"And the Law Won" - Saying Goodbye to the 27th Floor

Episode Title: "And the Law Won"

Season 4, Episode 2 | Original Air Date: Sunday, October 7, 2012

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“And the Law Won” was a marriage of all good things: a great case, a stealthy jury, three former Gilmore Girls stars, the threat of bankruptcy, office politics, a Team Gardner in-court match-up, a broken mirror, a patriotic campaign bus, ice cream cones and a well-dressed, politically-savvy landlord looking to make friends.  This episode had everything but the kitchen sink... and an elevator.  Well, there’s always next week (a lot more about that later).

This week, I’m featuring Things I Loved and Things I Could Have Loved More: A Reaction Round-Up.  The cherry on top: The Top Three Scenes Season Four is Missing and a preview worthy of some serious fanfare.   Now, let’s jump right in. 

“And the Law Won” Reaction Round-Up: Things I Loved

Welcome to The Good Wife, Maddie Hayward – It’s the moment viewers and fans have been waiting for: Maura Tierney’s Good Wife debut.  I had hoped Tiereney’s character would be sharp, bright and full of potential.  Apparently, good things come to those who wait, because Maddie Haward channeled all of these characteristics and so much more.  In just one episode, Hayward has established herself as a shrewd business woman (sorry Diane, but you’re losing your 27^th floor… no lease negotiations, even for those who send in their ringer) and a clever investor (it seems as though the Florrick campaign can pay Eli and put gas in the bus.  Things are already better than they were two years ago when Kraft Dinner and Kinkos were the day’s highlights). 

The best part?  Maddie’s looking for a friend - and not a friend with benefits as Alicia had originally thought (years of late night drinks with Kalinda have really changed Alicia’s perspective on, well, apparently everything).  Is Maddie flexible?  No.  Well, maybe (I mean, she looks like she could be into palates… but so does Eli, and I have no proof of that either).  The thing I love about her already is that she isn’t like any of Alicia’s other friends (of which there are few).  Maddie is genuine.  She’s successful.  She’s not afraid to ask the hard questions (prostitutes vs. policy?) or go out on a limb, as she did in asking Alicia out for a drink.  Maddie Hayward, welcome to the 27^th floor.

Goodbye Mergers and Acquisitions – Clarke Hayden is like a wrecking ball in a city of ancient architecture… and I love it!  His equal disdain for everyone (with one notable exception) is a feast for the senses.  He’s all about pitting people against each other and seeing who will play along.  The whole situation reminds me of the scene in ‘You've Got Mail’ when Meg Ryan is jumping around her Little Shop Around the Corner and air boxing while the words “Fight.  Fight to the death!” echo in the background. The only thing about him that’s deliciously ambiguous is his seeming interest in Alicia’s opinions.  For now, it is goodbye M&A.  I just hope Hayden doesn't realize Legal Aid is hiding-out up on 29 with Eli and his espresso maker…

Gardner & Florrick, Attorneys at Law – It has been awhile since we had the pleasure of seeing Will and Alicia tag-teaming a defense and what a welcome addition it was to such a great case.  Protesters, tag dots, Tasers and rogue jurors were just the beginning for Will’s first case back from suspension.  Now that Diane knows the Team Gardner flame has been extinguished (ish), she’s all for these two getting back to their roots: the courtroom.  Diane to Alicia: “He’s better when he has someone to impress.”  Fair enough.  Game on.

When Mice Explode -  If there’s one thing you can always count on with The Good Wife, it’s that you never know when an ‘ah ha’ moment is going to strike.  This week, that treasured glimpse took place in the courtroom against Lionel Deerfield in the form of Alvatil.  Seasoned viewers will remember this drug as having had numerous show appearances, not the least of which included a memorable video of exploding mice.   It’s moments like these that make The Good Wife so dynamic.  As an audience, the mention of Alvatil suddenly made us equals with Alicia and Will, if only for a minute.  We knew where the case was going, because we’d seen it argued before.  For once, we had the facts – the tabbed binder of research, case law and arguments  – and we felt like an active participant in the courtroom.  Or, at least I did.  I’m not alone, am I?

Riding in Campaign Buses with Husbands – It’s different than riding in cars with boys (especially when you've got Eli Gold sitting shotgun and making cracks about King Leer), but in some ways it’s the same.  The closing scene of ‘And the Law Won’ was sweet and candid as we watched Alicia and Peter interact in a way we can only imagine they did 20 years ago.   Of course, I do feel as though The Good Wife writers are trying mightily to make me a Team Florrick believer, what with throwing in sidelong glances, Alicia’s laugh with Peter’s smile and "A Midnight Train to Georgia" with the lyrics ‘a simpler place and time’ playing in the background.  This scene was maybe one of my favourite Peter/Alicia moments in the history of The Good Wife.  I won’t ever be a convert (when I pick a bandwagon, I’m usually the first one on and last one off… Team Gardner has my loyalty wrapped up with a bow), but I’m happy to give credit where credit is due:  The family Florrick looked good tonight. 

“And the Law Won” Reaction Round-Up - Things I Could Have Loved More

Kalinda PI, MIA – I’m grappling with a serious bout of guilty conscience here.  Before season four premiered I was filled with excitement and suspense and the prospect of meeting Kalinda’s husband.  Let me just say this: It’s not a wonder she burned his clothes and left town when she did.  I don’t blame her.  This guy is awful (and not just because he creepily downed a whole bottle of San Pellegrino in Alicia’s office, but yes, that too).  I’ve always loved Kalinda, but this story line is becoming 50 shades of too-muchery.  The worst part about all of it is that she’s disappointing Will.  That never happens.  The best part of Kalinda this episode was watching her make her way through rows of bodies like a nimble third-grader in a complex obstacle course.  That should never be the best part about Kalinda.  Her cat-like instincts should just be an aside. 

Diane vs. Alicia – The Later Years – I’m not entirely sure what happened this week when it came to Diane and Alicia, but I think it was political and I’m not sure I liked it.  Correction.  It was and I didn't   Diane and Alicia are better together than they are at odds and I’m rather certain almost everyone agrees.  While it has always been the firm’s position that having Alicia on staff was a nice fringe benefit, even when the optics aren’t ideal, Diane has never been one to force her name on a situation to alter an outcome.  I understand, the situation at Lockhart Gardner is tenuous at best, but still.  Diane as a mentor is better than Diane as a nemesis, at least when it comes to Alicia.  Throw Louis Canning in the room, and we might have a different story…

The Top Three Scenes Season Four is Missing

• Trigonometry and Trains – Remember Grace’s tutor, Jennifer?  The one in the neon spandex who liked to eat chocolate bars and train/street/curb/alley dance for YouTube?  Where is she?  With all of these Gangnam Style shenanigans flying around lately, I’m only left to imagine what Jennifer is busy doing when she should be working on calculus.  Can you say, ‘filming a Florrick campaign support video?’  Oh how I hope.
• An Interview with Julius Cain - So far, the only key person we haven’t seen Clarke Hayden talk to is Julius Cain and I, for one, am yearning for a bit of Cain vs. Lee action again this year.  As Julius is one of the more sensible equity partners, I can’t help but wonder where he is during all of these layoffs.  Theories?
• Cary Agos, Where Art Thou? - We know he’s around.  I mean, he’s been interviewed by Hayden and he’s been doing Kalinda’s investigative work while she’s been lurking in ice cream parlors, but we’re left with absolutely nothing else to comment on.  Sure, (spoiler alert) there is word that Cary’s Dad is coming town, but that’s all.  Get this man a story line.  Or another ficus.  Or a part-time job as a barista.  Anything.  Please.  He’s too good (and too handsome) to go with so little airtime. 

Up Next: Two Girls, One Code.

First things first: The Preview.

Okay. You have my attention.  Writers of The Good Wife, I’m looking at you.  We’re back to some Team Gardner drama and I’m already losing my mind, two episodes and one preview in.  Seriously.  Word on the street is that one of Will and Alicia’s hotel visits has been leaked.  Just imagine if it’s the receipt for the whopping $7,800 suite Will splurged for at the end of season two.  If so, all bets are on Jerome, their personal butler for spreading the news.  If not, all bets are off.  While the preview shows Eli talking to Alicia about the situation, it’s not entirely clear if Peter knows.  Let’s face it, Peter + Alicia = happy campaign, happy Eli.  It’s basic math.  Eli isn't going to tell Peter if he doesn't have to… which he doesn't.   For someone who loves good drama, I’ll confess to having my first preview related meltdown of the season. #HolyTeamGardnerGoodness, I think yes.  This is going to be one gigantic can of worms.  Let’s do this! 

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"Long Way Home"

Episode Title: Long Way Home aka Three Cheers for Colin Sweeney

Season 3, Episode 17 | Original Air Date: March 11, 2012

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Four words: Colin Sweeney Turkey Baster.  Enough introduction?  I think so.

In My Opinion – Episode Commentary

When I heard Colin Sweeney (Dylan Baker) was coming back to The Good Wife I was elated – what other character on television can play creepy and sinister while also being audacious and mesmerizing?   It’s such a strange blend of contradictions, I almost feel wrong for loving him so much… but I just can’t help it.  He brings out the best in all of the characters who cross his path.  That’s the brilliance of Colin Sweeney.  As an audience, we’re willing to buy into his story because he paints such bizarrely vivid pictures.  We know enough to be curious but not enough to be terrified, which is probably what we should be more than anything else.  In the end, all we’re left with is the likelihood that he’ll be in legal trouble again and, just as he would, we’re cheering for his eventual reappearance back in court, because that inevitably means more Sweeney/Florrick time and as we’ve come to realize, that’s never a bad thing.

Perjury for Lunch, Chicken Coq au Vin for Dinner

Off the top, we find out Colin Sweeney has landed in hot water.  The trouble?  Sexual misconduct in the workplace.  Was anyone surprised?  No.  Also, this indiscretion really set theme for the entire episode (which also could have been entitled, “You did what on my couch?” but we’d have to wait until season six for such a descriptive title).  In any case, Sweeney’s former company, Herald Equity (a business focused on biotechnology, stem cells… maybe even widgets) experienced a 30%  loss of stock price, a fact which Sweeney had hoped to capitalize on in order to gain back control (flash to season one when we saw him originally lose his company).  There is nothing Sweeney would like more than to be on top of the world again, but before long a former employee, Isobel Swift (Morena Baccarin) emerged from the crowd, took to the microphone and accused Sweeney of fathering her child.  As Sweeney’s new crisis manager (likely by default of working at Lockhart and Associates), Eli had his this is worse than kids vomiting cheese on television face and covered it poorly.  Alicia probably should have warned him, but, in situations like these it’s impossible to know what to say.  “Sweeney gave me some creepy art once” is, admittedly, an awkward conversation starter.  “I once found him handcuffed to a body after he murdered his dog” isn’t great either.  Just saying.

Now, if there’s one thing we know about Sweeney, it’s that he’s into “unconventional” practices, so when he says he didn’t sleep with Swift, it’s not the same thing as saying he didn’t father her child.  Everyone is skeptical of everything Sweeney says – it could be because it’s widely believed he killed his wife, or it could be because he is the king of manipulating details so as to appear innocent.  Either way, best practice states one should believe the exact opposite of what Sweeney says if one wants the truth.  The only exception to this rule is when he declares his adoration for Alicia – this is the one thing he never jokes about… ever.

Before long we find ourselves in the midst of courtroom drama, in what can only be called a classic “he said, she said” argument.  Sweeney says they didn’t have sex, Swift says they did.  Flash to Sweeney who confessed to Alicia and Kalinda only moments after being accused that he did in fact have sex… but not in a way that could have yielded spawn *Insert look of horror on Alicia’s face.* There was a lot of back and forth, a lot of perjury and a lot of looks of disgust from both sides of the courtroom, as well as from new Judge, Claudia Friend (Bebe Neuwirth).  Swift was accused of contraceptive fraud (let’s just say she used a “gift” from Sweeney, momentarily stored it and repurposed it… with a turkey baster) and that ultimately led to Sweeney Junior.  In the midst of all of this, we also learn Sweeney liked the Coq au Vin from a restaurant 20 miles from his office (a fact that strangely adds to his mystique, though no one was surprised his list of eccentricities continued to grow). The only thing that could have made this case any more entertaining would have been if Nancy Crozier had been in court instead of Victoria Adler – the innocence of Michigan would have been forever tarnished.

In the end, Sweeney seemed content, if not simply impressed, by Swift’s deception and decided to get on the fatherly bandwagon and jump into action.  Yes, Colin Sweeney is now a father.  Look out world…

The Caitlin Conundrum

I’ll admit, I’ve been waffling on my opinion of Caitlin for months now.  Anytime she’s appeared on screen I’ve felt a teeter-totter of emotions: I like her, I don’t trust her, I think she’s competent, I sense she’s manipulative, I think she’s smart, I believe her to be conniving.  Basically I’m a hot mess of uncertainty in all matters involving Caitlin, especially after last week when she “told” Alicia she had got underneath Crozier’s skin (as if that wasn’t Alicia’s plan anyways).  This week, my flip-flopping was further heightened when, in a Sweeney strategy meeting, Caitlin announced to the boardroom full of associates that she was going to court.  Enter Will in a Team Gardner moment for the record books.  Will stepped up and said, “Actually, you’re going to court today, aren’t you Alicia?” As if this valiant moment wasn’t clap/gasp/shriek-worthy enough, on the way out of the room Alicia walked past Will and whispered “thank you” in his ear.  Are you kidding me?!  Could that have been any hotter/more adorable?  This moment almost made up for the entire Team Gardner breakup seven episodes ago.  Of course, nothing but another tequila/elevator scene could truly do that, but this… this helps… I’ll take it.  Pass me a paper bag – I need to hyperventilate a little.

Meanwhile, Kalinda was busy filling a notebook on Caitlin’s sketchy behaviour (okay, not literally putting pen to paper, although one never knows what K is doing in the background), and taking note that secrets are laying just beneath the surface.  If anyone can smell a weasel, it’s Kalinda.  Unfortunately for Alicia, she also became aware of Caitlin’s desire to climb the corporate ladder and was forced to have a conversation, mentor to mentee.  The topic?  Don’t undermine me again.  Enough said?  Yes. Let’s move on. 

The next thing we know, Caitlin gives notice and David Lee blames Alicia for the whole mess.  Really, David continues to be angry that Alicia fired him last week and all of this Caitlin business seemed to be the last straw.  In point of fact, we found out Alicia’s conversation with Caitlin had nothing to do with her leaving.  Caitlin is pregnant and getting married.  Her sly behaviour around the office?  She has been busy addressing wedding invitations during work hours.  Wow.  I didn’t see that coming.  Caitlin truly is Alicia, 15 years ago, only Caitlin doesn’t seem conflicted about giving up her career.  She wants to be a Mom and a homemaker, two things I’m not sure Alicia ever truly wanted, but ended up with after she married Peter.

Like Salmon, Swimming up Stream

As though Alicia didn’t have enough on her plate, what with keeping up with Colin Sweeney and trying not to get thrown under the bus by Caitlin, word came that Alicia and the kids could be evicted from their apartment in 90 days.  This has put Alicia in a tight spot.  She can’t necessarily afford the $1.2 million (plus $35,000 parking spot, plus $2,000 monthly building fees) but she also doesn’t want to have to downsize.  Fortunately, Alicia’s realtor has a solution: the old Florrick house in Highland Park is back on the market.  Of course, if Alicia can’t afford the apartment on her own, she can’t afford the house, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth a visit.

Stepping on the front lawn, Alicia was instantly transported to her old life and we were treated to an emotional rollercoaster worthy of another Emmy for Julianna Margulies.  As Alicia moved through the house, each room brought with it a special moment.  The door knob in Grace’s old room was still loose, the master bedroom evoked the sentiment of betrayal and the kitchen pantry featured a family growth chart that made everything else fall away except for the happiness Alicia’s 15 years at home had given her.  The real question though: can you ever go home?  In my opinion, Alicia needed this closure – she needed to walk around the house and have time to think about her own evolution.  Like the growth chart etched on the pantry wall, she has changed over time – she’s not the same woman she was in Highland Park and I don’t think she could ever go back.

Bits and Bites: 

Over at the State’s Attorney’s office, Cary found himself digging yet another trench outlining both his career and Peter’s political agenda.  To say things are getting messy would be an understatement.  This week, a blog reported that two ASAs had sex on Peter’s office couch.  Cary was tasked on the case and ultimately uncovered the culprit: An ASA named Jeremy, who confessed the canoodling.  Unfortunately, this meant the end of Jeremy’s career, at least for now, as Peter fired him upon hearing of his indiscretion.  Feeling guilty about his own actions, Cary then came forward to Peter and disclosed his relationship with Dana.  While we don’t know where this is going, Cary has asked to be put on temporary leave.  Maybe he wants to go on lunch dates with Will, whose mid-day schedule is also free… or maybe he’s looking for some extra time to find a new job that will get him out of the lion’s den.

Lionel Deerfield (aka, Richard Gilmore, aka Edward Herrmann) was back this week, instructing Will on “suspension protocol.”  The rules, as they are, see Will able to consult on Eli’s business, but not on legal cases.  Of course, hypothetical questions about the law are always allowed, and Alicia was able to secure some good insight on the Colin Sweeney case.  Hypothetically.  This dance around the law should be interesting over the next few weeks, especially if it means Will playfully throwing his baseball around the office while waiting to be consulted. Side note: I'm thrilled to see Julius and/or Eli and/or David have kept their hands off of Will's beloved baseball - clearly they haven't divvied up everything in Will's office... yet.

Quotes of the Week:

Eli (to Alicia re: Colin): He’s weird with you. 

Alicia (sighing): Yup.

Diane: “And so it devolves – from hopes, ideals, dreams… the glory of the law… to a turkey baster.”

Judge Friend: “I’m intrigued enough to allow plaintiff to argue contraceptive fraud. Disgusted, but intrigued.”

Colin: “Being a Dad?  How hard can it be?  I’ll call if I need any child rearing advice… Mmmmmm”

Cary: “I want to be clear we [Dana and I] did not have sex in your office.” 

Peter: “Well I’m relieved to hear that.”

David (to Alicia): "You don't make enemies... that's what you don't do."

What’s next?

It’s Tammy time! The moment I’ve been waiting for since I heard it was coming… Tammy returns.  Unlike many fans of The Good Wife (and, strangely, counter to my Team Gardner instincts), I don’t despise this character, and frankly, I’m rather looking forward to her arrival.  Maybe it’s because I don’t feel threatened by what she brings to Will’s table (or bedroom, or bathroom, or…), or maybe it’s just because I love hearing Alicia do her “Tammy” impression (flash to season two’s “Net Worth” aka “Road Trip”)… but whatever it is, I’m excited.  The fact she calls Alicia out on sleeping with Will is just a fringe benefit.  Could I be any more enthusiastic for next week?  Probably not… though it is difficult to top any episode with Colin Sweeney, but I’m willing to take a chance.  Here’s to the last five episodes of season three being just as good as the last five episodes of season two.

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"Live from Damascus"

Episode Title: Live from Damascus aka The Last at Bat

Season 3, Episode 15 | Original Air Date: February 19, 2012

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With baseball references being bandied about like homeruns at an All-Star game, The Good Wife was back in full swing with episode 15, “Live from Damascus.”  Sure we had to wait three weeks for this episode, but in the end, sometimes it takes a while to get to the much touted seventh-inning stretch.  The result?  A bitter sweet episode that had me exclaiming, “Why can’t they just hug it out?” and “Wow, Will has the best female friends… ever.”

In My Opinion – Episode Commentary

Picking up right where we left off, Audra Mae’s "Here I Go Again" played gleefully in the background as Peter dismissed Wendy Scott-Carr from his office (take a hint WSC – your parking has been validated), while across the city, Will and Diane twirled in the hallways of Lockhart Gardner.  To be perfectly candid, I always know it’s going to be a great hour of television when I’m clapping in the first 36 seconds.  Oh how I clapped.  Unfortunately all of that was cut short when Will got word Lionel Deerfield had called and left an important message.  Side note: If you don’t remember Lionel, he was one of the lawyers Will considered hiring before he met Elsbeth.  Also, he’s played by Edward Herrmann, aka, Richard Gilmore.  Much like when you hear the names “Andrew Wiley,” “Dana Lodge” and in some cases, “Peter Florrick,” when Lionel Deerfield enters the picture, it’s rarely about anything good.   

The really bad news?  Not only did Lionel call, he showed up the party.  Fortunately, so did Alicia. More about that later.

With an ever-expanding guest list, it only seemed fitting to add another couple of hitters into the batter’s box: Enter Viola Walsh (Rita Wilson) and Neil Gross (John Benjamin Hickey) in, as Will playfully noted, “in his patented hoodie.”  The collision of Walsh and Gross could only mean one thing: the imminent appearance of Patric Edelstien (Jack Carpenter), The Good Wife’s very own Mark Zuckerberg.  If anyone else was having flashbacks to season two’s episodes “Net Worth” and “Great Firewall” you weren’t alone.  I couldn’t help but think, haven’t we been here before?  Here we have all of the same players in “the same but different” situation.

With Kalinda video chatting with her friend, Samir, in Syria (a situation, by the way, that made me think, yet again, if ever I’m lost or kidnapped, I want this woman on my side… she knows people everywhere!), we were given an inside view of the Lockhart Gardner class action suit.  You see, they are going up against Gross for knowingly selling software to the Syrian government that was ultimately used to capture and kill prisoners.  Flash to court, where we found one my favourite judges in the Cook County system: Judge Abernathy.  He’s quirky, smart and if you know him well enough (as we’ve come to), he’s also a bit calculated. This week, he was caught in the Occupy Wall Street protests, which found him on the bench battling the aftereffects of a run-in with pepper spray.   For Lockhart Gardner, Abernathy’s support of the 99% become critical to their case, a fact that eventually help them hit the class action out of the park.

I’ll be honest in admitting the case this week didn't thoroughly inspire me, but perhaps that’s because I was more than a little preoccupied with wrapping my mind around the fact the grand jury, the party and the final preparations for the big Damascus case all happened, apparently, on the same day.  Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m glad Diane had the opportunity to wear that stunning eggplant blazer a few more hours and that Alicia did manage to make it to the office to see the festivities, but still.  While the timeline was, admittedly, a little far-fetched, it was all forgiven when Will bounded, with boyish vigor, into a dimly lit office to chat with Alicia.  As they looked at each other and expressed their relief over the dropped indictment charges, the palpable feeling reverberating through the room said, give this man a hug already! And yet… just like Will, we were left hanging with ball four… walking to first.  Still, their friendship is stronger than ever, and for fans of Team Gardner, a little goes a long way.

Three Strikes, You’re Out

They say the first cut is the deepest, but for Will Gardner, it looks as though it’s about the seventh or eighth cut that’s tearing into the heart of the matter.  When Lionel came to talk to Will, it was to give him the heads up that The Attorney Compliance and Disciplinary Board was pursing his disbarment.  Honestly, this man could not be having a worse year.  Hearing the news, Diane set out to talk to Lionel herself, an altruistic act, we would later learn, where she told Lionel that Will was actually the one who pushed to elevate the importance of pro-bono in the firm.  Of course, we know that’s not true, but that’s hardly important.  The facts are these: Diane was willing to do everything she could to ensure Will’s legal future.  This adds to a long line of women in Will’s life who are willing to bend over backwards for him – Whether it’s Alicia, Kalinda or Diane, Will has some of the best female friends ever.

Diane’s valiant efforts didn’t go unrecognized and Will was offered six months probation, an opportunity  he took because the alternative could see him never practicing law again.  What does all of this mean?  Firstly, another law firm name change.  That’s four name variations in the last three years, for those of you keeping track.  Those companies holding the contracts for stationary printing or office glass etching must make a killing doing business with this firm.  The new name?  Lockhart & Associates.  Secondly, it means Will cannot enter the offices unless it’s related to a case.  Thirdly, it seems as though we’ll be getting to see a different side of Will Gardner.   We know his sisters come to town in the next episode, “After the Fall” and their minds are set on finding Will a suitable love interest.  Also, we learn that Will can play the guitar.  What else will we find out over the next six months?  If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s to expect the unexpected, but I’ll confess to having a purse full of predictions standing by…

Eli, Vanessa and Stacie, oh my!

Meanwhile, things are kicking into high gear in the campaign for State Senate.  Eli is losing his mind about Stacie working with his ex-wife, Vanessa, so much so, he barely seemed to care that Kalinda hung up on him for more important matters.  Stacie, on the other hand, is playing Eli like a pawn in an intricate and passionate game of chess.  Vanessa, one would think, seems caught in the middle, but in fact, Eli is the one who can’t get enough of this proverbial sandwich.  The truth is, Eli still cares about Vanessa and he truly wants the best for her.  Does this mean Stacie is the right choice?  In Eli’s mind, no… but that isn’t stopping him from getting involved in the campaign.  Over the coming months we’re going to be seeing a lot more of Eli, Vanessa and Stacie.  Where it will lead, I don’t know, but it makes me wonder… what other projects does Eli have on his docket?

Bits and Bites: A Few More Things to Mention

• With Will kicked out of the game for six months, Alicia has been called in to handle a very sensitive case: the tax files of one Kalinda Sharma.  We have no idea what’s inside said file, but it has been touted as “sensitive.”  It stands to reason Kalinda has some baggage (and, let’s face it, she doesn't really seem like someone who rushes out to H & R Block to file her return each year), so, what could be contained inside?  Despite being a third-year associate, Alicia is quickly becoming more linked-in than almost anyone else in the firm. 

• Over at the State’s Attorney’s Office, Cary was tasked with a bit his own “restructuring.”  I saw this one coming from a mile away, but it became official: Dana hitched her wagon to the wrong star in Wendy Scott-Carr and now she’s back to square one.  The game of Snakes and Ladders is a slippery one, isn’t it Dana?
  
  
• I would probably be remiss if I didn't at least mention Johnathon Groff's guest-starring role in this episode.  He was solely involved in the case surrounding the use of software to used to kill captured prisoners, as his sister was one of the alleged victims.  Full props to Groff for being able to cry on cue - I thought he did a stand-up job, if only the case had been slightly more alluring.

Quotes of the Week:

Neil: “So, this is where creativity goes to die?” 

Alicia: “Oh no, that’s the next floor.” 

Neil: “Is that supposed to be funny?" 

Alicia: “It is.” 

Neil: “Well I didn’t think it was funny” 

Alicia: “It must have been my delivery…”

Viola: “We seem to be catching you in the middle of a party” 

Will: “Casual Wednesdays.”

Diane to Will: “You’re trying to hit a home run with your last at bat. I’d love nothing more than to be proven wrong.”

Eli to Vanessa: “First lesson about being an elected official?  When you get what you want, shut up!”

What’s next?

For what seems like the fourth time this season, it’s a new day over on The Good Wife.  We get to see Will begin his six-month hiatus from law with a visit from his sisters.  Meanwhile, Julius isn’t waiting two minutes before the dust settles to see if he can get his name on the new stationary.  How does Lockhart Cain sound?  While I’m not sure Diane will be so receptive, it does bring up a few interesting questions.  (Where will the firm be in six months?  Is it possible Will and Diane could split up and have opposing firms?  Just think: Diane could bring back Cary; Will could have Alicia and Kalinda…).  Before any of that happens though, we have to deal with the matter at hand, and in two weeks, that seems to involve Caitlin.  Kalinda smells trouble and warns Alicia that this peppy first-year might be more of a piranha than anything else.

Upcoming Schedule

We’re on another two-week break *sigh,* but according to imdb.com, March is fully stocked with new episodes!  Stay tuned March 4, 11, 18 and 25.

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