Samantha gets caught in the middle when Mike picks a fight with Harvey.
In 2018, there were 495 scripted shows airing amongst the linear channels and streaming services. The way people are consuming content now is so different than it used to be. It happens according to one's own schedule. As such, there is less necessity to provide ample coverage of each specific episode in any given season from a show. Moreover, it is simply impossible to watch everything. As such, this site is making the move to shorter episodic reviews in order to cover as many shows as possible. With all of that being said, here are my thoughts on the next episode of USA's Suits.
"If the Shoe Fits" was written by Jeffrey M. Lee & Jordan Pomaville and directed by Christopher Misiano
The bromance between Harvey and Mike was the focal point of Suits for a long time. The dynamic between them was always so fun and effortless. They understood each other and could also learn from the other. It was a bond fraught with peril. It holds a lot of history. As such, it's significant when Mike comes back to the city to take on one of Harvey's clients. But it also highlights how the show has evolved since Patrick J. Adams and Meghan Markle left the cast. With the co-lead gone, the show had to move into a more ensemble-driven narrative. That wasn't a huge hassle for the show to overcome though. The ensemble was already very strong and prominent by the time that Mike and Rachel moved to Seattle. But the show had to add new faces to help fill the void as well. Samantha, Alex and Katrina have a significant presence at the firm now. Mike has history with Katrina and Alex as well. Samantha is a complete stranger to him though. That means the show is able to have a lot of fun wanting to feature a legal fight between Harvey and Mike but it growing complicated because of Samantha's somewhat reckless nature. When Samantha was first introduced, she came in with the impression that she was just like Harvey in a number of ways. That helped the show continue telling stories the same way it always had. Samantha just doesn't have the same kind of bleeding heart that Mike does. She cares about certain causes and has become a sympathetic and vulnerable character across her two seasons. But she still presents as someone who will do whatever it takes in order to win even if that leads to her being fired from the firm and disbarred. She is certainly not the enabler of all this firm's problems. Faye may just need to take down a scapegoat in order to walk away with the confidence that this firm will be better managed in the future. She certainly has that opportunity with Samantha because she sees a lawyer who will break any rule in order to achieve victory. It doesn't matter that the case was close to being a defeat. Mike came in incredibly prepared and knew all of the moves that Harvey and Samantha would make. He had the element of surprise on his side. He has been planning this case for months. He is still closely associated with all of his friends from the firm. Rachel is as well even though she doesn't make the trip too. Her influence is felt even though Mike is vague about what may be going on in their personal lives. But again, it's just fun to see Patrick J. Adams back on this show. Faye believes it's a case that could quickly lead to shady actions being taken because Harvey has such a close connection with Mike. And yet, if she is going to worry about the partners every time they face off with another lawyer they have personal history with, then it would be difficult for them to take on many cases in this city. So much is ultimately personal for the people of this firm. Louis goes to Alex for advice on how to manage Sheila's mood swings. Louis feels like he does everything wrong. Alex knows Louis can't just do nothing. Louis doesn't but he still manages to walk away with a better understanding of what Sheila is going through. That's beneficial to everyone. Plus, Louis also reaches out to Benjamin to mend their relationship as well. That proves that these characters are still capable of evolving and being redeemed for their past actions. Louis isn't doing this in order to impress Faye. It's just the right thing to do. He has that clarity. Samantha has felt adrift because Robert is no longer at this firm. She has long worked to prove a point no matter what. And now, her actions could implode things between Harvey and Mike while costing her a career in the law. It's strange that Mike's final scene is him being upset with Harvey. But Harvey also recognizes the changing aspects of the firm and how he needs to have Samantha's back because she's the one he'll remain in business with after all of this is over. That may be up for debate if Faye has anything to say about it. But it should be fascinating to see how strongly the other partners rally around Samantha regarding her actions and Faye's decision.
