On this episode of Suits, “No Puerdo Hacerlo,” Mike discovers some troubling news about Robert and Harvey represents Louis’ sister much to Louis’ dismay.
Suits lightens things up this week by bringing in Louis’ sister, Esther. She’s a comely brunette, who is getting divorced. Louis assumes she wants him to represent her, but Esther is all about Harvey. Esther tells Harvey that Louis told her that Harvey was the best lawyer in the city. What Louis actually said was that Harvey was his best friend. Esther isn’t fooled. She knows her brother well enough to know that Louis worships Harvey from afar. It seems Louis has a history of man crushes, even documenting one in tenth grade.
Family First
Esther asks her brother to get her a meeting with Harvey, but little does she know she already had a run in with the dashing attorney in the lobby. Yes, Harvey spotted Esther and the chemistry was palpable, but she shot him down.
Louis tells Esther that Harvey isn’t available. Esther worries that Louis is under the impression she doesn’t think he’s good enough, but her concern is that because the case is so personal for her, it will be personal for him, and she can’t have that. Esther asks Louis once again to get her Harvey, and he says it will make it happen.
Suits Recap: Harvey’s Anxiety Worsens >>>
Donna, who overhears everything, immediately enters his office and questions when Louis is going to approach Harvey. Louis has no intention of asking Harvey. He knows Harvey is furious at him and won’t take the case. Donna says that may be true, but Louis owes it to his sister to make the effort anyway. Donna tries to offer Louis some encouragement by telling him that Harvey understands the importance of family.
Co-Counsels Continue to Clash
Mike and Robert continue to work together on the Kelton class-action suit. Robert receives a settlement offer from the insurance company: 25 million dollars. Mike thinks this is chump change since after the legal fees, it doesn’t amount to a hill of beans for the plaintiffs. Mike wants to take the case to trial.
Robert believes this is the best he and Mike are going to get, and he wants to recommend their clients take it, but Mike refuses to get on board. Robert points out they have to get on the same page because they can’t give clients conflicting opinions. Mike asks Robert if that settlement would be acceptable to Robert if they were talking about Rachel who had died having been denied a life-saving procedure because of shoddy insurance.
Robert throws Mike out of his office, and tells him not to come back until he’s wrapped his head around recommending the offer. Robert also warns Mike to never use his family against him as leverage in an argument ever again. (And just when we thought these guys had somewhat kissed and made up.)
Mike goes off to sulk in a conference room and is approached by Katrina, who is helping out on the case. Mike tells her the settlement is shitty. Katrina questions why Robert would take it if it was so unacceptable, and Mike states it’s because Robert knows their clients will jump on it, and it’s an easy way out.
Mike may not think Robert cares about his clients, but Katrina assures him that even though she’s only been at the firm a few months, she has no doubt Robert has his clients’ best interests at heart.
Harvey Agrees to Help Louis
Louis makes the long walk down to Harvey’s office to ask for a favor. To sweeten the pot, Louis offers to give Harvey all of his sister’s business, she is at the helm of a 50 million dollar company. Esther is like a younger, hotter Martha Stewart. Although, that’s chump change to Harvey.
Harvey blows Louis offer, but Louis gives Harvey the big, soulful eyes and says his sister has never asked him for his help before, ever. The one time she does, Louis can’t go back empty-handed.
Harvey’s demeanor softens, but he points out that he’s not a divorce lawyer. Louis questions when a shitty detail like that has ever stopped Harvey before? Harvey agrees on two conditions: 1) Louis has to stay completely out of it and 2) Harvey will let him know the second one when he thinks of it.
Louis asks Harvey to promise not to sleep with Esther. Harvey, not realizing he already does want to have sex with Louis’ sister, says keeping that promise shouldn’t be a problem.
Attorney-Client Attraction
Harvey and Esther meet, and after being pleasantly surprised to find out she’s the smoking, hot babe who caught his eye earlier, asks if she’s adopted. Louis is already skulking around, and comedic hijinks ensue when he kicks a junior associate out of his office adjoining the conference room, so that he can try and listen in on Harvey and Esther’s meeting. Donna convinces Louis to dial back the crazy or risk having Harvey drop the case.
When Esther and her husband, Jeffrey, decided to split, they agreed he’d be entitled to 20 percent of the company, no need for lawyers. Jeffrey has reneged on that deal. Harvey comes to the conclusion that since it is Esther who wants the divorce, Jeffrey is trying to prolong the fight. Harvey wants Esther to stay away from the negotiations. Esther has spent 12 years building her company, and she’s not eager to just sit by and let somebody else decide how much of it she is allowed to keep. Harvey says it’s his way or the highway.
Esther agrees to Harvey’s terms, enabling him to keep his well-earned rep of being “the man.” Rachel’s less interested in the case than the chemistry between Harvey and Esther. Rachel tells Harvey that she was convinced the two might actually start going at it on the conference table.
Word has gotten to Jessica about Harvey taking the case, and she questions his motives. After all, the last thing Jessica heard is that they were both pissed at Louis. Harvey assures her that Louis is still on his “shit list,” but because Louis played the family card, Harvey folded. He tells Jessica he thought this might be a way for everybody involved to get back on track. Jessica likes this softer side of Harvey. She says he may even turn out to be a half-decent partner after all.
Robert Screws Mike Over, Again
Mike convinces Robert to give him the opportunity to counter, so they go back to the bargaining table. Mike wants triple what Kelton originally offered. They balk, which is what Robert told Mike they would do. So, now it looks like Mike and Robert will be going to trial after all.
After the meeting, Mike insists to Robert he still won’t recommend the offer to the clients, but Robert drops the bomb that they’ve already signed off. Mike discovers Robert went over Mike’s head to Jessica, and they concurred it was best to settle. End of story. Or is it? It’s doubtful Mike will take this laying down.
Harvey’s Case Gets Complicated
Things get more complicated than Harvey anticipated with Esther’s case. During a meeting with her husband, Harvey learns that 12 years ago, Esther offered Jeffrey 50 percent of the company in turn for him putting off law school. Jeffrey may not be able to get Esther to stick to her promise to stay together until death do us part, but he’s damn sure going to hold her accountable for saying he’d get half.
Harvey confronts Esther for withholding this information, and she replies she didn’t think it mattered, but Harvey assures her that it matters to Jeffrey, especially since he feels betrayed. That’s when Esther decides to tell Harvey that Jeffrey’s got brass balls feeling betrayed since he’s the one who had an affair.
Harvey says the affair doesn’t matter. Esther points out that her husband has no proof of the conversation, but Harvey says they are going to question her under oath. Esther doesn’t care. She plans to deny the whole agreement. Harvey says that would be perjury, and he’s not going to let her do that. Esther tells Harvey he better find another way because there’s no way that she is giving half to her shitbag hubby.
Robert’s Integrity is Called Into Question
Mike may be down, but he soon discovers he’s not out. He finds out information, thanks to Katrina, that indicates Robert may be manipulating the Kelton case to service the hedge fund that’s underwriting the suit.
Mike confronts Robert, who denies any wrongdoing. Mike says that if Robert is so honest, he knows they have to disclose the information as conflict of interest. Robert tells Mike to bury the information because he it didn’t have anything to do with Robert’s recommendation, and he’s not going to let it blow the deal.
Donna Calls Harvey Out
Donna makes the mistake of believing she’s currently got any emotional pull where Harvey is concerned. She wants to be able to give Louis some reassurance about how the case is going. Harvey reminds Donna that he’s not the guy who gives hugs, he wins cases. Harvey reminds Donna that when he came to her for help, she told him he doesn’t get to do that anymore. Well, that door swings both ways.
Donna, never one to back down from a fight, tells Harvey that she’s the one who convinced Louis to ask him to take Esther’s case. Donna trusted, that at the end of the day, they were all still family, and Harvey would remember that, but now she thinks she might have been wrong. As soon as she decided to stop putting Harvey first, and start thinking about her own needs, he stopped treating her like family and began treating her like a stranger. Donna says that’s more hurtful than if Harvey considered her an enemy.
Harvey has an Epiphany
Harvey and Rachel discover that Esther’s husband lied about being accepted to medical school, which sort of blows his case out of the water. Jeffrey isn’t going quietly though. He reminds Esther how he stayed home and kept the family going while she was out building her empire.
As the couple argue about the sacrifices made by each during their union, Harvey spots Donna outside the conference room. It’s obvious that things are starting to click for him; everything Donna’s been trying to get him to understand about her decision to leave.
Rachel Defends Her Father
Mike goes to Jessica and tells her that one of Robert’s clients purchased shares of Kelton, and if Robert knew, it’s the difference between stock manipulation and a legitimate settlement. He wants to know if she thinks Robert has been shady. Even Jessica doesn’t seem to think Robert is that dirty, but Mike insists he doesn’t believe Robert was dumb enough not to know. Cue Rachel, who has been standing in the doorway long enough to hear all she needs to.
Rachel says an attack on her father, is an attack on her. Rachel reminds Mike that he came to her asking for the benefit of the doubt, and she did. So, the least he can do is extend the same courtesy to her father.
Suits Recap: Harvey Declares War on Louis >>>
Louis Continues to Be His Own Worst Enemy
Harvey reaches a number he thinks Esther should take. Because whether she agrees or not, Jeffrey believes he gave everything up for her.
Esther agrees to the deal. She asks Harvey if he’d like to take her home. He’s locked and loaded just as soon as she signs that agreement. He can’t very well sleep with a client.
Louis shows up at Donna’s appointment in the middle of the night, convinced Harvey is screwing his sister. He is, but not in the way Louis thinks. Louis snooped around Harvey’s office and found Esther’s settlement papers which have her giving Jeffrey 25 percent instead of 20. Louis thinks Harvey is purposely screwing his sister out of three million bucks just to get back at him. Donna tells Louis, for what has to be the umpteenth time, that he’s being crazy and warns him not to do anything crazy before she gets to the office in the morning, or he can find himself another secretary.
Louis confronts Harvey with his theory, and Harvey makes it clear to Louis that if he wanted to even the score with Louis, he’d attack him directly and not use his sister. Harvey says he took the case, not for revenge, but as an attempt to bury the hatchet and move on. Harvey tells Louis he can let the terms stand, or do what he always does, screw things up.
Louis realizes he’s acting like a paranoid freak, and he and Harvey make nice. It even looks like Louis is going to get Harvey’s sweet contingency deal back.
And because he’s on a roll, Harvey thanks Donna for the 12 years she gave him.
Family Ties
Mike decides not to pursue the stuff with Robert. He tells Rachel that he believes Robert because his future father-in-law raised such an honest daughter. In addition, the clients are happy, so all’s well that ends well, except for the look on Rachel’s face when she hugs Mike. That shows that there might be lingering issues, either personal, professional or both, after all.
Suits airs Wednesdays at 9pm on USA.
(Image courtesy of USA)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
Jennifer has worked as a freelance writer in the entertainment field since 2012. In addition to currently writing feature articles for Screen Rant, Jennifer has contributed content ranging from recaps to listicles to reviews for BuddyTV, PopMatters, TVRage, TVOvermind, and Tell-Tale TV. Links to some of Jennifer’s reviews can be found on Rotten Tomatoes.
