The Good Wife picked up right where it left off last week: Kalinda and Blake in that Underground Parking Lot of Secrets, with Kalinda showing one of the first signs of weakness we’ve ever seen from her — a feebly muttered “You’re wrong” in response to Blake’s assertion that she slept with Peter Florrick. A few minutes later, she’s with Alicia, asking whether Alicia is happy. Alicia’s ambivalent response, “When the storm is over, is it happiness or relief?” was perfectly written to leave us tingly with anticipation: If she only knew about the other storm a-brewin’…
The case this week was nicely creepy, almost Criminal Minds-y but more clever. Working on behalf of the victim’s daughter, Lockhart/Gardner sues a convicted killer over the royalties ($800,000-worth) he’s received for a song he wrote describing details of a crime (a horrific rape-torture-murder). The human monster, played by Gossip Girl‘s Sam Robards, was a dead-eyed sociopath, smugly superior. “I’m a fan,” he tells Alicia. Ugh and eek. This character, Jarvis Bowes, was a doozy; I loved the notion that he claimed to be influenced by both Elvis Costello and Gerard Manley Hopkins: Bowes was a newly freed jailbird admiring a master of sprung rhythm. I also admired the creation of the conscience-less British rocker who’d recorded Bowes’ lyrics: “Didn’t Norman Mailer kill someone or something?” Er, “something,” my dear fellow… And very nice twist at the end of the hour, about the additional Bowes murder.
America Ferrera returned as Natalie Flores, Wendy Scott-Carr’s ex-nanny about whom Eli Gold feels guilt mingled with affection. (I’ll be honest with you, the first time Natalie appeared on the show, I didn’t sense romantic-attraction on the part of Eli, I interpreted it as flattered egotism; my wife says I’m an idiot, but she says that a lot anyway. And no matter how the show spun it, I still think Eli wanting to be absolved of guilt and have his feelings reciprocated by Natalie is rather creepy, given the age difference, but that’s the way it goes in life sometimes…) Now it was Natalie’s father who was in trouble, in danger of being deported if he got put “into the system” under the excuse of a patently false arrest.
The way Eli used his influence as a Lockhart/Gardner client to get Diane scurrying for a bond hearing was delightful. And having that other wronged-wife scandal continue to make the TV news, playing out in front of many of our main characters, was also a fine detail that could, who knows, blossom into a full-fledged storyline.
Credit America Ferrera with another fine performance; she had to convey an awfully wide range of emotions regarding her father and Eli in the space of a subplot, and did it well. Credit, too, to Alan Cumming, for the way he communicated his excitement at seeing Natalie again (belittled by Eli’s daughter via his ex-wife as a post-campaign “palate-cleanser,” a “crush”), as well as Eli’s un-Eli-like effort to remain anonymous in his attempts to help her father.
But it did come down to the pay-off of the tense conversation between Kalinda and Peter, didn’t it? Here was where The Good Wife‘s sparing use of Peter really paid off; the first time you saw Chris Noth in this episode, it was electrifying, because we were looking at his character in a new way yet again. The killer line, “You said we’d never talk about this,” was off-set by the soppy but utterly believable, “I’ve fallen in love with my wife again.”
I admire any TV show that puts a main character, one for whom we’re supposed have sympathy if not outright admiration, in a morally untenable position. So it is now with Peter. How is this going to play out? (Call me amoral, but Peter being blackmailed by Matan Brody? Given the grief it’s going to cause, I’d consider a contract hit on him, Peter!) One thing’s for sure: Alicia is a different woman from the one who was cheated on at the start of this series, and her reactions, when she finds out (and she will find out), are going to be very different. Peter’s comment, “It would kill her to know this” — I’m not so sure, Peter.
Theories, analysis, and bursts of constructive emotion are encouraged, below; thanks.
Twitter: @kentucker
A great episode. All the cast members were terrific. It was very good to see Cary working with his old work mates again. I think Cary’s on the way back to L-G after the election and that is very welcome. The story was entertaining, the writing and acting superb again. This is the best show on all of television.
Well said!
Thank You. What a great show!
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Great commentary Ken on the last Good Wife episode and most of the responses show the quality of analysis refects the quality of the show. The GW capacity to surprise engenders intriguing speculations on twists and character driven revelations to come.
Personally, I would like Cary to stay on as ASA under Florrick. We need a pair of eyes on that office, plus it would be a great opportunity for him to see how green the grass is on the other side, so to speak. I’m excited to see this possibility happen!
I agree! It makes so much more sense to leave Carey in Florrick’s office. I am loving his slow rapprochement with Lockheart Gardiner, however; my favorite part of this show is that nothing is black and white, only shades of gray.
Yes! There would be so many unbelievable stories to play with if Cary is working for Peter.
Ditto … please keep Cary on at the DA’s office, it would make things so much more exciting, esp. if Peter wins, and I hope he does. What would be even more exciting is to see a stronger Alicia go through this whole experience as the “wife” but a different kind of wife now. Her reaction: I’m almost guessing deep down she already knows, maybe it will push her to leave LG as well and seek greener pastures. I’m so excited … so many possibilities!
Love Carey, he’s had such a great arc this season. And I never noticed how Maybelline fabulous Alan Cummings’ lashes are. He was wonderful as usual. America Ferarra was a snore though; couldn’t help rolling my eyes at her perfomance. How many times can she rescue her undocumented dad from the INS with the help of benevolent and entitled fat cats? It would have made more sense for Betty Suarez-I mean Natalie Flores be the one who was being deported, just to shake things up. She was a dud on an otherwise cracklin’ ep. The real star guest was the girl from Spanglish (funny enough also about undocument maids falling in love). She was great as Eli’s daughter, funny and smart, running rings around Ferrera. Let’s have more of her and less of Natalie Flores. What’s next, Eli rescues Natalie from being tied up on the El tracks?
This is one of my favorite shows on television along with Jusified, Blue Bloods, NCSI L.A., Supernatural, and Vampire Daries.
All love most of the characters in ‘The Good Wife’. I don’t want to see Kalinda and Alicia become enemies. I like them as good friends. I am beginning to like Kerry.
Indeed. Best TV drama on television. No show can top that. All characters are likeable and well acted and the stories are awesome written. Curious how it is gonna work out the rest of the season ( series ) depending of renewal.
So well said.
And I agree with “Good Wife” being the best.
Along with “Justified” on FX. grins.
I believed the show has been renewed for a third season. Love Fringe, Bones, the Good Wife, Blue Bloods and the NCISs.
No I like Carey as a prosecutor, he is still a main character and he is a good foil th LG
We’re supposed to admire Peter Florrick? When did that happen? I’m not part of the mob to lynch the man, but I won’t go so far as to say I have sympathy for him. Sympathies have to be saved for people who don’t dig their own grave but find themselves in one anyway like Alicia.
I totally agree
I totally agree as well!
Agreed. I loved Mr. Tucker’s article, but found that remark so off that I read it twice to make sure I didn’t misundertand.
I had to read it twice as well! When i read sympathy and admiration, i thought Tucker was referring to Kalinda
I have to agree Ken. Alicia isn’t going to be destroyed by this. I suspect she’s been expecting something like this. Of course it’s going to cost Peter the SA race. I wonder if, in the process, Alicia’s many job offers will start to disappear? I guess she can always write a tell-all book…
Man I love this show!
I think what will hurt her more than anything will be that it was Kalinda who went on to build a beautiful if tentative relationship with Alicia. That’s going to kill her. As for Peter, its just an ambivalent nail in the coffin and she’ll dash to Will in no time. It won’t even be about forgiveness and staying together because she’s so much stronger now and knows she can do life without him. Heck she doesn’t even want to move so this will solve that problem.
Ah, but Will isn’t quite the paragon either. At least with Peter it was just sex; Will seems morally compromised—and Alicia is beginning to recognize that.
well, she may start to run into will’s arms except they may be handcuffed at that time given his little thievery situation. hey! maybe will and peter will be roomies in prison! peter for abuse of office and will for thieving.
Prediction!
She is going to find out about Kalinda somehow the exact same moment peter wins the race or gets ready to go to he press with the fact he has won….going to be deja vu from the opening scene from the pilot.
that would be great!
Excellent idea. Also, Alicia has moved closer by then to accepting him as her husband again — maybe not loving him in the same way but trying to put some of the past behind somehow.
I remember (I think) that one of the first things Alicia asked of Kalinda is if she’d slept with Peter. I may remember it wrong but wasn’t that a thing in their first meeting? And Alicia apologized for asking but it was because she was leery of Kalinda having worked for Peter. So this is just such a nice corker; delicious plot twist!
91H3j1 Good point. I hadn’t thought about it quite that way.
I so agree. I think Alicia loves peter and that’ll she’ll be hurt by ihim but I think if anything kills her it’ll be Kalinda’s part in it.
I’m not so sure it’s love anymore. She did make that comment about when the storm clears, not knowing if it’s happiness or relief. I think if she loved him, it would be more happiness.
The weaving of the characters into the overall tapestry of the multiple sub plots is so satisfying. However, I find the show’s huge bomb having a strange effect. It seems to have boxed in Alicia’s next move.
When she finds out about the affair and if she finds out the culprit, reality would dictate that there’s really only one move for any person with self respect — and that would be to move on. To separate from Peter and start the process of divorce. Any other reaction and course of action would make a character that we’ve seen toughen up and become independent seem too fragile. Too soft, too lacking in self respect to be have a rooting edge for. She would just become pathetic. The fun subtext of a wife standing by her public figure man has been played out. If she continues to straddle the line of staying with her husband in the face of this now ultimate betrayal, it would seriously undercut Alicia’s new found independence and therefore leave her with only one choice. It’s an odd dilemma.
Now that writers may want to continue having Alicia try and figure out if she’s going to be the “Good Wife”, but the juxtaposition would seem too familiar and oft putting. I look forward to watching it play out, but once the die is cast, I would find it thoroughly unsatisfying for her to consider staying with Peter…..
I see what you’re saying and I would agree if it was a current affair. But the thing between Peter and Kalinda happened years before. If Alicia forgave him for the prostitute, then shouldn’t this be lumped in too? Obviously it’s not that simple because of her friendship with Kalinda and the betrayal that will go with that when Alicia finds out as well as the issues of a government official being involved with an employee.
So while I wouldn’t be surprised if Alicia left Peter, I also could see her staying too. Should be interesting!
I agree. It’s not like it happened recently.
Real brain power on dipslay. Thanks for that answer!
Hmmmmm…..like Hilary Clinton perhaps?
You mean next season Alicia is going to become Secretary of State?
I was just thinking like that. Hilary stayed with Bill Clinton after the Monica debacle. She became stronger, and now she is Secretary of State.
Is it just me, or is Cary starting to become a really likeable character? I guess that’s what’s so great about this show: no one is fully good or evil or black or white. All of the characters are always fully in the grey.
Totally loving Cary after the last few episodes! He was great last week with the phone convo with Alicia, and so good with helping Kalinda this week, plus the thumbs up to Will
I’ve always loved Cary.. but then again, I am a Gilmore Girls fan and loooved him as Logan. I totally see Cary as a grown-up Logan! Can’t help it.
I too loved Cary from the beginning – because of the Gilmore Girls. And he’s never really been that bad…
Yes, it’s just you. For everyone else, he has been a likeable character since forever.
no he went through a very bitter vengeful phase when Alicia got the job over him. That said he’s got a big thing for Kalinda and I think he will find his way back into the firm. Its nice to see the old Cary back these past weeks.
I have to agree with Leo.
I agree with Leo, too. There was a time there where I cringed every time I saw him, knowing he was going to do something to Alicia.
I have never seen the Gilmore Girls, so I have no past connection with Cary, but I do like him now. After he lost his job, he became very embittered towards Alicia. He has matured and he is great. Keep him in the AG’s office.
I agree Cary’s character is not one dimensional and I was worried that would happen when he was let go from LG..I am glad they have allowed him to show another side. Plus he is adorable..and I love his friendship with Kalinda..
When Cary was released from LG, he was a nasty piece of work, who relished going up against LG and, in particular, Alicia. But recently when he’s appeared in his role as an ASA, his eyes seem distant/glazed, as if he’s dissociating himself from what he has to do. It’s only when he’s engaging with Kalinda that he seems alert and functioning.
Haven’t always been a Cary fan…but wow, last night, he was just adorable and I found myself liking him a lot!
I like him too, a lot of levels to him…I love how they interweave so many of these characters into the plots.
Actually I don’t understand this sudden flip, Cary going from shrewd and vindictive (which I loved) to Mr. Nice Guy, all because Kalinda bats her eyelashes at him.
I don’t think it was just an instant flip. I do think he’s worn out with being vengeful and the uncertainty of his job made him vulnerable. I also think he has always liked Alicia and having a little more contact with her reminded him of that.
I loved that Cary is warming back up to Alicia. I always enjoyed their friendship in spite of their competition. Also liked him giving Will the thumbs-up.
He’s always been likable. And he had reason to be the way he was after being fired from LG. Alicia made a move with going to Eli that he couldn’t compete with. His in-office politicking was normal, but what she did to keep her job was beyond normal, so he had every right to feel/be vindictive. He’s always liked Kalinda, and he’s always been nice to her. So him being the way you see him now, is really how he is.
Alicia knows Peter cheated many times. I think she only suspected hookers and not one night stands though. And she’s going to be more upset at Kalinda lying than Peter, I think.
I’m hoping she forgives her faster than she did(n’t) forgive Peter because their friendship is what brings me back to the show.
its going to be a painful painful road back. I’m not looking forward to it cause its hard to see either one grieving and they WILL grieve the loss of the other in their lives.
I love this show but the secrets are killing me. I never really got the pay off of the voicemail that Will left for Alicia. I really need to get a reaction to this secret. I really hope they don’t try to have both secrets come out during the season finale. I hope the secret comes out and Alicia finds out but she doesn’t blow up. She quietly processes it and tries to decide what to do. I’ve loved Carey since the first season. I like him getting along with the Lockhart firm but I still want him to have that semi-hatred toward Alicia. I don’t want him to be Kalinda’s flunky. I just want him to say “no” sometimes. I want Peter to win and for him to be Peter’s number one man. The whole “romantic” thing with Eli and Natalie is too icky for me. Eli doesn’t look like an old man but he’s no Peter. Chris Noth is an older man but he’s the kind of guy who can pull off being with a younger woman. Alan Cummings can’t pull this off. It just looks ood.
Is it odd or ood?
Cary is definitely coming back to the home team before the season is over, it is clearly been hinted at two weeks in a row…Great episode as usual..and you know Alicia is going to find out, no way around that….hopefully that is the last straw with them two….
I was thinking that if this comes out, I could actually see Calinda committing suicide. She’s so mysterious and seems to hide such intense feelings. For her to be so close now to Alicia and to be living with her betrayal …
oh please no.
I think she’d kill someone about to tell the truth rather than harm herself. But I do know what you mean,. I just hope you are wrong.
Kalinda would move away and start again than kill herself. She is a tough survivor. Alicia has to realize it never is just “once” and there were others. Didn’t she ask Peter at one time if there were others? It would be natural question and he probably lied. That is what is going to do it for her, that he lied after she gave him a chance to clear the slate.
the show without kalinda wouldn’t be the same. SHE CAN’T LEAVE…in any way! her understated yet hypnotic characterization is one of the most gripping aspects of the show.
Kalinda won am Emmy only actor/supporting actor so they would never write her out
Is it just me or is all the actions and reactions seen from Kalinda show she cares for the safety and well being of Alicia much more than a friend would. She is so dead set against Alicia finding out because she not only doesn’t want to cast out of Alicia’s good graces but she cares how badly it would affect Alcia. To sum it all up: I think Kalinda loves or is in love with Alicia. Can’t decide if its sisterly love or romance love just yet. We’ll need to see…
I think it’s a sisterly/friendly love. Kalinda has no ties to anyone, no attachments, no friendships… Nothing. I think both Cary and Alicia are making cracks in her emotional walls, and having no other friends, she’s desperate not to hurt the ones she has because she wants to keep them in her life. After all, Cary and Alicia are the only ones she gave the change-of-address cards to when she moved because, as she said, they’re friends, and it felt normal. I also desperately wanted to see Cary give Kalinda a hug when he came up to her at the courthouse!
I think it’s friendship, too. Kalinda saw Alicia during her most vulnerable time and has spent a lot of time encouraging her to come out of it. That’s the protective part. I also don’t think Kalinda has ever had a good friend in a woman before, and this is very special to her.
It was painful to see Kalinda so stricken – literally like “a deer in headlights”. I am so worried about all her few real relationships – will alicia be able to forgive her and keep her as a friend? – will cary forgive her and will it eventually be more then a friendship? Will he just feel used?
Whatever secret she is hiding which required her to sleep with peter must be a bad one…its going to be painful for all 3. I have no sympathy for peter florrick – but its interesting so many parallels in the main plot about the criminal being forgiven and having changed, and all the subplots with kalinda and peter..guess thats what the writers were trying to emphasise.
Peter Florrick is written as a character whom it is hard to empathise/sympathise with so the writers have done their job well cos i really cannot stand him.
Eli in love….:) loved it. Very chivalrous and very gentlemanly..nice to see that side of him.
I always thought Eli was gay until we met his daughter and he also had the unabashed crush with Natalie. I’d like to see that go somewhere.
Someone asked Eli in a previous episode if he was gay and he flatly denied it, and was shocked they would ask.
The actor Alan Cummings is gay.
The actor Alan Cuming, who portrays him, is gay in real life. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
I do wish TGW would not mess up the one really complex relationship between two unrelated adult women on TV. And over a guy! That’s such a cliche. Ugh. On the other hand, the sappiest line (“I’ve fallen back in love with my wife” got to me) got to me, I’ll admit.
Great line about Chicago: “I think we were about to run out of favors in there.”
Big relief that the sociopath went back to prison, b/c the last thing Alicia needs is a psycho as her “fan.” And how about that backhanded compliment–”I want to remake me life, just like YOU did.” Gag.
Loving Eli more each week; his daughter really sees through him. Nothing could top him dropping his pants to tell the Democratic leadership to kiss his a$$, but this was good, too.
Only thing wrong with this ep? No David Lee. But I’m sure he’ll be back.
I don’t think it’s about that. This happened a LONG time ago. Writers are trying to backtrack and say they brought it up in the first season when Alicia actually asked her if she “slept” with her husband but it doesn’t even fit with her character in the first season. Kalinda told her that she had “worked” for Peter and he fired her for working for someone else and they both laughed about it and that was all that was said. If I have to go back and watch the episodes, I will because I have been hooked on this show from the beginning. I can’t even imagine Alicia “mouthing” those words at the time. She almost lost the job to Cary because she wasn’t aggressive enough and only got it because Eli brought his business in but she was conflicted about the whole thing. So, this morally conflicted person, who wouldn’t discuss her personal life with anyone just blurts to a total stranger, “Did you f—k my husband”? Not even on cable. Alicia, today, would do it but not First Season Alicia. There’s a movie called “Falling in Love” with Robert DiNiro and Meryl Streep of all people – long story short – he DOESN’T have an affair with her but confesses to his wife that he had feelings for her. She is MORE angry because with a hooker, there is no doubt that it is probably NOT a relationship but someone her husband KNOWS was probably something that involves feelings. That will be the heartbreak. Cary will be in the middle of this and I think he will genuinely bury the hatchet at least temporarily to try to help out Kalinda. I think Peter will win and will keep Cary on at the D.A.’s office.
So agree! David Lee is the funniest character on the show – besides Ei. Need more David Lee!
love how they have added little details to these characters: boots of justice for Kalinda, and the candy offerings for David Lee.
Peter/Alicia 4eva
this is the ‘straw’ that most of us have been waiting for. ultimately, i think alicia will be grateful to see peter for who he really is. peter is incapable of genuine relationships, ask the reverend. peters comment, ‘i have fallen back in love with my wife’ proves how transient and pompous he is. i think alicia will in time mend the pain with kalinda. difference between kalinda and peter being kalinda is genuine. i also hope that kalinda is the one who tells alicia. what happened to will’s spunky girlfriend?
What a great roles for all the characters what great storylines if only more tv shows could be written so brilliantly! Thank God it isnt on cable and I can enjoy it.
I was actually trying to let the shows back up because I can hardly wait for the next one.
Fun fact: The musician was played by Gavin Lee, who was nominated for a Tony for his work in Mary Poppins. I saw him on the national tour in Atlanta and immediately recognized him on the show. I know, whoop-de-doo. But I was happy at least.
I like these kinds of fun facts! Thanks!!
That was Sam Robards.
No, Sam Robards was the killer, not the musician DL is talking about. For those who may not know, Sam Robards is the son of Lauren Bacall and Jason Robards, Jr.
and wasn’t Sam fabulous! I’d never seen him before–he was like a cross between a sociopathic Kevin Spacey & a naughty-boy Clark Gregg–loved it. Keep him GW–keep this character… great episode– heh. Christine running in heels getting her hands dirty. Fantastic work. I’m a new fan…
And wasn’t the daughter of the murdered woman the little girl from Sleepless in Seattle? Gaby somebody?
Wow! I THOUGHT the daughter looked familiar, but there’s no way I would have guessed that one! Hard to believe that much time has gone by since “Sleepless in Seattle.”
she was also in a movie, “Strike!” or something i think it was … “Up your ziggy with a wha wha brush.”
yes Gaby Hoffman. She was in the movie now and then too.