From Joy to Pain, Suits “Not Just a Pretty Face” 

Don’t mind me. I’m just trying to rein in my feelings. I experienced some extreme emotions at the end of the Suits finale. I’m still trying to process them. Let’s break things down in to a good news column and a bad news column. Let’s start with the good news because I can’t even begin to think about the bad news right now.

The Good News

-Mike proposes to Rachel. This was the next logical step for these two but I didn’t see it coming until Mike started talking big and romantic. I guess I didn’t see it coming because these two had quite the difficult journey this season. When a show goes on hiatus for a few months people tend to forget. But the business with Rachel and her ex caused lots of drama for these two. Plus, Mike started out the season working for a totally different company. Now these two are together at home and at work. They have each other’s backs. They don’t have a perfect relationship but they have proved they can withstand a lot. So when Mike proposes to Rachel, it’s a MAJOR moment.

Mike: Rachel, you know I told you I loved you from the second I met you.

Rachel: Well, you loved my pencil skirt.

Mike: I loved your face. (laughter) You’re the most amazing woman I have ever met. And you’re not just beautiful but you’re sweet and caring and kind and brilliant and tenacious.

Rachel: Mike, are…are you doing what I think you’re doing?

Mike: I called your father today. And then I went to get Grammy’s ring cleaned.

Rachel: Oh my…

Mike: I don’t want to go 40 years wondering why I didn’t do this one day sooner. (kneels down) Rachel Elizabeth Zane, I love you and I always will. You’re my whole life. Will you marry me?

Rachel: Yes. Yes.

Mike: Here. (puts the ring on her finger)

Rachel: Oh my God. It’s beautiful.

Mike: She wore it every day for almost 60 years.

Rachel: So will I.

Simple. Sweet. Perfect. It’s such a romantic, perfectly executed milestone moment. It’s my Moment of Goodness from this Suits finale. I don’t even want know what happens between these two in season five. I just want to bask in the sweetness of this proposal. While this show has lots of heart it does have the tendency to be hardcore and intense. That’s why it makes scenes like this even sweeter. I had the biggest smile on my face the entire time.

-Harvey and Sean Cahill make a great team. They figure out a way to use Eric Woodall to defeat the evil and shady Charles Forstman. And they did it without having to drag Harvey’s brother back into it. Harvey blames himself for his brother becoming a gambling addict. And we get to see in the flashbacks that 1. Marcus goes to his brother to help him with money for a restaurant. This is his way to dig himself out of the black hole of addiction. At the time, Harvey’s working for the DA’s office. He doesn’t have the beaucoup bucks he has now. That’s why he becomes an easy target for Forstman. 2. Harvey gets in trouble with Forstman. You can tell Harvey’s already a player but he’s not as hardened as he is now. He was young and a little bit stupid. And Forstman tricked him every which way but loose. On top of that, Marcus unknowingly got tangled up in this web of deceit. And so he’s potentially collateral damage when Specter and Forstman go head to head again in the present.

But Harvey’s maneuverings and machinations are good enough to catch Forstman with his guard down. Forstman has an even bigger ego than Harvey. So he would never in a million years think that Harvey would be working with feds to snare him, right? Well that’s what happens. Harvey wears a wire and Cahill hides while Forstman incriminates himself. Go Harvey. Too bad things take a turn for the worse (more on that later).

-In the present, Harvey seems to have a good relationship with Marcus. He phones his brother and they call each other “loser” and “dickhead” (how adorable!) and he says he misses Marcus. They say they love each other and it’s so nice to see that Harvey has a positive relationship with his bro. I hope we see Billy Miller in the present during season five.

-The music was fantastic in this finale: The set list courtesy of Suits‘ associate producer, Nathan Perkins

Setlist from the #SuitsFinale. Until season five…. pic.twitter.com/LQaWKMDupZ

— Nathan Perkins (@NatePerk) March 5, 2015

The Bad News

-RIP Norma. Louis reacts to his secretary’s death in only the way Louis can. He hates her battle axe ways. But you know what? She was his battle axe. It turns out he misses her. And he’s broken up about it. Donna helps him come to terms with his feelings.

-However, the grief doesn’t overtake Louis enough that he can’t tell Donna what she needs to hear right now. She’s hurting from knowing that Harvey loves her but isn’t what anyone would call in love with her.

-Jessica’s reeling over losing Jeff. Ok, she’s definitely feeling the loss. I’m just assuming she’s reeling on the inside. Jessica doesn’t really let anyone see her sweat. But she’s not able to get herself together enough to help Harvey with his problems. And that’s telling.

I’ve put this off for as long as I can. Donna and Harvey break up. She’s no longer his secretary. She’s defected over to Louis. This Moment of Heartbreak comes right after the Mike/Rachel proposal. And as ecstatic as I was over that moment that happened a minute before, I was pretty much devastated by Donna’s decision:

Donna: I’m leaving you, Harvey.

Harvey: What?

Donna: This isn’t working for me anymore.

Harvey: Donna, I know how you’re feeling but you just went through something with being on trial and, uh…you need to give it time. You can’t just quit.

Donna: I’m not quitting. I’m going to work for Louis.

Harvey: Donna…Donna, please…

Donna: I love you, Harvey…

Hearing the words “I’m not quitting. I’m going to work for Louis” coming from Donna…I felt as destroyed as Harvey. His “Donna, please” reply was simply heartbreaking. As much as I worship the Mike/Harvey connection on this show, the Harvey/Donna relationship is my favorite. It hurts my heart to see this happen which probably means creator Aaron Korsh did a good job constructing this finale. He didn’t end it on Mike and Rachel. He didn’t end it on the Charles Forstman defeat. He ended it on one of the most painful moments that could ever happen on Suits. Which will make this hiatus highly painful. I’m already wanting to fast forward time to see the fallout from this major breakup.

Thankfully, Korsh has given some interviews and he’s already teased what’s ahead once Suits returns for season five. I was reminded in the interview he gave TV Guide Magazine’s Damian Holbrook that Harvey has major abandonment issues. This development plays right into those issues. Oh, Harvey…

What are your thoughts on the Harvey/Donna breakup? How about the Mike and Rachel engagement?

Suits returns for Season 5 this summer on USA Network.