The 6 Biggest Moments from the Suits Season 7 Premiere “Skin in the Game” 

I can’t believe season seven of Suits is here. The 100th episode is going to air later this season. Time has flown.

The premiere ventured into new territory but, at the same time, it felt like classic Suits. Harvey and Mike bantered and threw out movie references while working a case that bordered on fraud (well more than bordered). Donna was being awesomely badass and Gretchen, well, she was too.

At the end of it all, Harvey took his rightful spot at the throne of Pearson Specter Litt. He didn’t let his client bully him or the firm. Mike snagged Harvey’s office after a little push. Okay it was more than a little push. Mike really needed Harvey to move into Jessica’s prime real estate so said push was justified.

Donna, realizing how integral she’s been to the firm for ten years, put her mouth and money where it counted. She was rewarded with the title of senior partner. She and her fabulousness earned herself a seat at the table. On the flip side, Louis didn’t fare too well. His breakup with Tara was still super fresh. And what happens when Louis hurts? He usually makes everyone around him hurt, too.

Let’s break this episode down by its biggest moments though, shall we?

Harvey reconnected with his therapist

I’m not going to lie. I’m completely and utterly conflicted when it comes to Harvey romancing his former therapist. I like these two together but I liked them more as doctor/patient.

Harvey depended on Dr. Paula to help him with his panic attacks for the first half of season five. In “Skin in the Game,” the show made sure to tell us enough time has passed since they were doctor/client. That means they’re not breaking any rules with the American Psychological Association. According to Harvey, they’re three weeks pass the point of no return.

But to me, not enough time has passed. And while I do feel Gabriel Macht and Christina Cole share a really nice chemistry, this is not the way I wanted the relationship between Harvey and the fierce doctor to progress. Harvey said the right things. He made up with his mother. He got Mike back. He fibbed a little on the stepping up to take the reins at work, but we all knew that was going to happen sooner rather than later.

I still feel like Harvey needs therapy. His issues aren’t solved because he made up with his mother. Also, a season and a half has passed since we saw Dr. Agard. We never heard Harvey say much about her. After all, he was too busy picking up the pieces after Mike’s secret was outed, getting Mike out of jail, and finally figuring out a way for Mike to become a bonafide attorney. We barely saw Harvey worry about being with any woman let alone Paula.

So, for me, it was a bit abrupt for him to take his sleek car over to her place and ask the doctor out. I do like how Paula continued to bring up some of the ethical issues at play here. She should. But all those issues went out the window when he once again rushed over to her place (in his amazing convertible) and kissed her on the sidewalk at the end of the episode.

What I liked about their scenes back in the beginning of season five is that it could have easily led to something romantic but everything was kept professional. She had a code. She wanted to help him because he needed a lot of help. It was refreshing. And selfishly, I loved seeing Harvey in therapy and now I don’t know if the show will ever go back there.

All too often TV relationships featuring a hot shrink and hotter patient goes the way of a romantic entanglement. I liked when it didn’t seem like this one was headed that way. Now I have to make an adjustment psychologically to see if I can accept the evolution of Harvey Specter and Dr. Paula Agard.

Donna becomes Senior Partner

Everything Donna went through last season with the potential goldmine courtesy of “The Donna” taught her something. Things didn’t go her way, which is odd because almost everything does. What she learned from this experience is that she wanted more and no one was going to stop her from getting it.

I thought maybe we’d go on a journey with Donna this season to find out what “more” meant. And that it might once again take her away from PSL. But this is better. I don’t know if this kind of thing ever happens for real at law firms, but I am completely on board with this move.

Harvey was worried about not being Jessica. Now he doesn’t have to be Jessica all the time. There’s another strong woman who can step up and do the dirty work when needed. And that’s Donna. So congrats to her.

Louis Loses the Associates

Poor Louis. He tried to be a kinder gentler Louis Litt for about five minutes. He tried to be all nice and accommodating. He bent a little when challenged on the two-day off rule not including Saturday and Sunday (which should be a given). But when the guy from Degrassi: The Next Generation (Jake Epstein) mentioned he needed a couple real days off because of his impending fatherhood, Louis went ballistic.

I understand where he’s coming from. He almost had everything he ever wanted — the woman, the kid (even though the child wasn’t biologically his). Hearing this associate talk about becoming a dad triggered something inside him. Instead of having a normal reaction to the guy’s situation, he laid waste to at least two of his associates and pretty much damaged his relationship with all of them.

Louis needs to learn he can’t make everyone else’s life miserable when he himself is miserable. Surprisingly, he let Harvey step up as Managing Partner without any bluster. Plus he stepped aside (with much, much bluster) to let Rachel take on the business of leading the associates. Louis is down but we know he’s not out, right? Maybe he should take that vacation he hasn’t had in almost ten years per Gretchen. But first he might need a bit more closure with Tara.

Rachel Gains the Associates

One of the Suits relationships I love most is the friendship that exists between Rachel and Louis. I don’t know why. I just like when Rick Hoffman and Meghan Markle share scenes together, I guess.

Anyway, Louis can’t handle huge responsibility right now. I’m happy Rachel gets to take on this challenge. I’m curious to see how the associates are going to deal with her considering she just became a lawyer and basically skipped the whole associate’s stage.

She’s now in charge of them. I have no idea if this is going to become a thing. Sure, she’s been part of the firm for a long time and has been essential to its success…as a paralegal. She’s a newbie lawyer, right? Who knows. Maybe this won’t materialize as an issue at all. But it could.

Mike already struggles to balance his corporate and pro bono sides

Mike made the switch from the clinic back to the corporate world. He gave his old boss (Peter Cambor) a hefty check he negotiated from Harvey. And he also could rest his guilty mind knowing he negotiated a serious amount of pro bono work to boot.

He likes helping people not just the evil corporate overlords. So all’s well, right? Well his boss and his former colleague (Jordan Johnson-Hinds) didn’t see his defecting back to PSL as anything good. They think he’s leaving them in a lurch, selling his soul so to speak. Only time will tell if Mike will be able to devote as much time to pro bono as he does to the clients that pay.

Harvey Takes the Reins of the Firm

Harvey: “I’m not her.”

At first I thought Mike was a bit ballsy moving into Harvey’s office before Harvey had even packed his stuff up. He knew what he was doing though. He gave Harvey the push he needed.

After all, this was inevitable. Harvey has always been Jessica’s heir apparent. We just didn’t know it was going to happen so soon. What surprised me is that Harvey didn’t know if he could fill Jessica’s considerably fierce — and really high — heels. He’s so confident all the time, And when he’s not confident, he bulldozes over his feelings and those feelings of everyone in his path in order to make people think he’s confident.

I never thought for one minute he’d be this insecure about taking over. I loved how he wanted to share a case with Mike because he wanted to feel that camaraderie again. They hadn’t worked together for a while. But Mike — of course — was ready to take on cases by himself. Harvey was having a little trouble cutting the cord.

He remembered missing being able to work with Jessica. It’s awesome to see how much respect, admiration and worship he has for her. Her absence is felt. I miss her every episode she’s not in. And I think Harvey does too.

Harvey taking the reins is a huge deal. We thought every lawyer in New York City was gunning for him before. Let’s see what happens now. He’s going to have to be political at times. He’s going to have to take each situation separately. I think it’s going to be interesting to see if he can do that. It’s going to be fun to see what kind of big boss he’ll be.

Suits airs Wednesday nights at 9/8c on USA Network.