Suits - “Exposure” Retrospective. Needing Space.

Season 4, Episode 8

Air Date: Wednesday, August 6, 2014, 9/8c on USA

Rating: ★★★★★

“Speaking of Jessica, you never told me how she felt about me coming back.” – Mike

Rachel (Meghan Markle) longing for Mike.

Rachel longing for Mike.

The prodigal son returns as Mike (Patrick J. Adams) comes back to work at Pearson Specter. But not everyone is excited, especially Rachel (Meghan Markle) as she struggles to find answers about where her relationship with Mike stands. Will Mike and Rachel be able to work through their issues or will Mike’s return be short lived?

Mike’s camaraderie with Harvey (Gabriel Macht) is why I enjoy Suits, and I’m thrilled to see Mike return to the firm. While I have enjoyed the season overall, Mike’s departure and the extended Gillis Industries and Logan Sanders (Brendan Hines) story lines were starting to drag out for too long; it was time for things to get back to normal.

As much as I enjoy seeing Harvey and Mike together again it is fun watching Harvey and Jessica (Gina Torres) team up to take on Cahill (Neal McDonough) and the SEC. The banter between Torres and Macht is well written, and has a flow that feels so natural, it’s as if they’re an old, married, bickering couple. Hopefully, the writers can find a way to get Mike back on Jessica’s good side because her jabs at him are becoming annoying.

Donna (Sarah Rafferty)

Again, Donna (Sara Rafferty) steals every scene she is in. So often the office secretary is a meaningless role, yet with each season, the writers are giving Rafferty more to work with. This season, Donna has been the voice of reason for Harvey when he was going too far in his battle with Mike, and with Rachel when she needed a shoulder to cry on or to give advice about Mike. She is the one who went to Jessica to make sure Louis (Rick Hoffman) was recognized for his work with the firm. So it is no surprise that Donna would be the first one to welcome Mike back and take him to his new office.

One thing that stands out about “Exposure” are the motives behind what is being said; I find myself questioning them. Take Donna and Rachel; for much of the series, the writers have teased a relationship between Donna and Harvey, which, by all accounts, never made its way into the bedroom. Yet suddenly, when Rachel needs someone to understand where her mind is, Donna confesses to sleeping with Harvey. Given how much Donna tries to help those around her, I have to wonder if she really slept with Harvey or is Donna just telling Rachel what she needs to hear?

I never thought I would say this but I’m coming around to Katrina (Amanda Schull). She and Louis make a great team, and I would like to see more competition pitting Harvey and Mike against Louis and Katrina. Katrina and Mike have always had a rocky professional relationship, and I was surprised by her conversation with Mike when she tells him the sacrifices Louis made to get Mike to come back. Katrina has huge respect for Louis, and given the lengths he went to for Mike, will this change how Katrina views Mike?

I sympathize for Mike and what he is going through with Rachel. Adams does a wonderful job showing the wide range of emotions Mike is experiencing as his love for Rachel only adds to the pain of her betrayal. So often, shows make the anger surrounding cheating so black and white when there is a whole lot of gray mixed in that the anger doesn’t really get addressed. Mike is upset at what Rachel did, and as much as he wants to forgive her, he can’t bring himself to do it. Instead, he wants Rachel to leave him alone. “And the reason I want you to leave me alone is all I can think when I look at you is him.” As much as I side with Mike, I can appreciate the regret Rachel is feeling, and am glad that by the end of “Exposure,” things are resolved between the two.

Louis (Rick Hoffman) trying to fix his mess.

Louis has problems of his own as he fears Cahill’s investigation into the firm will expose the illegal deal he made with billionaire Forstman (Eric Roberts) during the Gillis takeover. Hoffman gives an outstanding performance conveying the dire situation as Louis tries to find a way out of the mess he created. In the end, Louis is forced to comes to terms with his actions and confesses to Jessica, “I’ve made a huge mistake,” just as the episode fades to black.

“Exposure” is a much welcomed, dust settling episode following a long war as things slowly return to normal at Pearson Specter. There are still some lingering wounds that need to be mended but overall, I am ecstatic to see things back to normal on Suits.

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

Tune in next Wednesday at 9/8c for an all-new episode of Suits, only on USA.

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.