Rick Hoffman hits paydirt with 'Suits'

THE SHOW "Suits"

WHEN | WHERE Thursday night at 10 on USA

REASON TO WATCH Long Island's Rick Hoffman gets to strut his stuff. And so do his (non-actor) parents!

WHAT IT'S ABOUT Roslyn Heights-raised Hoffman is a gem. But he's the kind of character actor cast mainly as resentful rival to The Star. Or, in this case, the stars, as in Gabriel Macht's legal supercloser Harvey Specter and Patrick J. Adams as Macht's pseudo-lawyer brainiac assistant/banter buddy Mike Ross. Hoffman's fellow attorney character Louis Litt is the envious "mushroom in the shadow" of their snazzy tree.

But Thursday's hour wonders who will win control of their high-powered Manhattan firm. And for once, Hoffman's über-nerd/bully/outcast holds the cards. The cool kids must make nice to get his vote.

Cue "Staying Alive" on the soundtrack, as Hoffman does his best Travolta strut-'n'-slide.

MY SAY Nice to see our guy cut loose. "Suits" has been making it clear that Hoffman's nastiness is actually defense, from a sad societal misfit. Even making senior partner comes to him in a less-than-earned way, and he doesn't want the episode title, "Asterisk." (Think Roger Maris.)

SEE PHOTOSWill Smith and more grown-up child stars

It's also nice how well Charlie and Gail Hoffman of Lake Success fit into things here. Needling their son via video chat, they make it clear whence he came. Never happy, never happy.

All the "Suits" supporting players get rich screen time in this hour, which covers its expositional bases so even newcomers can follow the episode.

BOTTOM LINE After "The $treet," "Philly," "Jake in Progress" and "Samantha Who?" Hoffman finally finds a keeper.

GRADE B+