Suits Review: Windmills (Season 9 Episode 3)

Sure, everyone’s talking about Harvey and Donna’s new relationship, and there’s plenty to say about Darvey from the latest episode. But where Suits Season 9 Episode 3, “Windmills,” shines is in its focus on Harvey and Donna’s friendship with Louis.

Even Louis knows that Donna and Harvey’s relationship was a long time coming, but that doesn’t make it any easier to grapple with the change in the dynamic.

It seemed like a small moment enough moment on Suits Season 9 Episode 2, “Special Master,” when Harvey took Donna’s side against Louis even though he didn’t really agree, but that moment meant a turn — and one that Donna wasn’t comfortable with.

She sets Harvey straight pretty quickly at the beginning of this episode, and they both take the time to discuss how they’ll keep their relationship from interfering with work and vice versa. Donna also goes to Louis, and assures him that won’t be happening again.

She has no interest in turning a man into a doormat, because of course she doesn’t. She and Harvey are going to be so good together.

Still, Louis felt those effects too. He said as much at that moment, but now when Harvey and Donna are nowhere to be found and he needs help, he takes it personally.

And in true paranoid Louis fashion, he assumes that when he sees the new couple laughing after rejecting his phone call, that they’re laughing about him. They aren’t — they’re just trying to set some healthy boundaries between their relationship and their jobs, but Louis is known for jumping to these kinds of conclusions, and he gets his feelings hurt.

Fortunately, it’s resolved in the most endearing of ways. It’s remarkable how much Harvey and Louis’s relationship has evolved over the years. They were rivals once, all while Louis idolized Harvey.

But eventually they developed this mutual respect for one another, and now they’re very real friends. It’s an indication of how each of their characters has changed, too. Obviously, they’ve both matured, but it goes a bit deeper than that. It feels… hopeful. It’s the kind of character development that drives great storytelling.

Donna plays her part too, because she has her own individual friendship with Louis that’s been a joy to watch from the start. They share some common interests, and I only wish we could have seen a few scenes from their girls’ night with Sheila.

Louis’s loyalty and the realization that he needs these friends around him does mean one sacrifice, though. He turns down the opportunity for a judgeship, which quite frankly, feels like the wrong choice. 

Louis deserves a position like that, and not much would be more satisfying than to see him get something big that he’s always wanted. But maybe for Louis, what’s more satisfying is to see him have loyal friends by his side, as well as a brand new family.

Harvey and Donna’s relationship does get its own time, and it’s sweet and fitting for the characters. Some of it does feel a little disjointed, which I can only blame on timing. I’m much less interested in seeing Katrina deal with a new associated than I am in watching Harvey and Donna navigate this new territory.

We do learn a little something new about each character, though, and it’s as they learn these things about one another. Yes, they’ve known each other for years, but this is different now. And the work-life balance is going to be their biggest hurdle.

I am entirely amused that Harvey watches Oprah, for the record.

Now, as for the Katrina storyline, I do enjoy watching Katrina grow and figure out who she is as a lawyer.

I like it even more that she goes to Samantha for advice, and then makes the boldest of moves by waltzing the associate into Faye’s office and calling her bluff. It’s badass and I’m a fan.

Can this be it with the talk of Brian, though? It’s time to let that whole thing go.

Samantha and Alex bonding is a great thing, too, but again, it’s something I’m less interested in than what’s happening with Harvey and Donna or with Louis. I’d have rather seen more time devoted to those characters, especially as the series moves toward its end.

Other thoughts:

• Can we talk about how great Sheila and Louis are together? They’ve become such a perfect fit for each other.
• Gretchen is not only there for Donna in her time of need, but she’s got plenty of good advice to go around, as usual. I always love it when she appears on the screen.
• Alex should get bonus points for trying to fix everyone. First, he takes Louis bowling to help him blow off steam, then he has Samantha over to dinner with his family — I’m curious to see if that’s a trend that will continue.
• Who the hell thinks it’s okay to ask Donna to go back to being a secretary? That moment is a bit of a kick in the stomach.

“Windmills” was written by Marshall Knight and Rob LaMorgese. It was directed by Gabriel Macht.

What did you think of this episode of Suits? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Suits airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on USA.

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