So that’s it? Is Kalinda gone for good?
It’s a pity really that Kalinda’s final hour wasn’t as satisfying as it could have been. I always refused to believe that there was any behind-the-scenes drama between Juliana Margulies and Archie Panjabi, but the fact that they haven’t shared the screen in over 50 episodes is pretty baffling and appalling. Couldn’t they at least get together for one final encounter? Apparently Kalinda might still appear in the season finale, so maybe there’s hope (probably not). But it’s still hard to feel anything since she’d had been phased out from the show over the past couple of seasons. There was no emotional gut-punch to her departure; it just happened. What a shame.
I’m most intrigued by Alicia’s journey going forward. Although I still think they have gone through with the State’s Attorney arc, I do wonder where the hell her character is going to go from here. Could Robert and Michelle King actually shove aside Alicia’s law world and have her write a BOOK (as per Peter’s recommendation)? That would certainly be ambitious, although they could just as easily find some loophole and restore the status quo at Lockhart/Gardner to what it was. Here’s hoping season seven is a radically different year for The Good Wife.
I continue to be fascinated by the complex dynamic between Alicia and Peter. These two have endured so much over the course of the past six seasons, and my views on their coupling has constantly fluctuated alongside them. I loved how supportive Peter was in The Deconstruction, and the fact that he had so much faith in Alicia and her ability to make it on her own again. It sure feels like the writers plan on bringing these two back together eventually, and I can’t say I’d be totally against it. God knows they forgot about both Finn and Elfman.
Bits & Cases
– Alicia’s opening statement with Peter by her side in the teaser felt like a direct contrast of the pilot. Even the hallway felt familiar.
– Thankfully the poor old lady didn’t end up going to prison. The case wasn’t the greatest, but it did feature the hilarious return of Linda Lavin who was Carey’s parole officer. This woman’s a gem.
– All the fake smiles between Alicia and the Lockhart peeps were so very amusing.
– Super stressful scene with Kalinda stealing the files from Bishop’s computer. Love that she framed Dex.
– The montage of David talking to clients and badmouthing Alicia was hysterical; the guy’s such a snake.
– It’s funny how protective I am of Alicia. Any time Diane screams at her, I get pissed off.
– Lemond getting arrested felt very satisfying after six seasons didn’t it?
– I was moderately touched by Kalinda walking through Alicia’s apartment and checking out all the pictures. It was also a good choice to have her solve the misunderstanding between Diane and Alicia while telling the former that life’s too short to get mad.
– Kalinda kissing Carey goodbye was probably the most satisfying aspect of her sendoff. But her goodbye to the camera/Grace was really heavy-handed.
– I used to like RD, then he threatened to leave if Alicia came back. *angry glare*
– Cool continuity: the hole in the wall in Kalinda’s apartment.
– Do we even want to know what Kalinda wrote Alicia in that letter? And I gotta say, Alicia’s painful sob really shocked me; it looked like someone had stabbed her in the gut!
Good Lines
Peter: Call your old clients, and just tell them.
Alicia: I did. No one wants to stay. I mean, Colin Sweeney, but…
Conclusion
The Deconstruction was a solid hour, but it wasn’t nearly as powerful as it could have been. Kalinda ultimately deserved better.
Nad Rating
B+
I had a feeling during the episode that it was Kalinda's goodbye, the one that was in the works for the most of the season. I thought most of it was great, especially Kalinda being the one to bring Bishop down. The only part that dissatisfied me was the lack of a personal face-to-face farewell between Alicia and Kalinda. But, since I heard Kalinda may come back in the finale, there could be a chance that farewell will become a reality. Although, there may be wishful thinking.
I am liking the direction they are taking with Alicia. For a moment, they were going to just restore the status quo after the State Attorney storyline and after Alicia and Diane's misunderstanding seem to have been resolved but the twist with RD changed that. Now I look forward to what Alicia's next step is going to be. I don't think she will be as an author. Maybe she'll write a book on the side. But, for the most part, I think she'll stay an lawyer. It's what she's good at. I have a feeling she may end up running a law practice with Finn as her partner. That would mean more scenes between them and more time for their relationship to further develop.
While I'm kind of pissed the whole state attorney thing didn't pan out for Alicia (and we spent an entire season building up that storyline), I really love that she has nothing to go back to now. I'm so shocked this show actually went there: she doesn't have a firm and she lost the state's attorney position. Could she just write a book now?! How fascinating and real.
Had no idea this was (might've been) Kalinda's final episode. Very, very lame. I've come to hate her the past 2 seasons but she deserved a better sendoff. She couldn't share ONE scene with Alicia, seriously? Plus, the whole “this character can take off and simply disappear” feels fairly unrealistic for this show. I am glad, however, Bishop's in jail. Can we please never see him again?