Wednesday, September 18, 2019

REVIEW: 'Suits' - Harvey Laments the Mistakes of the Past While Samantha Plots Against Faye in 'Thunder Away'

USA's Suits - Episode 9.09 "Thunder Away"

Mike helps Harvey get over a personal loss. An attempt to take down Faye becomes complicated.


"Thunder Away" was written by Genevieve Sparling and directed by Robert Duncan McNeill

There is a fair amount of yearning for what used to be and what could have been. And yet, it's impossible to regain what was lost or time that was taken away. Harvey delivers a personal eulogy at his mother's funeral. He wishes he could have seen more clearly regarding her love much sooner in life so that he could tell her everything he wanted to say. She never met Donna. She understood his intention to marry her though. As such, beauty is still on the horizon for the main couple. But there is also an overwhelming feeling that if things could become what they once were then everything would be better. Mike and Harvey reminisce about the excitement and fun that came in the early days of their partnership when Mike was fooling everyone about being a lawyer. That secret ultimately caused so much pain and destruction. Mike and Harvey both have more fulfilling and loving lives right now. They shouldn't yearn for what was once normal in their lives. They should embrace what they have at the moment. Sure, it would be fantastic to see them working in the same firm once more. Mike jokes about it here with the understanding that Harvey would come in as his underling. That would be a reverse from the positions they started the series in. That's unlikely though. Right now, the focus remains firmly on getting Faye out of the firm. That is what's driving everyone forward. The partners see her as the cancer that is causing so much chaos and destruction. Without her, Louis would still be managing partner and Samantha would still have a job. Now, Faye came in as special master with some genuine points about the corruption and dysfunction of this business. However, the drama now positions her as a more vindictive women who simply hates these people and will stop at nothing to remove them from this business. She believes she has the power to completely dissolve the firm. Alex confirms that she does in fact have that power. As such, there is urgency in everyone's desire to get her out. And yet, the actions they are willing to take may also destroy the identity of the firm they all aspire to have. If Faye were to be removed as special master, would everything magically go back to the way that things were? That would make it all seem incredibly pointless. She would hardly leave without knowing that there are systems in place to protect the moves she made to make this a more sustainable business. The firm could suffer even more damage if Louis is reinstated and Samantha is rehired. That would make the firm once again seem chaotic and scattered where any leader's word couldn't be trusted because it's hard to genuinely buy into any argument that they may be selling. Right now, the sides are set for this epic confrontation. Mike and Samantha are suing Faye for wrongful termination. Faye fired Samantha without any proof that she falsely produced evidence that didn't exist to win her case. Mike is willing to bury the hatchet in order to help the family that has always stood by him no matter what. It means he is once again important to the end game of the stories in this world. Again, it's unlikely that he'll return invigorated and willing to work with his family once more. He has built a new life with Rachel in Seattle. Things can't go back to the way that they were. That yearning though can lead to a lot of destructive actions. Katrina wants Harvey to know that she is supporting him through this difficult time even though she didn't attend the funeral. And yet, she gives information to Mike that makes it seem like the firm is colluding with this outside threat to its business. That's the precise thing that Andrew Malik accused Harvey of doing just an episode ago. Faye wants to trust that Harvey and Louis can win. Only then will she leave. But that promise only causes more destruction as Mike and Samantha are feuding with the family they thought would always have their backs. Moreover, Katrina is fired despite owning up to her mistake. This final battle may destroy the firm for good. If these characters don't have the firm, then what will happen to them? Harvey admits his love for Louis here. That is special. But Katrina is kicked to the curb with Mike and Samantha only growing more angry over what Harvey is willing to do to win. It's confusing and personally destructive in a way that may not be worth the effort. It certainly makes for an exciting conclusion for the audience though.