The Good Wife: Best of 2011

The Good Wife – The Best of 2011

Season 3, December/January Hiatus | Post Date: January 2, 2012

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Looking back over the last year, fans of The Good Wife have been treated to drama, romance, comedy and everything in between.  I can’t count the number of times I’ve found myself clapping, shrieking, gasping and/or hiding during the last half season two and first half of season three.  Good Wife Sunday has become the day I look forward to most each week.  Needless to say, I’m a big fan.  Correction – huge fan.  Amendment - gigantic fan. 

With the season three hiatus over in less than a week (six days, but who's counting?), it only seems fitting to commemorate the past 12 months and the New Year with a “Best of 2011” list.  Enjoy!

Best Storylines 

Bond Getting Ousted – First it was Stern, Lockhart and Gardner.  Then it was Lockart Gardner.  Next up: Lockhart, Gardner and Bond.  When Derek Bond came on the scene he instantly gave off a strange vibe and he began pitting Diane and Will against each other.  When it came to light he had tracing software installed on certain employee’s computers (Alicia included), the battle lines were drawn.  In season two’s “Great Firewall,” equity partners were pulled and the votes were cast: Bond messed with one too many people and crossed a few too many lines.  Diane and Will might not have a perfect marriage, but they’re certainly better without Bond.  Lockhart Gardner, take two.

Welcome to Lockhart Gardner, Eli Gold – Bringing Eli into the Lockhart Gardner fold at the end of season two meant the personal/professional/legal/political web was going to end up more tangled than a string of Christmas lights.  The facts are these: Eli had business connections but things have quickly started going south, which has meant Eli has needed to befriend other people in the firm, besides Alicia.  As fate would have it, Eli needs the firm now more than the firm needs him.  With that, Eli is now forced to make nice with key partners like Will (a relationship that is somewhat counterintuitive, considering Eli technically still works for Peter).  The more Eli is around, the more he becomes a big part of what makes this show tick.  Time for a flow chart, just to keep things straight:

Will and Alicia, Take One – Love them or hate them, Team Gardner finally had their moment in the sun and I, for one, couldn’t be happier.  This relationship was years in the making (flash back to season one’s “Heart” with their first on screen kiss) and let’s be honest, things were good while they lasted.  Team Gardner was sneaky at being smitten and sultry while being sexy.  I loved every juicy moment of their relationship and I continue to be more than a little heartbroken things are over.  Still, I’m grateful for all of the memorable moments Will and Alicia “together” brought to the screen.  Flashback to these classics: “Mom, pick up the phone, Mom pick up the phone,” Will meeting Zack for the first time, Alicia: “Well, I can dress up” and Will’s confrontation of Peter on the steps of the court.  Now, I’ll sit, eagerly awaiting the next chapter of this storyline, even if it takes a few more years, because no one makes an elevator look as good at Alicia Florrick and Will Gardner.

Best Scenes – Those seconds and minutes we want to watch on repeat

A New Side of Kalinda Sharma –  Let’s face it: Kalinda can take a bat to someone’s car (knees or ribs), let loose and sip a nightcap while admitting nothing interesting happened that day.  She appears effortlessly emotionless and can get virtually anything she wants by a)flirting and b)knowing how to work a leather jacket, tight skirt and tall leather boots and c)keeping her eyes and ears open at all times.  Alicia, in some ways is quite similar.  She’s all business, ever stoic and able to maintain her composure even in the most challenging of circumstances.  All of that went out the window when Alicia confronted Kalinda about sleeping with Peter after Andrew Wiley dropped the name ‘Leela,’ into conversation.  We knew Alicia and Kalinda’s relationship would never be the same.  Enter one of my favourite cinematic devises: the melt down.  Alicia, shaking, wanted to scream at the top of her lungs, while Kalinda, for the first time, entered the elevator and had a breakdown.  This scene was epic for the character and monumental for the show.  Will these two ever toast with a shot of tequila again?  They say time heals all wounds, and in this case, I hope that’s true.  In the meantime, I’m secretly wishing Kalinda gets called into the Wendy Scott-Carr vs. Peter Florrick grand jury debacle so we can finally find out what went down when K was Leela from Toronto and Peter was someone who could get away with… everything.

What if we were to suddenly have good timing?  Two years in the making, the will-they/won’t-they tension of Alicia and Will finally came to a head in “Closing Arguments” the season finale of season two last May.  I probably watched the now infamous elevator scene (okay, and also the tequila scene and the I’ll take the hotel room for $7,800 scene) at least 25 times… and that’s likely a staggering under-exaggeration.  Mika’s “Any Other World” song is at the top of my playlist now and if ever I need a healthy dose of Team Gardner, this is the scene to which I turn. 

The Midwest Bar Association Mixer – Taking the cake for one of the most awkward and yet entertaining scenes to date, the encounter between Will, Peter and Celeste at the Midwest Bar Association mixer in Season Three’s “Feeding the Rat” is memorable for being so good and so bad all at the same time.

Celeste: So, Alicia Florrick, huh? Well, she works with Will, she’s married to you.  It must be quite an arrangement.  Discuss. 

Peter: (Pausing) It is quite an arrangement, yes. 

Celeste: Any awkward moments? 

Peter: You mean besides this one?

Everything about this scene was pure magic, and sure, while I’ll admit to loving a good Team Gardner/Team Florrick show down, the whole episode was made even better by Will’s “I love you” slip to Alicia just minutes after this uncomfortable exchange.  Instant replay, take 15.

Characters we Most Love to Hate

Jackie Florrick – Also the winner of “the worst mother-in-law in the world” award, Jackie Florrick is the character we love to hate.  I don’t think I’m alone in saying that whenever she comes on screen I want to see her turn right back around.  Quite frankly, every time she mentions how much she knows about what goes on in the Florrick apartment re: the kids, I want to take her plate of lemon muffins and throw them out the door.  That’s the beauty of Mary Beth Peil and her great acting – she makes Jackie Florrick the conniving conservative who can, admittedly, pull off pearls and a headband better than anyone else and simultaneously manipulate everyone in her life all while clad in cashmere.

Wendy Scott-Carr – She may have lost the battle to become the State’s Attorney in season two, but that doesn’t mean she has lost the race altogether.  In fact, now that we’ve hit the mid-point of season three we see her lurking in the shadows: She’s out for blood and she’s willing to use anything and anyone she can to get back at Peter Florrick.  Dressed to kill and with the attitude to match, Wendy Scott-Carr is proving to be one of The Good Wife’s most formidable villains.

Best Guest Stars       

Carrie Preston as Elsbeth Tascioni – It’s true: she has glitter decals on her computer, she runs around Chicago with a Vera Bradley quilted laptop bag, she thinks cupcakes are too pretty to eat and she can’t use a speaker phone.  Scatterbrained and brilliant, Elsbeth Tascioni never fails to impress when she crosses paths with anyone on The Good Wife. If she’s met a case she can’t win, we haven’t seen it.  In “Executive Order 13224” she was able to get Alicia out of a tight spot, something Will Gardner is hoping for when the grand jury comes calling.  Every scene she’s in is gold, always making my highlight reel. Whew – look at all this paper!

Dallas Roberts as Owen Cavanaugh – Whenever Owen shows up we know good things are going to happen.  He’s full of pizazz, humor and personality and he isn’t afraid to probe Alicia to spill personal details about her life.  Owen truly is the brother everyone wishes they had and whether they are on a road trip from Oregon to Chicago or sipping wine on Alicia’s couch, Owen proves time and time again he’s got Alicia’s back no matter what… and even Will can’t say that because of his loyalty to the firm.  Also, let’s not forget, one of his favourite pastimes is getting under Jackie’s skin, a trait which endures him to the audience even more.    

Michael J. Fox as Louis Canning – He’s cunning, he’s bright and he wants Alicia at his firm.  For all of 2011, Louis Canning has been vying for Alicia to come to his side of the fence in lieu of the Lockhart Garnder rat race.  Sure, he may steal things from Alicia’s briefcase and, yes, he uses his condition to woo any jury he can, but somehow we still buy into the fact Canning might just be the next best thing. 

Gary Cole as Kurt McVeigh – Sure, we only saw Kurt McVeigh once in 2011, but he deserves an honorable mention nonetheless.  As Diane’s only love interest since the show started, McVeigh, the squeaky clean ballistics expert, has been the only character who could throw Diane even a little off her game.  Inviting her to go away with him, McVeigh was turned down and with that, exited stage right.  They have left the door open for his return at some point in the future, and I think I speak for the masses when I say he would be a welcomed back with open arms. 

Best New Cast Addition of Season Three

Romany Malco – The revolving door of guest stars on The Good Wife continues to impress and that’s certainly true with Romany Malco on the scene as Justin, the newest addition to the offices of Lockhart Gardner.  As the head of legal aid, Malco’s character is smart, quick, adaptable and friendly.  He breathes new life into the firm and is whole heartedly committed to truth and justice.  Bringing Justin in-house was Diane’s best decision of season three… well, next to her wardrobe selections.

Here’s to another great year of The Good Wife!  Thank you for all of the support of lockhartgardner.blogspot.com over the last few months – it’s so appreciated.  Happy New Year, friends and fans!

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"What Went Wrong"

Episode Title: "What Went Wrong"

Season 3, Episode 11 | Original Air Date: Sunday, December 11, 2011

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If I had to pick just one thing I love most about The Good Wife, it would have to be the element of surprise.  It’s the over-arching trait that makes this show tick.  In “What Went Wrong” we were treated to more than a few of these delicious moments – those times that make me, personally, sit up a little taller, or even stand-up and exclaim, “Well, I didn’t see that coming!” This week, I had three of these moments.  Let's call them huge storyline developments and further nods to the Emmy-winning potential of The Good Wife.

In my Opinion – Episode Commentary

This week, the episode unfolded in a dramatic way when a jury reached a guilty verdict despite the defense, prosecution and judge believing in the accused’s relative innocence.  Unfortunately, this meant a loss for Lockhart Gardner and something they weren’t ready to accept.  Taking a cue from Diane, the team was tasked to find out “what went wrong” and secure a piece of evidence solid enough to provide grounds for a reversal. 

Of course, finding the golden ticket – that one piece of key evidence – isn’t as easy as it should be, but that’s what made this episode especially interesting.   The first order of business?  Securing the jury’s old garbage.  Luckily, Justin found the janitor and smoothly handed over a token of gratitude in the form of a pristinely folded $5, $10 or $20 (I’m guessing $20 – surely Diane would have splurged for this ripe refuse).  Upon digging in, Alicia and Justin were interested to find layers of ‘guilty’ and ‘not guilty’ verdicts sandwiched between meal remnants.  At lunch – the Chinese food layer – the jury was leaning towards ‘not guilty,’ but by their pizza dinner everyone was unanimous with a “guilty” verdict.  What happened in between?  Flash to Kalinda who tracked down juror number five, a blogger named Lisa who was openly passionate about writing twice-daily on the subject of buttons.  Yes, you read that correctly, buttons.  It seems that while sitting on the jury, Lisa had to take time away from her button-based adventures and later reported some jury frustration out to her readers. Not to dismiss the practicality or usefulness of buttons, but who would read a blog devoted to the subject?  The answer?  Apparently 45,000 people.  Only Diane Lockhart could deliver that statistic and have me believe it.

With a sympathetic judge presiding, we watched as Lockhart Gardner made three attempts to have the verdict reversed: 1) Throw Lisa under the bus – “improper contact between a juror and a non-participant.”  Good try (and kudos on all the blog hits)… but denied; 2) Back to the garbage – try to make juror 12 feel threatened by a letter found torn up next to discarded coffee cups… too bad he admitted he didn’t really care.  Solid attempt… but back to square one; 3) Social media “friending” – the undoing of all great cases.  As luck would have it, the judge accepted a friend request on "FaceBranch" by our social butterfly button-lover during the trail – just the ethical breech Lockhart Gardner was after.  Signed, sealed, delivered. Case over.

The Art of Friendship

If the case had been any different this week – that is to say, if Diane hadn’t uttered the words, “what went wrong” – I’m convinced the episode would have been entitled “The Art of Friendship.”  Everything tying this episode together was based on this one thing we’ve seen Alicia struggle with for the last three years: having friends.  Perhaps this is why she and Eli actually get along so well?  As we’ve seen, Eli isn’t so good at that whole ‘friends’ thing either.

Alicia and Kalinda

I never would have imagined handcuffs and Internet Jesus would have brought Alicia and Kalinda back together.  I also never imagined I would write that sentence… which makes the whole situation the perfect way to start my I didn’t see that coming list.  That said, all things being equal, I’ve taken to working under the assumption that any storyline needs at least seven degrees of separation from Grace to succeed.  How Alicia tracked down Internet Jesus at his day job – a skateboard shop – is uncertain, but I’m glad she did.  Do I care about the fact Alicia doesn’t want Grace to hang out with this guy anymore?  Not really, but that could be more because I was rooting for her to be kidnapped.  I was, however, thrilled when he explained the details of Grace being found and returned home.  Even better was Kalinda’s threat to him, which clearly made her name stick in his memory.

Then, of course, an integral part of the storyline I have yet to tackle: Cary arresting Kalinda.  Getting too close to jurors was a risk K was willing to take for this case; Cary took exception and had her handcuffed and carted off to prison.  While she didn’t have enough time to make a shiv from her trusty notebook binding, she did get moved around the system until Alicia, after having found out Kalinda rescued Grace, decided to return the favor, yell at Cary and get her released from jail.  The moment tens of thousands of The Good Wife fans have been waiting for finally arrived – Alicia and Kalinda had a civil conversation.  "Alicia, I haven't changed.  I'm the same person.  I knew I could help, so I helped, that's all." It’s not full-fledged friendship yet, but it doesn’t have to be.  The subtext said it all – these two will be reconciled before too long.

Alicia and Owen

Thank goodness for brothers!  Owen is definitely Alicia’s best friend these days - he is the one and only person she can confide in about every aspect of her life, without judgment.  Okay, so maybe she didn’t tell him she tuned into a hot and heavy made-for-TV movie about Joan of Arc before they met for drinks, but otherwise, he’s pretty in the know.

Alicia and Will

After the heartbreak of last week’s episode, a trauma I’m not sure I’ll recover from until at least season 17, Will and Alicia had one exchange that both softened the edge of awkward encounters and complicated their future dealings simultaneously.

Will: “I don’t want things to be awkward.” 

Alicia: “I so don’t want things to be awkward.” 

Will: “Good. Then they won’t be” 

Alicia: “So that’s it then, isn’t it? 

Will: “What?” 

Alicia: “We just decide it and it’s so?” 

Will: “Yep, we’re adults”… 

Alicia: “Thank you” 

Will: “You have no reason to thank me Alicia, no reason at all.”

Well, what does that mean?  Alicia looked as puzzled as I felt.  I’m sure things will become clear later in the season, likely when it comes out that Will is in professional trouble but didn’t tell Alicia.  For now, I foresee a dwindling friendship between these two.  It makes sense the writers put some distance in this storyline, at least for the immediate future.

Alicia and Diane

Not only did Diane do a literal dance of joy with Justin at the beginning of the show (see photo below), she performed admirably in her metaphorical dance around Alicia.  Wanting to discuss Alicia’s potential path to partnership, Diane eloquently touched on the dangers of office romances and how distractions could be Alicia’s one and only downfall.  In the end, Diane made a proclamation of friendship, something we know Diane is careful not to offer to just anyone.  In fact, like Alicia, we don’t see Diane with friends.  As of season one, we knew she had a dog named Justice, but even he seems to have been missing for the last two and a half years.  Not knowing where any of this was going, my list of I didn't see that coming items quickly grew when Diane and Alicia met for drinks after work.  Pass the Scotch – these women mean business.

Down at the Gym

Whenever Wendy Scott-Carr shows up, two things immediately cross my mind: 1) Why can’t I, or anyone else, call her “Wendy” instead of “Wendy Scott-Carr” and 2) Why does she remind me so much of the Dark Lord?  The first question I pose could be a mystery from now until eternity, but the second answer is quite simply: because she’s evil.  First she was Peter’s opponent in the race to become State’s Attorney.  Next, Peter hired her to go after Lemond Bishop.  Not liking that track, she decided she wanted to go after Will under the guise of judicial corruption.  When she finally approached Will this week (if I’m not mistaken, this is the first time they’ve met), she arrived on the scene almost as a shadowed silhouette.  The only thing that could have made her entrance more sinister would have been her first lurking behind the bleachers watching Will play basketball by himself.  Knowing the details on the investigation, Will was quick to brush her off until she dropped the ultimate bomb: She’s not actually investigating him - she’s trying to bring down Peter.  What can I say?  I didn't see that coming, take three.

Quotes of the Week:

Alicia: “I had friends… Where are they all?”
Owen: “Probably on Facebook”

“I have to go yell at someone now. Talk to you later.” – Alicia to Owen, just before meeting Internet Jesus

“Oh good, more from the trash.” – Diane to Justin, when he delivers evidence to her desk that he has found in the garbage

Wendy Scott-Carr: “The next we talk, it will be in front of a grand jury.”
Will: "Okay. So be it."

What’s next?

Will is off to hire a lawyer with all of this whole 'judicial bribery' investigation going down.  Word on the street is that Elsbeth Tascioni is going to be just the woman for the job.  I can only image the level of frustration Wendy Scott-Carr will have with Elsbeth.  It’s going to be worth the price of admission.

Grace and Zach are off to private school.  I hope this doesn’t mean Jennifer, Grace’s tutor, will be unceremoniously ousted.  Quite frankly, she’s the best part of Grace right now.

The Good Wife is officially on hiatus until the New Year… but that doesn't mean I am.  Next week I’m planning a special feature on ‘top scenes we would have liked to witness.'  If there's one scene you've been imagining (Just think - what was the conversation Will and Alicia had when that elevator kept closing during the finale?) please post a reply and let me know.  Anything goes!

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"Executive Order 13224"

Episode Title: "Executive Order 13224"

Season 3, Episode 7 |Original Air Date: Sunday, November 6, 2011

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I cheered. I gasped. Okay, I gasped three times in the first seven minutes. Fine, it was more probably more like four. I shrieked and I covered my face. “Executive Order 13224” was, in my opinion, the biggest ‘wow factor’ episode they have done since Bond was ousted in season two.  I didn’t know they could top this season’s episode four, “Feeding the Rat,” but they did.  The writers of The Good Wife are officially at the top of my Christmas card list.


In my opinion – episode commentary 

I think it’s only fit to begin this post with a mention of a scene that launched the episode: What can I say - the opening with Will on the phone to Diane and having Alicia's "Mom pick up the phone, Mom pick up the phone" ring throughout the room and across the telephone line was shocking. I had a feeling Will was with Alicia, but I didn't expect her phone to go off.  It was a great and yet terrible Team Gardner moment.    Oh – and let me just say this – how is it that Grace can manage to ruin almost every scene she is in? Where this bible study storyline is going is uncertain to me, but what I do know: if bible study is the undoing of Team Gardner, I’m going to be upset.

Flash to Diane

This was a great episode for Christine Baranski to tap into her comedic timing that has been well used for the show’s dramatic effect.  This was an episode for her (and her shoes!) to shine. It’s clear she definitely knows something is going on with Will and Alicia and is trying to figure out the best way to deal with it.  All I could think of when she brought in the insurance representative to discuss "harassment" and "appropriate behaviour" was, "Touche Diane, touche."  It was brilliant. 

Now we’re seeing a different side to Diane though – she is looking at Alicia through a different lens.  So, where will the passive aggression lead? I can’t help but flash back to “The Death Zone” when Diane had a sit-down with Will to discusses getting rid of Alicia if she becomes a liability.  Until things get sorted out, I think we can look forward to more clever nudges at the budding Team Gardner romance.  Diane is crafty and her sexual harassment video with bubble gum xylophone music is just the beginning.  Ping!

For the love of cupcakes, confidentiality, paper and freedom

Fortunately, Alicia is still excellent at her job and knows how to land on the side of integrity and justice.  This week, Alicia found herself in a storyline that had her reporting client information to a Treasury Secretary Monitor, a situation which made her “uncomfortable” (of course, Diane was exceptionally sympathetic to this statement… or not).  The penalty for not reporting back is stated to be a $250,000 fine and eight years in prison.  Enter Carrie Preston’s hard-hitting and yet whimsical character Elsbeth Tascioni, a lawyer who comes on the scene in some rather dire circumstances (season one’s “Mock” episode, for example).  Paired alongside the cupcake-loving Treasury Secretary Monitor, Mr. Gordon Higgs (played by Bob Balaban), it’s a wonder anything was accomplished, what with all of the delaying tactics and talk of frosting.  Of course, Elsbeth was brilliant and Alicia is free to walk to the streets of Chicago another day.  Or, at least until Diane can arrange otherwise.

Gardner vs. Florrick

Meanwhile, the Will/Peter dynamic is becoming increasingly more interesting as time goes on.  Will is rough around the edges – he’s not afraid to speak his mind and when push comes to shove, he will fight.  Let’s not forget season two’s episode, ‘VIP Treatment,’ when he ends up in an all-out brawl the evening of the gala dinner.  Peter is more refined.  He’s a politician at heart and with a religious ‘rebirth’ since being in prison he does seem to be approaching life in a more pragmatic fashion.  He’s not flying off the handle at the drop of a pin, but then again, he’s not in the throngs of passion with Alicia.  Peter knows that he needs to play it cool in order to take Will down.  As the audience, I feel like we’re being put in a very interesting position.  We are witness to Peter landing solely on the side of doing the right thing, while we're being positioned to see a less than squeaky clean image of Will.  

So, is Will really in trouble?  We heard about this $45,000 in stolen money when Celeste and Alicia bonded over a few shots of tequila, so we know there are people who are aware of the indiscretion.  That said, Alicia didn’t seem particularly concerned when she heard about it - Let’s not forget her quote: “If he hasn’t buried a hobo in the desert I’ll be unimpressed.”

For those Team Florrick fans, you can all celebrate because Peter is taking a step back from the Lockhart Gardner investigation due to too many conflicts of interest.  Point Peter.  When more information surfaces, Will is going to have a mad hate on for the State's Attorney and it’s going to be in Peter’s best interest to be standing in the wings.  How this all ties back to Lemond Bishop is off my radar right now – I’m not sure how Dana and Cary are going to tip Will to get information.   My question: Why would Blake have given up Will's secret?  Before this goes too far, Will is going to have to tell Alicia what’s happening so it doesn't end up being another 'betrayal of trust' situation for her.

  

Quotes of the week:

1) "I need your help on this insurance case because I'm swamped.  Look at all this paper. Whew! I need help." - Oh Elsbeth... she makes me smile.  

2)  "Get a pair of balls and throw a punch" - Pa Chow Will Gardner!  I like that he's not afraid of confrontation.  

3) Will: "How are you doing?"   Alicia: "Well, I'm not going to jail."  Will: "That's good."  Well, what else can you say? 

So, what’s next?

I think Kalinda is going to be able to use her new-found information to rekindle her friendship with Alicia.  Now that she's heard Alicia's cell phone ring on Will's call, she definitely knows what's going on... especially paired with her conversation with Will in the first episode of the season when he says he has somewhere to be at "8:45" and she says, "that's specific."  Anyways, I can see Diane asking Kalinda to investigate more deeply into the lives of Will and Alicia, but I can also see Kalinda telling Alicia and then holding information back from Diane to protect the Team Gardner relationship.  Thoughts?

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