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Suits – “Privilege” Retrospective. Memory Lane.

Season 5, Episode 6

Air Date: Wednesday, July 29, 2015, 9/8c on USA

Rating: ★★★★★

Will Harvey end up alone?

The emotional fallout from Dr. Agard’s (Christina Cole) declaration that Harvey’s (Gabriel Macht) panic attacks stem from issues with his mother and not Donna (Sarah Rafferty) continue to haunt him. But when Samuel Tull (JR Bourne) returns seeking Harvey’s help after being accused of making unauthorized trades at Butler Trading, the walls separating Harvey’s personal and professional lives begin to cave in.

What makes “Privilege” so enjoyable is while Harvey continues his downward spiral of self-destruction, everyone else at the firm is at the top of their game. The writers do a masterful job balancing each story line, allowing each character time to shine. Donna, especially, is on fire doing what she does best, being Donna. Her scenes with Mike (Patrick J. Adams) are entertaining; it’s clear from their chemistry Rafferty and Adams are having fun this season. I couldn’t help laughing when Donna reminds Mike of what to do when he’s faced with an impossible dilemma.

Mike: “What am I supposed to do?”

Donna: “You already did what you’re supposed to do; you came to me.”

Donna and Louis (Rick Hoffman) also have some of their best scenes this season in “Privilege” as Louis tries to prove he can be a less vindictive person. Hoffman’s comedic timing is spot on, making it hilarious to watch Louis being scolded by Jessica (Gina Torres). While Suits’ fans have seen many sides of Louis throughout the seasons, this incarnation is one of my favorites. The question is, will it last?

As a fan since the beginning, I have a deep appreciation of the complex history between Mike and Louis. Watching the two working together is always entertaining because you never know which version of Louis will show up. “Privilege” brings out the best of both Mike and Louis as they assist with an acquisition involving Dominic Barone (Titus Welliver), McKernon Motors’ CEO. The writers have done a great job exploring Mike’s legal talents this season by having him work cases with Harvey, Robert (Wendell Pierce), and now Louis. Each combination highlights what a great actor Adams is, and provides for some interesting moments, leading me to wonder when we’ll see Mike and Soloff (John Pyper) together. You know it’s only a matter of time.

Jerk

Speaking of Soloff, the reason behind his bitterness continues to be a mystery. I keep expecting the writers to come up with some big explanation as to why he’s such a jerk but then I realize there’s probably nothing more to it other than he’s a dick. I don’t know about you but I’m growing tired of Soloff repeatedly showing up in scenes just to cause problems for no apparent reason.

I know I sound like a broken record but the more I see Gretchen (Aloma Wright), the more I love her. The void left by Donna’s departure as Harvey’s secretary has created some entertaining scenes, the likes of which I mistakenly assumed could only be pulled off by Rafferty. What may have been shocking a few weeks ago comes as no surprise now when Gretchen not only holds her own with Donna, but puts her in her place. Rafferty and Wright are entertaining when their characters size each other up. There is one scene in particular that is especially touching when the two have a heart to heart.

Blast from the past.

While I’m disappointed my theory about Dr. Agard being a delusion created by Harvey as a defense mechanism was incorrect, I absolutely love how the writers have developed her character. Unlike Soloff, who appears on the series with no backstory other than having an axe to grind with the world, Dr. Agard was slowly introduced and seemed to have no allegiances. That all changes during “Privilege” when Dr. Agard’s story line connect with Tull’s case like two cars trying to merge into the same lane. As the tension builds throughout “Privilege,” it’s only a matter of time before something spirals out of control. Macht gives an outstanding performance conveying Harvey’s feeling of betrayal when he realizes both he and Tull are Dr. Agard’s patients. Deflecting his own issues, Harvey lashes out at Tull, asking, “How could you be so stupid to confide your feelings to a stranger?” Harvey’s reaction makes it difficult to tell whether Harvey is referring to Tull or himself.

“Privilege” is an enjoyable episode that brings back some memorable characters from previous episodes, including Barone from “Inside Track,” while Tull appeared in “Tricks of the Trade.” Because their current legal troubles are new and unrelated, casual viewers are able to follow while longtime fans will appreciate the walk down memory lane.

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

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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Photos: © 2015 USA Network, LLC, a division of NBC Universal, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

 

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.

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.