Going to DIETLAND

Article first published as TV Review: DIETLAND on Seat42F.

 

Erin Darke as Leeta, Julianna Margulies as Kitty, Ricardo Davila as Eladio, Will Seefried as Ben, Robin Weigert as Verena, Tramell Tillman as Steven, Rowena King as Cheryl, Adam Rothenberg as Dominic, Joy Nash as Plum Kettle, Tamara Tunie as Julia – Dietland _ Season 1, Gallery – Photo Credit: Erik Madigan Heck/AMC

AMC’s news drama, DIETLAND, feels like a bit of a departure for the network. While they have done shows that border on the fantastical, the tone of this one is silly, and yet deeply dark. It revolves around several different women, including some involved in a cult-like conspiracy, as they maneuver the modern world and current political climate post-#MeToo. There’s also a mystery unfolding in which men who have been cruel to women keep winding up missing and often dead.

Joy Nash (Stallions de Amor) stars as Plum Kettle, a ghost writer who handles the Ask the Editor questions for Daisy Chain magazine, a lifestyle advice rag. Underpaid, underused, and underappreciated, Plum is weighed down with the depressing material of others’ letters, while struggling with her body size and lack of romantic life. Plum is intelligent, an excellent baker (a skill she tries to ignore), and determined to improve herself, having no patience for the ‘fat is beautiful’ set. She is also ripe to picked up by a group of women trying to fight back against the current system.

This conspiratorial group, hidden within the walls of Daisy Chain, is led by sweet-yet-tyrannical Julia (Tamara Tunie, Law & Order: SVU). Working right behind the back of the editor herself, Kitty Montgomery (Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife), Julia uses Leeta (Erin Darke, Good Girls Revolt) to gather intel on targets, which she then might send to Verena (Robin Weigert, Big Little Lies), the daughter of the founder of an extreme weigh loss program built on lies. Plum becomes their latest target, though it’s not immediately clear why exactly (although multiple explanations are presented to viewers), or how many others might have been singled out before her. What is shown is that the operation seems professional and wide-reaching.

The mystery of the shadowy group, mixed with an Ugly Betty-like office, makes for an interesting setting. However, Plum often works from home, so other scenes take place at her residence, her weight loss support group, a doctor’s office, and a café run by her best friend, Steven (Tramell Tillman). It’s a wide-spread number of locations for a sprawling narrative, which, although entangled within itself, feels very far spread.

I mentioned the tone being silly earlier, and yes, there’s a layer of odd comedy over the whole thing. Plum begins hallucinating. It’s unclear what exactly causes the hallucinations. Could it be stress? Withdrawal from a medication? Maybe there’s something in the makeup Julia gives her? These visions match the crazy theme song of the show, but while they are unfolding in-story, they aren’t explained.

There’s also a possible love interest / danger for Plum in Detective Dominic O’Shea (Adam Rothenberg, Ripper Street), who may want to date Plum, but may just be using her to look into a hack at Daisy Chain. With Dominic and reporter Cheryl Crane-Murphy (Rowena King, Shut Eye) among the leads, there’s definitely more dominos to fall as secrets come out.

What DIETLAND has going for it, besides being created by the talented Marti Noxon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, UnREAL), is a timely message and a lot of mystery. There are compelling characters, a fleshed-out world, a seemingly intricately plotted story, and a delightful tone.

What works against it is that it is very dense and a lot of questions go unanswered, likely for the foreseeable future. Some of the best television mysterious unfold a clue at a time, whereas DIETLAND just drops you into a puzzle that reveals pieces all around, without context. It can be overwhelming and messy, and that will likely make it difficult to access for some viewers.

I, however, like it, and plan to watch more. DIETLAND airs Mondays on AMC.

Strong "Bond" With THE GOOD WIFE

Article originally published as THE GOOD WIFE Review "Bond" on Seat42F.

THE GOOD WIFE (L-R) Chris Noth as Peter Florrick and Margo Martindale as Ruth Eastman Photo: Paul Sarkis/CBS

In the season premiere of THE GOOD WIFE on CBS, “Bond, “Alicia (Julianna Margulies) struggles to make it on her own as a lawyer, Cary (Matt Czuchry) struggles to connect with the young associates at Lockhart Agos, and Ruth Eastman (Margo Martindale) struggles to handle her candidate’s wife. Oh, and in one of the biggest shakeups ever in a show known for shakeups, that happens.

The that I’m referring to is Peter’s (Chris Noth) betrayal of Eli Gold (Alan Cumming). In a world where Eli found Peter and molded him into what he is today, helping him achieve his dreams, that same Peter turns his back on the campaign manager and cuts him loose. It’s selfish and unfair, and not all that surprising when you think about what we’ve seen of Peter.

But is still feels surprising. Eli and Peter’s partnership is the one that doesn’t waver when everything else does. We’ve seen managing partners at law firms come and go, relationships fall apart, and a variety of people come in and out of the scene. What we’ve never seen is that strong “Bond” between Peter and Eli waver much. And now we not only have, but we’ve witnessed it disintegrate completely in the course of a single hour, leaving Eli bent on revenge against his former boss and best friend.

The fact that Eli essentially gives up and shuts down is understandable. His pain is felt in Cumming’s brilliant performance, and it makes sense for Eli to be thrown by this. His lamenting about being ‘the help’ is not accurate, but one can easily understand how he feels that way in the face of Peter’s chill. Thankfully, Eli is not a man that can be kept down, and with some support from Alicia, soon has a strategy to get back in the game.

Some might wonder why Alicia is so loyal to Eli. For those regular viewers, though, it shouldn’t be a mystery. Alicia is a loyal person, by and large, only betraying when she has to, and after being given good reason to do so. She didn’t like Eli at first, perhaps, but she has learned to respect him, as he has her. They have a great working relationship, and dare I say it, even an odd kind of friendship. That Alicia chooses to stand by Eli reinforces the “Bond” they share and rewards those who may have defended Eli in the past.

What Eli’s plan is, I have no idea, but I hope he wins.

That’s not because I don’t like Ruth Eastman. Sure, she’s a slippery political manipulator, but so is he. And I absolutely adore Martindale (The Americans, Justified, The Millers), who delivers her usual excellent performance in this role; the longer it takes Eli to defeat her, that happier I’ll be, and if they should team up to hurt Peter, even better. I just love Eli more, having watched him for years on THE GOOD WIFE, and he must triumph.

Alicia has business challenges, becoming a “Bond” lawyer to make ends meet. She continues to resists Louis Canning’s (Michael J. Fox) overtures, finds a way to work with prickly Judge Schakowsky (Christopher McDonald, Harry’s Law), and even makes a friend who will surely soon be a partner or employee, Lucca Quinn (Cush Jumbo, Getting On, Torchwood: Children of Earth). This plot is enjoyable but not particularly compelling because it’s easy to be confident Alicia will come out on top. What would be fascinating is if she takes Canning up on his offer, which it seems she’s inching closer to doing.

Alicia isn’t the only one with troubles, though, as Cary struggles to connect to the lawyers working under him. Cary is unique in the his firm because he’s the one young person in a group of much older people running the place. He can’t connect with those on his power level because he’s too different, and those that should be his peers are intimidated because he’s their boss. Like Alicia, I feel like Cary will find a way to get through, as he is tenacious, and Lockhart Agos can’t possibly change names again anytime soon. So I liked his sections, but don’t feel much suspense in them.

Those are the main points in “Bond.” I could actually write about ten pages were I to gush about all the wonderful moments, especially those involving guest stars Jane Curtin (Coneheads, Saturday Night Live, 3^rd Rock from the Sun) and Mo Rocca (The Daily Show), among others, and courtroom showdowns, but I won’t. The above paragraphs hit the main points, and there will be plenty of time to talk about THE GOOD WIFE in the weekly columns I’ll write covering the show this year. Suffice it to say, “Bond” is a fantastic episode, and season seven promises to be on par with the first six years, which are overall very strong.

THE GOOD WIFE airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.

THE GOOD WIFE "Don't Fail"

Article originally written for Seat42F.

As soon as this week’s episode of THE GOOD WIFE opens on CBS with Alicia (Julianna Margulies) working on her memoirs, it’s clear that she isn’t ready for such a tedious, end-of-career task. Alicia is a lawyer, a do-gooder, restless and in need of a project. So when she stumbles upon a former client of hers, Brett Tatro (Dorian Missick, Southland), who needs assistance, though she does try to pawn him off on others at first, it’s no surprise that she ends up taking the case herself. She “Don’t Fail.”

THE GOOD WIFE is never one to grow stale, constantly changing up the structure of the characters’ lives in the series, but that doesn’t mean they don’t stay true to who they are. Alicia isn’t about to start a new career path, outside of the law, at this stage. She has her calling, what she’s meant to do, and despite major setbacks, she is going to find a way to do it. Even if her idea to do so may not be financially feasible, something Grace (Makenzie Vega) asks about and Alicia doesn’t have a good answer for.

This revelation comes to her when revisiting a story set in season one. The events of “Don’t Fail” are not recycled from the freshman run; the case has not been seen on screen before, it just takes place during that time period. This is a really poignant time to evoke the past, though, with Alicia feeling aimless and Kalinda (Archie Panjabi) gone. It’s with a certain amount of nostalgia that flashbacks show Alicia and Cary (Matt Czuchry) working for this client, and reminds both Alicia and the fans of the tone of those early days, which is long gone. Alicia thinks it’s time to get it back, at least sort of.

As usual, the courtroom is well-stocked with talent. You’re the Worst’s (an excellent FX sitcom) Aya Cash plays the naïve, young attorney who needs Alicia’s help to defend Brett. Kurt Fuller returns as cranky Judge Peter Dunaway, who hasn’t been seen since late 2013. The prosecutor is Matan Brody (Chris Butler), who appears much more frequently in past seasons than of late. These people make “Don’t Fail” a great episode as much as Alicia herself and what she’s going through.

I think Alicia is also nostalgic for her family, evidenced by the way she calls Zach (Graham Phillips) after hearing an old, taped conversation he has with Jackie (Mary Beth Peil), another recurring character whose frequency has majorly dropped off. But Alicia isn’t stuck in the past either, proven when she converts Zach’s room into her new office with nary a thought about him coming home, which of course he says he wants to do as soon as she has cleared the space. She is evaluating what she can get back and being happy with what she chooses to do now.

Will Alicia embark on this latest adventure alone? Well, she does ask Finn (Matthew Goode), the dispenser of the advice “Don’t Fail,” to join her. I don’t know if he will. He certainly likes Alicia and she is starting something he can get behind, so that leads me to believe he will accept. But he’s also practical and already has a job. It’s too bad Cary is in no position to leave the firm, as it’s awesome to see him pitch in and help Alicia, sharing a glass of wine together. But I don’t think he’d join a new startup with Alicia again so soon. And Grace offers to intern for her, but Alicia doesn’t jump at her daughter’s words, so I don’t know if that’ll happen.

My wish, and this is purely a wish, with no basis in any inside information, is that Cary and Diane (Christine Baranski) will acquire Alicia’s little office in the near future as a pro bono segment of their own organization, which solves everyone’s problems. It gives the firm a positive win that might even overcome R.D.’s objections to having Alicia there, helping repair the image caused by the leaked emails, and it means Alicia wouldn’t have to worry about money. This twist would make sense to come about mid-season next year, but we’ll see. I’m no fortune teller, and I’m sure whatever happens is something the writers are deciding or have already decided independent of whatever anyone says on the internet.

“Don’t Fail” is an inspiring hour that gets back to the roots of THE GOOD WIFE and the character of Alicia. It ends one chapter and begins another, while acknowledging that these people do not exist in a vacuum and cannot separate their lives into actual, stand-alone chapters. This is far from the procedural format that dominates so many broadcast networks, especially CBS, and truly has a special place in the television landscape.

THE GOOD WIFE’s season sixth season finale airs next Sunday at 9 p.m. ET and will feature the return and final appearance (at least as a main cast member) of Kalinda!

"The Deconstruction" of THE GOOD WIFE

Article originally written for Seat42F.

This week’s episode of THE GOOD WIFE, “The Deconstruction,” begins with a scene mirroring one from the pilot, this time with Alicia (Julianna Margulies) making an announcement in disgrace, Peter (Chris Noth) the supportive presence behind her. Remembering what a catalyst that event is for the entire series, it should come as no surprise that this hour marks another huge change for the show that refuses to stay stagnant, though somehow the ending still feels unexpected.

Much of “The Deconstruction” involves Alicia warring with Diane (Christine Baranski) and the firm, not because they actually have reason to go to war, but because David Lee (Zach Grenier) is playing them again, always the slimy one. It’s frustrating to watch two long-time friends who just want to be partners again furious with one another once more, and viewers will yearn for resolution. Thankfully, Kalinda (Archie Panjabi) ensures the errors are cleared up, just before R.D. (Oliver Platt) torpedoes resolution.

One cannot blame for Diane for choosing R.D. over Alicia, nor R.D. for not wanting the stink surrounding Alicia, justified or not. R.D. is making the firm huge amounts of money, and Alicia could drive away clients in her current state, not attract them. I’m just grateful Diane and Alicia can still be friends, not holding a grudge from an ugly death match. It’s too bad that David Lee gets away with his secrets intact, as he will probably cause more trouble in the firm, but the situation is wrapped up as satisfyingly as it can be with Alicia still on the outs.

Any other show would have returned the cast to status quo. THE GOOD WIFE makes the opposite choice, casting Alicia adrift with no idea as to what she wants to do next, and only two hours left in the season. One might assume she’ll be a public defender, given how she is attracted to the passion in the movie she is watching and how much she respects Prady (David Hyde Pierce), who will take the job she vacated. But Alicia is also a pragmatist, needing to make more money than that position offers, and while she offered Prady a job, there is no guarantee he will do the same. Since her exit package with the firm is void, though, she may be able to negotiate enough of a pay out to do what she wants, when she figures out what that is.

One person not around to help her any more is Kalinda. Kalinda tries to put Lemond (Mike Colter) away and pin it on Dexter (JD Williams). This seems neat in her mind, as even if Lemond kills Dexter, Dexter is a criminal who won’t be missed much. But Cary (Matt Czuchry), not realizing her plan and ever playing the noble knight, nixes that idea by telling Dexter he himself is the rat, which causes Kalinda to flee, presumably after letting Lemond know that she is responsible.

Kalinda’s goodbye in “The Deconstruction” is a sad, yet fitting, one. She gets to say her farewell to Cary, Diane, and, in a note, to Alicia, even as none of them realize what she’s doing. She’s always been a bit of a shady character, but her last act before exiting is to engage in self-sacrifice, giving up her life and her love to protect the people she cares about. Her lingering over Alicia’s photographs reveals the depths of her feeling, and Panjabi sells the moment. I hope one day we’ll see what happens to Kalinda, but I’m relieved she isn’t dead, at least not yet, and leaves on her own terms.

I don’t think Lemond will come through Cary to get to Kalinda. He should be smart enough to know that if Kalinda is going to disappear, she’s going to do it thoroughly and hurting Cary won’t bring her back. Besides, with the evidence that Kalinda gives Geneva Pine (Renee Elise Goldsberry), Lemond will be in jail. Who knows how much influence he’ll have left from behind bars?

As all this happens, THE GOOD WIFE makes time to have Diane help out a grandmother (The Big C’s Phyllis Somerville) caught with E, bringing back Joy (Linda Lavin) and introducing Reg E. Cathey (House of Cards) as a judge. This subplot is not huge, but it highlights how deep THE GOOD WIFE’s bench is and the supreme talents they can bring in, even for one-offs. Plus, the case is thoroughly engaging and exposes yet another part of the judicial system that is just not fair.

I can’t believe only two episodes remain in THE GOOD WIFE’s sixth season. It has not been renewed yet, but signs are positive that it will be. I can’t imagine the story stopping now, and would mourn it greatly if it did not come back. Every single installment, “The Deconstruction” included, is excellent and inspiring.

THE GOOD WIFE airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.

THE GOOD WIFE Turns "Ugly"

Article originally written for Seat42F.

CBS’s THE GOOD WIFE frequently drops surprises, but I’d be hard-pressed to name one recently that rocks the show as much as the voter fraud scandal surrounding Alicia’s (Julianna Margulies) election as State’s Attorney. This week’s episode, “Winning Ugly,” begins that battle as a legendary political figure, Spencer Randolph (Ron Rifkin, Alias), takes on her case in the name of the democratic process. But Spencer may really be supporting the Democrats’ process, as he turns on Alicia when she refuses to play ball with the party.

Alicia has long struggled with getting into politics, but the events of “Winning Ugly” are likely to turn her off of them entirely, whether she ends up in the State’s Attorney’s office or not. Alicia did not cheat, but that won’t stop the party from ruining her reputation if she goes against their interests, both sides in the city being famously corrupt. These movers and shakers have built a system that works for them, and they are not about to let some idealistic woman screw it up.

Alicia’s natural ally should be Prady, but he is no longer accessible to her, and may not believe she’s innocent, anyway. Instead, she is sent lawyer Martin Parillo (Remy Aubjeronis), who battles it out with Spencer in front of Ken Boxer (Lawrence Gilliard Jr., The Walking Dead, The Wire) and the panel. Until Spencer turns on Alicia, Martin is taking a beating. But now that Martin seems to have the upper hand, there is no way he will allow Alicia to broker a deal with Prady.

So it looks like Alicia may need to try to return to the law firm, assuming she loses, but there are some complications there. First, we’d have to see if the firm would take her back. Alicia still has her office, but considering that we’ve seen the settlement talks, she may have already cashed out and hurt feelings might block her from buying back in. Second, will there even be a firm left to come back to?

The second major plot in “Winning Ugly” finds Diane (Christine Baranski) learning about Kalinda’s (Archie Panjabi) forgery. To Diane’s credit, the first thing she does is not protect herself so much as clear Detective Prima’s (John Ventimiglia) name. Prima is a jerk, but he doesn’t deserve to lose his job over something he didn’t to. After that, though, Diane discusses strategy with Finn (Matthew Goode), David Lee (Zach Grenier), and Cary (Matt Czuchry), and it doesn’t look good.

I’m surprised Diane doesn’t immediately fire Kalinda. I don’t care that Kalinda has done a lot for the firm; she crossed a line with faking evidence, even if she didn’t intend Diane to use it. Panjabi will be leaving THE GOOD WIFE at the end of the season anyway, but this is the hour in which she should have been terminated from her job.

I also hope this doesn’t blow back on Cary. There is other evidence to clear his name, but it will be much harder to convince people he is innocent after this fiasco.

The current State’s Attorney isn’t focused on destroying the law firm, though, so much as he wants to go after drug kingpin Lemond Bishop (Mike Colter). Geneva Pine (Renee Elise Goldsberry) says as much, offering to drop all charges against Diane if Diane will just testify against Bishop. The problem is, every viewer and main character knows that going up against Bishop is a death sentence, so Diane doesn’t want to risk it.

For a minute in “Winning Ugly,” it looks like Kalinda might step up. She is closest to Bishop and can get him jailed. This would also go a long way towards making up for her wrong doings. And who knows? She might survive. But it’s Cary that goes to Geneva and says that if Kalinda makes the offer to speak in court, he will do it in her place. Cary loves Kalinda, despite her flaws, and that’s truly a noble sacrifice he is willing to make.

Since Kalinda didn’t go to Geneva, though, where did she go? Did she flee and abandon those taking the fall for her mistakes? Or is she going to kill Bishop, hoping that will end the fight. I don’t know that I actually want to see Kalinda murder anyone, but there’s no way she can convince him to confess to wrong doings, no matter what she has on him. Whatever Kalinda is doing, she’s playing a dangerous game.

In both of these stories, I just don’t see how it can end well. There is no clear way out, and only a scant few hours left to tell the story this year. THE GOOD WIFE has not been renewed yet, either, and those at CBS would be awful, awful monsters if they didn’t let the tale conclude satisfactorily. We’ll see how it plays out.

THE GOOD WIFE airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.