Pardon the pun, but it sure feels good to have The Good Wife back.
Maybe this wasn’t the strongest hour ever, but the teaser was certainly gripping enough to make this one of the show’s most memorable episodes. Wisely picking up where KSR left off, Alicia’s reaction to Eli’s bombshell was wonderfully shocking. In fact, the entire sequence with Alicia calmly organizing her plates before viciously flinging them at her former friend was probably some of Juliana Margulies’ best work to date. Even the mini-breakdown she had in her room (after flipping over her suitcase) was gut-wrenching, further cementing Margulies as the strongest actress working on television today. Phenomenal.
Sadly, while the rest of the hour was certainly amusing, it wasn’t nearly as captivating. I fail to see the point in continuously throwing Alicia and Peter into these various campaigns over the years and having them lose time and again. What exactly was the point of Peter’s most recent Presidential bid? How will his character grow after this? I sure loved Eli revealing to Ruth that Alicia was Peter’s secret weapon, but I’m not sure what that means going forward. I’m just confused by all these developments, and not in a good way.
Elsewhere, Lockhart/Agos/Lee had their own share of problems. Although the racial discrimination subplot wasn’t too engrossing (Diane and Carey deserve stronger storylines), I was pleasantly surprised by Jackie and Howard’s prenup. I know these two aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I find the pairing hilarious on every level. In addition, David Lee’s secret stash of millions added a hysterical complication to the proceedings as the couple tried to navigate it and the intricacies of their relationship.
Cases & Bits
– The funniest thing about Alicia’s breakdown is the fact that Jason comes back, but she’s so far removed from him after Will was brought up that she barely acknowledged him. I gotta say, I don’t think Jeffrey Dean Morgan ended up being a good fit for the show. Much like Vanessa Williams, he was completely wasted.
-So was Alicia really listening/reading Jane Eyre or was that a lie? Although I wasn’t a fan of the song, if you’re interested it’s “No One’s More Happy” by Clem Snide.
– Zack is back! Can’t say I missed him!
– Such passive aggressive awesomeness by Alicia purposely saying she wants what Ruth wants (right in front of Eli).
– Epic moment: Alicia filming the apology (for Iowa being called a “nightmare”) with the biggest fake smile.
– Touching moment: Alicia bonding with Ruth and telling her about Georgetown and how she wishes she could have been with Will.
– Peter spitting out the sandwich on live TV felt kind of amateur-ish to me. Doesn’t he know better after all these years?
– The “Athenian Democracy” scene felt kind of messy to me with Zack and Grace flirting with the blonde and the singing freak arriving to the rescue.
– Loved Lucca telling Jason to behave and stop flirting.
– Great little moment with Alicia telling Peter “it’s about the past” – an obvious reference to Will.
– Anyone else get totally embarrassed for Peter when he didn’t even win third place?
– Awesome continuity: Howard sleeping in his office without pants.
– Absolutely loved the ending with Alicia spotting Peter sitting alone and depressed. I found it very moving how she stood above him and he leaned in for comfort.
Good Lines
Diane: You committed fraud.
David: No. I committed… selective depositing.
Ruth: And it was the best kiss of my life. The absolute best. For a long time, I wondered how my life would’ve changed if I’d said yes to him. Until I saw last year he was sent to prison for mail fraud.
Alicia: That looked like it was gonna go somewhere.
Singer: Peter’s smarter than Einstein ♪ ♪ He’s got brains like L.A.’s got sunshine
Howard: (to Lucca) Young ethnically ambitious woman, I need a moment alone with my intended.
Jackie: Do you know what was invented in Iowa?
Lucca: No.
Jackie: Neither do I. Because Iowa has contributed nothing to our union, and I don’t understand why a state so insignificant gets the right to kick off a presidential primary.
Eli: You were with him 24/7 for months, and you missed the most fundamental thing about the man. Peter Florrick is not number one. Not nationally. She is.
Conclusion
While the rest of the hour couldn’t live up to the stellar opening scene, The Good Wife is still always a pleasure to watch.
Nad Rating
B+
The teaser was great from beginning to end. Like you, Nad, I wished the rest of the episode was on the same level. The Jackie-Howan prenup storyline wasn't bad. Strangely, the two of them make the perfect couple. But with most of the other stuff, I wondered what was the point. What's the point of continuing the racial discrimination subplot and Peter's run for President now that he lost though I have to say I was so happy that he did? Will the former lead to the downfall of Lockhart/Agos/Lee because I think the show would be better off?
I closely follow the U.S. election season, so I was happy with the episode! The Iowa Caucus is an interesting part of the election, so it is nice to see it in fictional form.
On a political point, it seems The Good Wife is not feeling the “Bern”? They downplayed the role of Bernie Sanders in the elections and ended the episode with a landslide victory of Hillary Clinton. They didn't get the memo that Iowa is too close to call at the moment.
Always great to read your comments HIsham! Happy you're still watching the show 🙂
I agree. I think it's time for the firm to be gone from the show. It has run its course!