In general I’ve been a big fan of the law that occasionally manages to shine through on The Good Wife. But for perhaps the very first time, last night I found myself much more interested in the personal and political lives of the Florricks.
The episode picked up right where it left off three weeks ago (after some poorly edited flashbacks) with Alicia storming out of Peter’s victory party. Just a thought, but wouldn’t the wife who stood by her man as he went to jail and she was publicly humiliated make an appearance at the party?
I loved that Alicia packed Peter up, moved him out, and found him an apartment all while he was still at the victory party. Who knew you could do all of that so late at night? But I do have to wonder what it says about her that this is where she draws the line. I know Alicia was making a big deal out of the fact that it was her “best friend” — Since when? And did she and Kalinda even know one another back then? — but I have to think that, on a list of terrible things that Peter’s done to Alicia, this only maybe makes the top five … and that’s if you bundle some other things together. Don’t get me wrong, I applaud the fact that she’s finally listening to what I’ve been screaming for over a year now, but in a way it makes her seem small.
I was glad that Eli made an appearance this week, but didn’t you just want to throttle Jackie? Peter’s mommy is really out there crying to his campaign manager about Alicia? We all love our kids no matter who they become, but what’s wrong with Jackie that she’s more concerned with Peter’s career than her daughter-in-law getting a little self-respect back? Alicia and Jackie were never besties, but it’s sad that two people with such an intimate familial relationship could still be so distant that best interests are an afterthought. But it was great to see Eli, and despite my distaste at Jackie’s involvement — isn’t Peter embarrassed? — I found myself very drawn in by the story.
In contrast, the liver transplant case was, for lack of a better word, annoying. I think a lot of that had to do with Patti (Martha Plimpton), although I’m sure that Kalinda’s presence didn’t help things. I don’t enjoy watching people be as stupid as Will, Diane, and Alicia were being where it concerned Patti. And I also can’t stand it when people are so comfortable with questionable behavior so long as it serves them; no question that Patti should at least be reprimanded by the state bar, but I guess since she was helping out our team her being “pregnant and prone to outbursts” is explanation enough. I could have done without the entire story.
I also can’t believe that we’re still wasting time watching anyone woo Cary. He’s a good lawyer, but he’s acting all of three years old when he demands to make more money than Alicia or to be her peer or better. He hasn’t grown, changed, or evolved, and there’s no way that the firm would spend any time negotiating with a second (or third) year associate. They’re a dime a dozen.
The end of the episode, with Cary paying Peter a visit, would have been a lot more interesting if Cary didn’t think he lost the associate competition because Alicia was sleeping with Will. It makes his alliance with Peter, who’s under the same delusion, so predictable, and to have the king of cheaters accusing his wife of sleeping around is going to be very unpleasant to have to sit through. It’s dumb, and quite frankly it’s also kind of lazy on the part of the writers.
If Cary had a different beef, and Peter used him like a tool in an act of vengeance, okay. But aligning the two based on a misconception of infidelity on Alicia’s part? Yeah, that’ll be thrilling to have to suffer through episode after episode. I’m hoping it will be short lived.
Clacked by Aryeh S.
on May 04, 2011 @ 15:00 EST5EDT
I had a fantastic response typed up, but it was eaten by the aether. )-:
Summary:
-I disagree.
-Peter + Cary = awesome. It doesn’t matter how they got together. Cary doesn’t care who Alicia may or may not have boned; he just wants to restore his damaged ego. Cary = villain of series. Too bad.
-Alicia got fed up because Peter didn’t tell her, after she thought he had turned over a new leaf and was being completely honest with her. Your wife has to find out about something like that on her own, you are screwed.
*POST AUTHOR*
There are many things wrong with the Alicia/Will story line. Putting aside the fact that they have no chemistry, the biggest problem is that it marginalizes Alicia’s entire character. She is the stoic woman who stood dignified as the man she married tore down the life that they built together. For there to even be the whiff of something going on with her and someone else knocks her down way too many pegs.
Also, it opens the door for nonsense things like Cary getting mad at being fired because “Alicia’s sleeping with Will,” and it lets Peter make the kind of accusations that he did last night. On Cary’s part it’s infantile, and on Peter’s part, well, don’t you think it would make him feel less guilty if he got to say to himself, “She’s no better than me?” He doesn’t deserve that. I just think that extracting the entire Will/Alicia thing makes a lot of stories a whole lot stronger.
As for Alicia kicking Peter out, I’m not saying she shouldn’t have, but in a big picture it does seem like she picked the lamest reason to leave him out of all the reasons that he provided her with. Just the way I see it.
While it may seem like a small thing, she thought that he came clean about everything. He didn’t. What other secrets was he keeping from her? But, the bigger issue is that 2 people closest to her – her husband and Kalinda – lied to her. She felt like a fool.
I think the fact that Peter won the election, also allowed her to let go and finally push him out. He didn’t need a “good wife” anymore. He got what he wanted and now she is getting her freedom. She doesn’t have to keep the lie-filled marriage together to support her family anymore.
What you see as flaws in the writing, I see as purposeful choices to create flawed characters. Was Alicia’s response completely logical? Certainly not. I think she was just acting off pure emotion. I’m sure a lot of feelings that she had gotten over bubbled right back up to the surface, even if she and Kalinda didn’t know each other at the time.
As for Cary — I think he is childish, that’s his character. Don’t you know people like that though? Spoiled frat boys who have just about everything handed to them in life. He was an arrogant prick from the moment he was in “competition” with Alicia. I think his pettiness and wanting an upper hand falls in line with his character. But, yes, he is a whiny little baby.
I’m with you on Will/Alicia. There is zero chemistry there. There is some flirtation, and the characters have history, so I think it’s believable that Cary and Peter would jump to a conclusion like that, especially in overly emotional times. I certainly hope the show doesn’t go to that Alicia/Will place. I still like seeing their relationship more as Alicia toying with the possibility of life outside the marriage, not necessarily life with Will.
*POST AUTHOR*
I think the show’s done a great job this season of moving away from Will and Alicia, which is why it would be a shame for Alicia to be mired in it at this point. Whether it was a course correction or not, right now they’re in a much better place than they were in the season one finale.
I can believe Cary as an authentic character, I just think it’s a wasted opportunity. Canning’s a competitor; Cary’s a gnat buzzing around. Yet he could be better than that … that’s why it’s such a shame.
Question: how do you think they keep Eli in the mix moving forward? Now that you’ve brought me over to being a fan of his I don’t want him to leave! :)
Alan Cumming signed a 3 year contract renewal, so I don’t think he will be going anywhere soon.
*POST AUTHOR*
Thanks, I didn’t know! :)
But I’m saying plot-wise how do they keep Peter’s campaign manager in the mix if Peter’s not running for anything, which presumably he won’t be in a position to do for a while now that Alicia’s left him at least hobbled.
Alicia runs for political office?
He is still a client of her firm, so that could keep him around. Or, he could go work for Peter.
Or, Diane decides to run for Judge?
I figure Eli likely becomes Peter’s chief of staff, no? That’s what they tend to do in shows like this.
*POST AUTHOR*
Generally yes, but Eli’s a professional campaign manager. He goes from one to the next, which is why I don’t see him taking a position like that.
It’s going to be interesting to see what they do with him. Are they going to jump right back into a political story? Another run for Peter? A possible run for Alicia, like they were hinting at in the last episode? Maybe he’ll just stick around as a friend for Alicia, as Kalinda probably won’t be filling that role. Could he be a possible love interest? There’s definitely more chemistry there than with Alicia and Will.
*POST AUTHOR*
I like Eli as Alicia’s love interest. Can you imagine what that would do between Peter and Eli?
I read as the straw that broke the camel’s back. Too many lies and/or omissions for her to take. Kalinda could have told her when they met as there was an edge in the first couple of episodes. Peter could have come clean when he found out that Kalinda was working with Alicia. Neither did and that both betrayed her was too much for her. I will have to re-watch season 1 to see if Peter out and out denied having any affairs other than the hooker.
It would definitely be nice to see Carey mature but I do not see that happening at least not for a while.
Eli can stick around trying to convince both Alicia and Diane to run for some office and then in the season after that actually have the election.
*POST AUTHOR*
Carla and daniac – I hear you both. I guess to me it just seems like silly semantics: “I’ll invite you back into my home, my life, and my bed even if you paid for kinky sex that was publicly thrown in my face. But if you slept with a co-worker who became a friend of mine two years later….”
As far as her being mad at Peter and Kalinda for keeping the secret, absolutely. Round one revelations should have driven Alicia to separate from Peter but remain amicable co-parents; this new revelation should drive a wedge between them. I just think all that we’re seeing now should have happened 30 episodes ago.
As far as Alicia thinking that Peter had changed, she needn’t have looked further than the fact that instead of working on repairing their family he immediately ran for office again. And I’m still not convinced that the criminal charges that were initially brought against him are over with. But for sure he put his family second once again when he announced his candidacy, and that was another clear reason for her to leave. For her to only be doing it now is kind of like, “At this point I figured you had no common sense at all.”