Suits “Accounts Payable” Review. One Is The Loneliest Number.

Season 6, Episode 2

Air Date: July 20, 2016, 10/9c on USA

Rating: ★★★★★

“He’s in there to protect you.” – Rachel

Mike is having a bad day.

After falling victim to Frank’s (Paul Schulze) treachery during his first night in prison, Mike (Patrick J. Adams) isn’t about to make the same mistake twice. Needless to say, this creates a rocky start for Mike and Kevin (Erik Palladino), his real cellmate. Will Mike find a way to get out from under Frank’s control or will he spiral down a dark destructive path? Either way, Mike is in the fight of his life.

I really enjoy how Kevin is introduced in “Accounts Payable.” Throughout the episode, it’s hard to tell what Kevin’s agenda is or where his loyalty lies. Thanks to Frank, Mike doesn’t know who to trust and because of this, he keeps Kevin at arm’s length, which adds a level of mysteriousness to Kevin. Palladino has guest starred on some of my favorite shows, including Arrow, Castle, White Collar, and Burn Notice, and I’m excited to see what this versatile actor will bring to Suits.

One of the things that makes Season 6 of Suits intriguing is this is the first time there is a physical threat to one of the major characters. Sure, Mike has been roughed up once or twice but nothing like this. Until now, all the peril has come from various legal maneuvers where the biggest physical risk was a paper cut. In “Accounts Payable,” the danger is palpable and for the first time I’m worried what kind of mental toll prison will have on Mike.

While I wasn’t a fan of how the writers introduced Frank in “To Trouble,” he certainly has my attention now. I could feel my blood pressure rise as Frank taunts Mike and I found myself wanting to punch the guy myself. Not only does he pose a physical threat, Frank has a talent for getting in people’s heads. Daniel Harman (David Costabile) might have to watch out as Frank is quickly rising through the ranks of most despised Suits villains. Speaking of Frank’s antics, did anyone else catch the nod to a long running Suits gag involving the folder?

The stakes may have changed for Jessica (Gina Torres), Louis (Rick Hoffman), and Harvey (Gabriel Macht), but everything is completely different for Mike. Adams gives a great performance in what amounts to his own spinoff. It’s one thing for an actor to appear on other shows as different characters but to take a character you’ve been playing for five seasons and completely change his environment while still maintaining the core of the character is a testament to Adams as an actor. He is giving Mike emotions we haven’t seen from him previously and it’s powerful to see such a different side to Mike.

I hope they find a better use for Rachel.

I know I come across as heartless when it comes to Rachel (Megan Markle) and what she’s going through. I actually like Rachel, but imagine if one of your coworkers had a loved one in jail and all they did was mope around the office. After a while, you would get tired of it. It’s not that I want Rachel to go away; I simply want the writers to find a use for her. Rachel is smart yet lately, that characteristic is missing.

Throughout the last five seasons, I moaned every time the writers teased Mike’s secret as a plot twist. Hearing Rachel mention to Harvey, “He’s in there to protect you” makes me worry the phrase might become the newest plot twist device. Mike’s not a martyr, and while what he did to protect Harvey is admirable, Mike is guilty of his crimes.

I’ve loved Gretchen (Aloma Wright) since she first appeared in “Compensation.” Gretchen brings a no nonsense attitude that’s a delight to watch and her scene with Jessica (Gina Torres) and Donna (Sarah Rafferty) is priceless. Every office should have a Gretchen. I’m so happy she stayed at the firm, and hope the writers continue to find ways to utilize her.

Will Harvey make things worse for Mike?

Neal McDonough has been one of my favorite actors since appearing on the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers. Seeing McDonough return to Suits as Sean Cahill and going head to head with Harvey is one of the highlights of “Accounts Payable.” As an SEC investigator, Cahill previously looked into Pearson Specter Litt for possible wrongdoings so it’s no surprise when Cahill takes the news of Mike’s guilty plea personally. I wouldn’t mind seeing Cahill change teams to help the firm rebuild.

“Accounts Payable” also marks the return of Harvey’s law school nemesis A. Elliott Stemple (Patrick Fischler), who was last seen in “Moot Point.” While surprising twists are nothing new for Suits, “Accounts Payable” could go down as having one of the oddest twists of the series. I was totally caught off guard by Stemple’s negotiation tactics and never saw his final offer coming. Macht’s performance is outstanding, giving me the feeling Harvey’s showdown with Stemple represents a turning point for him. Somehow, I doubt this is the last we’ll see of Stemple.

What a difference a week makes. This episode is the revamped Suits I was looking for during last week’s “To Trouble.” Intense and character driven with a splash of humor that fits the characters, “Accounts Payable” is nail biting good fun. I thoroughly enjoyed that certain characters are brought back not to be nostalgic, but because they fit the story. Any doubts I had after the season premiere have quickly faded, and I can’t wait to see where this season takes us.

Tweet me @staffaroadtrip or leave a comment below to let me know what you think about “Accounts Payable.”

Tune in to Suits Wednesdays at 10/9c, only on USA Network.

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, <Louis> Rick Hoffman, <Donna> Sarah Rafferty, and <Julius Rowe> Malcolm-Jamal Warner

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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.