Suits - “Hitting Home” Retrospective. Sibling Rivalry.

Season 5, Episode 8

Air Date: Wednesday, August 5, 2015, 9/8c on USA

Rating: ★★★★★

“I see what Harvey sees in you.” – Jack Soloff

A quiet moment from the sibling rivalry.

“Hitting Home” begins with a rare flashback to a young Harvey (Buddy Arbuck) coming home from school early only to find his mother entertaining a man who isn’t his father. It’s a moment that has weighed heavily on Harvey’s (Gabriel Macht) mind not only during season five but throughout the series as a whole. Unfortunately, while interesting, the scene is quickly forgotten, along with a majority of the episode.

Following last week’s entertaining episode “Privilege,” I had high hopes for “Hitting Home,” especially with the return of Louis’ sister Esther (Amy Acker) who, once again, finds herself in legal trouble. Acker’s performance is one of the bright spots of “Hitting Home” as Esther more than holds her own when challenging both Harvey and Louis. While Esther and Louis’ banter is entertaining, the writers do a wonderful job turning the sibling rivalry into some touching moments between the two.

Donna’s (Sarah Rafferty) revelation that Harvey slept with Esther puts a strain on her attempts to mend her friendship with Harvey, especially when she finds herself caught in the middle of Harvey and Louis. The scenes between Donna and Harvey feel hastily conceived and aren’t allowed to develop. With everything that’s happened between Harvey and Donna this season, it’s frustrating to see their progress take a step back through poorly created scenes.

Will they keep working together?

Looking to mend fences, Jack Soloff (John Pyper-Ferguson) reaches out to Mike (Patrick J. Adams) to help him with a case. This is a pairing I saw coming from a mile away. While their scenes are poised to have great significance, they too never reach their potential. As the confrontational power struggle between Mike and Soloff takes shape, I found myself by their childish behavior when trying to gain respect for each other. This is another wasted opportunity by the writers to create some witty dialogue and have fun with the actors’ characters.

As much as I despise Soloff, it’s nothing compared to my feelings for Daniel Hardman (David Costabile), who crawls out from whatever rock he’s been hiding under. Turns out, Hardman is the one pouring gasoline on Soloff’s rage, fueling his hostility towards Harvey. With Hardman’s return, I enjoyed seeing Soloff’s story line shift from being the antagonist to one of redemption. Could Soloff wind up being the good guy in all this? I appreciate the writers’ decision to handle Hardman’s return by keeping it simple while hinting this is only the beginning of whatever scheme Hardman is hatching. I have a feeling Mike’s warning to Soloff regarding Harvey will have a lingering effect and come into play as Hardman reveals his hand. “If you want to get along with me, you better figure out a way to get along with him.” Way to have Harvey’s back, Mike!

Will they ever see eye to eye?

I was surprised by how fast the writers have Jessica (Gina Torres) crush the notion that Mike can’t consider the promotion. While Jessica’s reaction is appropriate, I would have enjoyed seeing Mike have an opportunity to grasp the significance and weigh the possible ramifications. Mike’s ‘decision’ will likely play a big part in the next few episodes; I hope this story line doesn’t feel as rushed in those episodes as the turn of events does in “Hitting Home.” Mike’s rise reminds me of the story of Icarus, a Greek master craftsman who created wings out of feathers and wax. Like Icarus, Mike’s rise is met with little resistance as he approaches the pinnacle of success, unaware he is getting too close to the sun. I can’t wait to see how the writers get Mike out of this mess.

Speaking of Jessica and Mike, I was really turned off by Jessica’s language towards Mike in “Hitting Home.” I get Mike’s a burden Jessica has to live with, but Mike has come through for her and the firm countless times. Yet, the moment there’s a hint of trouble, Jessica reverts to referring to him as the “god damn kid.” The writers need to find a way for Jessica to settle her differences with Mike, once and for all.

Overall, “Hitting Home” feels rushed and under-developed. The flashback adds nothing to the story and Harvey’s emotional struggle over his mother’s betrayal suddenly takes a back seat when the feud between him and Louis flares up again.

While “Hitting Home” is one of Suits’ more disappointing episodes, the final minutes set up what should be an interesting episode next week. Unfortunately, these developments come too late to save this episode.

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

Tune in to Suits Wednesdays at 9/8c, 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, 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.