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!

"Weird" GOOD WIFE is Very Good

Article first published as TV Review: 'The Good Wife' - 'A Weird Year' on Blogcritics.

A lot happens in The Good Wife‘s season finale, “A Weird Year,” which aired this week on CBS. I say this even by the standards of this particular series, which has had its best run yet, creatively speaking, with dynamic changes among all the characters and their relationships over the last nine months. The season begins with Alicia (Julianna Margulies) and Cary (Matt Czuchry) breaking off from Lockhart/Gardner to form their own firm, continues through the battles between the two groups, undergoes a jarring reset after the death of Will Gardner (Josh Charles), and ends with the futures of most of the players up in the air. What a heck of a ride! “A Weird Year” indeed.

As “A Weird Year” opens, Diane (Christine Baranski) is being challenged for control of the firm she and Will built by Louis Canning (Michael J. Fox), the new senior partner, and David Lee (Zach Grenier). This doesn’t seem fair at all, an interloper coming in and teaming up with a long-time partner to oust Diane while she’s still trying to get her bearings back, but that’s what makes Louis and David such vicious villains. Normally, Diane would be up to the challenge of fending them off, especially because she’d have Will in her corner. But isolated in the office and nearly alone, save Kalinda (Archie Panjabi), who is tough but not a political player, and Diane is looking at losing everything, as Louis promises to burn the firm down if she doesn’t concede.

This is Diane at her most vulnerable in a way we’ve never seen her before, even after the death of Will. There is absolutely nothing she can do. Bribing Howard Lyman (Jerry Adler), the swing vote, would help her hold onto power, but only temporarily. She sees no way out, and really struggles with the idea that she can’t overcome her latest challenges. This is defeated Diane, Diane who has no hope, and it’s a pivotal moment for the character, brilliantly played with nuance and poise by the amazing Baranski.

It’s very telling that Diane doesn’t roll over. She’s pragmatic and knows she can’t win against Canning and Lee, but neither does she take the easy out, running for State’s Attorney at the behest of the Governor (Chris Noth), seeing the offer as the slap in the face it is after the Governor dusts her for a seat on the state Supreme Court. No, that would be stepping down and admitting she’s done, retiring away from the defense attorney she is and loves being. Instead, she finds another option, one that could maintain her reputation and position, albeit in a new locale. She offers herself to Florrick, Agos, & Associates.

Now, we don’t know if they will accept or not (they’d be stupid not to), but let’s examine what it takes for Diane to do this. As much as Diane likes Alicia and their bond has been healed through the shared grief regarding Will, this start-up firm is full of people that have betrayed Diane and stolen her clients. This is not a return to friends, but a humbling. Yet, Diane knows she brings much value to the table, a huge amount of billable clients, so she is in a good place to negotiate from. Viewers will love the choice because it brings back beloved characters and helps fix rifts. But for Diane, this has to be a hard decision to make. Going to them, hat in hand, is not the same thing at all as absorbing them in a merger, which she previously considers.

The big deciding factor in if Florrick, Agos, & Associates will take Diane in is Cary. He is the one vehemently opposed to the merger, but might he take Diane on her own, knowing he’ll keep his decision-making ability and not having to give up what he’s built? Cary likes Diane personally, even if they’ve had their differences in the past. I think Cary’s anger at Alicia for trying to force the merger earlier in “A Weird Year” could play a role in his thinking, though. All most fans want is to see Alicia, Cary, and Diane get along, really the three stars of the show now, but for drama’s sake, it may not be an easy coming together. If they do accept, though, at least they can finally afford an office with walls.

Another issue in allowing Diane to join Florrick, Agos, & Associates, besides adding her name to the letterhead, is that Kalinda is most likely part of the package. This would be difficult for Cary because, after overhearing what sounds like Kalinda playing him, his romance with her is soured. He doesn’t stop sleeping with her, but he does feel like she has done a huge, horrible thing to him. That alone might prompt Cary to reject Diane. It’s a shame Cary seems to be getting such a rough deal. He’s suffered enough, having been fired from Lockhart/Gardner previously, then being denied partnership by them, and having to fight his way back to the good place he is in now.

Amidst all of this, Alicia almost misses her son, Zach’s (Graham Phillips), graduation. She does miss the dinner and festivities surrounding it. The Good Wife could let Alicia spend time agonizing over this, but it’s far too fast-paced for that right now. The moves going on for Alicia professionally are important, and thankfully she’s gotten over that working mother’s constant guilt, making time when it’s important, but not always able to be there. The fact that she gets to the school in time to see Zach walk across the stage, and then shares a private goodbye at home afterward, is enough. She is present for the milestone, and he knows she loves him. There is no animosity between mother and son.

It is a little bit of a shame that Alicia doesn’t get home sooner, though, because what’s playing out in her absence is hilariously awesome. Any time Jackie (Mary Beth Peil) and Veronica (Stockard Channing) come into one another’s orbits, conflict erupts in the most entertaining of manners. They may not be central to the main story lines, but both add something really cool to the overall tone and the big picture, fully fleshing out the world into something engrossing and authentic, something that The Good Wife consistently does well. Its roster of recurring parts, second to none on any network, cable or broadcast, contributes to that.

The style of the show is well illustrated in “A Weird Year.” There is a case and a client, but those matter only as far as they affect the main players. Instead, the focus is on the core cast. There are some neat conceits, such as when one law firm first accidentally, and then purposely, spies on the other after a camera is left on, showing that the series is up-to-date on incorporating technology, trends, and current events into the story. Overall, though, it’s the quick pacing, light style mixed with heavy emotions, and fantastic acting by a stellar cast that sells the show.

Speaking of the wonderful actors, Alan Cumming’s Eli Gold has little to do in “A Weird Year,” but he is nearly never wasted. Instead, he gets a small side bit about trying to find a State’s Attorney candidate to support, which he actually thinks Diane may accept because he misjudges his own actions so severely. But at the end, his search ties into a heck of a cliffhanger when he asks Alicia to run. I hope she doesn’t, but it’s cool that Cumming is still threaded into a plot he isn’t a major part of to start, and is instrumental in bringing it home perfectly.

“A Weird Year” is an accurate descriptor. The Good Wife is weird in that it defies the genre of legal procedurals on a network not known for pushing boundaries. This entire season has been a showcase of what happens when a broadcast network actually gives their writers free reign to develop a worthwhile series, and the finale is a great capper for that. I hope it runs for many years to come, definitely the best thing CBS has to offer, hands down, as well as one of the top three broadcast network shows currently running.

If only the network treated it as such, instead of letting the time slot constantly be pushed at the last minute because of inept scheduling of sports coverage. It deserves better.

The Good Wife has been renewed and will return in the fall on CBS.

The Good Wife goes up against "The Dream Team"

The season finale of CBS's The Good Wife, entitled "The Dream Team," finds two of Lockhart / Gardner's biggest foes, Louis Canning (Michael J. Fox) and Patti Nyholm (Martha Plimpton), teaming up to try to bankrupt the firm. As the senior partners scramble to prevent this, Alicia (Julianna Margulies) becomes confused once more about her feelings for Peter (Chris Noth), and accidentally stirs up a hornet's nest involving Kalida's (Archie Panjabi) dangerous husband.

First, it must be said that the scene by the elevator, when Alicia sees both Will (Josh Charles) and Peter arrive together, and then others joining them, and finally, a baby scooting through the middle of the group, is one of the best moments ever! There is the perfect build up of tension, clashes happening all at once, a perfect storm coming together, and another recurrence of a joke that runs throughout the hour. Brilliant!

What is going on with Kalinda? She seems on the verge of skipping town in "The Dream Team," but then, after learning Alicia is in danger, she changes her mind. Clearly, Kalinda has put down roots here, and worries about those she would leave behind. It isn't revealed just what her husband is capable of, but it cannot be anything good, given Kalinda's decision to wait for him with a gun. Might the first case for the firm next year involve clearing Kalinda of a murder charge? Or will this new, as of yet unseen, character stay around for a bit to complicate things? The latter is more appealing, and could still lead to the former happening down the road.

Fox and Plimpton are two of The Good Wife's best recurring characters, which is saying something, given the elite company the series keeps. Having them both in the same episode, working together, well, that's a dream come true! Which is probably why this installment is called "The Dream Team." They both prove to be formidable foes in the past, so it's little wonder that once they put their heads together, they are able to deal a crippling blow! And that is accomplished just by a little distraction.

Dragging Andrew Wiley (Tim Guinee) into the mess as well certainly doesn't hurt the episode!

It seems like Lockhart / Gardner is ending the season on the same shaky ground it's been battling to stay off of for a very long time, which is a shame, given the promising start of the episode, in which the firm looks to get a share of a twenty-five million dollar settlement. L/G's finances are not stable, but this is nothing new. However, with Louis and Patti's victory in "The Dream Team," L/G has now lost 20% of its income. This will certainly result in massive layoffs. Who is on the chopping block? Alicia, who recently becomes more highly paid than her equally qualified colleagues, or Cary (Matt Czuchry), who just gets his foot back in the door, and is doing everything in his power to make himself valuable to his former employees? Neither deserve it, but both appear to be top candidates, except for the fact that they are main characters.

Unless Cary's employment at Lockhart / Gardner is a scam. Peter acts genuinely surprised when he learns that Cary is quitting the District Attorney's office. But Cary also later receives that call from Peter that is not shown on screen. It doesn't seem like Peter would be plotting against the firm, considering how friendly he is getting with his wife again, but one never knows. Cary could be involved in a shady plot. And Lockhart / Gardner will be lucky to weather their current attack, let alone a second one!

Please let this not be the case! It's so good to have Cary back where he is, and he is a much more noble character than he once was!

Alicia losing her job might just push her back into Peter's arms. She is independent for now, but with no income, she won't be for long. Might Canning's offer of employment still stand, albeit with a lower pay rate attached? She could probably find a job somewhere, but not one as comfortable as the spot she currently holds. Though, given Eli's (Alan Cumming) sway at Lockhart / Gardner, and his desire to keep her happy so she will help Peter, Alicia is probably safe.

That being said, Peter would probably take her back. He needs her by his side to win the governor's race, and while she's willing to help him already, perhaps entwining more would draw the pair closer together. Plus, now that their separation is public knowledge, a reunion of sorts would greatly improve Peter's chances. There are strong hints in "The Dream Team" that Alicia might be warming to the idea of a reconciliation, especially at the end of the episode, when she glimpses her cozy family through the window. And Peter is working hard to be at good to her, proving he could be worthy of a second chance. Might this be the direction that The Good Wife will go? If Eli senses this is a possibility, his protection of Alicia will be over.

Why, oh why, isn't Noth a main character?

Just as sick as Lockhart / Gardner's balance sheet is Jackie (Mary Beth Peil). She is up to her devious games when she buys Alicia's old house out from under her. But at least that comes from a semi-kind place, in that she is trying to provide a familiar home to her son and grandchildren. Hopefully she will heed Alicia's request to hand the house over to the kids because that will still accomplish Jackie's goal, for now, and the family doesn't need a lawsuit to make things more tenuous than they already are.

But this is not Jackie's greatest sickness in "The Dream Team." She becomes confused, and doesn't know what is going on. She imagines her television set playing a movie, but the power is off. These are not healthy signs, and, perhaps surprisingly, only Alicia picks up on it. Peter isn't too concerned when Alicia raises the issue. Might it be up to Alicia, who loathes Jackie, to do something to help her mother-in-law?

"The Dream Team" is a terrific season finale, with some juicy character bits for many of the leads, some new mysteries and obstacles, and leaving whopping cliffhangers. Anticipation for next year will be high! Though fans of The Good Wife have come to expect such standards, and should not be surprised.


The Good Wife has been renewed and will return to CBS next fall.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! To buy The Good Wife DVDs, please click here. Article first published as TV Review: The Good Wife - "The Dream Team" on Blogcritics.

The Good Wife makes "Closing Arguments"

     For the second season finale of CBS's The Good Wife, the series combines an important case with a number of personal developments. Will (Josh Charles) works to clear a man of murder. The odds are against him, even though the prosecution has a shaky case. Alicia (Julianna Margulies) is forced to work with Kalinda (Archie Panjabi) to assisst Will, even though Alicia still isn't speaking with her on a personal level. Meanwhile, Eli (Alan Cumming) wants to move his consulting business into Lockhart / Gardner, a development that could mean a big promotion for Alicia. Cary feels frozen out by Kalinda, who has taken up with Sophia (Kelli Giddish), a married woman. And Owen's (Dallas Roberts) dinner out with the kids is interrupted by Jackie (Mary Beth Peil).


     The case of the week is more than a simple affair, as the life of an innocent man hangs in the balance. Stakes are raised for the season finale. What is interesting, and is a common occurence on The Good Wife, is that the facts of the case aren't necessarily the most important element in the jury's decision. New evidence that could exonerate L/G's client surfaces, but instead of immediately halting proceedings until it is examined, the judge tells Will he needs to get his findings in before the verdict is delivered, or he's out of luck. Bureaucracy is clearly not beloved by the writers of the series.

     The defense team are the heroes here, as they valiantly try to get DNA samples and tests done as time ticks down. The District Attorney, Glenn Childs (Titus Welliver), is a lame duck and cares more for his reputation than the truth. This is completely in character for Childs, but disappointing to anyone who believes in the American justice system. Luckily, the new DA, Peter (Chris Noth), is a bit more honest, and his new right hand man, Cary (Matt Czuchry), has also shown a willingness to let justice prevail, even when it doesn't suit them. While neither Cary nor Peter are completely noble, neither are the attorneys of L/G, so what results is a murky, yet realistic, system, that gets it right as often as it can.

     Complicating matters further is the most obtuse character, Kalinda, who has friends on each side, and who can be a wild card. In "Closing Arguments," Kalinda calls upon an old friend to assist L/G with the tests that need to be done. Sophia helps, but more out of an interest in getting Kalinda into bed than helping the client. Once Sophia accomplishes this goal, Kalinda realizes Sophia is married, something that doesn't cross her mind earlier, and she feels a profound sense of guilt. Kalinda isn't good at vocalizing these things, but Panjabi is an expert physical actor, able to show a lot with just a facial expression.

     Guilt is not an emotion often associated with Kalinda, and it seems to have come about only after Kalinda betrays her best friend, Alicia. It doesn't matter that Kalinda didn't know Alizia when she slept with Alicia's husband, Peter, because Kalinda keeps the secret these several years until it comes out on its own. Clearly, the nearly unflappable Kalinda has been deeply shaken by losing her friendship with Alicia, and an act that she once may not have thought twice about suddenly takes on whole new meaning. With Kalinda's judgment and moral compass changing, it's hard to tell how that will impact her future work, which frequently crosses a line into illegal territory.

     The love triangle between Alicia, Will, and Peter has only been danced around until "Closing Arguments," but is now erupting into full blown drama. With the Kalinda revelation, Alicia kicks Peter out. When Will wins the trial, Alicia goes with him to celebrate. Old feelings from their involvement in college resurface, mixing with alcohol consumption, and the pair decide to act on them, seeking out a hotel room. While timing has never been their strong suit, they decide that now is the right moment, and go for it with gusto.

     Some people listen to signs from the universe, and some do not. Will and Alicia fall firmly in the "not" category, at least in this episode. Everything that can delay them in getting upstairs and stripping their clothes off does occur. From a lack of rooms, to a full elevator, to all the buttons being pushed so their elevator makes frequent stops, to trouble with a door key, everything seems to point to their hookup being a bad idea. But hormones do not listen to such things, and they keep perservering until they make it into the room. The two want it to happen so badly, it must happen.

     Poor Peter, though. Sure, he has done some horrible things, and deeply hurt his marriage to Alicia. But he has also been working very hard to repair their relationship, and has shown no signs of straying recently. His help with the case, sending L/G much needed evidence, happens anonymously, and Alicia doesn't realize what Peter has done for her. Just when Peter starts to be worthy of Alicia, she moves on. His timing is terrible. However, the fact that Peter is trying so hard signals that Peter and Alicia's story as a couple may not yet be over.

     Is Will really any more worthy for Alicia's affection? After all, he is involved with Tammy (Elizabeth Reaser), and they have gotten quite serious. Will assumes Tammy has left him for a job in London because he has been too wrapped up in his case to stop her, but that is an unconfirmed theory. Will should check with Tammy before acting on anything with Alicia. Chances are, Tammy could have chosen Will over her career, and may be wondering where he is as he has sex with another woman. In this scenario, Alicia suddenly is the interloper.

     Should The Good Wife pursue this line, it may be enough for Alicia to begin to forgive Kalinda. After all, when faced with a situation of infidelity, Alicia is choosing wrong. Perhaps she can start to see things from Kalinda's point of view, instead of judging her so harshly.

     For awhile, it looks like Cary might return to the Lockhart / Gardner fold, but that is not how this season ends. Instead, Cary cannot bring himself to work with Alicia instead of having her work for him, a bit of personal bitterness that is now hurting his career, and Cary makes himself invaluable to Peter instead. This may be a sign that the DA stories are not going anywhere, since Cary remains a main character, the only one outside of L/G. Cary's continued stay with the DA office also opens up the door for more scenes for Peter, keeping him firmly in the series, even if his name remains out of the opening credits. The Good Wife likes to shake up who interacts with who from time to time, and Cary staying put introduces a new relationship that might prove quite interesting. Either Peter and Cary will bond over an anger towards Alicia, or Cary's feelings could stunt his job goals even beyond L/G.

     Eli, on the other hand, is going deeper into L/G, moving his main occupation to their offices. This is a welcome development, especially if Alicia accepts the liason position, because Margulies and Cumming have impecable chemistry. She brings out the best in him, and their interplay during Peter's campaign provides some of the best moments of the series. Alicia resists Eli and what he represents over and over, but that only makes him more determined to prove himself worthy in her eyes. Long term, might Eli be a serious love interest for Alicia? It would certainly be a development worth pursuing.

     Most confusing is Jackie's continued presence on the show. She seems to be at an end to any real arcs when Alicia asks her not to be Grace (Makenzie Vega) and Zach's (Graham Phillips) primary caregiver any more. Alicia doesn't cut Jackie off from her grandchildren, but does reduce her role in their lives. Jackie's determination to stay involved comes with a ferocity that is surprising. Inviting herself along to their dinner out, one which Alicia misses so she can get it on with Will, only further strengthens Jackie's ties to the kids, while weakening Alicia's. What is shaping up is a very interesting battle for hearts, if not custody. Jackie is poised to create some major waves in Alicia's home life.

     It is disappointing there is no big reason to talk about Diane (Christine Baranski) in a review of "Closing Arguments." Diane is one of the best written characters on the show, but rarely gets strong, independent stories. She has had one love interest, but her firm political games involve Will and others, and she argues fewer cases than the other primary attorneys. Hopefully, going forward, The Good Wife will find more reasons to feature Diane. Baranski is proving formidable all over again, a career renaissance, and deserves good material.


     The Good Wife will get a third season, returning to CBS this coming fall.

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Click here for all of my Current Season Reviews.

     To buy The Good Wife DVDs, please click here.

Article first published as TV Review: The Good Wife - "Closing Arguments" on Blogcritics.