Suits - “Live to Fight” Recap. A Look in the Mirror.

Season 5, Episode 12

Air Date: February 3, 2016, 10/9c on USA

Rating: ★★★★★

“You’re a cold, heartless bitch.” – Donna

What did you think of her dad?

The case against Mike (Patrick J. Adams) gets personal for Donna (Sarah Rafferty) when an incident from her family’s past resurfaces, putting Donna’s loyalty in question. Meanwhile, the search to discover the identity of the anonymous tipster who informed AUSA Anita Gibbs (Leslie Hope) that Mike never attended Harvard intensifies. Will Harvey (Gabriel Macht) be able to fix Donna’s dilemma and save Mike, or will the firm’s house of cards finally come tumbling down?

Series creator Aaron Korsh and the Suits writers are masterful when it comes to building a rich backstory and letting it naturally grow over time. Characters like Dana Scott (Abigail Spencer) and Mike’s friend Trevor (Tom Lipinski) are able to appear in this episode after being absent for much of the season but Korsh trusts the fans enough not to spoon feed them information to catch them up. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for Jim Paulsen (Derek McGrath), who is introduced as Donna’s father solely to move “Live to Fight” forward.

Will they be able to get out of it?

From the beginning flashback to the backstory involving Harvey and Jim’s financial dealings, the story line failed to resonate with me. Because this is the first time the audience meets Jim, writer Sharyn Rothstein crams too much information about McGrath’s character into “Live to Fight.” Instead of a heartfelt story involving a daughter trying to help her misguided father, it feels like a cheap ploy utilized by the writers to force Donna to choose between her father or Harvey. Either way, it is a bold move by Gibbs, who will do anything to win her case.

The editing doesn’t help matters as scenes jump from flashback to the future to earlier in the present day. Despite changing Donna’s hairstyle and distorting the colors on the screen to make the varying moments in time more distinct, I still found myself confused with who knew what and when. I would have liked it better had the writers introduced Jim earlier in the season and then bring him back for “Live to Fight” where we learn about the state of his financial deal.

SPOILER AHEAD!!

Am I the only one underwhelmed by the revelation that Louis’ (Rick Hoffman) former lover, Sheila Sazs (Rachael Harris), is the one who snitched on Mike’s lack of a law degree to AUSA Gibbs? I admit, Sheila wasn’t on my list of suspects, not because I thought she wouldn’t out Mike’s secret, but her being the culprit was too obvious. Plus, this revelation lacks the shocking twist I assumed would be coming. Sheila discovering the truth has been teased several times throughout the various seasons and given she works at Harvard, her confession to Louis comes as a letdown.

The news about Sheila, while unsurprising, does set up some interesting drama with Louis, who feels betrayed by her actions. Given how much Louis wears his heart on his sleeve, it will be interesting to see how he processes the fact that someone he once loved is trying to destroy the firm he thinks of as family.

One bright spot in “Live to Fight” is the return of Harvey’s secretary, Gretchen (Aloma Wright), who gets caught up in a game of musical chairs, only to find herself now working for Louis. As she did when she first met Harvey, Gretchen is quick to put Louis in his place. I love how Louis has his former secretary Norma’s ashes on the shelf behind his desk and keeps looking at her urn as he and Gretchen talk about her. Gretchen’s disclosure that she unknowingly set into motion the investigation into Mike’s past is interesting, but given she didn’t know the truth and had good intentions, I’m not sure there’s more to dwell on…although I’m sure Louis will find a way if he wants to.

Will Jessica keep her word?

As a fan of Suits, it’s difficult to watch the infighting, in particular Mike and Jessica’s (Gina Torres) game of chicken as each holds incriminating evidence against the other. With so many careers on the line, it’s fascinating to watch flashes of self-preservation bubble up throughout “Live to Fight,” especially when Jessica hires former boyfriend Jeff Malone (DB Woodside) to be her personal attorney. Woodside gives a strong performance when his character has to face his feelings for Jessica. It’s a delicate balancing act for Jeff between the reality of the situation involving Mike and how Mike’s secret contributed to the demise of his relationship with Jessica. Unsure whether Jeff is going to work things out or punch Mike, I was riveted when he reaches out to Mike on Jessica’s behalf to ensure the evidence each has against the other never sees the light of day.

Mike: “You trust me to do that?”

Jeff: “No Mike, but Jessica does.”

Jeff’s statement is powerful given Jessica’s rocky relationship with Mike; she often refers to him as “That God damn kid.” Jessica is ruthless when she needs to be, leading me to wonder whether she follows through with her promise regarding the incriminating documents.

Overall, “Live to Fight” is enjoyable but it lacks the shock value I was hoping for. Despite the fact that Mike is still in hot water, the severity of his situation feels diminished when compared to last week’s episode, “Blowback.” Surely Harvey and Louis can find a way to get Sheila to come around to their side, right?

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

Tune in to Suits Wednesday 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, 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.