger conflict, she's going through a heartbreak, after breaking up with her boyfriend, Mitchell. This information is interesting in terms of what we see and what we don't see in the lives of the protagonists. Her boyfriend was introduced an year ago, just by a line of dialogue, when she had dinner with Harvey at Del Posto. The fact that the writers chose to give this kind of information, after all this time, has to be foreshadowing to other developments. Curiously, as he was introduced by dialogue is also get rid by it. Pretty much like Norma. The fact that she was in a relationship, or not, brings me back to season 2 when Louis accuses her or putting Harvey's needs ahead of her boyfriends'. If I haven't forgotten this, the writers shouldn't either, and what happened during the finale of season 4 didn't have proper closure either.

Where the characters stand, feelings wise, was clear in episode 7, it wasn't about subtext, about lighting, or direction choices, the writers picked to clarify on dialogues and how the story grew for the audience to understand them better, and the conflict and goals are now evident. With only 3 episodes to go I sincerely can't wait for the mid season finale. What about you?

Side Notes

- We know how Harvey feels about cheating, if he finds about about Tara and Louis, can this affect the peace between these two?

- The wardrobe department takes my breath away with the choices they make to show the internal conflicts the characters have, we didn't know Donna has broken up with Mitchell, but her attire was almost funeral like, that's some working subtext. 

About the Author - Laura M

Laura is a proud nerd, TV and movie enthusiast. She's a teacher, producer and does different free lance gigs in her country. In her free time she likes to write and hear what other people think about the media surrounding us.

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