Suits Recap: ‘Blood in the Water’ (Season 2, Episode 12)

Gabriel Macht as Harvey Specter in Suits.
Photo: Christos Kalohoridis/USA Network)

“It’s time to heal the wounds,” Jessica (Gina Torres) tells Louis (Rick Hoffman), but the convalescence of Pearson Hardman and its staff threatens to itself cause bloodshed.

Last week, the international hit series, Suits, returned to television screens with the second half of its second season, but it was not until this week’s episode, “Blood in the Water,” that the series fully cut its usual refined figure. Literal (and emotional) stitches were required for our beloved characters in this week’s episode

We have before seen Harvey (Gabriel Macht) shaken, but until now, not stirred. First, declining to thoroughly engage in the usual witty repartee he enjoys with his trusted assistant, Donna (Sarah Rafferty), Harvey then becomes concerned that the firm is having important clients and valuable staff members poached by a rival firm, prompting him to completely lose his cool with Mike (Patrick J. Adams). With some gentle nudging from Donna, the trio works together again, and by the end of the episode they successfully win back one of the firm’s main clients.

Throughout the episode tensions run high. Louis is as aware as Harvey that Pearson Hardman “…just went through a civil war, and the world knows it” and like Harvey, he is losing it with those under his supervision. Louis unfairly fires the seemingly long-dithering Harold (Max Topplin), despite Rachel (Meghan Markle) and Mike protesting. Louis himself is feeling unwanted, especially after Harvey tells him, “You’re the guy that nobody wants but we can’t get rid of,” so Louis disappointedly seeks employment at another firm. Having secured another job, a humbled Louis goes to Jessica to submit a letter of resignation. Jessica assures him that she does not want him to leave, but she agrees to allow his departure if that is what he desires.

Meanwhile, Mike arranges for Harold to get a good job at an equally esteemed law firm, but Mike is less successful in other areas. Rachel is still giving him the cold shoulder, although next week’s episode promises to feature Rachel more prominently, so Mike and Rachel’s ‘relationship’ may soon see more development, but this week, Rachel insisted she simply does not care about Mike. Although he ended his misguided affair with a now married former girlfriend and again stopped smoking marijuana, Mike’s poor choices hit him hard. Entering the law firm in the darkened emptiness of nighttime, he is badly beaten by the husband of his lover. As Louis is departing the firm with a box of his personal possessions, he sees the bruised Mike and insists on helping him. Louis confides to Mike that he cares that Harvey has come to despise him, and Mike comes to have some understanding for Louis.

The next day, Harvey’s initial reaction to Mike’s battered face is to seek some form of recourse, but once Mike implies the reason for the bruises, they agree that Mike “got off lightly.”

The final important developments of the episode come with conversations between Harvey and Jessica. After helping to again put Pearson Hardman in a winning position, a considerably happier Harvey suggests to Jessica that the firm should become Pearson Specter, but Jessica explains to him that he is not ready. Among other reasons, she points to his treatment of Louis. The episode draws to a close with Harvey going to Louis’ office, and by symbolically ripping-up Louis’ resignation letter, he signals to Louis that they should call a truce. We may be a long way from Harvey ever again admitting Louis’ strengths, but Louis seems content to remain at Pearson Hardman.

The great fun of the episode was again watching the family-like relationship between our characters. The kinship of Mike being a sort of kid-brother to the level-headed middle sibling, Donna, and the usually protective big-brother, Harvey, is always enjoyable. The added dimension of Louis as the sort-of overshadowed first cousin, who longs to be equally valued by the matriarch, Jessica, renders the dynamic all the more interesting and entertaining.

Incoming search terms:

• https://calitreview com/suits-recap-blood-in-the-water-season-2-episode-12/ (6)

Mary Lee Costa

Mary Lee Costa experienced a transatlantic upbringing, being raised in both the United States and England, and she has been working as a writer since before she could pretend to spell (either American or English spellings). At age six, her first professional writing job was as a child film reviewer for the “Brooklyn Parent.”

While at the University of Oxford, where she gained an honors degree in history, her student newspaper theatre reviews placed second for the coveted Tynan Prize, as judged by theatre critics of the London broadsheets. Her historical writing has won The Duke of Marlborough’s Heritage Award, among other honors.

Being dyslexic herself, she especially enjoys writing historical and cultural articles for children or writing about theatre and quality television because she recalls the important role such outlets played in her own education and development.