49 vs.51% is a Huge Difference. Review: Suits - “Conflict of Interest”

Season 3, Episode 4

Air Date: Tuesday, August 6, 2013, 10/9c on USA

Rating: ★★★★★

“You know who says they’re innocent…everybody.” – Harvey

Harvey trying to convince Ava to do things his way

Ava Hessington (Michelle Fairley) not only faces murder charges but the loss of her company as well, and figuring out the best course of action has divided Pearson Darby. While Mike (Patrick J. Adams) and Harvey (Gabriel Macht) want her to remain silent about the murder charges, Team Litt—comprised of Louis (Rick Hoffman) and Katrina (Amanda Schull)—wants her to speak out and defend herself. But they’re not the only ones at an impasse — Darby (Conleth Hill) and Jessica (Gina Torres) also take opposing sides.

In writing reviews, we describe the acting, writing, and directing, and offer our opinion about the show as a whole. One of the things you rarely hear about is the quality of blocking in a show. Blocking is the director’s positioning of the actors and their precise movements in a scene. While it may sound insignificant, Suits does an amazing job of blocking, especially while shifting between scenes. It’s why most of the Pearson Darby office is glass and the cubicles are small. In “Conflict of Interest,” there is a great transitional scene where Mike’s scene outside the office ends and Harvey’s scene inside begins with a non-verbal, visual handoff accompanied by a drum solo that just looks and sounds cool.

From the moment Katrina was introduced last season, I didn’t like her. I thought her character was written in such a way that it did not fit Suits. Most of my dislike stemmed from her childish antics which, in a world of high-powered attorneys, felt out of place. But in “Conflict of Interest,” Katrina undergoes a transformation and by the end of the episode, she has made peace with Mike. More importantly, she no longer bothers me. We’ll see how long that lasts.

I’d rather see Donna with Harvey

For three seasons, Donna (Sarah Rafferty) and Harvey’s relationship has been strong although some people have wondered whether Donna loves Harvey. It’s what makes the addition of Stephen Huntley (Max Beesley) so interesting. With both having such strong personalities, they seem like a perfect match. In many ways, pairing Donna and Stephen allows her to experience a sexual relationship in Harvey’s affluent world without harming her professional relationship with Harvey, or so she thought. Is there enough Donna to give to both men or will she be forced to choose? Will Harvey see what Stephen sees in Donna and reevaluate his own feelings for her? Who would you rather see Donna with, Harvey or Stephen?

Louis really needs to become a ‘yes man’ because every time he tries to think out of the box or come up with a plan on his own, it bites him in the ass. I really thought I would not like the whole “Team Litt” thing between Louis and Katrina but it works and has created a nice dynamic between them and Mike and Harvey. This season has been a strong one character wise for Louis and “Conflict of Interest” is no exception. I don’t think Hoffman gets enough credit for what he brings to Louis. I loved the opening scene where you see the difference between his daily routine and Harvey’s. Is it any surprise to learn Louis is a power walker? He may be a pompous weasel at times but in the end, he always does what is right. As a matter of fact, I was surprised by the way he confronts Jessica after a turn of events with Ava that changes things for him:

Jessica: “Louis, you offered to do this. You’re not doing this to Harvey. You’re doing this for your client, Hessington Oil.”

Louis: “Ava Hessington is Hessington Oil.”

Jessica: “Not anymore.”

Louis: “Jessica…”

Jessica: “Enough. This conversation did happen and it’s over.”

The merger honeymoon is clearly over as “Conflict of Interest” sets up an intense power struggle not only between Harvey and Jessica, but between Jessica and Darby. I didn’t expect Jessica and Darby to turn on each other as fast as they do despite the signs being there. I especially enjoyed the scene where Jessica flies to Toronto to speak to Darby and he calls her out for it. It’s funny because Suits is actually filmed in Toronto.

Although Jessica has only a 49% interest in Pearson Darby, Darby has 51% control and with Harvey on his side, he seems unstoppable. With everyone seemingly ganging up to take down Jessica, will she be able to survive? If I were you, I wouldn’t count her out.

For more on the show, go to http://www.usanetwork.com/series/suits/.

Follow Suits on Twitter, as well as some of the cast: <Mike> Patrick J Adams, <Harvey> Gabriel Macht, <Rachel> Meghan Markle, and <Louis> Rick Hoffman.

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Greg Staffa

I provide testosterone to the site. You won’t be reading about how nice a actress looks in a dress or how much of a hunk Matt Bomer is in my reviews. I describe colors using words like brown, not taupe. My twitter name is @staffaroadtrip because I love road trips and have done two different 48-state road trips since 2008. My favorite show is White Collar.