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.
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.
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.
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…
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.
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.
It’s a question everyone has contemplated at some point in life: Once you leave, can you ever really go home? Lately, we’ve seen Alicia Florrick crunch the numbers and toy with the idea of purchasing her old house in Highland Park. It’s large, it’s beautiful but it’s also a reminder of everything she once had, good and bad. While yelling at my television doesn’t seem to be helping her make the decision any faster (“Please don’t do it, Alicia – I’ll give you a list as to why this is all a very, very bad idea!”), the next best thing is actually compiling a record of the most important reasons she shouldn't go back.
1) Price – This is the most obvious reason, but something that cannot go unmentioned. The Highland Park house is $1.9 million. I don’t care what kind of bonus Diane approved, Alicia is still a third-year associate with two kids, both of whom she presumably wants to send to college. Let’s look at the numbers:
First off, wow. At first glance it almost looks like Alicia is making $40,000 a year... which is clearly ridiculous (and would mean things at Lockhart Gardner are tighter than I had imagined!). Yes, it could be her expense budget... or, perhaps the director just didn't realize we'd be looking so closely at Alicia's math. Where is this $5,200/month coming from? In any case, the list seems to be missing a few critical line-items, including payments for Zach’s new car and a budget for Alicia’s ever-growing wardrobe of beautiful designer suits, shoes and blazers.
2) Grace’s Swing – Sure, I’m still holding a grudge against Grace for that whole being “kidnapped” by Internet Jesus thing, not to mention the “Mom, pick up the phone” ringtone incident, but the fact of the matter is, Grace broke her arm on that swing. Clearly it holds bad karma (or, Grace forgot to hang onto the swing’s ropes). Either way, the result is the same: the swing is just another strike against the Highland Park house.
3) College – Zach is going to be thinking about College sooner rather than later (with Grace not far behind) and with mortgage payments on the Highland Park home, Alicia’s ability to help with those costs will be increasingly limited. Also, it is unlikely Zach will have Neesa as a study partner if he moves – scholarships could be in jeopardy.
4) Yard work – A house means one thing: yard work. Does Alicia really have time to mow the lawn, rake the leaves and cultivate a practical yet attractive seasonal garden? I think not. This means Zach and Grace will have to pitch in, or Alicia will have to hire someone. Alternatively, she’ll be spending her weekends mowing the lawn unless she can convince Owen into coming over and helping out. I’ll be the first to admit a scene of this nature would be entertaining (it’s like picturing Diane on a fishing boat dressed in Burberry), but, logistically, it’s not the right decision.
5) Grass Maintenance – If there’s one thing we learned from the season one episode, “Home,” it’s that Highland Park has strict rules about grass length and watering protocol. Sure, those rules helped Alicia win that case, but having to adhere to such stringent regulations once getting to a condo/apartment setting is sure to be a shock to the system. Owen will have to move in just for foliage observation and maintenance alone.
6) Commute Time – Admittedly, we don’t know much about the distance between the office and Highland Park, but we do know that Alicia’s current apartment is reasonably close to Lockhart Gardner. More time in the car means less time on cases and more opportunities to spill coffee. Also, this could mean she won’t be able to give Louis Canning as many rides because she won’t be “going his way” as often and, let’s be honest, The Good Wife wouldn’t be the same without those awkward car conversations that begin with, “my driver is at the dentist… would you mind giving me a ride?”
7) Fair Weather Friends and Neighbours – I feel like Alicia should be listening to Johnny Cash’s song, “Fair Weather Friends” on a daily basis so she can remember the fact that all of her former cohorts abandoned her when news of Peter’s scandal surfaced. Alicia moved and no one called or visited. Where did everyone go? As Owen has noted, probably Facebook… but that’s of little consolation. What Alicia needs is a sit-down with Kalinda, with these lyrics playing in the background:
Fair weather friends, fair weather sailors
Will leave you stranded on life’s shore
But one true friend, who really loves you
Is worth the pain your heart endures
Of course, the irony of it all is that Kalinda is the one true friend who really loves Alicia…
8) Memories: Like price, the rationale behind this “reason not to go back to Highland Park” is obvious – everything about Alicia’s old life is represented in this house. She will never be able to escape her history if she’s back living right in the middle of everything. She can repaint the bedroom, remodel the kitchen, get new doorknobs and take down the swing, but these renovations won’t change anything. Alicia 2.0 is about moving forward – the memories in Highland Park are too powerful for her to ever escape.
Now it’s your turn! Sound-off in the comments section below: Do you think Alicia should or shouldn’t buy her old house? Pro/Con lists are welcomed.
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.
