Season 6, Episode 10
Air Date: September 14, 2016, 10/9c on USA
Rating:
“Welcome home.” – Harvey
Gone but not forgotten.
After nine agonizing episodes, Mike (Patrick J. Adams) is finally free from prison. Meanwhile, the future of Pearson Specter Litt lies in the balance as rumors swirl among the firm’s remaining clients that Harvey (Gabriel Macht) tanked his defense of William Sutter (Alan Rosenberg) as part of a deal to free Mike. Will Harvey be able to silence Sutter once and for all or will this latest revelation be the final nail in the coffin for the firm?
Suits finales often get me worked up as I prepare myself for whatever huge twist the writers are about to spring. While there are some interesting developments throughout the episode, “P.S.L.” mainly focuses on wrapping up its other major storyline involving death row inmate Leonard Bailey (Glenn Plummer). In addition, “P.S.L.” lays the groundwork for the second half of the season.
One of my complaints about Rachel (Megan Markle) and Jessica (Gina Torres) taking on the Innocence Project case to clear Leonard’s name is we only got to know him in bits and pieces. Because of Leonard’s limited scenes, not to mention few details about the his crime, I never felt a kinship to his plight. The connection finally came during “P.S.L.” as Leonard’s case takes center stage and I finally found myself caring for him. Plummer gives an outstanding performance when Leonard takes the stand and gives an emotional account of what happened the night he was arrested. The trial even overshadows Mike’s release, which I didn’t think was possible and yet it fits the flow of the story.
Defending Leonard serves as a wake-up call for Jessica, reminding her why she became a lawyer in the first place. Seeing Jessica return to the courtroom these last few episodes has been delightful to watch. Torres gives one of her finest performances of the series in “P.S.L.” Given all she’s been through, it’s no surprise the Innocence Project case gives Jessica pause to reflect where she is in both her professional and personal life. Jessica announcing her departure from the firm was inevitable to many, given Torres signed on to join the ABC series The Catch back in March. While both Torres and her character will be missed, the outcome feels like a natural progression for her and Suits. With Jessica gone, it will be interesting to see where the writers take Rachel next. After all, a big reason she wanted to work at the firm was to learn from a great female mentor, not to mention getting out from under her father Robert’s (Wendell Pierce) shadow. Now that those things have been accomplished, what’s to keep her at the firm, especially if Mike doesn’t take Harvey up on his offer?
Could we see dual weddings on Suits?
The relationship between Louis (Rick Hoffman) and Tara (Carly Pope) continues to be my biggest gripe of the season. This grievance continues in “P.S.L.” as Louis proposes to Tara. As cute as some may find their newfound love for each other, I am of the opinion there should only be one wedding in the future for Suits, and that’s Mike and Rachel’s. The idea of two weddings during the second half of the season seems a bit much.
I admit, I wasn’t Stu’s (Ian Reed Kessler) biggest fan when he was introduced at the beginning of the season, but he has really grown on me. So I was disappointed when he makes his big announcement to Louis about his company moving out of the firm’s offices. I’m sure going to miss Stu; as amusing as his final scene is in “P.S.L.,” I wish the writers had given Kessler the opportunity to ham it up even more.
Overall, the first half of Suits’ sixth season was an enjoyable one. While I would have enjoyed seeing Julius (Malcolm-Jamal Warner) on screen more, having Mike free is a wonderful tradeoff. Series creator Aaron Korsh and the Suits writers took a huge risk shaking up the series this season and it paid off. As the first half of season six comes to a close, the slate has been wiped clean and there is a sense of a new beginning for Suits when it returns for the second half next year.
Tweet me @staffaroadtrip or leave a comment below to let me know what you think about “P.S.L.”
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, <Louis> Rick Hoffman, and <Julius Rowe> Malcolm-Jamal Warner.
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Photos © 2016 USA Network, LLC, a division of NBC Universal, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Greg Staffa
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