Rupture is a theme that repeats itself in Borrowed Time and works as synergy for the plot to move forward.
At the beginning of the storyline, Louis's love life was used as comic relief or intended to be light scenes compared to the heavy burdens the rest of the characters are carrying. In the middle of it, Louis intensity brought Donna to put him in his place, she's not just a fixer, she was his friend but something was broken after she went to work for him and went back to work for Harvey. After last week's surprise when we find out Tara is seeing someone, but also wants to see Louis, he seems to agree. But Louis doesn't share, and again in a pivot moment where it seems like the story will find closure she invites him back to her place, only to reveal the morning after that she can't give up on her boyfriend yet. And what started to be the relief archetype in an angst plot ridden season, ended up to add a bit more of drama into the lives of, at least, one of the characters.
Meanwhile Jessica and Rachel are still working together to help Leonard Bailey, after succeeding into delaying the execution date, and buying some time, he's heartbroken to realize he doesn't have a life outside of prison. His talk with Jessica heats up the evolution she's going through this season, from just a powerful woman to all the other sides of her character that she's studying and the writers are making sure are voiced out. Her reunion with Jeff, help him redeem himself a bit after confessing he loves her for who she is, she's not just what she showcases, this determined woman, but also there a lot of sides to Jessica Pearson, the audience already knew though. The problem with Jeff was that he tried to change her (and the relationship she had with others) to be worthy of their relationship, and the closure was needed and well done.
As Rachel is learning from Jessica, Jessica is getting in touch with a softer side too. As Rachel with a perseverant, hard working one, not that this element of her character wasn't there before, but the writers weren't using the possibilities she could bring into the plot. Seeing Rachel finding a break for the case she's working in, completely lost in thought, is the kind of character that is relatable. In some way we feel exactly what Donna feels when she finds her like that and gives her the news about Mike, an emotion of being proud, and overwhelming contentment for her friend.
Meanwhile, after Cahill's cancelling Mike's deal, Harvey is at a crossroad about representing Sutter. Everything was tying up pretty nicely since the season started and it could have mean Harvey's downfall or the closure we got tonight. Every element in the story colliding to help Mike's case, sending Sutter who is the real bad guy to jail, and leave Kevin's wife free. But it doesn't happen by magic but by some well done scheming by Harvey and Mike, the dynamic duo working together again, and with some help offered by Donna, while sharing some of her complex relationship with her father to Jill's and convincing her of living her own life (Donna waiting for Jill in the street was a setting out of a Hopper's painting)
Overall it was an episode that rested part of its brilliance in outstanding performances by the cast, and some scenes (like the one I just mentioned) showing the kind of director Gabriel Macht is. It does follow the continuity of how the show has arranged its aesthetic this season, but in some way it also works as fracture of the possibility to achieve what they have been working on until now, and what plot points and turns might be thrown in their direction, before the midseason finale arrives.
At the beginning of the storyline, Louis's love life was used as comic relief or intended to be light scenes compared to the heavy burdens the rest of the characters are carrying. In the middle of it, Louis intensity brought Donna to put him in his place, she's not just a fixer, she was his friend but something was broken after she went to work for him and went back to work for Harvey. After last week's surprise when we find out Tara is seeing someone, but also wants to see Louis, he seems to agree. But Louis doesn't share, and again in a pivot moment where it seems like the story will find closure she invites him back to her place, only to reveal the morning after that she can't give up on her boyfriend yet. And what started to be the relief archetype in an angst plot ridden season, ended up to add a bit more of drama into the lives of, at least, one of the characters.
Meanwhile Jessica and Rachel are still working together to help Leonard Bailey, after succeeding into delaying the execution date, and buying some time, he's heartbroken to realize he doesn't have a life outside of prison. His talk with Jessica heats up the evolution she's going through this season, from just a powerful woman to all the other sides of her character that she's studying and the writers are making sure are voiced out. Her reunion with Jeff, help him redeem himself a bit after confessing he loves her for who she is, she's not just what she showcases, this determined woman, but also there a lot of sides to Jessica Pearson, the audience already knew though. The problem with Jeff was that he tried to change her (and the relationship she had with others) to be worthy of their relationship, and the closure was needed and well done.
As Rachel is learning from Jessica, Jessica is getting in touch with a softer side too. As Rachel with a perseverant, hard working one, not that this element of her character wasn't there before, but the writers weren't using the possibilities she could bring into the plot. Seeing Rachel finding a break for the case she's working in, completely lost in thought, is the kind of character that is relatable. In some way we feel exactly what Donna feels when she finds her like that and gives her the news about Mike, an emotion of being proud, and overwhelming contentment for her friend.
Meanwhile, after Cahill's cancelling Mike's deal, Harvey is at a crossroad about representing Sutter. Everything was tying up pretty nicely since the season started and it could have mean Harvey's downfall or the closure we got tonight. Every element in the story colliding to help Mike's case, sending Sutter who is the real bad guy to jail, and leave Kevin's wife free. But it doesn't happen by magic but by some well done scheming by Harvey and Mike, the dynamic duo working together again, and with some help offered by Donna, while sharing some of her complex relationship with her father to Jill's and convincing her of living her own life (Donna waiting for Jill in the street was a setting out of a Hopper's painting)
Overall it was an episode that rested part of its brilliance in outstanding performances by the cast, and some scenes (like the one I just mentioned) showing the kind of director Gabriel Macht is. It does follow the continuity of how the show has arranged its aesthetic this season, but in some way it also works as fracture of the possibility to achieve what they have been working on until now, and what plot points and turns might be thrown in their direction, before the midseason finale arrives.
Side Notes
- How sweet was Rachel and Donna's embrace?
-And how satisfying was Sutter being force to sign that deal?
-And how satisfying was Sutter being force to sign that deal?
