"The Dream Team"

Episode Title: The Dream Team – Season Three's Brilliant Finale

Season 3, Episode 22 | Original Air Date: April 29, 2012

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When a finale includes sledge hammers, elevators, fruit platters, menacing phone calls, tequila shots and 9mm ammunition, there’s really nothing more an audience could ask for.  In fact, this is the benchmark to which I’m going to hold all finales from now on.  There’s really only one word to describe The Good Wife’s season three capstone: Brilliant. 

In My Opinion – Episode Commentary

I hardly know where to start when it comes to this episode.  “The Dream Team” was everything of which dreams are made.  Now, I’ll admit, bittersweet finales are the crux of my television weakness.  I countdown, I plan and I’m ever-thankful for commercials that give me something to ponder while I prepare for the big event.  Then, when finale night comes, I’m exhilarated at the prospect of an epic episode while simultaneously cursing the four-month hiatus that inevitably follows.  While I’m sad The Good Wife’s third season has come to an end (with one fewer episode than last year), I’m thrilled it went out on a high note with the promise of a fourth season that could be their best yet.   

Side note: I apologize in advance for the length of this post.  I just couldn’t control myself!

The Art of Being Flexible

Kalinda.  Alicia. Side-by-side.  So much joy.

Everything about the opening scene of this episode made me want to scream and cry for sheer and utter joy.  If I had a confetti cannon, I would have set it off during this sequence.  Alicia and Kalinda are one of the show’s most important synergies.  If I didn’t think Will and Alicia belonged together, I would dare say Kalinda and Alicia would be the show’s best couple.  In a way, I think they are… and that’s why this was the moment we'd  all been waiting for.  While sipping tequila, Kalinda confessed to Alicia: “I’m not gay.  You asked whether I was gay…”

Alicia: “Yes, two years ago.” 

Kalinda: “I know.  I wanted to answer.  I’m not gay, I’m… flexible.” 

Alicia: “Okay… flexible.  Good.”

Squee!  I have no words, except to say: It’s a new day.

Bedside Bamboo

Eli. Jackie. Gunshots and a synagogue.

As it turns out, Jackie is still recovering from her stroke in the hospital.  As someone who is usually pristinely put together, seeing Jackie in such a vulnerable position, especially without her headband or pearls on which to rely, is a little sad.  Enter Eli with a bunch of bamboo.  He doesn’t seem at all worried about sending Jackie into cardiac arrest and gets quickly down to business.  He’s tired of hearing about real estate and this ridiculous Florrick homestead.  He warns Jackie that if she wants to see Peter win the election, she needs to apologize to Alicia and make this whole house debacle go away.  Before long, Jackie starts talk about religion and dying; Eli gets uncomfortable and has to leave.   This is the type of thing I love about Eli – he brought a gift, had a meltdown and left in under three minutes.  He’s meddling in all the right ways, unlike his thwarted plot to overthrow Diane.  Busy “campaign Eli” is better than “I lost my dairy account to a bunch of fruit fanatics Eli” any day. 

In Any Other World…

Will. Alicia.  An elevator.  Again.  At last. 

Will: "That was weird." 

Alicia: "What?  With Peter today?  (Pause) Yes it was." 

(Pause) 

Will: "Do you think it was a mistake?" 

Alicia: "No." 

Will: "Goodnight, Alicia." 

Alicia: "Night, Will." 

No regrets, Team Gardner, no regrets.  This scene was delightful.  I love the way Will and Alicia talk to each other with such calm, cool and honest tones and express sincerity with every carefully chosen word.  They both know that circumstance is what’s keeping them apart and they translate that into an intense respect for each other.  Now, sure, I’ll confess: I was pulling for Will to reach out and touch Alicia’s hand in this scene, but there’s always next year and for that I’m grateful.   Thank you to The Good Wife writers for giving Team Gardner fans another elevator scene to watch for months to come.

Taking Care of Business

The IRS. A sledge hammer. $21,000 and a husband.

Taking a page out of Will’s “how to have a disastrous year” handbook, Kalinda is well on her way to ending up a casualty of her own past.  The IRS has agreed to a compromise on Kalinda’s tax file which is the good news… about the only good news (well, minus the shared tequila shots, of course!).  While going through K’s files, Alicia spotted some checks that hadn’t been cashed.  As her lawyer, Alicia thought she’d follow up to see if K’s past employers would re-issue payment (it would help with the IRS bills, after all).  The problem?  The checks hadn’t been cashed for a reason.  Take, for example, a check for $21,000 from F & E Construction based out of Toronto, Canada.   Let’s face it: F & E Construction is a front for some kind of shady operation.  The mystery construction man (who, by the way, sounds like he should be lurking in a back alley while carrying a mysterious duffle bag and eating a man-meat sandwich instead of operating heavy machinery and building luxury homes) tracked Alicia down at work and at her house.  This is a going to be a problem.

So, what’s this duffle bag-toting man’s deal?  He’s none other than Kalinda’s husband.

No.  What?! <insert confetti cannon>. Gasp!

Kalinda had nothing left to do but take matters into her own hands.  Of course, this meant proceeding to the hardware store to buy a sledge hammer.  Heading in her apartment (I know this is a serious story line, but I can stop for a moment and say how excited I was to finally see inside her home?  It’s so… so… white.  It was, quite frankly, just as awesome as the rest of Kalinda.  Sorry, back to business), Kalinda pulled down a mirror, lifted the sledge hammer and went straight through the drywall.  A few solid hits and a hole emerged that was just big enough for Kalinda to pull scads of money, guns and ammunition.  Getting out of town was the first thought that crossed her mind, but upon finding out Alicia could be in danger, Kalinda grabbed a chair and began a sit-in at her front door.  Knock, knock, knock…

As my father has astutely pointed out: “Whoever is on the other side of that door is going to end up with lead poisoning.”  Agreed.  Kalinda isn’t going to go down without a fight.  What’s next?  I have a theory.  It involves Kalinda, her husband, the alleged fire she set to her home, her faked death, her change of identity and the construction check.  Stay tuned in May for my special feature: “Kalinda Sharma: A Biography.”

A Surprise Party

Two is a party, three is a crowd… six is a hot mess of television gold

Arguably the best scene of the show: Will in the elevator with Peter… when the doors opened, Alicia was there to greet them both.  Enter Eli who was awkward because, well, he knows these three have some tension.  Before long, Cary gets added to the mix because it’s not only fun to see him with his banker’s box (because he has to work at a table instead of in an office), it’s amusing to see him deal with his ex-boss, Peter, and the secrets he knows about Will and Alicia.  The fuel to the fire?  The next elevator arrived and it was Kalinda.  Surprise! 

Gold.  Pure gold.  This scene sent my heart aflutter.   

The Dream Team

Patti Nyholm and Louis Canning are back.  They are calling themselves “The Dream Team” and anyone who knows anything about these two knows that title isn’t a euphemism for anything – it’s a reality.  Individually, these two are formidable opponents.  Together, they are like stealthy legal ninjas, always one step ahead with a plan that seeks to undermine their opposition.  When Nyholm high-kicks, Canning takes someone out at the knees.  When Canning pulls his sword, Nyholm launches a surprise attack from the back with a blindfold in one hand and a baby in the other.   It seems that Canning and Nyholm are sick of fighting class-action suits against Lockhart Gardner, so they’ve joined forces to sue for $50 million dollars, for fraud and malicious prosecution.  While Diane makes a fair point, “If your company doesn’t like being sued, stop making products that kill and maim people,” it only goes so far when the phrase “judicial bribery” gets bandied about again.  Sometimes I feel as though Diane must want to throw herself down the 28^th floor elevator shaft, but, ever the professional, she grins and bears it.  Time for depositions… generally transcribed and only slightly embellished.

First up: Kalinda

Canning: Have you ever misrepresented your occupation in order to interview a witness?  

Kalinda: Can you be more specific?  

Canning:  You know, like when you came to my house and my wife offered you hummus?  You said you were a reporter.  Things like that. 

Cary:  Why does this matter?  She’s a little from column A, a little from column B.  She is, ummm... flexible.

Canning: Because it’s illegal… and she didn’t even try the hummus or the fresh pita which I made that morning.  So, Kalinda, is this how you get your information – do you lie about who you are? 

Kalinda: Can you repeat the question?

Okay, so this wasn't the exact dialogue that accompanied the scene, but you get the point. Kalinda gave Canning an epic run-around.  It's what she does best and it's one of the many reasons we love her.

Next on the chopping block: Will

This season, Will has become a pro at answering probing questions having to do with judges, basketball and grand juries.  I’m rather certain he also knows who serves the best early-bird breakfast in Chicago, but the only one asking him that is Howard.  Flash to the questioning:

Nyholm: You’re Kalinda’s boss, correct? 

Will: Could you control Kalinda?  I doubt it.  Kalinda doesn’t really have a boss per say... 

Nyholm: Okay.  Well did you tell her to investigate on the Veriscene case? 

Will: Define “investigate.”  

Nyholm:  Seriously?  Why must you waste my time.  Oh look – my baby is at the window.  Hi Bugaboo.  My apologies, you know, I’m now a mother of two. 

Diane: Define “wasting time.”  This conversation seems to be going swimmingly. 

Nyholm: Okay, well think about this: I’m not the one with a balloon payment on his office. 

Will and Diane: (hrm) 

Nyholm: Oops, was that the elephant in the room?  

Will and Diane: (hrm take two) 

Nyholm: Fine.  Will, did you hook up judges and bookies at Wednesday night hoops? 

Diane:  You can’t ask him that – this has to do with a sealed transcript that we hope to the high heavens you never get your hands on. 

Nyholm: Oh sure, but Will can still answer. 

Will: Can you repeat the question? 

Nyhom: Oh great, you’ve been taking lessons from Kalinda.  Fine.  Get Alicia Florrick in here.  I’ll play with my baby while I wait.

Alicia Florrick, reporting for duty

Alicia must be thinking this can’t be worse than the last time I was deposed… right?  Fingers crossed, Alicia.  Fingers crossed.

Nyholm: Do you know Judge Wynter (not to be confused with Judge Winter… which is, by the way, confusing). 

Alicia: No. 

Nyholm: So you didn’t chat with him about your case, under the cover of darkness, in a closed room? 

Alicia: No. 

Nyholm:  Did Peter? 

Alicia: Not that I know of, but he does like dark room conversations.  Sure, he knows Judge Wynter, but I wouldn’t say they were friends. 

Nyholm: Did you know Peter met with Judge Wynter three times before the verdict on your case came down? 

Alicia: No.  Really.  How many times can I say no?  Also, don’t you watch CNN?  I’m rarely the first person to find out about these back-room deals when they happen.  

Nyholm:  How don’t you know this?  You’re frustrating me.  Get Peter Florrick in here.

Peter Florrick: Off to the executioners

Canning: You met with Judge Wynter three times in the last week, right? 

Peter: Yes. 

Nyholm: Is that a lot for you? 

Peter: Yah. 

Nyholm: But you hadn’t met with him before.  In fact, you’d only met him at lunch once, right? 

Peter:  That sounds about right.  He’s nice though – I like him.  He reminds me a bit of Judge Winter. 

Nyholm:  Did the subject of your wife’s lawsuit ever come up? 

Peter: No. 

Nyholm:  Really?  Because your wife had a suit in front of him at the same time and the subject never came up? 

Peter: Right. 

Canning: So what about this grand jury about Will Gardner?  What happened there?  Why did you axe Wendy Scott-Carr and let those judges off? 

Peter: Wendy had to go – you should have seen how she handled things.  I validated her parking though, so don’t make me look like the bad guy here.  The whole thing was a bit showy and probably a bad decision in the first place, but, you know how these things go. 

Canning: Didn’t you ask Judge Wynter to decide this verdict for you wife as a quid pro quo for dropping this investigation? 

Peter: No. 

Nyholm: But isn’t that a fair conclusion? 

Peter: No. 

Nyholm: And how is that? 

Peter: Because my wife and I are separated. 

<Pa chow!> 

Nyholm and Canning: We didn’t see that coming. 

Peter: I know – I’m sneaky like that.  Also, I’m trying out a new policy.  It’s called “honesty.”  So far, so good.  In fact, if you want to know why I was meeting with Wynter, it’s because he’s going to be a campaign supporter.

Even the stealthy legal ninjas didn’t see that coming.  Unfortunately for Peter, the marital split is now in public record, but that seems like a problem to hand over to Eli another day.

All signs pointed to a win for Lockhart Gardner until The Dream Team dropped the bomb: This whole lawsuit was a sham to get them distracted from their prized client, Patric Edelstein.  In the words of Will: “Oops.”  Indeed.

What’s Next?

It’s hiatus time, which means we’re left to imagine who is on the other side of Kalinda’s door, whether or not Alicia will join Peter and the kids for pizza and if Cary will be carting around his office supplies in a banker’s box forever. We have an estimated 23 weeks until we get any answers we’re looking for, but I have plenty of original content planned for Lockhart Gardner: An Inside Look at The Good Wife throughout the summer.  Stay tuned and please sound off in the comments below.  Happy hiatus, friends and fans!

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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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