Even the title TRICKS OF THE TRADE gives it away Usually a showcase episode is left until the very end of a season. The idea is that you build the characters to the point where the audience fully understands the backstory and then you start to cut loose, cross arcs, create parallel themes.
The amazing thing to this reviewer (which foretold the power of this series) is that the writers felt that by the sixth episode of the first season they were ready to party. Not only do we have the "present" arc which works really well about a wrongly accused stock trader (and nicely runs contra to the notion that this is a heartless firm) but we are digging deep in the backstory to have a character from the present try to get help on an LSAT which of course is part of the deep past of one of the main characters.
Beautiful construction.
The amazing thing to this reviewer (which foretold the power of this series) is that the writers felt that by the sixth episode of the first season they were ready to party. Not only do we have the "present" arc which works really well about a wrongly accused stock trader (and nicely runs contra to the notion that this is a heartless firm) but we are digging deep in the backstory to have a character from the present try to get help on an LSAT which of course is part of the deep past of one of the main characters.
Beautiful construction.