Summary
Episode 13, “The Greater Good”, was a calm, balanced episode that is surprisingly well written considering some of the misfires in season 8 of Suits.
At the start of Suits Season 8 Episode 13, Donna wakes up in a dreamlike state, turning over to see her newly found man ready to go to work. He offers her coffee before he leaves. Everything seems to be going smoothly quickly. The problem is, as Donna enters the office, Harvey says he has been looking for her all morning.
But “The Greater Good” was less about romance and more about doing what is right. Sometimes Suits takes the moral high ground, moving away from corrupt handshakes and aggression, and helping others. The firm is still a family; a different family, but the lawyers all feel emotionally connected to having each other’s backs.
The Theme is Family
Samantha is alarmed in “The Greater Good” when her foster mother appears after so many years. She needs help because one of her children was caught with pills in his car. Being the protective mother, she told the police the tablets were hers, and desperately needs Samantha’s counsel.
In a moment of vulnerability, Samantha learns that her foster mother gave her up when the authorities came from her, forcing the usually determined lawyer to refuse to help.
Suits Season 8 Episode 13 (Credit – Netflix)
Having an expected newborn baby while being the Managing Partner at a reputable corporate firm is taking a toll on Louis who is struggling to handle his diary. Shiela is always reminding him of what is essential. In usual Litt-fashion, he storms into the office and shouts at Katrinafor dropping the ball on the perfume contract. Katrina, however, does not tell Louis about the whole “feelings” ordeal that did not help matters in the case.
The core story to “The Greater Good” is one of those “coming back to bite you” moments. Remember when Donna advised Stu to trade a stock? Well, now Stu is getting blackmailed. Harvey asks Donna for help again on this matter, and what is clear are the cracks emerging in Donna’s association with her life-long colleague. Alex is also invited to bury it, but when he meets the trader who is plotting all this, he fails miserably. Harvey reaches out to Sean Cahill, the same person who helped get Mike out of jail and unfortunately, Sean is not in the mood for getting involved in illegal activities.
All hope seems to be lost in “The Greater Good”, but the characters turn it around in a balanced, calm episode. In the end, Robert convinces Samantha to help out her foster mother. Samantha explains to the prosecutor that she used to be a rotten egg as well, but without this foster mother, she wouldn’t have been the person she is today, and just like a beautiful fairytale, the prosecutor agrees to a deal.
Brian is understandably pissed about being dropped as Katrina’s associate because ultimately it damages his career. After consulting with Donna (who else?), Katrina speaks to Brian correctly about the unspoken feelings and agrees to work with him for 12 months until he can become a junior partner. Surely this is not going to work?
Suits Season 8 Episode 13 (Credit – Netflix)
How does Suits Season 8 Episode 13 end?
Anyway, in the end, Harvey predictably clears Stu from going to prison for stock manipulation. As the trader trying to oust him visits Sean to discuss the criminal activity, Sean explains that while he is aware of the crime, blackmail is also a punishable act and that both of them should be in handcuffs. Harvey walks in smugly, telling the trader that he has also been fired.
As discussed at the start of the recap, “The Greater Good” offers a turning point for Donna, who is somewhat happy with Thomas, yet is frustrated by her work. It seems the needed break has given her another outlook in life. She was understandably upset when Harvey asked her to ask Stu to retire to avoid prison because she trusted Harvey to provide the initial advice when this situation came to their desks. As episode 13 closes, Donna agrees to meet Thomas yet again, and as she walks off to change, her smartphone buzzes; it’s Harvey, who wants a drink to celebrate.
Harvey, realizing that Donna may not be available, rings Mike, which also goes to voicemail. Harvey is lonely, and soon he will sense that he is losing Donna too. The second wave of Harvey-Donna is coming.
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