Suits Season 8 Episode 2 Review: Pecking Order
Paul Dailly
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Samantha Wheeler is growing on me.
On Suits Season 8 Episode 2, she essentially went up against everyone at the firm, but her goal wasn't to discredit any of them, it was to prove her worth.
Through two episodes, she's proven to be resourceful, cunning, and most of all, surprising.
The addition of Katherine Heigl was a controversial one for Suits. Most fans worried the show was going to find itself in the cancellation heap because Heigl's two most recent series lasted just one season each before getting kicked to the curb.
There's no question -- Heigl has breathed new life into a series that ran in circles for the better part of two years.
Related: Suits Season 8 Episode 1 Review: Right-Hand Man
After I compared her to Jessica Pearson on my review for Suits Season 8 Episode 1, "Pecking Order" peeled back the layers to show us that all she wants is to be part of a successful firm.
I'm not going to defend the way she goes about things because if she kept Harvey in the loop, I doubt they would have been bickering for much of the hour.
A standout moment was her meeting with Donna. There was tension from the get-go, and Samantha was not doing herself any favors by trying to get a bigger expense account.
It made her look bratty because there was a protocol, and she was not willing to follow it. Turning to Robert to prove she had more pull than Donna was a smart power move ... one that even frightened Donna.
Sam: I am on this team now, and I have got its best interests at heart.
Donna: Well, you got a funny way of showing it.
If you watch Suits online, you know Donna has been the go-to person to sort things out since the show's inception, but even she was out of her depth with Samantha.
There's potential for these two women to be good friends, but there's a lack of trust, and each has their own reasons for that.
Hell, even Gretchen couldn't find all the information on Samantha. Like I said before, she's resourceful and knows how to make power moves.
Working with Harvey proved once again that they conduct their work very differently, but while they may not always agree, they have the firm's best interests at heart.
The firm seems stuck in a transitional stage as it is, and I would like very much for them to get along and recognize that they are trying to achieve a common goal.
Robert assigning Sam to the case to keep tabs on Harvey was a big eye-roll. How do they expect to work together if there's no trust?
I'm thankful they managed to come together at the end and let go of their beef, but please, no more of this. Suits has a knack for running around in circles, and this power struggle is not something I wish to watch on a weekly basis.
The case was rather dull, but it gave us more of Samantha and Harvey together, so that's the only positive I'm taking from it.
Then there's Louis. If you watch Suits online, you know that Louis and Sheila have had the most toxic relationship, but there was nothing about her egging him on to take on a bigger role at the firm that remotely entertained me.
Sheila has been known to be as unpredictable as Louis, but still, the plot felt forced, and it was hard to care for it. It helped the humor of the hour, but it never helped the flow.
Related: Katherine Heigl Joins Cast of Suits for Season 8!
I agree that Louis had to find a way to let Robert and Harvey know that his name is also on the wall, but I doubt anyone would have had to squint to find a more organic way for it to happen.
The next move you're going to make behind my back is finding another job.
Harvey
The writing for Louis has not been great for the last few seasons, but adding in these random plot points without much explanation makes the series suffer.
That said, I loved the fact that Dr. Lipschitz realized who Sheila was without much effort. The similarities between Louis and Sheila are uncanny.
Maybe that's why the pair manage to stay together despite the fiery relationship. Lipshitz would be wise to bar Sheila from his practice because she'll return for intel on Louis at the drop of the hat.
"Pecking Order" was a solid episode that suffered because of some of the weaker storylines. There are far more interesting points to explore than whether Samantha or Alex get to be named partner or not.
What are your thoughts? Is Samantha growing on you, or would prefer the focus be on the other characters?
How do you feel about Sheila randomly telling Louis to demand more respect at the firm?
Hit the comments below.
Suits continues on Wednesdays at 9/8c on USA Network.
Paul Dailly was an Associate Editor for TV Fanatic.Follow him on X.
