The Good Wife “VIP Treatment” 

This episode affected me like no other show has this season or last. You all know what a big fan I am but last night the show really brought me out of my comfort zone and made me reevaluate some of my beliefs. We all know the premise of this show is loosely based on the Elliot Spitzer scandal. And something I love about the show is how “ripped from the headlines” it can be. Last night’s story about a masseuse who accuses a Nobel prize winner of assault sounds close to the Al Gore scandal in many ways. This hit close to home for me because I’ve met Al Gore and like so many people in this country – and the world – I have put him on a pedestal. When the scandal broke I was up in arms. I just knew there was no way he could have done such a thing and I was ready to vilify that woman. But the great thing about a show like The Good Wife is that it can make you think, it can be the devil’s advocate, it can make you question what you think you know. And that’s hard for me. There are certain things I just don’t want to believe about the people I admire. But I think if anyone – even someone at the highest levels of power and influence – engages in illegal activity that they should be held to the same standards as the rest of us.

Now I’ll certainly never know what happened with Mr. Gore and the case can be made that this show has sensationalized and/or changed facts in order to entertain. I won’t dispute that but for me, it’s not about the facts of the case or that it’s based on a real person. The fact that they are looking at every side to see who’s culpable, who’s believable, who’s credible is truly fascinating to me and I’d like to see more shows tackle big issues like this. I don’t want to watch fluff (well, I don’t want to watch a lot of fluff but sometimes that’s exactly what you need) so this show really is a like a breath of fresh air.

Now let’s return to the land of make believe; sometimes reality can be overwhelming. What does this case mean for Lockhart, Gardner & Bond? Well, nothing. They made their 11 pm deadline but the client isn’t willing to pursue her case. She’s afraid of what will come out about her and her family when the 24-hour news cycle gets a hold of her. She has things she wants to keep private. The firm finds another masseuse this has happened to so Laura feels it’s only a matter of time before more women come forward. They’re going to have to fight this battle because she can’t.

What does this case mean for Alicia and Will? Well, the most interesting development for me is how Peter reacts in Alicia’s absence at the gala. He’s business as usual but he’s also curious about something he sees on Alicia’s phone. I would be more than curious by a voicemail my significant other has saved for 86 days; it’s got to be important. Peter starts to listen to it when he’s interrupted by Eli. I have to give Peter credit for putting Alicia’s phone back in her purse without trying to listen to the message again. But I can’t wait to see how he reacts when he finds out there is something going on between his wife and her boss.

And (a small) part of me is glad to see another roadblock in the road to togetherness for Alicia and Will. Elizabeth Reaser’s Tami is such a great counterpoint to Alicia. She likes the playful Will and tells him she’s in it for the fun; as soon as he falls for her she’s outta there. And just what does Will see in Tami? She’s interested in sports (which I think all guys love) and she’s fun. She might be just what he needs right now.

I think I need a week to recover from this episode but I really do like it when entertainment can transcend its limitations and make you think.