All it took was seven episodes and three months to get Michael J. Fox back on The Good Wife as cunning attorney Louis Canning. Last time Canning was a pharmaceutical company’s secret weapon; this time he was playing on the side of the angels, looking to defend a class action suit made up of plaintiffs harmed by a pesticides company. Or was he?
I’m still not sure which side of the tennis court the ball ended up on in terms of whether or not Canning was in bed with the pesticides company. Not that it really mattered, because good or evil Michael J. Fox once again proved why he’s a hot item in acting land.
And I really loved how convinced Alicia was that he wasn’t for real after Canning burned her the last time they met. It was also a great idea to introduce the relatively new investment product of seeding lawsuits, but why in the world did Canning need to borrow $4 million? His townhouse alone is worth more than that, and why be prepared to give up so much of your contingency fee? Even if this were a $55 million suit and his third came to a little over $18 million, his debt plus interest would eat something like twenty five percent of his profit. Doesn’t seem worth not risking his own money, especially given his inside track with the pesticides company.
I got a nice smirk from the judge (Denis O’Hare) who pushed the blood drive in court. You knew all the attorneys would be returning with “I gave blood” stickers. It would have been funny had he asked them all to roll up their sleeves. Also, it was fun seeing Alicia duke out the signature collecting with Canning. There’s a character who’d make a fantastic recurring guest.
The political plot was interesting again this week. Peter’s campaign is broke, so they’re going budget from here to election day. It’s kind of absurd that Peter swearing during the debate bought him the youth vote … and that there’s a way to track that. But embracing his time in prison and talking in favor of the marijuana ballot initiative seems like a weak avenue for the show to have chosen to pursue. I expected us to see Peter and Eli taking the low road for entirely different reasons, not because it’s the path of least resistance.
I loved the video Eli found made by Sloan (Christopher Sieber), the music teacher who’s in favor of Peter. I get why his reasons for supporting Peter gave Eli pause, but there’s a guy who totally needs to be controlled via the volunteer “liaison to the political director” job that Eli made up. Then maybe they can roll him out at the victory party. And when do we get to see Method Man breaking loose?
It may have been the endgame from the start, but I’m really annoyed by what seems like a waste of Michael Ealy’s time (don’t even say it, Bob!). Why couldn’t he have just been a successful guy from a different town joining the firm and bringing with him new ideas, clients, and a little drama? Why’d he have to be this evil guy, spying on everyone and looking to bring Lockhart, Gardner down from the inside?
Not only is it a waste of Ealy, but it doesn’t look like we’ll be getting rid of Diane, Julius, or David Lee now. I find it magical how unencumbered by human feelings of betrayal and anger everyone on TV always is; maybe David Lee will even do Will’s divorce from Tammy (Elizabeth Reaser) … if they ever get that far.
One thing to consider, however, is the affect that Bond’s disappearance will have on the firm’s bottom line. Here’s a crazy thought: Peter loses the election and chooses to bide his time in private practice, as a named partner at a law firm we all know. Anyone?
Clacked by Aryeh S.
on Feb 09, 2011 @ 13:00 EST5EDT
Am I the only one who thought the judge and his blood donor thing was a nod to Denis O’Hare’s role as Russel Edgington, the vampire king on True Blood the last summer? Every time he would say something about blood I immediately flashed back to True Blood…and I was thinking that the writers on The Good Wife were smart to address that…after all, Russel was the best thing in season 3, the HBO show got very good ratings and viewing numbers, and it certainly helped Denis’ popularity. Or is it that I’m reading too much into this? :)
*POST AUTHOR*
Thanks for pointing it out! I don’t watch True Blood, so I wouldn’t have noticed, but I agree that these writers seem bright enough to have a little fun with that. :)
Keeping my lips sealed…
I agree to some extent, though, that the whole partner storyline probably wasn’t necessary this season, with Kalinda v Blake, Peter’s campaign, and family stuff there was enough going on. I do like what it did for Will and Diane’s realationship, though. I wonder if the writers are trying to move away from Will/Alicia (they must have realized the two actors had about 1/100 the chemistry of Noth/Marguiles), so moving forward, there will be more inter-firm dynamics. I think the storyline set up some fun future storys for Will and Diane.
I loved the final scene with Alicia laughing in bed with Peter. I thought it was perfect.
*POST AUTHOR*
I saw some of the episode a second time, what we like to call take 2 after my wife inevitably falls asleep while watching shows the first time, and she and I were talking about what may have been Bond’s original intent. We know that Blake was only meant to be on the show for a handful of episodes, but what about Ealy? Could this have really been a one season plot, or was there the thought to add him longer-term before something changed? No idea, but the season does seem a little stuffed with plot. Then again, if Peter’s merely ramping up to the primaries, aren’t they this month?
In seeing it a second time I wonder if the final scene was a bad take, with Julianna Margulies losing it and Chris Noth getting that bemused look on his face. It would seem it was so great (which I agree it was, even if Peter shouldn’t have been in the bed with her) that they decided to use the blown take, if that’s what it was.