Closing Arguments - March 2012

Alicia's iPod Playlist & Poll Results - Why Alicia Shouldn't Return to Highland Park

Season 3 | Post Date: April 13, 2012

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March was packed to the brim with new episodes of The Good Wife and with just three new shows left, it’s time we take a quick look back over the last month.  This means it’s time to update your playlists with songs from The Good Wife and review the results behind our “Why Alicia Shouldn't Return to Highland Park” poll. 

Alicia's iPod Playlist

I’m not going to lie. I haven’t been able to stop playing Audra Mae’s “Here I Go Again” since it was featured in January, but fortunately, March brought with it a few new songs worthy of a playlist upgrade.

From After the Fall

Ombra mai fu |George Frideric Handel (1738) 

Originally featured as the opening aria in Handel’s Serse 

The scene:  As Will sits at home (in a rustic, manly and superbly decorated loft), just days after the grand jury, he finds himself watching a video documentary on suicide for a case on which he is still allowed to comment.  “Ombra mai fu” plays somberly in the background as a young woman throws herself from a bridge.  End scene.

From Long Way Home

Dust Bowl III | Other Lives (2011)

The scene: After hearing her old house in Highland Park is back on the market, Alicia takes an emotional walk through the place she called home for 15 years.  In a performance truly worth of another Emmy, we watch Alicia struggle with the joy and sorrow trapped in each room of the house.  This song is a perfect accompaniment to the heartbreak we all felt as we opened the door to the past with Alicia.  This scene deserves to be watched over and over again.

From Gloves Come Off

My Name is Money | Sonia Leigh (2011)   

The scene: Alicia and Will get together with Frank Michael Thomas (Fred Dalton Thompson) in a bar to discuss a suit Lockhart Gardner is bringing against the NHL.  Thomas, however, is looking for something different, something he can use against Louis Canning in an upcoming class action.  Nothing is ever simple, is it?  At least we can hope Will and Alicia shared a drink before they left the bar… 

Pretty Good | Peasant (2012) 

The scene: Sitting in a different Chicago bar waiting for our favourite process server, Jack, Diane realizes she has been stood up.  What’s a lady to do but go to plan ‘b’ with the lyrics “And all night I was on your mind” playing in the background?  Seizing the moment, Diane decides to call the oft-thought about ballistics expert, Kurt McVeigh.  If there's one person who deserves to have a little fun (and a night on the town), it's Diane.  The song may have been "Pretty Good," but Diane of late has been more like Pretty Great.

From Blue Ribbon Panel  

November 1, 1832 (featuring Jesy Fortino) | Balmorhea (2009) 

The scene: With encouragement from her realtor, Alicia decides to write a heartfelt letter to the woman selling the old Florrick house, in the hopes it will give her offer an edge.  As Alicia struggles to write the letter, as an audience, we similarly struggle watching her go back down memory lane.  Warning: This song is intense but beautiful – listen only if you are prepared to feel a little morose.

For more songs from The Good Wife, check out Tune Find. 

The Results:  Why you, the readers, don’t think Alicia should return to Highland Park

In case you missed it, I’ve been stewing over this whole “Alicia moving” debacle since the story first surfaced and I couldn’t help but put together a list of reasons why I thought going back to Highland Park was a bad idea (click here if you missed it). Having had the poll up for just over two weeks, the results are in!  You, the readers of Lockhart Gardner: An Inside Look at The Good Wife, have voted and in doing so, helped me rank the reasons why Alicia should take Highland Park off her radar and focus on her future:

From my perspective, the only thing this list is missing is the obvious #9: The fact living in her old house would be awkward when things with Will finally work out.  Oh for the love of Team Gardner *sigh.*

Next Up (Note: Spoiler Alert)

The wait is finally over!  April 15 is boasting the first of three episodes that will marathon through the finale on April 29.  In the upcoming “Pants on Fire” (formerly titled “No Ordinary Lie”), things will pick up right where they left off with Jackie and Alicia in the beauty salon.  Word on the street is that Alicia recruits Kalinda to help her with the Jackie problem, but it might not be quick enough as Peter has a thing or two to say about his mother’s interference in his life.  Meanwhile, Mike is back to give Peter a run for his money, Cary is back to join Lockhart Gardner and an old “friend” of Will’s (Cassie), enters the scene and is looking for a date.  Get out your paper bags, stress balls and memories of the season two finale (elevator fireworks anyone?) – the final three episode of this season are set to be explosive.

Closing Arguments - January 2012

Alicia's iPod Playlist & January's Top Five Scenes

Season 3, February Hiatus | Post Date: February 6, 2012

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Between the Super Bowl and the Grammy’s, February is turning out to be “the great waiting game” for fans of The Good Wife.  Of course, we know that it will return with a vengeance on February 19, but what are we supposed to do until then?

Fortunately, I have more than a few ideas… so let’s get started!

Of course, Alicia's iPod would have Mika's "Any Other World"
filed in "Favorites" and playing on repeat, but there are plenty of new songs to add to that list!

Alicia's iPod Playlist

When it comes to music, new episodes of The Good Wife can only mean one thing:  It’s time to update current playlists!  Here are some of the most notable songs from January 2012’s episodes:

From Another Ham Sandwich

Here I Go Again | Audra Mae (2009) 

The scene: Will’s indictment falls through, so there’s nothing left to do but celebrate with drinks and dancing over Lockhart Gardner (and really, could there have been a better song for Will and Diane?  I think not).  Perfection!  Note: I recommend this song in large doses and on frequent replay. 

Set Us Free | Black Mountain (2005) 

The scene:  Wendy Scott-Carr introduces herself and the indictment process to the grand jury for Will Gardner.  While she talks, we see jurors doodling everything from pirates to wagon wheels.  Set us free, indeed!

From Bitcoin for Dummies

Magic Arrow | Timber Timbre (2009) 

The scene: Guest star, Jason Biggs, enters the lobby at Lockhart Gardner looking for Alicia, while being tracked by Federal Agents representing the Treasury.  He may be in trouble, but this song has both a serious and playful quality to it – much like the case surrounding Mr. Bitcoin.

Walk Like an Egyptian | The Bangles (1986) 

The scene: Kalinda heads to Decode-A-Con to get to track down the mysterious Mr. Bitcoin.  Why there are Egyptian goddesses dancing at Decode-A-Con is something that’s explained only in passing – it’s because hieroglyphics were the first cryptograms and therefore Egyptian-inspired dancers are the perfect tradeshow booth décor.  Well, now that’s all cleared up… 

I Like to Boogie | Lightnin’ Hopkins (1964) 

The scene: Kalinda meets Dana at a bar to discuss some paperwork surrounding Will’s indictment… and Alicia’s potential forgery of a document from an earlier case.   It’s only appropriate this classic Blues song plays in the background: no one wants to boogie with someone who’s trying to blackmail someone else’s best friend.

From Alienation of Affection

String Quintet in D Major, No. 6, Op. 30 (part five, Passa calle) | Luigi Boccherini
The scene: Diane stands in a museum gallery, admiring the works of Harry Borgman (opening credits).  The song plays again at the end of the episode when the truth about the couple suing Lockhart Gardner comes out and when Will is served with papers pertaining to his indictment.  Crescendo!  And Scene. 

January's Top Five Scenes

Let's face it, January was an epic month for The Good Wife: Will dodged charges surrounding felony bribery (but not before a grand jury was impanelled), Kalinda worked her behind-the-scenes ninja-style magic to ensure the future careers of both Will and Alicia, Diane met a potential love interest, Wendy Scott-Carr was sent packing, Alicia walked out of a courtroom despite the threat of arrest… and that’s just the beginning!  January was oh-so-sweet… so let’s take a look at the top five best scenes of the month:

5) Clash in the Kitchen – Things had been going swimmingly for Alicia and Peter – As State’s Attorney, Peter used his pull to get Zach and Grace into private school and Jackie was no longer hacking Alicia’s computer – all signs pointed to “stalemate.”  Of course, that was before Alicia asked Peter to stop the investigation into Will.  With accusations flying around Alicia’s pristinely kept kitchen, Peter snapped and confessed to Alicia the grand jury was being impaneled because of her relationship with Will.  With cooler heads prevailing, Alicia admitted there was no relationship Peter had to worry about, but if there’s one subject on which Peter is an expert, it’s walking the tightrope of semantics related to truth.  In this battle of “who can rub the most salt in the deepest wound” I don’t think anyone came out the victor (though I will admit this argument had a hint of sweetness for Team Gardner as Alicia fought for Will).

4) Welcome to the asbestos office… are those dancing bears? – When Wendy Scott-Carr arrived at Elsbeth’s asbestos-filled office with Cary and Dana in tow, I couldn’t help but think, this scene is going to change everything… and it did.  Sitting in a stripped, concrete room with workmen roaming about in steel-toed boots and hardhats, it took everything Wendy Scott-Carr had to keep her cool.  Unfortunately, with Elsbeth, all bets are off.  Between offering up breakfast smoothies and apologizing for the exposed beams, she managed to get Wendy Scott-Carr to spill the beans on the judges Will was being accused of bribing.  It’s as though WSC forgot about Elsbeth buying a ticket to the Dancing Bear Jamboree just days before when it became all too obvious this case was going to be anything but ordinary.  The second best part of this scene?  Cary’s coy smirk hidden from Wendy Scott-Carr when he astutely pointed out: “She played you.”  What would I have said? “You’ve been Tascionied.”

3) Save the last dance for me – It wouldn’t be a true celebration at Lockhart Gardner without the free-flow of libations and a great soundtrack playing in the background (seriously, Audra Mae’s version  of Here I Go Again is getting non-stop play from this writer!).  Enter Will and Diane locking eyes from across the party and before long, creating their own dance floor in the hall.  This scene was absolutely priceless and confirmed the one thing we’ve come know with absolute certainty: Will and Diane are a match made in heaven.

2) The questioning of Cary Agos – In "Alienation of Affection," Cary was called back to Lockhart Gardner to comment on some of the firm’s paperwork with a mysterious background.  While he was able to answer honestly in saying he didn’t believe any nefarious dealings were afoot (though, if he had seen David Lee in his HMS Pinafore getup, that might have changed), Cary simultaneously pulled Alicia out of the fire.  After the questioning, Alicia and Cary made amends and locked eyes with an unspoken understanding of friendship.   It’s too bad this new bond got tested so soon, for when Alicia took the stand and had to confess to having had a relationship with Will, Cary could do nothing to stop it, despite his best efforts. 

1) “The witness has not been excused” – It wouldn’t be a “best of” list without highlighting this scene: Alicia walking out on Wendy Scott-Carr during questioning in front of the grand jury.  We’re now seeing the new and improved Alicia – she’s full of moxie and she’s not afraid to show it.  Putting WSC in her place by coldly saying, “You’re out of control,” Alicia walked out of the courtroom with a refreshing blend of strength and grace.  I’ll have what she’s having – because Alicia Florrick season three is full of gumption and dressed to kill.  I can only imagine what will happen when she and Kalinda team up and take to the streets again… but for that we’ll have to wait.

I don’t know about you, but personally, February 19 can’t come soon enough!

Related to this post:

• Catch up on all of January's episodes with recaps and reviews of "Alienation of Affection," "Bitcoin for Dummies" and "Another Ham Sandwich"
• The Latest Briefs - All news that is news surrounding The Good Wife
• Food Inspired by The Good Wife: A Romantic Salad
• Preview: "Live from Damascus"