Suits Review: The Scenic Route (Season 9 Episode 7)
With only a few episodes left of the series, Suits Season 9 Episode 7, “The Scenic Route,” begins to bring some closure.
The main focus is on Samantha as she and Harvey head on a road trip to Pittsburgh to meet her father.
It feels at first a little bittersweet since the episode serves as a way to further develop Samantha’s character when there’s not much story left, but by the end of it, it also feels like a nice conclusion for her.
The road trip is the most important part. There are flashbacks to Samantha’s past — though it’s really a little too convenient that Harvey picks the same car that brings up those memories for her.
Ultimately, she and Harvey aren’t so different, both in their personalities and in their past experiences. We get a chance to see even more of Harvey’s growth as he hands over some solid advice to Samantha — maybe she really can just let go of the anger she was carrying around for so long.
Harvey really has come a long way, and even though Samantha’s story is the focus, it relates directly to Harvey and brings his character some significant closure, too.
He’s come to terms with a lot of his own anger, and it’s so satisfying to see how his relationship with his mother has changed.
I’ve also been hoping that there would be a way he’d get that painting back before the series ended. Leave it to Donna to make it happen. It’s a beautiful moment, and it’s even more special that Donna finds a way to get it back for him now that they’re together as a couple.
Speaking of which, the two have some sweet moments both at the beginning and end of the episode.
Their “I love yous” feel so real, and I like that they address Harvey taking that trip with Samantha and Donna’s understanding of their friendship. Jealousy doesn’t have a home here, and that’s a great thing to see.
In fact, that really shows more of why this was perfect timing for Donna and Harvey to be together.
Not only did that slow (sooo slow) burn make it even more satisfying once they got together, but with it being near the end of the series, there’s no need for drama between them to keep the story interesting. We get to see them solid and real, and I appreciate that so much more.
If anyone gets real closure on this episode, though, I’m saying it’s Louis.
His pretending to be Harvey feels over the top at first (that wig!) and I caught myself thinking he was dreaming for part of it, but for him to spend that time walking in Harvey’s shoes only to realize it’s actually not all it’s cracked up to be, that’s the closure Louis has needed for an awfully long time.
Louis: I just had to realize that it’s great being Harvey, but I’d rather be me.
I can’t not talk about how far Harvey’s relationship with Louis has come, too. Harvey is patient with Louis on this episode, and Samantha characterizes the way Louis feels about Harvey perfectly. Just think back to how they were in Suits Season 1 for a minute.
Honestly, character development and relationship development are the things that have always made this show special.
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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Ashley Bissette Sumerel
Ashley Bissette Sumerel is a television and film critic living in Wilmington, North Carolina. She is editor-in-chief of Tell-Tale TV as well as Eulalie Magazine. Ashley has also written for outlets such as Rolling Stone, Paste Magazine, and Insider. Ashley has been a member of the Critics Choice Association since 2017 and is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic. In addition to her work as an editor and critic, Ashley teaches Entertainment Journalism, Composition, and Literature at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.