Suits - “Derailed” Retrospective. The Truth Will Out.

Season 4, Episode 14

Air Date: Wednesday, February 18, 2015, 10/9c on USA

Rating: ★★★★★

“That’s how it works today.” – Harvey

Interesting seeing Professor Gerard back.

Now that the dust has finally settled at Pearson Specter Litt, Mike (Patrick J. Adams) decides to spread his wings and take on a case of his own. Will taking this case provide a big win for Mike and the firm, or will it lead to the firm’s downfall? With only two episodes remaining this season, things are about to get intense.

It was only a matter of time before Professor Gerard (Stephen Macht) returned to play the “Harvey hired someone who never went to law school” card although I never expected it to be this fast. There’s something about Gerard I find fascinating, which has to do with the way he creates tension, first with Harvey and now with Mike in “Derailed.” At first, I rolled my eyes when finding out he, too, knows Mike’s secret. Then again, this plot point may allow for some interesting story lines down the road. I hope Gerard is sincere when he tells Mike, “What I’m asking you to do and me knowing had nothing to do with each other.” Somehow, I doubt this is the last time the Professor plays this card.

Some of my favorite episodes of Suits are when Mike is allowed to break free of the hotshot New York lawyer mold and take on more humanitarian cases. Those episodes always create interesting drama within the firm. As much as I enjoy the witty banter between Mike and Harvey, I equally appreciate the quieter moments, such as Mike appealing to Harvey to take the Liberty Rails whistle blower case. “I got into this whole thing so I could try to help people.” I think this virtue of Mike’s is one of the reasons Harvey hired him, not that he would ever admit it.

As fans, we often don’t realize how emotionally invested we get in shows and during “Derailed,” I could feel the weight of all of this season’s tension being lifted off me as if I were in the middle of it all. Seeing Jessica (Gina Torres) and Harvey move forward while Rachel (Meghan Markle) and Louis (Rick Hoffman) talk things out is refreshing. Even Louis and Jeff Malone (DB Woodside) hanging out is great to see despite knowing most of this won’t last for long.

Thank you for calling…

As much as Louis’ command for respect in the last few episodes has annoyed me, it’s great seeing him return to his old self. Louis obsessing over the way Elise (Amanda Schik) answers the firm’s phones provides a good laugh. Hoffman doesn’t get enough credit for some of the subtle physical comedy and mannerisms he brings to his character, especially his facial expressions. This is the Louis I have been missing and frankly, I don’t blame him for being upset over this.

The saying, “Better late than never,” comes to mind when thinking about Woodside’s scenes in “Derailed.” Previously, his character seemed more like a background prop than a major character. I never would have guessed Malone is the one behind Louis’ tormenting. “Derailed” is the first time I’ve enjoyed watching Woodside as his character’s presence is important to moving the story line forward. Given “Derailed’s” ending, it looks like Malone will play a major role in the rest of the season.

Fresh off Gabriel Macht’s directorial debut, Adams takes over in the director’s chair for his first time with “Derailed.” Not only is Adams a wonderful actor, he is well known for his photography; his visual eye is quite evident in some of the scenes in this episode. I especially enjoyed some of his transition shots between scenes—for example, when the camera pans down from the table in Jessica’s apartment and seamlessly ends up revealing the table in Harvey’s apartment. I look forward to Adams and Macht taking more turns in the director’s seat.

I’ve missed seeing more of Donna (Sara Rafferty) lately and it is great to see her taking charge again. Watching Donna help Mike, I kept thinking about the speech she gave Louis about being part of a team in “Respect.” Donna seems to see and know everything and it’s fun to see her work behind the scenes to get things done. The only question now is whether the team will rally behind her given what Evan Smith (Tricia Helfer), attorney for Liberty Rails, reveals to Harvey.

With the internal turmoil seemingly behind us, “Derailed” is a breath of fresh air for Suits. I couldn’t help letting out a soft cheer as Harvey not only sticks it to Liberty Rails but shows Mike a huge sign of respect by taking a page from Mike’s playbook. Unfortunately, based on the final few minutes of “Derailed,” it might be premature to celebrate. I can’t wait to see how the final two episodes of season four play out. How about you?

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

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.