[initial reactions] Suits - Season 1 - 11
Jul. 4th, 2012 08:52 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
grimorieIt took me a while to start watching show but I'm very, very glad I did! Tumblr successfully convinced me to give the show a chance when they started showing gifsets of Jessica (Gina Torres) and Donna.
(In my TV experience any woman named Donna is instantly awesome. Donna Moss, Donna Meagle and now Donna Paulsen!)
At first blush the format of the show seemed very similar to White Collar but I eventually realized that Suits seemed to deal with consequences really seriously and goes in directions I honestly thought they'd dodge.
I had some ideas coming into the show and one of the those ideas was that I wouldn't like the Harvey and Mike relationship as much as fandom does. And, I was right to a point. I find their dynamic interesting but only really as a reflection of Harvey's own Mentor-Mentee relationship with Jessica.
Harvey chose Mike because something of himself in the screwed-up genius with so much potential, the same, I'm guessing Jessica saw something in Harvey.
This is why the 11th episode won me over so hard. This is the line where I cross from being a casual watcher into a fan.
Because it puts Harvey's relationship with his mentors into focus. We've been teased about Jessica being Harvey's mentor, even seen a bit of that relationship come to play but this episode really kicked it up a notch.
The first time Mike is introduced to Cameron he instantly established that he was 'Harvey's Harvey'. He wanted Harvey to remember who had a hand in making him into the lawyer we see him today.
A contrast to Jessica who never told Mike about this part of their relationship because she doesn't and will never need cheap gimmick to make Mike in awe of her.
And here's Every turn Cameron always found a way to remind Harvey who helped shape him. But that's a lie, IMO, Cameron did teach Harvey things he needed to know but he never was Mike's mentor not in the way Jessica was. He was Jessica's before he ever was Cameron's 'Mentoree', in fact, it was Jessica who pointed Cameron to Harvey.
Harvey never looked so young until that scene with Jessica where he came in asking for help. It was in his body language, he's not quite thrown back to the days before he was the Harvey we knew (a puppy).
Donna was also awesome. I love the depth of history they have with each other and the intensity of the scene. She followed him because he was a good man and earned her loyalty forever.
Loyalty is a big thing with Harvey. A really, really big thing. In light of this revelation, Harvey telling Mike to cut off Trevor isn't just something casual and cold thing he says because he's Harvey but because he's been there.
He knows how hard but it is but the only way to remove himself from further harm -- he had to leave Cameron. He learned this the hard way and it's a first lesson he teaches Mike. Harvey left the District's Attorney's office the moment he learned about Cameron burying the cases. But he never, ever contemplated on turning Cameron over because to Harvey's mind, Cameron earned his loyalty.
A loyalty he didn't deserve because immediately as soon as Cameron was cornered he took Harvey's advice to cut a deal with the DA -- to sell Harvey out
The scene where Jessica and Cameron finally faced off is one of my favorites. I love that Jessica met Cameron head on with the information and proof that Donna provided and turned the tables around and then leaving with "And if you ever mess with one of mine again, Alexandra gets that anyway."
All through the episode Cameron's been driving the 'I'm Harvey's mentor, I created him card' and speaking like he owned Harvey. But as I noted earlier Harvey was never really his to begin with and Jessica made damn sure he knew it.
The end scene though... All through out the episode Harvey was slowly spinning out of his wheel. It seemed like everything he worked for and who he is was being put into the grinder then the final revelation where all his justification for turning a blind eye gets thrown out in one blow and it's like the rug was pulled under his feet. An innocent man is in prison because of what he allowed to happen.
The enormity of it, an 18 year old kid is in prison for a crime he didn't do because Cameron buried evidence that could have pointed to his innocence.
That final shot of Harvey staring at his reflection and his promise was so powerful I can't wait to see the final episode but not before I write something about this episode.
Other things:
I really, really wanted to like Rachel but man, the writers have no idea how to write her. She started off good then just went in so many OOC directions I don't even know what to do with her character anymore.
(In my TV experience any woman named Donna is instantly awesome. Donna Moss, Donna Meagle and now Donna Paulsen!)
At first blush the format of the show seemed very similar to White Collar but I eventually realized that Suits seemed to deal with consequences really seriously and goes in directions I honestly thought they'd dodge.
I had some ideas coming into the show and one of the those ideas was that I wouldn't like the Harvey and Mike relationship as much as fandom does. And, I was right to a point. I find their dynamic interesting but only really as a reflection of Harvey's own Mentor-Mentee relationship with Jessica.
Harvey chose Mike because something of himself in the screwed-up genius with so much potential, the same, I'm guessing Jessica saw something in Harvey.
This is why the 11th episode won me over so hard. This is the line where I cross from being a casual watcher into a fan.
Because it puts Harvey's relationship with his mentors into focus. We've been teased about Jessica being Harvey's mentor, even seen a bit of that relationship come to play but this episode really kicked it up a notch.
The first time Mike is introduced to Cameron he instantly established that he was 'Harvey's Harvey'. He wanted Harvey to remember who had a hand in making him into the lawyer we see him today.
A contrast to Jessica who never told Mike about this part of their relationship because she doesn't and will never need cheap gimmick to make Mike in awe of her.
And here's Every turn Cameron always found a way to remind Harvey who helped shape him. But that's a lie, IMO, Cameron did teach Harvey things he needed to know but he never was Mike's mentor not in the way Jessica was. He was Jessica's before he ever was Cameron's 'Mentoree', in fact, it was Jessica who pointed Cameron to Harvey.
Harvey never looked so young until that scene with Jessica where he came in asking for help. It was in his body language, he's not quite thrown back to the days before he was the Harvey we knew (a puppy).
Donna was also awesome. I love the depth of history they have with each other and the intensity of the scene. She followed him because he was a good man and earned her loyalty forever.
Loyalty is a big thing with Harvey. A really, really big thing. In light of this revelation, Harvey telling Mike to cut off Trevor isn't just something casual and cold thing he says because he's Harvey but because he's been there.
He knows how hard but it is but the only way to remove himself from further harm -- he had to leave Cameron. He learned this the hard way and it's a first lesson he teaches Mike. Harvey left the District's Attorney's office the moment he learned about Cameron burying the cases. But he never, ever contemplated on turning Cameron over because to Harvey's mind, Cameron earned his loyalty.
A loyalty he didn't deserve because immediately as soon as Cameron was cornered he took Harvey's advice to cut a deal with the DA -- to sell Harvey out
The scene where Jessica and Cameron finally faced off is one of my favorites. I love that Jessica met Cameron head on with the information and proof that Donna provided and turned the tables around and then leaving with "And if you ever mess with one of mine again, Alexandra gets that anyway."
All through the episode Cameron's been driving the 'I'm Harvey's mentor, I created him card' and speaking like he owned Harvey. But as I noted earlier Harvey was never really his to begin with and Jessica made damn sure he knew it.
The end scene though... All through out the episode Harvey was slowly spinning out of his wheel. It seemed like everything he worked for and who he is was being put into the grinder then the final revelation where all his justification for turning a blind eye gets thrown out in one blow and it's like the rug was pulled under his feet. An innocent man is in prison because of what he allowed to happen.
The enormity of it, an 18 year old kid is in prison for a crime he didn't do because Cameron buried evidence that could have pointed to his innocence.
That final shot of Harvey staring at his reflection and his promise was so powerful I can't wait to see the final episode but not before I write something about this episode.
Other things:
I really, really wanted to like Rachel but man, the writers have no idea how to write her. She started off good then just went in so many OOC directions I don't even know what to do with her character anymore.
no subject
Date: 2012-07-04 05:13 am (UTC)I really, really wanted to like Rachel but man, the writers have no idea how to write her. She started off good then just went in so many OOC directions I don't even know what to do with her character anymore.
The end of the season actually ties together all her behavior in a way that I called consistently throughout the season, so that was satisfying for me, even as I disliked the direction they went with the character. They achieved what they set out to accomplish, though. I guess.
no subject
Date: 2012-07-04 05:34 am (UTC)Hmmm... Okay, I'll wait and see what happens with Rachel after the last episode to make sense of her character.