The dinner party is a classic, if overused, plot point in TV programming. Dating back to at least the 1950s in programs like the "Leave it to Beaver" episode "Teacher Comes to Dinner," the dinner party has also been a focal point in episodes of "Seinfeld," "The Vampire Diaries," "Family Guy," and "Married with Children." Most often, the dinner party is high stakes for the main characters because a boss, teacher, or other authority figure will be present. The trope has become so entrenched in pop culture that there is even a reality game show called "The Boss is Coming to Dinner" that forces job applicants to impress a potential boss in order to move up the corporate ladder.
So when "Suits" tackles the dinner party, it seems like a tired and simplistic move. But in actuality, the episode "Inside Track" deals with the dinner party in a fresh, mature way that ties perfectly into the theme of the episode. Where the usual dinner party episode deals with the stress of a single boss at the dinner table, in this case, Mike has to host the "rookie dinner" for Louis and 50 of his fellow associates, taking the drama from "Oh no, I have to please the boss to get ahead at the office" to "All these people are gonna find out I'm not who I say I am." Complicating matters, Louis forbids peanuts, gluten, strawberries, and chicken to be served.
The central theme of the episode is getting it, and it's not just Mike who needs to "get it" in order to fit in. Harvey, Trevor, Trevor's girlfriend, and even guest start Dominic all need to "get it" in their own way, but Mike's struggle is central to the story, since he is the character who is most out of his element. He tries to pick out a restaurant for the dinner, and Harvey says jokinginly, "That one would be great if it was 2004." Mike asks, "Why does any of this matter?"
"See that guy over there by the fax? Take a good look," Harvey begins to explain. "He's never going to make partner."
"Let me guess, because he threw a lousy rookie dinner?" Mike asks.
"Because he doesn't get it. He doesn't get that doing good work isn't the whole job. Part of 'getting it' is that things like the dinner actually matter even when you don't think they do," says Harvey. "First impressions last. If you start behind the 8 ball you'll never get in front."
It's a bit of dialogue that succinctly explains the issues at the heart of this episode, and forces viewers to consider that for all his brilliance, Mike will never be a great lawyer until he can play the game.
With a little help from Rachel the paralegal, Mike secures a great location (and Harvey even foots the $10,000 bill.) And the dinner party trope gets turned on its head when Mike tells Louis, "Oh, there might have been some gluten in the ravioli." In a classic dinner party episode, there is nothing worse for the character then displeasing the boss. But in the case of this episode of 'Suits,' seeing Louis get mad is a perfect note to end the episode on.
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