The Good Wife: "Here Comes the Judge"

A Battle of the Suits

Season 4, Episode 8 | Original air date: November 18, 2012

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“I don’t want to be part of the problem, I want to be part of the solution” said no Florrick child ever.  Until now.  Zach has decided to use the name ‘Jay’ and work undercover on Peter’s campaign in IT, while Grace has fallen for a bad boy at school whose ex-girlfriend recently committed suicide.  You know, regular kid stuff.  Alicia truly deserves a medal – these kids are a hot mess.  Granted, not more of a mess than usual, but I’m sure it’s coming.  To be fair, however, they entertained me this week, so I’ll cut them both a little slack… but only because Thanksgiving at the Florrick’s is coming up next and I’m already excited!

In “Here Comes the Judge” we found ourselves in the midst of a number of sensitive situations – Judge Creary showing bias against Will, Cary trying to manage Nick’s tow truck dealings and Eli juggling Peter’s roller coaster results.  It was a true battle of the suits this week - let’s get straight to the highlights.

Cary Agos in Calvin Klein

I have to go here first because I’m still reeling from the fact that when last we saw the beloved Cary Agos, he was left for dead in a rain-soaked parking lot.  I can only imagine what he will look like come next week (by the nature of the attack, I’m guessing a number of fractured ribs and a lot of bruises, if not some internal bleeding).  Of course, the heinous and dastardly Nick was behind it and all because he has a jealous streak longer than the Nile.  I had hoped The Good Wife’s preview ninjas had deceived us just a little last week and that the attack wasn't going to be what it seemed, but when Nick is in the picture, all bets are off.

While I’m more than a little upset about Cary getting pulled into Nick’s dirty dealings (especially because he has been nothing but kind and professional to this leather-clad scum bag), I’m glad Cary is playing a bigger role each week on The Good Wife.  Also, this attack is going to provoke a lot of interesting questions and scenes going forward.  Here’s where I’m going with this:

• Who is going to find Cary in the parking lot?  Will he be able to make it to his car to call for help?  If so, who will he call? 
• What is this “random act of violence” going to do to the firm?  A ‘buddy system’ for walking to your car at night?  (This could be a win for Team Gardner.  Just saying.)
• How will Kalinda react when she finds out what happened to Cary?
• Will Cary remember what happened?  Will he recall the comment about his suit?
• Will Kalinda suspect Nick?  (Please say yes!  Like the break-in happening at Lana’s apartment, this parking lot accosting has Nick’s name written all over it)
• Will Alicia put the pieces together and affirm her fears of Nick being dangerous?
• How will this change Alicia and Cary’s relationship?  (Stronger than ever, I hope!)
• Might Will start to cut Cary a break now that he has been through greater life struggles?  Getting beat up in the parking lot of your law firm shows a serious level of commitment to one’s job.
• Is anyone else thinking about these things or am I the only one?  

Of course, while I’m not sure how I’m going to sleep tonight with all of these questions running through my head, I’m left only to wonder if this might just be the push Kalinda needs to make Nick a distant memory.  How she will get rid of him is anyone’s guess.  Of course, I have theories (some of which involve Lemond Bishop, some of which involve the FBI and some of which involve her burning her apartment to the ground), but it’s all purely speculative.  For now, I’m worried about Cary and perhaps a little thankful he wasn't wearing his Brioni suit on the night of attack.

Will Gardner – The Suit is Off

Guess who’s back?  Giada.  Remember her?  The independently wealthy student who was arguing the Hansel and Gretel witch debacle in moot court?  The one who made Will recuse himself?  If none of this rings a bell, know this:  It was Giada’s wine Will was drinking from a coffee mug when he called Alicia in the season one finale.   Ahhhh yes.  Giada.  Talk about characters I never thought I’d see again! 

To make a long story short, Giada seemed to be friendly with the very biased Judge Creary and Will just happened to need her to testify on a rather scandalous bar conversation.  The obvious next step was for Will to seduce her… or her him… I’m not really sure in what order things happened, but before long underwear was on briefing documents and they were sharing spoonfuls of ice cream.  Of course, Giada didn’t give in when Will asked for her help (she’s always been a bit of a tough customer), but in true Lockhart Gardner fashion, none of that ended up mattering.

 

To be honest, all of this Giada business left me with one question: What happened to Callie?  Sure, she didn't buy him $180 glasses of wine, but that’s not necessarily Will’s style anyways.  Callie was more like Tammy –with not quite as snappy of wardrobe.  In any case, whether it’s Giada, Callie or Tammy, no one is Alicia.  And for that I’m grateful. 

Kalinda – Buttoned Down

Drinks with Will twice in one episode?  It must have been my lucky week!  Next to K drinking with Alicia, her shooting tequila with Will is one of my favourite things.  These two have such an interesting friendship.  It’s based on a solemn respect and admiration for one another and while they both have secrets, they don’t judge each other for the decisions they’ve made.  A drink with these two is a bit like Christmas morning.   With each sip a new treasure is revealed.  Sometimes it comes in the form of satire while other times it is pure honesty.  That’s what we were treated to this week when Kalinda popped the question: do you ever get jealous?   This wasn’t like past conversations (read: “You need a dog. Kalinda and pooch, out investigating”) because Will could sense Kalinda has been experiencing a significant life event.  He may never find out Nick is Kalinda’s husband, but somehow that seems okay.  Maybe it will come out, maybe it won’t, but the trust these two have in the realm of the very unspecific is remarkable.

Eli Gold – All Suits on Deck

Social media numbers are up and the IT volunteers are to blame… errrr… reward.  Hired!  But wait, the one responsible for all of this good work is a guy named Jay… errrr… Zack Florrick.  Wait.  What?  Zach is working undercover to help out his Dad’s campaign?  Finally, something good!  Okay, it’s not as impressive as when Zach was using his iPod to record videos of his front door, but this is, without question, the best thing he’s done in three years.  Eli might just have an ally in young Florrick, if only they can convince Alicia to sign-off on this volunteer project.  Considering Grace has befriended her school’s resident bad boy, Alicia has bigger things to worry about.  Zach – welcome to the team.   

Next Up:  “A Defense of Marriage” aka Thanksgiving at the Florricks

I have been waiting for a holiday episode of The Good Wife for the last 76 episodes.  If you do the math, yes, that means I've been waiting since season one episode one.   Literally.  My level of excitement is hitting a high equal to that of the anticipation leading up to “Another Ham Sandwich.”  For fans of this blog, you know this is big.  I mean business.

I love the fireworks that inevitably go off when everyone comes together (especially when Owen is around!) and I can’t get enough of the prospect of having Alicia’s mother join the drama.  In “A Defense of Marriage” David Lee becomes counsel for Alicia’s Mom’s latest divorce, while Peter is lectured with a ‘let her go’ speech.  Oy vey, this is going to be good.

Related to this Post:

• Catching up: “Anatomy of a Joke”  - Cary Agos Goes to Washington
• Special Feature: Why We’re Glad Eli Gold is Back on the Campaign Trail
• This week in news: The Good Wife’s latest briefs
• Food Inspired by The Good Wife: Beet and Dark Chocolate Muffins

The Good Wife: "Anatomy of a Joke" aka Cary Agos Goes to Washington

Cary Agos Goes to Washington While Peter Florrick Avoids Brazil

Season 4, Episode 7 | Original air date: November 11, 2012

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Every so often, we’re treated to an episode of The Good Wife that is not only deliciously intriguing, its humorous undertones echo long after the final credits roll.  Any episode starting with “I smiled at my lawyer because he’s cute” is destined to be a winner in my books.  Throw in conveniently timed car horns to cover up ‘indecent’ language and the question of Brazil-shaped birth marks, and you've got a recipe for success.  “Anatomy of a Joke” = straight A’s from this fan.

I’m not going to lie.  This week, I found myself clapping and maybe squeeing* just a little bit.  Or a lot.  There are only a couple of witnesses, so I’ll leave my reactions up to your imagination, but let’s just say, I was seriously entertained.  This week, I’m taking a look at all the things that made my love of The Good Wife grow. 

Road Rage and Football Angst

As “Anatomy of a Joke” opened, we found ourselves watching a late night program – Jimmy Fallon style – with a doe-eyed comedian, Therese Dodd (Christina Ricci) chatting about breast health.  Before we knew it, her blouse was off while the footage was paused and we were quickly transported into the courtroom where a battle between the esteemed Burl Preston brewed against the stealthy pair, Alicia and Will. The best part of this scene came in the details though.  This is what makes The Good Wife so smart.  One of Alicia’s arguments hinged on the fact the network the late show was being shown on, had readjusted time slots to accommodate football.  If ever a real life situation were to echo in a show, this would be it. East coast viewers of The Good Wife know the one thorn in the show’s side, is its placement in proximity to Sunday night football.  It was coy commentary on their situation and, I feel, served as a statement to the fans and maybe also CBS.  Thank you, The Good Wife Writers – we know you’re frustrated, too.

But I digress. 

The second best part of this scene came in the form of the road rage-filled Chicago drivers whose horns kept interrupting the courtroom drama in a most strategic fashion.  Instead of having words bleeped out, horns sounded as a court clerk worked tirelessly to close the window.  While entertaining and, let’s face it, pretty funny, these honks kept the show ‘network friendly.’  This seems like an on-going battle for The Good Wife as it continues to be compared to cable dramas, where swearing and graphic language doesn't seem to have any governing rules. 

The more I think about it, the more I realize this opening sequence was almost its own commentary on the state of The Good Wife at home on CBS.   I’m not the only one who saw those parallels, right? 

Mr. Agos Goes to Washington

Don’t get me wrong: I like Will Gardner.  Okay, maybe more than like, but I’m not completely blinded by his interoffice biases.  When the opportunity to travel to Washington DC surfaced, Will was the first to say Alicia could handle the case (awww, Will!), while Diane was the first to advocate for Cary to help (go Diane!).  Alicia and Cary are the epitome of a dynamic duo, so I was sitting there couch cheering for them to go together.   While it seems Will is still holding a grudge against Cary for the whole grand jury debacle, Diane’s voice of reason might slowly be having an impact on Will’s decision-making.  We’ll have to watch that going forward, but for “Anatomy of a Joke,” I’m sure glad Cary and Alicia were tag-teaming things.  And no, not just because Therese was wearing the scent, 'accommodation' while planting a gigantic kiss on Cary, but I mean, sure, I’ll take it.  And so, apparently, will he.

Drinks with Friends

My favourite scene of this episode, and perhaps favourite scene of the season so far (yes, I liked it THAT much), was Alicia and Cary sharing a drink in his hotel room.  After watching Cary’s interaction with his cold-blooded father, Alicia ventured the room next door to talk to the one person who knows more of her secrets than anyone else on the show.  Cary knows about her affair with Will, and yet when he found out, he was almost apologetic about having been privy to that kind of detail surrounding Alicia’s life.  He holds no judgement and is really just doing his best to be a great lawyer. 

And he is.

The conversation and interaction between these two was almost poetic.  They are comfortable with each other in a way that a lot of people on The Good Wife aren't.  Maybe it’s because of their history, but I think it has a lot to do with the level of respect they have for each other.  They don’t need to poster anymore - they know each other’s strengths and weaknesses and they are better because of it.  These two have one of my favourite friendships on television and it’s something of which I can’t get enough.  This scene has quickly moved to the top of my re-play reel. 

Let’s Make a Deal

Laura (Amanda Peet, aka, the Captain Alicia defended in “The Art of War”) needed a job and Peter needed Alicia to say he doesn't have a Brazil-shaped birthmark on his penis.  Well, it seems like a fair trade to me.  With life being a little like Let’s Make a Deal, these two struck an agreement: Alicia would talk to the press (while keeping her laughter under control) and Peter would hire Laura to take over the job Cary had last season.  The good news is, Laura and Alicia seem like they could be great new friends and with Laura at the SA’s office, we’re bound to see a lot more of her, in the courtroom and, if we’re lucky, over a glass of wine after-hours.

Am I a little uncertain about Peter working so closely with a stunning brunette who has befriended Alicia?  Yes.  But there’s precedent.  Even Geneva Pine is suspicious, but then again, I don’t think she’s Peter’s biggest fan.  Also, based on what we saw of Geneva last year, she might have a torch out for Peter when it comes to racial bias.  While I don’t believe any of Peter’s actions are racially motivated, he has made some decisions that could lead someone like Pine down the path of heightened inquiry.  This could get interesting.

Scene in a Car

Kalinda and Jim out investigating together?  I didn't see that coming.  I’m not sure whether Jim was trying to be friendly or flirty, but either way, watching these two lurk with a camera in K’s SUV was worth the price of admission.  Side note:  Did anyone else notice Kalinda’s hair in a curled ponytail?  While this is a small detail, it definitely signals some kind of transformation for her.  We’ve never seen her in curls, let alone with her hair not pristinely pinned.  I’m adding this observation to my radar list, right next to Alicia’s new wrist watch.

Okay, but back to the investigation for a second.  Am I the only person who totally missed that Maddie would turn out to be a conniving politician and also a lesbian?  Somehow I missed all of the warning signs for this entire story line.  Sure, I could see her running against Peter.  But planting the story about “Brazil?”  Befriending Indira Star?  Maddie Hayward, while a great new character, seems also to be a bit of a disaster.  Alongside Mike Krestiva, Peter Florrick is in for one long campaign season. 

Next Up:  Here Comes the Judge:

In episode eight, Will and Alicia take to the courtroom against Laura, and this time with a client everyone believes is guilty.  Also, the moment we've all been waiting for (or not): Grace gets a boyfriend.  I have no idea how I’m going to react to this story when it finally surfaces on my screen, but I have to say I’m moderately intrigued.  Let’s be honest though, I’m outrageously excited for episode nine: Thanksgiving at the Florricks.  Alicia’s Mom (played by Stockard Channing) will be in town and enjoying the holidays with Owen (yay!), Jackie, Peter and the kids.  I hope Eli’s invited and maybe Cary, too!

Related to this Post:

• Catching up: “The Art of War" and the Mambo
• Special Feature: WhyWe’re Glad Eli Gold is Back on the Campaign Trail
• This week in news: TheGood Wife’s latest briefs
• Food Inspired by The Good Wife: Chocolate Pancakes, because Cary needs a good breakfast to make up for his Dad

*Squee = "A noise primarily made by an over-excited fangirl, however it has spread rapidly and is now widely spread among the web community." (Urban Dictionary, 2012)