Suits - “No Puedo Hacerlo” Retrospective. Dual Litts.

Season 5, Episode 4

Air Date: Wednesday, July 15, 2015, 9/8c on USA

Rating: ★★★★★

“Promise me you won’t sleep with Esther.” – Louis

SUITS -- "No Puedo Hacerlo" Episode 504 -- Pictured: (l-r) Gabriel Macht as Harvey Specter, Amy Acker as Esther -- (Photo by: Shane Mahood/USA Network)

Don’t Harvey and Esther make a cute couple?

Against his better judgment, Harvey (Gabriel Macht) agrees to step outside his legal comfort zone to help Louis (Rick Hoffman) with a case of a personal nature. Given the history between the two, it’s hard not to wonder whether Harvey is taking on the job to mend his relationship with Louis or whether he has an ulterior motive. Meanwhile, against Mike’s (Patrick J. Adams), Robert (Wendell Pierce) is ready to settle the class action suit he and Mike are working on. Will the two finally see eye to eye or will their disagreement, and Mike’s doubts about Robert, end Mike’s engagement to Rachel (Meghan Markle), Robert’s daughter.

Introducing a sibling of a major character on a long-running show is a time-honored tradition on television. Often, these characters are broken down into two categories — quirky doppelgänger, often played by one actor in dual roles, or sexy, polar opposite resembling nothing like their other half. Given how odd Louis is, it’s no surprise the writers go with the latter with Louis’ sister Esther (Amy Acker), a smart businesswoman with great looks to match.

It’s entertaining watching Harvey remain in the dark after his first encounter with Esther. I especially enjoyed the fun dialogue as Harvey digs himself into a hole imagining what a female Louis must be like.

I enjoy seeing Rachel working more with Harvey.

As a fan of Person of Interest, I like Acker’s portrayal of her character on that show — Root, a former contract killer. It’s the complete opposite of who Esther is and shows how well Acker handles a more well-rounded character. She doesn’t disappoint as we see the many sides of Esther, which is aided by the writers who continue to create powerful female roles on Suits. Esther isn’t Louis’ helpless little sister coming to her big brother; she’s a strong woman with a mind of her own who just happens to be related to Louis.

Louis doesn’t welcome his sister’s presence, which sets up some interesting tension between him and Harvey. Despite constantly being at each other’s throats, Macht and Hoffman do an excellent job conveying the different layers of hostility their characters have for each other. What might have been a ‘there they go again’ moment turns into some strong character development between the two adversaries. Hoffman’s performance is hilarious when Louis tries to keep tabs on Harvey and Esther.

For much of the series, Mike has been tied to Harvey’s success. As Mike started working with Robert, one of my concerns was that Robert was a mere stand-in for Harvey. Thankfully, that isn’t the case. Mike has really come into his own working this case during the last few episodes, as he proves in “No Puedo Hacerlo.” It’s entertaining to watch his attempt to hold his own with Jessica (Gina Torres) and Robert. I laughed as the two legal powerhouses talk about Mike as if he isn’t there.

Robert: “You have my condolences.”

Jessica: “For what?”

Robert: “For having to deal with him.”

Jessica: “Oh, you have no idea.”

What makes “No Puedo Hacerlo” special is the beautiful way the writers weave between the Harvey/Donna (Sarah Rafferty) separation and the Harvey/Louis power struggle story lines and then pull both together seamlessly. Esther isn’t just Louis’ sibling, she becomes a metaphor for all the problems facing Pearson Specter Litt. When Harvey says, “That’s enough,” I could feel the tension of the season lifting off me as if I were in the middle of it all.

Will we be seeing more of Esther?

I’ve mentioned it before but after watching “No Puedo Hacerlo,” it bears repeating. I thoroughly enjoy the writers’ appreciation of the fans by writing scenes that assume you’ve followed Suits from the beginning. By creating a show focused on character development, the writers provide fans enough backstory so when Louis mentions the word “family,” you know Harvey will take the case. “No Puedo Hacerlo” is full of moments that resonate deeply for longtime fans due to the foundation the writers create for each character, making the episode even more enjoyable.

One thing Suits does masterfully is its choice of music used to replace a character’s dialogue in order to convey a message. Tyler Ward’s “The Scientist” is a perfect example; the lyrics perfectly sum up the emotions felt by Harvey, telling the audience everything they need to know about the scene. With everything that happens during “No Puedo Hacerlo,” this song is the perfect way to wrap up another great episode of Suits.

Tweet me @staffaroadtrip or leave a comment below to let me know what you think about “No Puedo Hacerlo.”

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.