Such a bizarre episode. And yet, I was thoroughly absorbed.
On one hand, I’ve gotten a bit tired of Collin Sweeney; it seems like each of his appearances follow the same template: a murder happens, and Alicia has to save him while struggling with the suspicion that he in fact might be guilty. Tying The Knot was no different with the final reveal of Renata’s crime, but I still found myself captivated by the case’s various twists and turns. It helps that Dylan Baker pulls off the Sweeney role with unsettling panache, and imbues all his Alicia encounters with a welcome dose of creepiness. Still, I think I’d be fine if the psychopath doesn’t make any further return appearances – unless of course Alicia finally decides to trust her gut and take him down (as the final scene implied that her conscience is starting to take a toll on her).
The episode’s most pivotal development is Finn running for State’s Attorney as recommended by Alicia. The cherry on top is Peter deciding to endorse the young gun instead of sleazy Castro. I’m extremely excited to see where this subplot takes us, as I think Finn has been a great addition to the show. Goode and Margulies have an easy chemistry, and there’s an infinite number of storyline possibilities where Polmar is concerned.
Cases & Bits
– Hilarious porn glasses which Sweeney uses to check out Alicia.
– The opening sequence with Alicia overwhelmed at Sweeney’s party and juggling calls from Polmar, Eli and Zack is impeccably constructed. It does a magnificent job of putting the viewer in Alicia’s shoes while crafting a hectic and claustrophobic feel.
– The Good Wife is incredible at showcasing how unreliable memories can be. This week, Alicia can’t seem to remember various key details from Sweeney’s sex party, particularly the identity of the black man going up the stairs (which in turn opens up the door for the detective to insinuate she’s racist).
– I like that Alicia recommended Diane to represent Renata.
– Horrifying yet effective flashes of blood and gunshots to convey Finn’s trauma since the shooting.
– Diane cornering Alicia as part of the plan with Sweeney was pretty effective.
– Not the biggest fan of Alicia’s brother, but I loved their heartwarming moment at the end, punctuated by Alicia entering her room on the verge of a breakdown.
– In case you hadn’t heard: Josh Charles directed this hour of The Good Wife. Do you miss Will? Because strangely enough, I don’t, and I feel like the show is doing fine without him.
Good Lines
Alicia: It’s a decision. I like decisions.
Conclusion
An intriguing (albeit unspectacular) hour of The Good Wife. It just goes to show that the bar has been set unimaginably high this year.
Nad Rating
B
Your review captured exactly what I was thinking. Less Sweeney, more Finn. The look on Goode's face as he watched Peter make the endorsement was some brilliant acting.
Your final sentence made me smile. I haven't missed Will — at all. Weird.