I’m conflicted as to whether or not I enjoyed the commingling of Alicia’s legal career and the saga of Peter’s indiscretions on last night’s episode of The Good Wife. On the one hand, it definitely added some positive drama to what otherwise could have been viewed as boring legal stories. On the other, the focus on Peter’s legal troubles tends to overshadow both Alicia’s own growth as a person and a lawyer, as well as what I feel gets too little focus on the show in general — his cheating.
I know that’s not why Peter’s in prison, but as we all know from real events, the sex and drugs definitely tarnished his reputation, assuring his resignation and putting into question his political future. I’m not saying that it should be the death of him, nor did it necessarily have anything to do with his other problems, but if the show’s about the “Good Wife,” why not spend more time on what would have burned her more?
What I did really enjoy was the other case that unfolded last night, the one starring ex-Boston Legal-er Jeffrey Coho (Craig Bierko, here as Duke Rosco). Besides the total lack of professionalism that the settlement conference brought out in Alicia (she really couldn’t focus on the meeting she was in? And how about the timing thing?… She should have been in her divorce meeting 15 minutes before the settlement conference began!), I felt like we were watching the first real legal dramedy outing put on by this new show.
Not that it was without its oddities — both named partners on the same mid-sized case? — but the way the trial played out was very in keeping with the over-the-top style that I so enjoyed on shows like Boston Legal, Justice, and Eli Stone. How great was the compromise that they reached on the 911 call that the mother made after realizing her daughter was missing? That guy read the transcript in the most monotone of voices possible … it reminded me of Christopher Walken reading the lyrics to “Poker Face.”
The directed verdict by the judge was totally absurd, and I think I missed the political undertones that apparently were running through the trial. Who was supposed to be the conservative in this scenario? Regardless, the fact that it was proven that the mother hadn’t killed her daughter — shouldn’t they have waited to confirm that it was the girl before telling the father? — but had killed herself due to Rosco’s program (I assume) should have found him charged with something. I’m not saying life without the possibility of parole, but something.
Alright, so I do owe Alicia’s news a bit of attention. It would seem as if new State’s Attorney Glenn Childs (Titus Welliver) is behind Peter’s fall from grace, although whether or not the allegations are unfounded remains unclear. I did not enjoy how his wife Maria (Jessica Hecht) used Alicia’s problems to her own advantage, revealing just enough to get her some money, but not enough for Alicia to feel as if she’s now in a more informed position than she was before. I realize that the whisper was supposed to whet our appetites, but the manner in which it was revealed left me cold. And why didn’t Alicia further pursue the alleged envelopes that Childs was having left on her doorstep? She can sometimes go from being strong and in control to childlike in the blink of an eye.
I much prefer a strong and in control Alicia. Hopefully that’s where things are headed as the show picks up again after its hiatus.
Clacked by Aryeh S.
on Jan 06, 2010 @ 12:00 EST5EDT
