29 October, 2012

The Good Wife: "Waiting for the Knock" aka The Case of the Illegitimate Juice Bar

"Waiting for the Knock"
Season 4, Episode 5 | Original air date: October 28, 2012
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Lemond Bishop: He’s suave, he’s sophisticated and he’s smart.  Did I mention handsome?  Well, he’s that, too.  Best of all, he’s a father who loves his son to limitless bounds – an admirable quality that would surely challenge the top spot for Chicago’s Most Eligible Bachelor list.  Of course, the reason he’s eligible is because he had his wife offed.  Oh, and he’s a drug king pin.


Fortunately for me, I can’t get enough of Lemond Bishop and his shading dealings.  That could be one of the reasons I loved this week’s episode.   The Good Wife’s now classic roaster of criminals I adore is ever-growing (and can I just say I would pay a lot of money to see Sweeney and Bishop share a jail cell?  A lot.  Like illegitimate juice bar a lot). 

“Waiting for the Knock” was one of the better character development episodes of the season so far – in my opinion – so this week my commentary will look at things from an individual perspective.  Get ready for ‘Cary Agos, Big Brother’ and ‘Will you want me to do what? Gardner.’  As always, I invite you to take to the comments section at the end and let me know your thoughts on this week’s episode!

Eli Gold – The Man Who Wants the Shirt off your Back. Literally.

Picking up right where we left off, Eli was, once again, fully ensconced in a case of reputation management.  It’s probably a good thing he didn't know Alicia was off sharing tea with a drug lord, otherwise he probably would have had a complete meltdown.  But I digress.  With Maddie hovering at the party, Jimmy V lurking behind his computer and Peter shaking hands and holding babies, Eli was bound to get caught up in more than he could handle.  We've seen Eli scramble before, but it’s a place he doesn't like to be and a place he doesn't handle particularly well.  


What I find to be interesting about Eli this season is how he is using his Lockhart Gardner connections to further Peter’s campaign.  Alicia is just an aside in this whole thing.  He is building a network of unexpected Florrick campaign allies – Kalinda investigating off the side, Will getting pulled into the crux of problem-solving – it’s something unexpected that could have some very interesting repercussions down the road.  Eli is already close to unearthing the Kalinda/Peter fiasco and the more he pulls in people close to Alicia, the more he’s building an ‘I owe you’ network.  Peter can already see this going badly – you can tell simply by his reactions every time Eli shares something good that has happened because all the things that are going right are coming from Alicia’s little corner of the world.

The fact is, Eli is paid to mitigate risk and keep up an appearance of cool, but sometimes the campaign trail isn't so kind.  Sometimes you need to take extreme measures.


 Will you want me to do what? Gardner

Having nowhere left to turn in the case of ‘Jimmy V and the blog post’ Eli called Will.  Will?  Wait.  Did that just happen?  Whipping out my ‘things I didn't see coming list,’ I put this at the very top.  Ever the professional, Will did what he could for a client (while, wearing another great semi-casual Saturday outfit *sigh*) – it’s not personal, it’s business – but unfortunately this business just got very personal.  Even though we only had the chance to look at Will’s face for a minute, his expression told a story of epic proportions.  It went something like this:
Out of everyone you know, everywhere in the world, why did you call me?  ME.  Seriously Eli, weren't you there when we all got out of the elevator in The Dream Team?  It was awkward.  And not just because Patti Nyholm's baby was running around.  I know you remember this - you pretended like it was a surprise party for Kalinda, who, by the way, also thought it was awkward.  You know Peter and I don’t really get along and that Alicia and I have shared a little love in the afternoon.  Okay, you don’t know specifics, but you intercepted my ‘I love you message’ so you know I’m not the first, second, or 45th person you should be calling.  Glen Childs would have been a better choice – and that’s saying something.  Sure, I know I’m good at intimidating the media – I've done it before (and I think I've even had a few dates come out of it), but it’s not something I want to do to help Peter.  Also, did I mention I’m still in love with Alicia?  Right, so there’s that, too. 

Kalinda Sharma and the 100 Meter Dash

For the second week in a row Kalinda’s head has been back in the Lockhart Gardner game and in “Waiting for the Knock” she was even able to juggle Nick’s creepy shenanigans while finding a rotting body in a trunk (the latter she did while chasing a motorcycle in her 5 inch heels – not an easy feat, ladies and gentleman, not an easy feat).

While K’s ability to sniff out a corpse is second to none, what I was most impressed with this week came during her interactions with Nick.  First, her ability to keep her professional cool during the meeting about his skeezy tow truck business and second, her candor and strength when telling him she’s a different person than he once knew.  I mean, sure.  She went from Laila to Kalinda; from being married to a man to being flexible with everyone and from making omelettes to shooting tequila.  My words to Nick: You've got to get out of dodge - she’s not the same.  Also, you’re not the first person who has loved her only to have their heart broken.  Take a number.


Perhaps the most interesting development in Kalinda’s story line came as a result of Nick (hallelujah, he’s doing more than pulling knives and inappropriately licking ice cream) and the fact he ransacked Lana’s apartment, only to find a shrine dedicated to Kalinda.  Me + notebook = I didn't see that coming, take II.  The one photo Nick was able to snatch from the apartment was of Kalinda and Eli talking – someone was clearly lurking in the bushes, watching K’s every move.  I’ll confess to being intrigued about where this is going. Is Lana keeping these pictures because of personal or professional reasons?  She’s always really liked Kalinda, so are the images the product of an obsessive love, or are they because of Lockhart Gardner’s close ties to Lemond Bishop? 

Now the tables are turning on Kalinda.  Where she was the one using people, it appears that now people are turning around and using her.  At least she has Alicia, who is saying caring things like, ‘stay safe,’ which, while making Nick lose his mind because he thinks K is in love with Alicia (a likely observation – I mean Alicia is the only person to ever have made Kalinda cry), is also a great development of the new K & A relationship.  There’s no room for Nick in Kalinda’s life anymore.  She has Alicia.


Alicia Florrick, Belle of the Ball

When last we saw Alicia she was taking time away from sharing her office space with Cary to visiting the straw poll to show her support of Peter.  Making the rounds, we had the chance to relive Alicia’s encounter with Jackie and her roach-infested wine, only to be followed up with Jackie calling Alicia ‘the belle of the ball.’  While viewers might agree with that statement, Jackie has never been so kind.  Even Maddie, who doesn't know Jackie, thought the statement to be boldly sweet.

Before having the chance to see Jimmy V’s blog go live, Alicia was whisked off to Lemond Bishop’s Chicago mansion (which, I might add, I want to model my dream home after.  This man knows how to decorate.  Or, he knows who to pay.  Either way, I loved it).  We haven’t seen Alicia be able to use her caring, nurturing side in a case much lately, but it’s always interesting when we get to see that side of her.  She is a smart, hard-hitting lawyer, but unlike many of the other associates we encounter on the show, Alicia has a distinct sense of empathy that makes the audience relate to her.  Diane can be caring, and we've see this, but Alicia has a calming warmth and the ability to put people at ease, even during the most challenging of times.  Watching her interact with Bishop’s son, Dylan, reminded me why Alicia Florrick is one of my favourite characters on television, and why Julianna Margulies is one of the best actors around.


Cary Agos, Big Brother

With all hands on deck for Lemond Bishop’s case, Cary was pulled in with everyone else to get to the bottom of the FBI’s new-found interest in this drug king pin.  Legitimate business, illegitimate business,  tomato, tomatoe.  The one thing Cary has always been good at is working as a part of a team and this week that was taken to a whole new height when he got himself arrested just to get the FBI’s search warrant.  Oh Cary – I’m so glad to see you back in action.  I just wish we would have seen who had the opportunity to bail you out.

Meanwhile, Cary was wrapped up with all kinds of things this week when he wasn't in handcuffs.  Making the highlight reel:

  1. Cary watching Kalinda and Nick interact in the elevator bank at Lockhart Gardner – he knew something was up – investigators and clients don’t usually shove and talk so close they are near kissing… but then again, it is Kalinda, so like many things involving her, Cary was willing to let it slide.
  2. Cary pulling Clarke Hayden into the Bishop investigation.  As it turns out, Hayden really enjoys using his accounting skills to crack a case.  This week, that came in the form of footnotes in some unbalanced books from a juice bar in a gym.  It was like all-too-twisted Nancy Drew mystery, but Hayden loved it.  He was almost happy.  In fact, when he sat down with Cary to talk about his involvement in the case, he was downright gleeful.  For whatever reason, Hayden has taken to Cary like a moth to a flame.  It’s strange though – where one would think Hayden would be acting as a mentor to Cary, it’s actually the other way around.  Cary is the one playing the role of big brother.  Cary is inspiring Hayden to be actively involved and not just provide commentary from the sidelines; Cary is the one giving him career tips and encouraging Hayden to be more at the firm. 


What’s next?

First, a preview: "The Art of War"


Maddie Hayward has pulled her support from Peter’s campaign.  It was a good two episodes while it lasted.  I’m sure her contributions paid for the shirt Eli wrote Jimmy V’s number on and maybe Jackie’s bug-infused Malbec.  While she wants to continue being Alicia’s friend, I’m beginning to sense a new plan afoot.  With no other female candidates in the running, and Peter being dragged back into the media under the veil of another sexual indiscretion, I can’t help but think Maddie might just throw her hat in the ring.  I’m not entirely sure where that’s going to put her relationship with Alicia, but my money is on ‘strained.’ 

Also up next week: Judge Abernathy and Judge Kuhn are back in Josh Charles’ directorial debut.   Color me excited!  Judge Kuhn has previously loathed Will and Judge Abernathy has kept the bar raised when it comes to quirkiness.  The two of them together is sure to be an outrageous adventure.  Is it Sunday yet?

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  • Lemond Bishop gets carted off to prison while Josh Ritter plays in the background…


21 October, 2012

The Good Wife: "Don't Haze Me, Bro" and all that Swishiness

Episode Title: "Don't Haze Me, Bro"
Season 4, Episode 4 | Original Air Date: Sunday, October 21, 2012
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“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness”… but most of all, it was the age of drama.

And that’s the best age of all. 

Goodbye 27th floor, hello shared office space.  Goodbye clean slate, hello scandal.  Goodbye everything we've ever known, hello season 4.  With all of this messy drama, I’m pulling apart this week’s episode to look at ‘Don’t Haze Me, Bro’ as a turning-point for season four of The Good Wife.  Also, I've got some big questions, like: 1) Who is leaking to the press? And 2) Has Cary really been working in the lunchroom for the last two months?  Feel free to dig in with me by sounding off in the comments below.


His and Hers Offices

Diane is mad.  And apparently she eats Wheaties.  Both of these things are unusual and not just because I never pegged Diane for a cereal eater.  After going to review what’s left of the 27th floor, Diane is more determined than ever to get Lockhart Gardner back on top.  It’s going to be a challenge, but I admire her for dreaming big.  First the firm will return to its former office space glory and then they’ll expand.  New York?  You bet.  The world?  Clearly the next stop.  The only one getting in the way?  That pesky Clarke Hayden. 

While Hayden seems to have a legitimate care and concern for Lockhart Gardner, Diane can’t help but think he’s undermining the firm’s success.  Yes, they need to hire an accountant who can actually, well, account, and sure they need to cut back on expenses – fresh flowers just don't grow on trees.  Well, they do, but they don't put themselves in vases, so that's the point – but when it comes to sharing office space, that’s where Diane draws the line.  One would think Diane would embrace the chance to share an office with Will.  Oh wait, that’s me. 

For fans of The Good Wife, I think it’s easy to see validation in having Hayden on staff.  He’s the voice of reason in an otherwise unreasonable world.  “At some point you’ll realize I’m trying to save you from yourself,” notes Hayden.  He’s more invested in the firm’s sustainability than the fair-weather David Lee, yet because he’s new to the scene, everyone loathes his suggestions.

Everyone but Cary Agos.


With the 27th floor demolished, the seating arrangements at Lockhart Gardner are in a state of flux.  Hayden has a plan (and by the looks of it, a lot of agile workers willing move large mahogany furniture) to condense three floors to two.  It’s at this point we find out the beloved golden boy, Cary Agos, hasn't had a desk, filing cabinet, office chair or paperweight in two months.  Seriously?  Where has he been working?  The lunchroom?  Eli’s closet?  Will’s bathroom?  Does this man even have business cards?

Noting the injustice of seating, Hayden approaches Alicia to ask how she feels about Cary.  The review she gives is glowing and before long, Cary has moved into Alicia’s space.  Already it’s loud and full of madness, but this is a partnership that just might work.  Also, this could finally be the push needed to get Cary a bigger role on The Good Wife (something that has been missing). 

Now, I've said it before and I’ll say it again: These two are destined to start their own firm.  Sharing offices?  Step 1.  Welcome to the hallowed halls of Florrick Agos.  It has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?  I hear the 27th floor is available for rent…


Pass the Gin and Titonic

There’s nothing worse than a bad date.  You know what I’m talking about: That moment when you look at your watch, secretly hoping the crab cake appetizer you just ate was tainted with listeria and that you’ll have an excuse to exit stage right because of near-death food poisoning?  Watching Alicia’s drink date with Maddie was like that… but maybe worse.  No amount of gin could cover how awkward things got when Alicia brought up Peter’s campaign and his supposed fidelity.  Why didn't she stick with her gut instinct and leave it to Maddie to bring up politics?  Why did she feel the need to justify her marriage to Peter?  Why did she have to kiss him in the last episode?  Whhhhhhy?

I’ll be the first to admit I have some not-so pent-up angst about Peter, but Alicia unwittingly sabotaging a budding friendship with Maddie because of Peter was so disheartening. I hope these two get a second round at the local watering hole - this is a relationship Alicia needs.



The Return of Jackie Florrick

A cold wind was blowing today and I couldn't help but think, Jackie Florrick is near. Like the cat who came back the very next day, Jackie continues to surface just when you've resigned to the fact she’ll have to be treacherous from a hospital bed.  This week, her pearls were clasped, her hair was pinned and her lipstick had a perfect lustre.  The only thing missing? The Jackie we’ve come to know.  Since her stroke she has been struggling with her senses and her confused reality.  It’s true, she’s always lived in a bit of a delusional world, where Peter walked on water, but it’s always been about what she wanted to believe, not what her mind was convincing her into.  Now she’s seeing bugs crawling across her speeches and doing the backstroke in her wine.  She’s tearing up over Alicia’s loyalty and zoning out while composing simple sentences. 

This is not the Jackie Florrick we've come to know and love to hate. 

This development is going to take The Good Wife into an entirely new world – a place where the lines between lies and truth are blurred, where darkness eludes light and where reality is superseded by imagination.  On second thought, maybe Jackie’s new-found issues are a direct reflection of Peter’s campaign.  Either way, it’s going to be a sad road for Jackie, but it’s sure to be interesting for Peter, Alicia, Eli and the viewers.


And the Best Scene of the Night Goes to…

Eli Gold and his epic meltdown while on the phone to Jim Moody (who we haven’t seen in a while, but it’s sure nice to know he’s back on the campaign trail!).

When discussing Jackie and her Peter has always has many women around-inspired speech: “Beat her off with a 2x4 if you have to!” 

Oh Eli Gold, welcome back.


Who is Leaking to the Press?

It’s the straw poll party.  American flags are flying, people are eating sausages cut into coins skewered on those little plastic-ended toothpicks and voters are hip-hip-hooraying all things Peter Florrick.  Well, all people but Eli.  Why?  Because he just got a call from ‘Jimmy V,’ a blogger with PoorAnarchy.com and the news isn't good.  Let’s face it though: Eli’s phone rarely brings good news (Jackie botched a speech, Peter slept with an intern, the Kung Pow Palace is all out of ginger beef – you know, the result is always the same).  In any case, Jimmy V says he is going to run with a story that a magazine he knows, is sitting on an article of Peter’s new scandal.  It’s going to press in one hour.  Click. Say what?!

My first question:  Who leaked this story?  I have three lines of thought here: 1) Kalinda.  It's a unlikely yet fascinating theory to ponder.  She is out to protect Alicia and she's pro-team Gardner.  Could she be working for Eli and clearing scandals on one side the fence while slipping information to a local blogger on the other?  2) Maggie.  She's in a mood that Eli rained on her Peter parade and this is one way all her work would still pay off.  3) Miss Star - the campaign worker accusing Peter of the hotel visit.  She's mad about Kalinda accusing her of lying and she knows people are looking into her story.  She could have easily spilled the beans on the article.

My second question: Why does Eli answer his phone when ‘unknown caller’ surfaces?  Okay, sure, it’s his business to be responsive, but the way the camera menacingly panned down to the call display, we could all tell it was going to be bad news. 


Other Notables

  • The case of the week: Chicago PolyTech vs. Lockhart Gardner.  In a case about hazing and bullying, this week’s in-court drama was another stunning example of art imitating life.  Judge Brochard was just the right amount of quirky while looking shockingly similar to Jimmy Kimmel.  Please tell me I’m not the only one who noticed?
  • The use of ‘swishiness.’  Chummy the Gopher (squirrel?) last week, “swishy” this week – The Good Wife never ceases to entertain and educate.  I’m sure the people over at Merriam-Webster are busy crafting a new entry as I type: The act of not being gay while being feminine, or being gay while not appearing as such = swishy.
  • Kalinda is busy working for Eli who is, as we all know, is busy working for Peter.  It’s deliciously awkward without Eli even knowing it.  This is story line is like a slow-ticking time bomb.  Ka-boom!

Up Next: "Waiting for the Knock"

"When you protect the devil, prepare for hell."  Consider me intrigued. 


One of my favourite characters is about to return: Lemond Bishop is back and things seem dodgier than ever.  Next week we're taken to Bishop's house, a place we've never seen but are about to become intimately acquainted with (and, which looks strikingly similar to Highland Park, no?).  Bishop's son is the single most important person in his life, so watching how his illegitimate business might interfere with his master plan is just the kind of inspired drama I've been looking for.  Also, let's not forget when last we saw Bishop he was threatening Kalinda to get the FBI off his back.  Could K be able to use Bishop as a pawn in her game to oust Nick from her life?  Let the countdown to "Waiting for the Knock" to begin!

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14 October, 2012

"Two Girls, One Code" - Isn't Life Chummy?

Episode Title: "Two Girls, One Code" - Isn't Life Chummy?
Season 4, Episode 3 | Original Air Date: Sunday, October 14, 2012
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Having spent the last week listening to Joan Osborne’s version of ‘Midnight Train to Georgia’ (and dreaming about this year’s delicious season… don’t judge), my blood pressure was sufficiently off the charts for, “Two Girls, One Code.”  Why?  This face:


Honestly… look at him.  His tie collection alone is cause for anther nomination for Chicago’s Most Eligible Bachelor list (which is perhaps a strategic move… making him more handsome than ever before, now that he’s back to business with Alicia, though still completely in love with her? Right…?!).  

Okay, I could spend my entire post talking about Team Gardner (and don’t worry, I probably will) but this week marked the culmination of all that’s great about The Good Wife.  The moments when I scream at my TV, stand up in shock, cover my face out of disbelief and frustration and those times when I’m forced to triple underline a scene that exceeded my expectations (Kalinda, Peter and Eli on the campaign bus, anyone?  Hello awkward, we haven’t seen you since everyone was in the elevator back in “The Dream Team”) – these are the moments that make for television gold and the ones when I sit back and think, “Could I love this show ANY more?”  The answer is no.  But then again, when things are complicated, they can always get better.


This week, I’m featuring the top six scenes from “Two Girls, One Code”… my favourite episode, so far, in season four.

1) Behind Closed Doors with Alicia Florrick

The scene (with slight liberties taken on dialogue): Eli is found sitting in Alicia’s office (on what appears to be a new and very nice couch).  Alicia walks in.

Eli: Remember when I used to sleep on your couch? 
Alicia: How could I forget?  That was always awkward.  Kind of like where I see this going… 
Eli: Enough with the small talk.  I’ve been avoiding talking to you about it… ever… especially since I intercepted Will’s ‘I love you’ voice mail back in season one, but… 
Alicia: By ‘it’ you mean…? 
Eli: You and Will.  I’d rather be chatting about anything else right now. 
Alicia: Okay. 
Eli: Mandy Post, the reporter, wants to talk to you about your… affair. Her word.  Mandy, she seems to have a copy of a hotel receipt for a September 30, 2011… encounter… and I need to know if that timing makes sense. 
Alicia: I don’t know. (But in reality, we all know she does) 
Eli: Is there any chance you could look into things?  I mean, remember when you came bounding off the elevator with your new haircut last year? I’m pretty sure the timing of that could have something do with the spring in your step and what Mandy is after. 
Alicia: Is she going to press with this? 
Eli: She hopes to, and I hope to stop her. 
Alicia: Can you?  I mean, you got rid of Becca – could Mandy really be any cleverer? 
Eli: I don’t know, but you’re right, Becca was terrible.  Then again, she was 16.  Let me put it this way: If you are still seeing Will, you need to stop… for a time (side note: Really, Eli? “For a time?”  His commitment to a harmonious campaign has hit a whole new high with this statement.  He’s not asking Alicia to stop seeing Will altogether – that he doesn’t care about – he just doesn’t want to it to go public.) 
Alicia: I’m not seeing him (insert teary-eyed glance out the window, matched only by my own teary-eyed stare down of the television) 
Eli: Good (said with an almost apologetic expression as if to say, ‘I’m sorry.’  *Sigh.* I’m sorry too, Eli, I’m sorry, too).  Can I ask when it ended? 
Alicia: No. (She exits her office and lunges for the closing elevator.  The doors close as she puts her head against the wall, in a way slightly reminiscent of when Kalinda cried for the first and only time, after Alicia confronted her about the affair with Peter).  
 Oh sweet love, how I adore these elevator moments.


End scene.

That is, until Alicia talks to Will about the receipt.  Suddenly all of the Team Gardner goodness we’ve (I’ve) enjoyed so much in the past is coming back in an almost haunting way.  Alicia feels cursed, and not just because of her annoying ringtone that she finally changed after the Jesus-napping (but yes, that), but because in many ways she feels as though she can’t catch a break.  Then, as if the knife needs to be twisted any more, Will asks Alicia if she’s okay and reaches for her hand just as she turns.  More bad timing.

Right now, the Team Gardner bandwagon is a sad place to be.  Looking at Will’s face is all the confirmation one needs to confirm this fact:


2) The Case of the Campaign Bus Investigator

With Eli in a jam with this dastardly Mandy, he has nothing left to do but call upon the trusty (though slightly less reliable these days) Kalinda.  Using the guise of ‘protecting Alicia from unjust reporting,’ Eli convinces Kalinda to spend the afternoon doing what she does best: making omelettes sleuthing.  Labeling her as his “assistant,” Kalinda takes to the streets to get to the bottom of the mysterious hotel receipt that apparently doesn't have to do with Will and Alicia at all. Of course, the first stop on Kalinda’s investigative journey is the heart of the Florrick campaign: the bus.  Apparently a 2011 campaign worker accused Peter of sleeping with her at the St. Martin.  Maybe she’s lying, maybe she’s not, but at the end of the day, we’re all a little skeptical about Peter’s past.  I know, I know, he went to prison therefore he’s a changed man.  Well, he’s also the man that ripped Gerald Kozko’s shirt off in church only to find him wearing a wire.  Remember that?  Changed?  I don’t know.  Remorseful?  Maybe.


As Kalinda goes through the campaign supporter team photo she’s instantly able to identify a girl who looks, believe it or not, a bit like Amber Madison.  Peter has a type… and it’s not Alicia.  For that matter, it’s not Kalinda either, so his type is also a little flexible.  Just as Eli gives K the go-ahead to track down Madison Junior, Peter climbs aboard his home-away-from-home.  The shock on his face when he finds these two working together?  Worth the price of admission.  Is he worried?  You bet.  Sure, he’s playing it cool, oh yes, Kalinda… we worked together at the State’s Attorney’s Office, but it’s only because Eli can’t ever find out about his affair with K.  If he did, Eli’s apologetic glance in Alicia’s direction about her quashed romance with Will might turn more into advocacy for her ultimate happiness, of which Eli seems to have a genuine affinity.     


3) “The problem, Peter, is I don’t give a damn.”

Delivered with the strength of character only Alicia has, this quote says it all.  While Peter tries to convince Alicia he’s not in the wrong and that Mandy’s lead is a fake, it doesn't matter.  As much as Alicia has come to accept Peter and his shortcomings, she’ll also never fully trust him.  She has made a commitment to stick with him through the campaign, and much to my chagrin, they seem to be getting along reasonably well. And no, I’m not going to address all of this bus affection that seems to be happening in the Team Florrick camp.  Forgiving and forgetting are two very different things – Alicia’s in a very interesting spot.

Prediction: Amber and Kalinda aren't Peter’s only indiscretions – they are just the only ones that have been caught.  He dodged a bullet here, but he won’t be able to forever, mark my words.  The campaign supporter was a fraudster (and really should have taken lessons from Becca who was much stealthier when it came to the art of deception), but we all know his past isn't squeaky clean.  It’s only a matter of time before the next scandal surfaces. 


4) 10 points for tech-savvy judges

Okay, I’ll confess this favourite scene isn't pertaining to a specific moment, but rather to the entire case involving Lockhart Gardner’s tech nemesis, Neil Gross (John Benjamin Hickey) and his oft-conniving lawyer, Viola Walsh (Rita Wilson).  When I hear the words Chum Hum, I get all fuzzy inside.  Why?  Because 1) it usually means a great case and 2) who doesn't like the name Chum Hum?  Oh, right.  Everyone.  It’s weird.  Yet still, I like it.  This week, we also met Chum Hum’s mascot, Chummy the Gopher.   Will called it a squirrel, which instantly made me love him more (Will, not Chummy) but the best part of all was spending the entire hour watching Judge Michael Marx (Dominic Chianese) school the courtroom on his deep understanding of search engines and code optimization.  With Will still getting his feet wet since the suspension, this was just the judge he needed when going up against Gross and Walsh.   The best part?  Will's never played basketball with Marx, so there's no way this can come back to haunt him.  I think.


5) “You’ve been paranoid for so long, you don’t recognize when someone is on your side”

With last week’s lay-offs and this week's renting out of the Lockhart Gardner boardroom, there’s almost nothing Clarke Hayden won’t do to make the firm some extra cash.  Clearly he hasn't spent enough time in Alicia’s office though, otherwise I’m sure he’d have her camel-colored couture couch listed on Ebay faster than Kalinda can crack an egg with one hand (which, by the way, was seriously impressive).  The surprising twist?  Viola approaching Hayden, thinking she could get him on her side with a lower settlement than the case was worth.  

With Cary not doing much more than acting as a poster child for “returning associates who lurk in the wings,” he spotted Walsh and Clarke in the throngs of discussion and reported it back to Diane.  Sure, it was a little tattle tale-y, but with everyone getting the ax  Cary’s busy trying to prove his worth and not end up ousted from the firm for a second time.  Enter Diane in a fabulous blazer and an attitude worthy of an Emmy, ready to confront Clarke who, as it turns out, isn't easily wooed by the likes of opposing lawyers.  But why would he be?  He works for Lockhart Gardner and he’s there to get them out of the little hole we like to call bankruptcy.   Clarke Hayden, you’re quickly moving up the ranks to become one of my favourite new members of the Lockhart Gardner team.  Just stick around for the Christmas party – it’s going to be fun.


6) Omelettes for Two

So, Kalinda’s culinary specialty is an omelette?  I didn't see that coming.  The fact she can crack an egg with one hand is equally surprising and impressive.  Not that much that she does isn't impressive – she’s basically a leather-clad superhero in amazing heels – I just didn't know she could cook.


Flash forward to a little canoodling with Lana Delaney (Jill Flint).  With creepy Nick stalking Kalinda’s every move (I wonder if he was lurking outside Peter’s campaign bus earlier?  Probably siphoning gas...), we quickly learn he has a jealous streak (surprise, surprise) and doesn't like the idea of K making omelettes for anyone else, least of all another woman.  Kalinda’s response?  1) A punch in the face and 2) accepting the challenge head-on – with Lana as a federal agent, anything Nick does will come with serious consequences.  Bring it on.

What did you think of "Two Girls, One Code?"  Favourite scenes?  Sound off in the comments below!

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