The Good Wife – A familiar face hassles Alicia

The first season of The Good Wife is coming to a close, and it certainly felt like it in this episode. There was a lot of movement on the Peter front, and there was a familiar face causing trouble for Lockhart and Gardener. I was very excited to see Dylan Baker return as the delightfully creepy Colin Sweeney. I’ve been a fan of Baker’s for a while now, particularly after his turn on Kings. Great guest casting is just another reason why this show has become one of my favorite shows.

I have to admit that I was a little disappointed to see Sweeney carted off to prison at the end of the episode. I was hoping that he would be a regular thorn in the side of his law firm. I know I would love to see more of him on the show, and perhaps he will need some legal assistance while in prison. Really, though, I don’t think anything can top the visual of him in a blood spattered bath robe, handcuffed to a corpse. It’s the little things that bring me joy.

This felt like a very different episode of The Good Wife. The “case of the week” did not receive as much attention as it usually does, as Peter’s trial had at least half of the focus of the episode. Carrie Preston (also known as wife of Ben Linus. Well, actually, mother of Ben Linus, but wife of Michael Emerson. Sorry for confusing all you non-Lost watchers) has been delightful as the flighty attorney Elsbeth Tascioni. With so much of the mood and action around Alicia being quite heavy, the show excels at bringing in some colorful characters to keep a balance. I’ve really enjoyed watching the stable of opposing lawyers, judges, and others flesh out the Good Wife universe, but I digress. Elsbeth proved that she was more than just a space cadet who’s bad with computers. She was able to dig up the key information that the prosecution’s key witness had not committed suicide, but was instead living in the Caribbean. And just like that, Peter is free and out of the anklet.

Season two is definitely going to have a different feel to it as Alicia will have to adjust to life with Peter again. I’m looking forward to his run for District Attorney. I’m a fan of Eli Gold, and aside from more of him (and we will get more, as Alan Cumming was promoted to series regular) we should also get more clashes between Peter and Childs (played slimily by the ubiquitous Titus Welliver). It looks like Childs is going to be joined by Cary, who unfortunately has turned to the dark side. I think he was way out of line in this episode for attacking Alicia. After all the politicking and brown nosing that he did, he had no right to call her out. He was just bitter because he didn’t have any contacts to call in to do him favors. At the end of the day, she was able to provide something to the firm that was more valuable than billable hours. There is nothing wrong with that.

I thought it was a great touch at the end of the episode to reinforce that very idea. Clearly, the relationship between Alicia and Peter is strained to say the least, but Alicia needs Peter and the career advancement that he can provide just as much as he needs her. It will be fascinating watching them try to be a family again.

Clacked by Bob Degon
on May 19, 2010 @ 20:46 EST5EDT