Dog Fight

Dog Fight
Season 1
Episode 12
Information
Air date	September 8, 2011
Written by	Aaron Korsh
Directed by	Kevin Bray
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Previous	Rules of the Game
Next	She Knows

“	Clifford: What are you doing here, prosecutor? Harvey: I believe you're innocent. [...] I want you to let me represent you. Clifford: You think I'm gonna trust you after what you did to me? Harvey: I don't see anyone else lining up to get your ass out of here.	”
—Clifford Danner and Harvey Specter

Dog Fight is the twelfth and final episode of the first season of Suits and the 12th overall. It first aired on September 8, 2011.

Synopsis

Harvey tries to free an innocent man but hits a wall when he goes to the district attorney, who seems more focused on preserving the system than seeking justice. Elsewhere, Trevor causes problems when he shows up on Mike's doorstep.

Plot

To be added.

Cast

Main Cast

• Gabriel Macht as Harvey Specter
• Patrick J. Adams as Mike Ross
• Rick Hoffman as Louis Litt
• Meghan Markle as Rachel Zane
• Sarah Rafferty as Donna Paulsen
• Gina Torres as Jessica Pearson

Recurring Cast

• Vanessa Ray as Jenny Griffith
• Tom Lipinski as Trevor Evans

Guest Cast

• Chi McBride as Terrence Wolf
• Neil Brown Jr. as Clifford Danner
• Ari Cohen as Detective Packel
• Chad Connell as Jason Black
• Morgan Kelly as Matt Bailey
• Robert Verlaque as Judge Gus Benjamin
• Carl Bauer as Guard

Major/Highlighted Events

• Harvey focuses on getting Clifford Danner out, whom he imprisoned twelve years ago at the age of eighteen for murdering a girl at his private school. However, the letter that proved she was his girlfriend and a camisole with the DNA of Matt Bailey and Jason Black, the real murderers, were buried by Cameron Dennis, who was forced to step down as the District Attorney in the previous episode. His replacement, Terrence Wolf, is reluctant to cooperate with Harvey as word is spreading around that Harvey caused Cameron's resignation when he leaked classified documents from the past, causing Harvey to realize that Donna leaked them. Harvey comes close to firing Donna, but Jessica defends her and tells Harvey to forgive her, although Harvey reminds Donna to never go behind his back again.
• Rachel finds herself falling for Mike, after having smoothed their problems from the previous episode, and admits to Donna whether she should kill Jenny Griffith, albeit in a humorous fashion. The duo decide to drink in Harvey's office instead, with Rachel asking if she ever got into a relationship with Harvey. Donna claims she never did, as doing so would mean they would never be able to go back. After she leaves to use the restroom, Rachel drunk dials Mike and confesses her feelings for him.
• Trevor Evans returns from Montana, having earned a job at a law firm's mail room, and asks if he can stay with Mike for a few days. Mike decides not to tell Trevor about them, despite Jenny stating that if Trevor found out, he would expose Mike's fraud. After discovering what Clifford's secret relationship did to him, Mike tells Jenny that they have to tell Trevor before he finds out from someone else.
• The DNA evidence is declared inadmissible, after Detective Packel abused the chain of command a dozen years ago. Packel explains that sometimes good guys must do bad things in order to make the bad guys pay. After coercing Clifford into punching him in order to buy 48 hours, Harvey decides to physically abuse Matt Bailey in order to extract a confession. Realizing that Harvey is willing to go to such lengths to release Clifford, Mike instead opts for the pair to recruit Trevor, whom they task with breaking into Matt's house and threatening to kill him on Jason Black's orders. Packel, Harvey, and Mike, who situated themselves in Matt's living room, convince him to confess to the murders or risk being murdered by Jason. Matt confesses and the two end up in prison, while Clifford is freed. Mike and Harvey go to the prison to see Clifford being released, with Mike using Harvey's phone to call Trevor and tell him about Jenny, since he forgot his phone at home.
  • When trying to get Louis to expedite the DNA testing, Louis tries to blackmail Jessica, demanding that he be promoted to senior partner in return. Jessica reminds Louis that she makes the threats, not him, and tells him that he would be free to bark orders once he runs his own firm, which she dubs "Litt, Nothing & Nobody". This is also the second time Louis voices his desire to be promoted to senior partner, the first time being in "Pilot".
  • At Mike's apartment, Trevor finds Mike's phone and listens to Rachel's voicemail, where he hears Rachel talking about Mike and Jenny's relationship. This infuriates Trevor, who proceeds to pay a visit to Jessica at Pearson Hardman and reveals Mike's fraud to her.

Cultural References

• Mike makes a "hill of beans" reference, which Rachel does not get. Mike tells her it's from Casablanca, although Rachel replies that she refrained from watching that movie since she deemed it too old. Mike then asks if her if she'd ever seen Gone With the Wind or Citizen Kane, which she replies she hasn't. Mike then asks if she's seen Dirty Dancing, prompting Rachel to immediately quote "Nobody puts Baby in a corner." leaving Mike frustrated due to her standard of movie knowledge.
• Detective Packel asks Harvey which Denzel Washington movie that the quote "Tell it to me like a five year old" derives from, explaining that sometimes good guys have to do bad things in order to make the bad guys pay. The correct quote is "explain this to me like I’m a five year-old" and derives from Denzel's 1993 film Philadelphia.
• Mike realizes that Harvey's course of action is a rip-off from the film Mississippi Burning, leaving Harvey slightly surprised as he didn't think Mike would know that movie. Mike and Harvey continue to use Mississippi Burning as their template to deal with the Clifford Danner situation.
• Donald Trump, Patrick Ewing, Larry Bird and Kobe Bryant are mentioned and revealed to be Harvey's clients.
• A mention of the Toronto Blue Jays is heard on the radio.

Trivia

• Goddamn Counter: 2
• This is the first episode to use the "Previously on Suits" opening.
• Harvey mentions the time Mike lost in housing court. ("Dirty Little Secrets")
• Trevor mentions how Harvey saved his life. ("Bail Out")
• Mike mentions the gun and the 146 options speech from "Errors and Omissions".
• When Mike brings up the fact that he was an amazing criminal, Harvey reminds him about the briefcase full of weed opening and spilling its contents on the floor. ("Pilot")
• Clifford Danner reappears in the season 3 episode "Endgame".
• District Attorney Terrence Wolf reappears in the season 4 episode "Intent".
• Jessica's mention of Louis being a name partner at "Litt, Nothing & Nobody" causes him to lose respect for her and is responsible in some degree to his actions in season 2.

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