Suits: LA Season 1 Episode 8 Review: Acapulco

A lack of communication lands Erica and Leah in a hapless situation on Suits: LA Season 1 Episode 8, “Acapulco.”

When Erica and Leah lose someone close to them separately, emotions are at an all-time high.

Meanwhile, Stuart’s interactions with David Bowie go to new lengths when a confrontation doesn’t pan out as expected. In the past, Ted is forced to seek help from Harvey to win his case.

Grief is a Tricky Situation

As we approach the season finale, Suits: LA is pulling back the veil more and more about Erica’s personal life.

On Suits: LA Season 1 Episode 7, “Good Times,” we’re privy to the inner workings of her relationship dynamic with her mother. It’s a facet the series touches on briefly in the beginning but has shied away from until now.

In this instance, we learn about Erica’s relationship with her neighbor, Arthur, who passed away. She reminiscences about her childhood, when he helped her at times she expected to be accosted.

His death hits her even harder, knowing he was on the decline, and she had plans to see him in the coming days.

Within the same timeframe Erica learns about Arthur, Leah discovers that her cat, Katniss, was put down during a routine check-up. The primary factor of both instances is that neither gets to say a final goodbye.

When Leah denies a request for her to join Erica at dinner that night, it opens a can of worms to a volatile situation for all.

“Acapulco” tackles the hardships of being a professional and maintaining a full-time job while respecting the boundaries between work and personal time. It’s a reality that everyone in the work industry faces at one point, making it even more relatable.

One of the glaring highlights of the episode is how many keep what’s hurting them to themselves, putting on a brave face in the face of adversity.

Erica isn’t as transparent with her feelings as she should be at times, and “Acapulco” works to show her that. Most people aren’t thinking logically when mourning, and the best choices are often not the route taken.

However, as Erica mentioned to Marvin, the new head of HR, she and Leah have gotten close. Rather than blowing up on her in front of the office, Erica could have easily pulled her aside and confronted the issue.

Lex Scott Davis has provided solid performances week after week, but “Acapulco” allows her to showcase another side of Erica, and her delivery of painstakingly emotional moments is the best aspect of the episode.

In the end, though, there’s no real conclusion between her and Leah. Hopefully, in the last two episodes of the season, we will see the two have an honest conversation and make up.

Defending a Murderer

Unlike what he wished for, Stuart’s case with David Bowie is nowhere near a clear-cut-and-dry win.

As he presses for the truth, Stuart gets Bowie to open up and admit to catching the whistleblower’s car on fire. From that point on, it seems things could potentially move in their favor. However, that is until things take a drastic turn after Stuart approaches the prosecutor in the case.

Upon acting out his intimidation tactics, Stuart quickly realizes Bowie has manipulated him. The prosecution has a secret witness they plan to bring out, meaning Bowie is a repeat offender, and their chances of winning are significantly lower.

Ending on a bit of a cliffhanger, in the final moments, Stuart is alerted to the fact that Bowie might’ve murdered the secret whistleblower. It’s a momentous conclusion and feels like the right choice moving forward.

Suits: LA‘s primary focus is on Ted and the drama surrounding him, which is no secret. Moreover, it’s nice to finally see Stuart given material that doesn’t directly correlate with anything going on with Samantha or Ted.

Not only does taking this route provide an opportunity for more original time spent with Stuart, but it also allows more scenes between him and Rick. His relationship with Rick may be rocky at times, but the two of them together provide some of the most comedic moments of the series.

With as many times as it’s mentioned, there needs to be a moment, even if it’s briefly in the finale, where we see Stuart forcing Rick to play Dungeons & Dragons. It’s become a focal point in their dynamic and would only provide further comedic relief.

Nowhere Else to Go

In the past timeline, Ted’s trial against Pelligrini is off to a start, but things don’t bode well for him. After countless hours of ensuring his star witness was concrete and ready, his believed advantages quickly unraveled.

It doesn’t take much for the defense to catch Jimmy Patriale in a lie on the stand, leading to more work for Ted to prove his truthfulness. With the hopes of this specific attack point falling so quickly, he turns to Harvey for help.

After a bit of pushing, Ted breaks Harvey down enough, so much so that he illegally provides financial records for a company helmed by Pelligrini. It’s a piece of knowledge that finally offers Ted the upper hand and one that couldn’t come at a better time.

Jumping back and forth between timelines has not been a favorite element of mine, but it does have its moments of entertainment. One of those is any time Ted and Harvey are sharing the screen.

With only two episodes remaining, all that’s left to look forward to is Ted finally putting Pelligrini behind bars and learning the truth behind Eddie’s death.

While the series has not been renewed for a Season 2 just yet, one of the best things it could do for itself is wrap up the past timeline storyline. It’s served its purpose throughout the season, and with minimal left to cover in the trial, it would make sense to bring it to a close.

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Suits: LA airs on Sundays at 9/8c on NBC.

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