"The Last Call" From Will on THE GOOD WIFE

Article first published as "The Last Call" From Will on THE GOOD WIFE on TheTVKin

In my review of last week's installment of CBS's The Good Wife, I mentioned Will's (Josh Charles) bond with the three main women in his life, and how his connection to each is served. This week's followup, taking place in the immediate wake of Will's death, centers on that trio, as each confronts their grief in a different manner.

The overall tone of this episode is a powerful one, remniscent of Buffy's mother's sudden death on Buffy The Vampire Slayer, the gold standard for great grieving programs. There's a general feeling of sadness and numbness, enhanced by the lack of the soundtrack that usually lifts the dramatic moments. Instead, there's a feeling of nothing, a vacuum sucking the air away. It is sure to evoke an emotional reaction in any viewer with a heart.

Alicia (Julianna Margulies), being the main character of the show and the woman Will actually loved romantically, is the most important, as one would expect. "The Last Call" picks up exactly where the previous installment left off, with Alicia getting the call about Will. Not long after, she finds a voicemail from Will on her phone, interrupted and incomplete, and spends the day obsessed with putting together the last moments of Will's life, tracking down Judge Politi (Vincent Curatola) and the prosecutor, Finn (Matthew Goode, promoted to main character now), to help her fill in the blanks.

Alicia keeps flashing to things Will might have been trying to tell her when he died. Was Will angry with her? Was he remorseful, wanting to repair the bridge between them? Was it something else? These are powerful glimpses, a look into the chaos of Alicia's mind on this pivotal day, and the last one she envisions is the right one for her to choose.
For Alicia, is this about closure, or about mourning what might have been? The latter seems to play into it, since Alicia dodges phone calls from Peter (Chris Noth), her husband and the other man who shares her heart, though she'll answer Eli's (Alan Cumming) communications. This is dangerous territory, tossing aside what you have for something you can't obtain. Now that Alicia knows the truth about what transpired, will she be able put things behind her, or will she stay fixated on Will and his tragic demise?

There is a telling moment when Alicia rejects her daughter, Grace's (Makenzie Vega), attempts to comfort her with thoughts of god. Alicia may just be a realist who doesn't buy into religion, which is valid, but she's a little cold in shutting Grace down. Maybe Alicia doesn't want to be comforted. Maybe she doesn't want to be happy, even if she says she will be eventually. This could be a sign that Alicia is spiraling.

Diane's (Christine Baranski) reaction to Will's passing is without reproach. She welcomes Alicia into the office to wallow together, no animosity left between them. She cancels professional engagements. And she not only fires a high-paying client that oversteps, demanding a meeting on the day Will died, but also makes sure to poison every well said client might now seek to sip from. It's beautiful revenge, passionate, justified anger, and a mark of just how strong Diane is, even in the tough times. Will could have had no better partner, and Baranski's performance is award-worthy, even more so than usual.

This anger and righteousness is echoed, albeit in a smaller way, in Cary (Matt Czuchry), who is forced to take up a deposition the other side demands not be postponed, even though Alicia cannot attend. Cary and Will weren't friends, but Cary's loyalty to Alicia (and Diane in going along with her shut down of the terrible client), is commendable, and proves he deserves the esteem many fans hold him in.

David Lee (Zach Grenier) is an interesting character. He's softer than we've ever seen him when insisting to Diane that he call clients, taking the task off her plate, but being realistic that it needs to happen. Even so, most would have probably thought him callous if we hadn't gotten to glimpse a mini break-down by him first, proving he is moved by Will's passing, and just dealing in his own way. He's not as bad a guy as he sometimes seems. One might even like him in "The Last Call."

The third woman after Diane and Alicia is Kalinda (Archie Panjabi). With enabler Jenna (Jordana Spiro) at her side, Kalinda gets the detective, Doug Young (Will Chase, Nashville, Smash), and the coroner to give her unfettered access to the case. Kalinda is diving into work to cope, her own way of processing grief and a dedicated tribute to Will.

See, Jeffery Grant's lawyer, Alma Hoff (returning guest star Becky Ann Baker, Girls), plans to plead temporary insanity. What's more some will argue that it's hard to tell if the fatal shot came from Jeffery (Hunter Parrish) at all, considering the cross fire. But Kalinda knows Jeffery is guilty, and she is not about let him get away with it.

Kalinda's taunt of Jeffery in his cell, offering him an opportunity at suicide, then yanking it away, is cruel. However, it's no more cruel than she thinks Jeffery deserves, and she may be right. Kalinda is a determined woman, and with her sights set on bringing Will's killer to justice, Jeffery likely will be punished.

Yet, there's still a lingering doubt that Jeffery does deserve to be locked up forever. Hoff's belief in him is an understandable one. The case was not going well for Jeffery, and he was innocent. He genuinely might have gone a little crazy, and certainly didn't intend to shoot Will. Jeffery does need help, to be sure, but a mental hospital might be more appropriate and humane that prison. And that's coming from someone who deeply misses Will and is very sad about his death (me).

I like "The Last Call" notably more than last week's "Dramatics, Your Honor," and that's saying something because "Dramatic, Your Honor" is an excellent episode. This one is just so much more character-driven, giving the actors a new side of their roles to work with, and each one more than rising to the occasion. Margulies, Baranski, Panjabi, Grenier, Czuchry - these are all fine performers, and they get to prove to everyone their skill set in this showcase. Add to that terrific writing, editing, directing, and everything that goes into the style and tone of this show, which has to match the actors and does so perfectly, and the result is very impressive. Awesome job, all around.

The Good Wife isn't done with its fifth season yet, airing Sundays at 9 p.m.-ish (varying because of the network's inability to competently schedule sports) on CBS.

"Rides" May Be Bumpy for GIRLS

Article first published as "Rides" May Be Bumpy for GIRLS on TheTVKing.

What will season four of HBO's Girls look like? As season three ends this week with "Two Plane Rides," Hannah (Lena Dunham), the lead of the series, without whom the show could not go on, is poised to accept a prestigious graduate school position in Iowa. Since Girls cannot exist without Hannah, nor would it work without the ensemble around her, what will the show do? Split its time between New York and Iowa, or skip a couple of years?

I would like to see the latter. While the females aren't always in a group, their interactions are the best parts of the show, more so than their individual stories. This is perfectly exemplified in "Two Plane Rides" when the gang goes to the theater, or even in the scene where Marnie (Allison Williams) drops by Shoshanna's (Zosia Mamet) apartment. Sure, Hannah could visit and call the others, but Girls would really lose something to fragment its cast in this manner. Jumping ahead now might not be ideal for everyone, but they could make it work, and that would also allow Hannah to have growth.

Hannah has a real problem with arrested development. She is her own worst enemy, fighting against the things that could better her, such as a job she quits. Her parents (Becky Ann Baker and Peter Scolari) have to talk her into continuing her education, even when this great opportunity comes along, but once they do, she seems to be into the idea. If she can develop herself and make connections, she might have a shot at a career instead of just bumbling around New York for the next few decades, relying on charity from others.

The biggest reason Hannah may stay in the Big Apple is Adam (Adam Driver). She convinces herself that he will be happy for her, as she is happy for him that he's finding success on Broadway. But, as usual, she's selfish and unthinking, giving him the news at the worst possible time, and as any normal person would expect, Adam doesn't take it well. Hannah's idea of them both being fulfilled creatively is nice, but, again as usual, her execution leaves much to be desired, and reality will probably never match the dream in her head.

Adam and Hannah have been through more than their share of ups and downs, but they've always prevailed because no one else really can stand to be with them. Oh, and they deeply love each other, in the ways that they can love, with is different for each. They're perfectly matched, and I think their relationship could totally survive another break or work long distance if that's what they decide to do. It's just a difficult situation when what you need to advance your career doesn't line up with where someone else needs to be.

Lucky for Adam, he has a nephew on the way to keep him occupied. It's funny that Caroline (Gaby Hoffman) and Laird (Jon Glaser), two people who are even more dysfunctional than any of our main cast, now seem to have the most stable, solid pairing. Since Adam's sister, Caroline, is pregnant and living in his building, that could take his mind off missing Hannah somewhat while she's gone. Or Adam could just take up with his cast mate, who appears very interested.

Love is also messed up for Shoshanna and Ray (Alex Karpovsky). Shoshanna wants Ray back, but even though he cares about her, he doesn't think it's a good idea. Ray is probably right, he seems to have his head squarely on his shoulders, but that doesn't cushion the blow of rejection for Shoshanna. This is a totally realistic and heart-breaking scenario, beautifully executed. I want them to be together, but I completely understand why Ray resists. Very well done, Ms. Dunham and your writers and actors.

Marnie is in a worse place. She wants Desi (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), who is with Clementine (Natalie Morales). I don't like Marnie in this pursuit. She's lying and sneaking around. We know Marnie is selfish, maybe more so than Hannah even, but never has she been so despicable as she is now. Her actions may be chalked up to desperation and depression, but that doesn't excuse her. I hope she finds a way to love herself first, and then maybe she can try to be in a healthy couple.

There are many varying arcs weaving through "Two Plane Rides," but one of the most interesting is the one completely isolated from everything else. Jessa (Jemima Kirke) reluctantly agrees to help Beadie (Louise Lasser) kill herself. Besides not wanting to be responsible for someone dying, Jessa is still struggling to stay clean and out of trouble, so it's probably not a good idea for her to participate. However, her compassionate side wins out, and Beadie's pleas sway her.

Then, Beadie changes her mind, after she's already taken the pills. There is no way this plot can not have consequences for Jessa. Whether she spends time locked up in jail, or feels like her life has changed through the experience, this will have an impact on her. Will it be enough to knock her from her flighty ways and finally make her confront life? I guess we'll have to wait and see.

If I can make one plea for Girls season four, besides a sizable time jump, I ask that they upgrade Elijah (Andrew Rannells) to full-time status. Whether he's photo-bombing Adam's cast photos or just hanging with Hannah, he always increases the enjoyability of every episode he appears in. He's fun, delivers great one-liners, and he has staked out a corner of the world none of the other players have yet. I'd love to see more of him, even apart from the others.

Girls is a polarizing show, and haters will find plenty to complain about. For my money, season three continues a compelling narrative, and I have every confidence Dunham and company will continue to deliver next year. I look forward to seeing what they come up with.

Girls still not getting it "Together"

Article first published as Girls still not getting it "Together" on TheTVKing.

As HBO's second season of Girls comes to an end in "Together," there are some resolutions, but there is also more mess. Which is par for the course. The girls at the center of this show are very flawed, but authentic, portraits of young women these days, who may not have been as prepared for the real world as they'd hoped, and, as the title of the show suggests, still straddle the line between child and adult.

Some have criticized this series from the beginning, and some who loved the first season have turned on it in the second year. I don't fall into either of those categories. It makes me uncomfortable to watch some of the plots Girls delivers, especially those that focus on Hannah (Lean Dunham) because I just want to shake her and make her make the smart decision, but I think it has kept the specific, unique voice is started with, and is inarguably unlike anything else on television.

Hannah is mostly a train wreck by the end of this season. Her OCD is coming back in spades, she breaks a Q-tip off in her ear, she has lost at least three friends, and she isn't going to meet the deadline for her ebook, which means she will be sued for the advance payment she already spent. Her physical appearance, and I'm talking about presentation, not weight, is sloppy. She can be pretty, and not that she has to be all the time, yay for feminism, but her utter lack of pride in putting herself together, even at the times when she should, says something about her that is not pleasant. Some of these things, just the OCD, really, aren't exactly in Hannah's control. But the rest are avoidable if she would just mature.

Hannah, more than anyone else in the show, is a kid, and is really having trouble with growing up. She fights it at every turn, almost as if she thinks she has to be immature in order to hang onto something. Her parents (Peter Scolari and Becky Ann Baker) haven't helped that much, being enablers. Finally, though, by "Together," they are cutting her off and forcing her to deal with things on her own.

I do think Hannah has the ability to get her life on track. She is definitely smart and talented, even if she frequently squanders both. It's going to be so much harder for her now, since she has burned some bridges and proven herself unreliable, but she still could succeed if she wants to. However, I feel like her immaturity is kind of an addiction, and she will probably have to bottom out, which she hasn't done yet, before she can get better.

At least Hannah has Adam (Adam Driver). No matter what Adam may have said, his relationship with Natalia (Shiri Appleby, Life Unexpected) is a rebound. She does help him to grow as a person, and round off a few of the weirder edges of him that need softening. He still very much holds a torch for Hannah, though. Will his support be what she needs, or will he just be the latest to aid in her selfish ways, which will ultimately destroy her when he, too, steps back, like her parents did?

Adam's relationship with Hannah is not the same kind of enabling that her parents do. He really does focus on building her up, something the older pair seem to have forgotten, though who can blame them, after everything that Hannah has done? He loves her for who she is. The question is, will that be good for her, or reinforce the bad choices?

Jessa (Jemima Kirke), MIA in the finale, may not return to help Hannah out anytime soon. As much as Jessa dislikes her father's roaming ways, she has certainly inherited the lifestyle. When things get tough, she disappears, as unreliable as he is. It's sad, but like Hannah, Jessa is a snapshot of who her parents made her into at this point, and has yet to find her own way. I'm not saying that she will necessarily be a better person when she does, but maybe it will help somewhat, at least she will own it.

Marnie (Allison Williams) also falls right back into old habits, reconnecting with Charlie (Christopher Abbott) in "Together." Marnie has been directionless ever since their breakup, while Charlie has sold an app and gotten filthy rich. Yet, they both go right back to their old dynamic when given the chance. They like to think they have changed and are now ready for each other, but are they? Does Marnie drag Charlie down, and that's why he struggled while with her previously? Maybe the benefits of this relationship are one-sided, though I guess season three will tell us for sure.

Ray (Alex Karpovsky) actually seems to be doing the best at the end of the half hour. He may have lost Shoshanna (Zosia Mamet), but that's OK, because she is just a little bit too controlling for him. He is better when he pursues things on his own. Shoshanna is wrong that he is without purpose; Ray just has his own way of doing things. It sucks a bit he gets into his thirties without committing to a passion or career yet. However, many do, and I think Ray has a good head on his shoulders, a way to pay the bills for now, and still has time to figure himself out, which isn't helped by being around Shoshanna, who tries to do the figuring for him.

That isn't a slam on Shoshanna. There are plenty of men who would benefit from having a girl like her in their lives, and of the girls on Girls, she is the one who is soaring. She makes the smart decision, knowing Ray is just not the one for her, and also realizing that this isn't the time in her life to be tied down to someone like him. Shoshanna, surprisingly, who may seem the youngest at the series start, is the one who is also becoming older and wiser at a quicker pace than the others.

Girls sadly has been slipping in the ratings. Luckily, a third season has already been ordered. But unless people tune back in, year three could be its last. Considering the perspective it takes, which no one else does, that would be a shame.

Girls will return next year to HBO.