Last year following Donna’s firing, Harvey goes after her and she mentions ‘the other time,’ but then chose to not to go further into it and ignore it. Since that scene, there has lingered the question of what exactly happened between them, and what that other time meant for their relationship.
This week episode is called ‘The Other Time’ and takes us back 10 years to explain some of the present relationship dynamics (- special praise for the continuity department on this show).
10 years ago Mike was accepted into Harvard; meanwhile his best friend got in trouble and convinced him to sell the results of a math exam. They got caught. Mike confessed in order to defend Trevor, got expelled and ultimately lost his shot at Harvard.
Meanwhile, Harvey was looking a lot softer and was working for the D.A office with Donna as his secretary. He wanted to put bad guys behind bars, and make a difference. He made a deal with Jessica to go back to the firm after a certain period of time, but his time at the District Attorney could last longer if he was promoted to Head Litigator. Cameron was happy with him until he added a missing file to the case they were working on, which he thought was a mistake, but later realized his boss was hiding in case it could ruin the case. He quit, he wouldn't break the law in order to get justice, he can do that by working his best. Harvey had a honor code; he was honest, and when he went back to Jessica, he was surprised to find her trying to take over the firm from the managing partners at that time. “Harvey, we're lawyers we're not in the honor business,’’ she said when he questioned her about the move.
This resonates in the present. There is still some of that young Harvey in the walls he had built around him, and he comes clean to Jessica. She doesn't say much, and her eyes speaks volumes of how she feels about this betrayal. It’s a step- Maybe they can't go back to what things were before, but this scene could be a turning point of working towards a better dynamic. Maybe a united firm? Some of the utopic young Harvey must have had some influence on me…
Back to the old days again, Harvey and Donna flirted more openly but she had a rule of not getting involve with co workers. When Harvey quit, she knew he would be at her front door in no time. And of course she’s right. She’s Donna. She had the whip cream ready (a celebratory ritual Harvey suggests, dirty enough to be written on paper and not spoken)
When he re-joined the firm he made a deal with Jessica to bring his own secretary. Jessica pointed out the girl must be special, and he confirmed it without even blinking. Harvey offered Donna a job because he didn't want to lose her, agreeing to let go whatever had happened. The whip cream was forgotten and they found a new ritual with the can opener.
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In the same restaurant that they had this talk, Harvey and Donna meet in the present. He admits he’s not being fair, but her relationship with Stephen bothers him, he’s quick to add ‘you know that that doesn't mean…’ she interrupts him with an exasperated ‘I know’ (‘that doesn't mean I have feelings for you?’ is that the end of the sentence?)
This episode acknowledged that these two have more than a platonic relationship, but the question now is, will they acknowledge the feelings that they're so eager to deny?
As great as Suits’ scripts might be and as neat as the dialogues are, there’s a subtext delivered by the performance of the cast that is worth to mention. Sarah Rafferty eyes spoke to the viewer about Donna’s feelings in such a subtlety that only left the story of this pairing open and making the audience yearning for more to come. Gabriel Macht’s shined, playing almost 2 different characters, because Harvey is not the same guy he was before, and Gina Torres owned her scenes.
This episode explained how the characters were before through flashbacks, but delivered it through smooth transitions and subtle changes in the photography. The outstanding cinematic aspect the series showed before seems to be back as the drama mixed with comedy and teasing escence they had managed so well in the past.
With only 4 episodes left, the Ava Hessington case still open, Jessica and Harvey’s relationship not gone to the dogs, yet; and Stephen Huntley not looking as the good guy he seemed to be at first... We must guess at the ramifications of what happened this week.
What do you think?
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Great Review. At first when I saw the name of the episode, I thought it only meant Harvey and Donna's other time, but it was so deeper than that. It was the other time the firm got taken over. It was the other time Louis got bullied and 'needed a day'. It was the other time Harvey had to make a decision between right and easy, and chose the first, again. It was such an interesting episode, and you are right, this show does have great continuity.
ReplyDeleteAs for my shipper heart, I was broken to not have the chance to actually see Harvey and Donna making out. And I think in the end she did fall for him, as in, she knows it deep inside, she acknowledges it, while Harvey probably feels the same way too but is too emotionally oblivious to realize such thing. When he said 'I cant lose you', her face lit up, only to be disappointed when she realized he meant workwise. Sarah Rafferty did a great job capturing that. I believe Harvey does love her (hence his animosity towards Stephen), but in his life, work always comes first, and he needs Donna in it so badly, thats its easier to have her as a company, partner, girlfriend, but only workwise. I hope he realizes what he is missing out on soon. Because as Donna said herself, once you've got her, you wouldnt wanna share. Or let go.
really good and inciteful review! thank you!
ReplyDeleteThat was great Lau!!
ReplyDeleteAlso about the: ‘you know that that doesn't mean…’ Korsh said in a interview that he meant as "It doesn't mean that I want to be in a relationship with you right now" which doesn't deny his feelings for her, I think.
And after reading the interview I interpreted the "I have to live my life" as in "I can't spend my life waiting for you to decide you want to be with me"
ReplyDeleteI think Harvey needs to realize that he needs her on a personal level, too. Admitting his frustration over the Donna/Stephen situation may be the first step to realize he has feelings for her.
I guess we'll see.