And the brilliance continues.
I know I’ve said it before, but Carrie Preston is a godsend. Whenever Elsbeth Tascioni returns to The Good Wife, I find myself absolutely giddy with the joy. The character is just so darn memorable, and Preston’s performance is incredibly well rounded – equal parts hilarious and formidable. Preston’s presence infused this week’s case (a paralegal suing Lockhart Gardner for sexual harassment with Viola Walsh in tow) with a ton of energy, making it much more enjoyable than it had any right to be.
Diane assumed center-stage this week and it was downright awesome. I’m amazed by how often I find myself loving AND hating Christine Baranski; the woman turns in a wonderfully nuanced performance week in, week out. Now I’ve never been much of a fan of her relationship with Curt, but it was definitely intriguing to watch the couple judge each other’s choice in friends.
If this episode had any weaknesses, it would be Jackie and Eli’s subplot. Haven’t we seen enough variations of them butting heads over Peter? While it was undeniably fun to watch Jackie flirt and manipulate her way to victory, I want something fresh where these two are concerned. Their games this week just didn’t cut it.
The episode’s final sequence is a work of art with so many nuggets standing out- Diane staring at the letterhead with her name, Viola throwing a snide remark, and that slow walk towards the office. And then the crown jewel: Diane shooting daggers at Alicia who tries to play her once more, finally realizing that she can’t stand by and watch the coup happen. With the most determined look of all time, Diane makes her way over to Will and divulges the big secret. It’s a phenomenal sequence that’s beautifully realized and on-point. Suffice to say, I’m counting the hours until next week’s episode. The war is finally here.
Bits & Cases
– Very nifty opening with the camera assuming the perspective of the overwhelmed paralegal.
– Loved Elsbeth Tascioni winning over David Lee by vowing to “slime” the competition.
– My heart practically stopped when Diane identified Alicia’s name as the user browsing through her files.
– Superb little scene between Alicia and Will discussing their sex romp in the office. They really miss each other don’t they?
– Really Howard? Sleeping without underwear? I don’t think anybody needed to visualize you being “sweaty” down there.
– Carrie Preston very deservedly won the Emmy this past summer for her turn as Elsbeth. Just saying’.
– It’s a testament to how likeable Juliana Margulies is that I’m still rooting for Alica even with all the client-stealing.
– Loved Diane’s sneakiness in getting one of her clients to reveal Alicia’s departure.
– So Kalinda had sex with the paralegal (which conveniently helped the case). Shocking.
– Although this was a great, great hour of The Good Wife, I literally found only one quotable line (see above). That’s pretty sad; I guess you can’t always win ’em all.
Conclusion
An intelligent and carefully-crafted hour of The Good Wife. Quite Stunning.
Nad Rating
A
I love Diane-centric episodes!! This was outstanding. Too much suspense with Diane finding out Alicia's accessing her clients and then the final sequence ooofff. So happy to hear Carrie Preston won an Emmy for her role here. Elsbeth is without a doubt one of the most colorful and entertaining characters I've ever seen.