Review: Suits, S2, E13 – “Zane vs. Zane”
Air Date: Thursday, January 31, 2013, 10pm ET/PT on USA
Rating:
Pearson Hardman has survived a civil war, leaving other law firms wondering if it has left them weak. This gets tested when an opposing lawyer dies, opening up the opportunity for the new legal counsel to try to rework an agreed-upon settlement deal in their favor. Making things even more difficult, the new attorney happens to be Robert Zane (Wendell Pierce), father to Rachel Zane (Meghan Markle), a paralegal at Pearson Hardman.
Rachel rarely talks about her father at Pearson Hardman because she doesn’t want to advance simply because of nepotism. In “Zane vs. Zane,” we learn it is a little more complicated than that. Rachel has always felt she could never live up to her father’s expectations, which is explored in a rather emotional lunch together. Feeling she has something to prove, she asks to be put on the case against her father. This becomes difficult because in trying to demonstrate how smart and strong she is, she starts to lose sight that it’s not about being in competition with her father, but doing what’s right for the client.
This isn’t your typical Suits episode, which usually revolves around Mike (Patrick J. Adams) and Harvey (Gabriel Macht). Instead, “Zane vs. Zane” focuses on the relationship between Rachel and her father. It was nice to not only learn more about Rachel but also really see her grow as a character and come out from under her father’s shadow.
In the end, Rachel’s father realizes he needs to drop the case. Citing a conflict of interest, the case gets farmed out to another law firm, setting the stage for next week’s return of Daniel Hardman (David Costabile).
One of the things the Suits writers do well is create strong female characters. They are not put in simply to look good; they are strong and every bit as equal as the men. I enjoyed the opening scene where Mike and Harvey play a game of H.O.R.S.E. with the office trash, and Jessica Pearson (Gina Torres) walks in. Mike and Harvey may be hotshot lawyers but it’s Jessica who’s in charge.
I admit that while I am fan of Meghan Markle and her character, it is tough for me to watch her. It’s not because she’s a bad actress (quite the opposite, actually), but because of the pain and guilt her character elicits. For example, in “Asterisk,” when she tells Mike his grandmother had died, and in “High Noon,” when she discovers Mike sleeping with another woman, or simply when she learns her LSAT score, I could feel her pain. So much so, I started to feel guilty, as if I had been the one cheating on or hurting her. When she’s embarrassed, I start to blush. I’ve never seen an actress so convincing.
What doesn’t work for me in this episode is the subplot involving Louis Litt (Rick Hoffman) and Katrina Bennett (Amanda Schull). Last week, in “Blood in the Water,” when Louis told Jessica he would never do anything to hurt the firm, I sincerely believed him despite his past. After watching his actions against Katrina in “Zane vs. Zane,” I am left questioning if I still believe that. Louis is a manipulative, pompous weasel, which works when he’s butting heads with Harvey, but against Katrina, it just seems cruel.
Tune in to Suits Thursdays 10 pm ET/PT, only on the USA Network.
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Greg Staffa
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