
I’m going out of town this weekend so my one and only chance to catch up on this week’s TV shows was last night. And I picked The Good Wife. The network promoted the premiere as the episode where Alicia makes her choice. I was pretty sure that wasn’t going to happen – after all, drawing it out makes for an interesting work dynamic and great sexual tension between Julianna Margulies and Josh Charles – and it didn’t. There were some very interesting developments. And even though I usually love every little thing about this show, there were two things that bothered me.
The quibbles:
The problem: Will’s second voicemail to Alicia. I love that he intended to say something else in his first voicemail but that was before he turned on the TV to see Alicia standing by her man. And don’t get me wrong, I loved everything about the second voicemail until the end. Will doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who would add the bit about ignoring his words if none of it makes sense to her. I just didn’t believe those words when they came out of his mouth. The fix: There isn’t one and there doesn’t need to be. It’s great to watch Will put distance between himself and Alicia, especially since we really know how he feels. The few awkward moments they have in the office are so well played. This estrangement is kind of exciting because we know it’s just a matter of time before the truth comes out.
The problem: I don’t know of a cell phone anywhere that will let you check your voicemail without putting in your password. I’m talking to you Eli Gold. And if you’re going to be devious enough to delete a voicemail you might also want to delete the call from the call history as well. Eli seems like he would have covered his tracks a bit better. The fix: I’ll allow it because this is a great setup for a future confrontation between Eli and Alicia. Can you imagine how she’ll react when she finds out about it? I’m sure there will be blowback for Peter as well. And I like it when they’re fighting or estranged. It’s such great drama.
The amazing:
Alicia continues to show us what she’s made of. It was very interesting to see her get roped into representing Mr. Sally (Jacob Pitts, who you may know from Justified or The Pacific). I like how she helped him be his own lawyer and I loved how she challenged the judge when he tried to get around a witness’s invocation of the Fifth Amendment. But perhaps the best part of that storyline is when Alicia tells her client she knows he’s guilty. She got the best deal she could for him and now he needs to stop fighting and take the plea.
Cary’s still in the game. I like that Matt Czuchry is still on the show and I think it’s kinda brilliant that he now works for the enemy, Glenn Childs. Glenn is only too happy to use Cary to get at Alicia, and by extension Peter. Cary does a great job of saving the case for the states attorney’s office but Alicia manages to outmanuevr him in the end. I’m sure he’ll be looking for some payback and it’ll be fun to watch that play out inside – or outside – of the courtroom.
Michael Ealy as Derrick Bond becomes a name partner at the firm. If he looks familiar you may know him from Sleeper Cell or FlashForward. I’m excited to see an interloper in their mist. You know he’s going to cause trouble and I can’t wait to see how he throws Will and Diane off their games. His two biggest changes so far: Derrick’s investigator Blake (played by Friday Night Lights alum Scott Porter) is throwing Kalinda off her game (more on that below) and he takes over (from Will) as Alicia’s mentor.
Kalinda isn’t who she says she is. This doesn’t really surprise me but I love that Blake keeps calling her on it. I like their dynamic and I’m hoping to see Blake push Kalinda so far that she really loses her cool. That would be something to see.
Will and Alicia. I love how they are playing the tension between these two. Even though Alicia thinks she know what Will wants, we can tell she’s still wondering if there’s something between them. I hope she takes Kalinda’s advice and talks to him. I’m really curious to see how that conversation goes.
Peter and Alicia. I’m not gonna lie, I really liked that bathroom scene. Thank God this is a 10 o’clock show. They have such an interesting, complicated relationship. Peter is far from done atoning and I’m not sure Alicia can ever really trust him again. But their dynamic is great. I hope Peter continues to be impressed with the changes in his wife. He is the one who brought them about after all.
Grace gets pulled into the political machine. Wow. I wanted to throttle those two college students for asking Grace such personal questions. I know no one is safe from the political maneuvering going on here, but it feels like neither one of the Florrick children are actually being allowed to experience a normal childhood. I don’t want to see Grace become more guarded, but I am interested to see if she tells her parents about this.
I’ll see you back here next week.
Related posts
Classics
George R. Olson, Tim Rozon, and Sarah Levy Talk the SurrealEstate S2 Finale
[Spoilers for the SurrealEstate Season 2 finale.] How’s everyone doing after the finale? As we close out the second season of SurrealEstate, some of our merry band of misfits are scattering to the winds–Zooey to law school, Phil to the Vatican, and Augie back to his think tank with Rochelle,…
Previewing SurrealEstate Season 2 Finale + Revisiting the Season with George R. Olson
[Warning; General spoilers ahead.] Strap in, SurrealEstate fam, because we’ve arrived at the Season 2 finale, and it’s a doozy. As we saw in the closing moments of last week’s episode, Susan is back. But because we have one more episode left, it’s not as simple as all that, as…
Tyler Hynes Talks Through His Eight-Film Hallmark Holiday Library
Things you realize when you have to re-record your shows on a new DVR – just how many Hallmark movies your people have done. Fan favorite – and one of ours – Tyler Hynes has done eight Christmas movies for Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries since 2018. Alongside…
Spencer Creaghan Talks About Creating SurrealEstate’s Signature Sound
SurrealEstate is winding down its second season, with two episodes left, and just as in Season 1, Spencer Creaghan’s music continues to be a character unto itself. And every week, he shares tidbits with the fans via his s social media channels, something he started to help give them an…
Andrew Walker Talks Christmas Island and the Magical Hallmark Community
[Warning: Spoilers for Christmas Island.] Now that the Screen Actors Guild strike has been resolved, we’re able to resume regularly scheduled programming and interview our favorites and yours. Up first, earlier today, I spoke with Andrew Walker about Christmas Island, which premiered last weekend and encores tonight and through the…
George Olson and Danishka Esterhazy Talk SurrealEstate “I Put a Spell on You”
[Warning: Spoilers for the episode.] Tonight’s fun new SurrealEstate found Luke caught up in an especially bewitching woman, Kay, played by Tara Yelland, Susan trapped in her house, and Zooey learning the ropes. In the next part of my conversation with showrunner George R. Olson and producing director Danishka Esterhazy,…
Danishka Esterhazy Talks SurrealEstate: “The Butler Didn’t”
[Warning: General spoilers for the episode]. Tonight’s new SurrealEstate, “The Butler Didn’t,” follows the team as they investigate the years-earlier mysterious death of a woman whose ghost now reenacts her hanging by dropping over the banister from the second floor to terrify anyone on the landing or at the bottom…
Scott McCord and Elizabeth Saunders Talk the From Season 2 finale
[Warning: Spoilers for the season finale.] How’s everyone doing after that finale? While we wait and wonder and hope for a third season announcement, soon, here’s what Scott McCord and Elizabeth Saunders had to say about their parts of the finale, and where they hope they get to go next….
Scott McCord and Elizabeth Saunders Talk From Season 2 + A Season Finale Preview
[Warning: General spoilers ahead.] It all comes down this, #FROMily. As Sunday’s episode wraps up Season 2, we begin with the aftermath of the terrifying onset of seemingly simultaneous attacks on Julie, Marielle, and Randall, which accelerate the “We gotta get out of this place” of it all. Sara comes…
Alison Sweeney Talks About What’s Next for Hannah and Mike After Carrot Cake Murder: A Hannah Swensen Mystery
[Warning: Spoilers for Carrot Cake Murder.] Everybody OK after that Hannah Swensen Mystery twist? Thankfully, our favorite crime-solving couple is still on speaking term, even if they’re on a break (hopefully not that kind of break). Most importantly, we already know this isn’t the last film in the series. No…
What They Said: Three Revealing Conversations from Survivor’s Remorse “Closure”
WARNING: Spoilers for Survivor’s Remorse “Closure” The latest episode of Starz’s Survivor’s Remorse featured conversations that showed characters really digging deep into their thoughts, emotions and motivations.
Two Takes: The Catch “The Knock-Off”
Who can you trust? If this episode of The Catch was any indication, the answer is just about nobody. Betrayal was running rampant as Felicity (Shivani Ghai) arose from the dead to seduce-con Margot, Gretchen (Maria Thayer, Gotham, The Mindy Project) played gold-hearted Alice 2.0 before swindling Ethan, Tessa jumped…
What They Said: Top 3 Quotable Moments from Preacher “El Valero”
Both Quincannon and Jesse refuse to give up on what they each think is rightfully theirs. While Jesse is struggling to face the consequences of his actions, Quincannon has laid his past demons to rest and is hellbent on moving forward and putting Annville on the map again. Despite a…
What They Said: Favorite Quotes from Supergirl “Worlds Finest”
Oh, Supergirl. That ending was cold. But I can’t hate on you because the latest episode has quickly become one of my favorites.
What They Said: Top 4 Quotable Moments from Black Sails “XXIII”
The dialogue in “XXIII” is phenomenal. It’s always a fun ride when Black Sails carries its viewers along without giving them the chance to catch their breath. When an episode moves at this unforgiving pace, there is no chance for a breather nor is there a respite from the information…
What Lucifer Said: Favorite quotes from Supernatural “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”
Supernatural episodes are almost always funny but thanks to the dialogue and a certain man speaking said dialogue, I laughed a lot during “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” You know, when I wasn’t busy fearing for Sam’s life or wondering what in the world was going on with Dean and…
What They Said: The Flash, “Legends Of Today” and Arrow, “Legends Of Yesterday”
Two nights of Arrow + The Flash = what more could we ask for?! I don’t know what it is about blending these shows, but I can’t help but feel that every time they come together, they somehow become greater than the sum of their parts. And that’s saying a lot…
What they Said: Top 4 Quotable Moments from Graceland “Little Bo Bleep”
Shoot outs. Fake outs. And long-awaited revelations. “Little Bo Bleep” was a jam-packed episode that wrapped up some loose ends and totally frayed others. Â It finally gave us one Sarkissian in jail and pulled back the curtain on Briggs’ master plan, but it also set up Jakes for a world…
What They Said: Favorite Quotes from Poldark “Part 4”
“What have I told you, I don’t require my wife to crochet and sip tea, but I do require her to remember she’s not a beast of burden.†No, I’m not talking about The Rolling Stones! I have to admit though, just for a second, the lyrics popped into my…
3 Moments of Goodness from Brooklyn Nine-Nine “Johnny and Dora”
The most satisfying part of this season’s finale has to the Jake and Amy kiss. Well, they kiss three times but the last one is the best one — and it means something. The Charles and Rosa dynamic was also great. I love how she’s convinced he doesn’t know anything…