Catching up on 'The Good Wife' & 'Parenthood'
Belatedly checking in on two strong episodes for the Tuesday dramas
Julianna Margulies with Michael J. Fox on "The Good Wife."
I took advantage of the ABC comedies being in reruns last night to catch up on a couple of dramas I didn't have time for on Tuesday night, and that I tend to watch and/or write about on an irregular schedule in one case, and almost never in the other: "Parenthood" and "The Good Wife." I have a few brief thoughts on each Tuesday episode after the jump, but I'm mainly curious about how people are finding their respective second seasons...
In some previous "Parenthood" reviews this season, I've suggested that the show shouldn't try to force a story for all four siblings, plus at least one kid or grandparent, into the same episode. So I was pleased to see that "If This Boat Is A Rockin'" didn't bother with a Julia/Joel story just for the sake of it (though Joel did have that nice moment with Jasmine while assembling shelves). And while the Haddie/Michael B. Jordan storyline still seems goofy and unnecessary, the added breathing room worked really well for the Adam story, where so much of it was about uncomfortable silences between Adam and Zeek, and Adam and Kristina. A very well-played story, given all the pressures on our first among equals sib, and while I was at first surprised that Max disappeared after the grocery store incident, I'm glad they didn't go for some kind of forced happy ending where Max and Adam bond again and Adam is reminded of why he should feel happy. Some weeks with your kids are just tough, special needs or not.
As for "The Good Wife," I missed some of the early season two episodes, but I quite liked the episode from a few weeks back about the VIP masseuse (which, like the better "Good Wife" episodes, never went exactly where I expected it to, but never felt like cheating or surprise for its own sake). As a big Michael J. Fox fan, I'm always glad when he's able to come out of his forced semi-retirement for a part like this, and while it felt very similar to an old recurring character on "LA Law" (a little person attorney, played by the late David Rappaport, who was always annoying Jimmy Smits by exploiting his disability in court), it's a pleasure to see that the old Fox charm is still there underneath all the Parkinson's tics.
Like "Parenthood," "The Good Wife" is a show where there's always a ton happening at once, but in this case I think the busy quality works to the show's advantage. I'm not sure how much I care about the election story in and of itself, even with Alan Cumming, but because the show has to keep bouncing from it, to the case of the week, to the Kalinda/Blake rivalry (here with Blake digging up one of Kalinda's ex-lovers, well-played by Lili Taylor) to Florick domestic issues, etc., I enjoy the small doses we get of each.
So what does everybody belatedly think of this week's installments? And how do you feel about each show's season so far?
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Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupJon88
November 11, 2010 at 1:21PM EST Reply to CommentAs far as I'm concerned, "Good Wife" is still recovering from the very unfortunate "someone deletes someone else's phone message before they hear it" incident in the season premiere. They've been very strong the past several weeks, happily. And they're filming on my block on Monday. If this somehow leads to my meeting Elizabeth Reaser, all will be forgiven.
November 11, 2010 at 1:22PM EST Reply to CommentI love The Good Wife, and I think the second season has been even better than the first. It amazes me how the writers continually surprise use within the hoary confines of the courtroom drama. I really put it up there as the best "traditional" drama on television.
November 11, 2010 at 2:33PM ESTthe minister I'm a bit surprised Alan doesn't do The Good wife week to week. It's not Terriers, but it's top-5 TV. Well, maybe top-7, but it really is shockingly good for a CBS procedural.
November 15, 2010 at 12:03AM EST
November 16, 2010 at 2:55AM ESTklg19
November 11, 2010 at 1:36PM EST Reply to CommentI adore The Good Wife. I love the characters and the approach to developing them (despite the hoary "someone deletes someone else's phone message" trope Jon88 mentioned, which I think they actually have handled interestingly).
But mostly I just love Archie Panjabi. Not just Archie Panjabi; I've long loved Josh Charles and Christine Baranski, as well. And I think Julianna Margulies does a terrific job of indicating the inner life of a woman who stays so very tamped-down on the surface. But mostly I love the character of Kalinda, who is made of win. I was thrilled beyond words when Panjabi won her Emmy.
I've not seen last night's episode yet, due to house guest issues, but I can't wait. I am of the generation that grew up on Michael J Fox, and I am always happy to see him again.
OnlyMe
November 11, 2010 at 1:44PM EST Reply to CommentThis week, the dialogue in Parenthood got to me. The characters (Christina and Haddie especially, but the rest do it as well) have this bizarre start and stop and half
start and stutter and pause in
odd
places so they almost
never get a
full sentence out all at once.
This is not new. It's the show's "style" but it's just so very odd. No one I know talks like that in real life and everyone (except strangely enough Max) on the show does to a certain extent. I'm not sure what it's trying to convey and this week I just found it especially tiresome.
I'm finding fewer reasons to keep watching.
Wade It's the everybody has to talk over each other style. I can get it amongst the primary set of 4 sibs, as that is probably a big characteristic of big families. Siblings like that probably are always competing with each other and hassling each other in some fashion.
November 11, 2010 at 1:54PM ESTThe problem is when you have a conversation of 2, and they do that crap.
Especially Monica Potter's character. She talks over EVERYDADGUMONE. And Haddie does that in every conversation.
I did like this episode. It was good to see that weakness in Adam. It's been building a long time, and it's good to see he has some depth.
I also liked the way Crosby handled the boat. It was important to him, and instead of trying to weasel, he was pretty up front about how much it meant to him. Not in a wants to keep his bachelor pad kind of way, but just that he was going to miss it so much. But even though he was like that, he went through with selling it. And I liked that Jasmine acknowledged how important it was to him, even though the ending was predictable, it was nice (which is kind of the show's mantra).
Jeena Khan
November 11, 2010 at 1:52PM EST Reply to CommentI came late to the Good Wife, and just recently watched season 1 in a weekend glut, and then caught up on the current season. I really like it--and in some ways, like season 2 more where every other case doesn't seem to be about recognizing Mrs. Florick.
Archie Punjabi really makes the show for me--she's such an unusual and interesting character, not to mention a total badass.
erinpayton I also watched season 1 in a glut, based on the rec of a friend, and couldn't. stop. watching. I love Josh Charles and think Margulies downplays her character beautifully, and love that they move so quickly from thing to thing, but never lose the central thread. It really is traditional tv done right, and I'm quite pleased with the 2nd season.
November 11, 2010 at 3:47PM ESTPY
November 11, 2010 at 1:55PM EST Reply to CommentI thought this week's Parenthood was excellent. In particular, the Adam storyline was very strong, and Peter Krause did an excellent job with the soliloquies on Adam's silent rage.
And, more importantly, Parenthood as a whole has addressed the concern many of us expressed earlier in the season. Problems are no longer being "tied up with a bow" at the end of each episode, and most stories now are ongoing stories that build on previous developments. My feeling is that the "neat" storylines at the beginning of the season was an attempt to draw in new viewers without scaring them by being too heavily serialized. Haven't seen the ratings, but I know I hear more about the show from other friends, so I'm guessing the approach may have worked to some extent.
LJA Concur.
November 11, 2010 at 2:03PM ESTPeter Krause is such an open and brave actor emotionally, I was glad that Parenthood let him lose his cool for once and really stretch his wings. More, please.
Ed W
November 11, 2010 at 2:34PM EST Reply to CommentIt would be silly to get rid of the boat as it's a unique, good set to have scenes on so I hope that doesn't happen. I don't like the charity-worker boy, too holier than thou. And I wish they'd give Monica Potter more to do, she's a rare tv beauty who is also a good actress.
Other than that, solid ep. I agree with Alan that it's good that they didn't try to have a story for everyone and I wish more shows, like Modern Family and The Office, would do that.
sepinwall Now that you mention it, it does seem a waste to ditch the boat set. Trying to figure out how they could justify keeping it beyond breaking up Crosby and Jasmine (which I don't want to see happen), but there's no other character on the show who could plausibly move in there. For a moment, I pictured Sarah wanting to get out from under her parents, but she can't afford it and of course there wouldn't be enough room for her and the kids.
November 11, 2010 at 2:51PM ESTPY Maybe Zeek can buy the boat as his next real estate venture.
November 11, 2010 at 3:07PM ESTHannah Lee SAVE THE BOAT!
November 11, 2010 at 7:21PM ESTNo, seriously, I really like the boat. It lends a certain something to the show.
Heather Oh god. The last thing Parenthood needs more of is Kristina/Monica Potter.
November 12, 2010 at 7:18AM ESTLibraGirl9631 Couldn't agree with you more Heather...I find Kristina to be, hands down, THE most annoying character on all of television (not just Parenthood) As someone mentioned in a different comment stream - that whole "start to talk - pause - stutter" thing she does and the talking OVER everyone else is just over the top!
November 12, 2010 at 1:16PM ESTWoodrow L. Goode, IV
November 11, 2010 at 2:54PM EST Reply to CommentThe problem with THE GOOD WIFE is its addiction to Sidney Sheldon/Harold Robbins-type storytelling. It's filled with reverses and plot twists that would be stunningly clever, if they weren't actually patently ridiculous.
This week was fairly typical. We start with a fairly reasonable scenario: a test case for a class-action suit for a defective drug.
Then here we go:
1. A drug company staring at a billion-dollar liability (that's what Eli Lilly got hit with for Zyprexa, an antipsychotic with bad side effects) replaces its law firm at the last minute with one guy no one has ever heard of.
2. Snap! He's got a condition. And he gets away with exploiting it!
3. Heroic firm fights back by including selectively-edited sensational footage (not allowed) and statistically insignificant side-effects. Snap! it works, too.
4. Snap! The dead guy was sleeping with his daughter. Ooooohhh-- DOUBLE-SNAP! He wasn't- he was just taking her underwear.
5. Snap! The new investigator has ties to a drug lord. Well, lucky that, because it sounds like he broke into the office of a witness for the defense, discovered evidence that discredits him and beat him so badly he can't appear in court to rebut the accusations.
(The judge, of course, permits this. Apparently every judge in Cook County was sick the day they taught legal procedure in law school. There isn't one of them who isn't incredibly unethical.)
6. The good guys win! Except they didn't really win because Michael J. Fox shows up in the tag to tell Julianna Marguilies "You settled for 1/3 of what the case was worth".
Which, somehow, nobody in the firm realized. Nor any of the other lawyers retained by any of the other prospective plaintiffs. I guess none of them gets The Google-- a neat little tool called a "Search Engine", that lets you look this stuff up.
(Apparently, this is the only firm in the world that doesn't have Lexis. Well, I guess the cash crunch they used for last season's cliffhanger hit them pretty hard.)
I'm too tired to go through the "She had breast implants-- no, it was post-mastectomy repairs" and whether the child figured out what was going on, and the three other silly things that happened.
I love legal shows-- it's the only reason to explain why I watch THE DEFENDERS and even the best comedy show of the season, OUTLAW. (Unless my mother was deprived of oxygen for 35 minutes during my birth and didn't tell me.)
I keep hoping-- like I did with SHARK-- that the creators will come to their senses and stop trying to see how many crass stupidity and howlers they can shoehorn into the plots. I like the cast and think they do a great job and wish they weren't required to put a good face on such idiotic scripts.
Sad to think that Dick Wolf is the only showrunner in Hollywood with a functioning brain when it comes to law. But that's what it seems.
nic919 That is why I stopped watching the Good Wife last season. Even though I don't practice in the state of Illinois, the liberties they take with legal procedure, common law, and what really happens at law firms drive me nuts. If they were going for the over the top tone of Boston Legal, then I could at least view this show in the realm of the absurd. However, the show tries to pretend that it is realistic, a la Law and Order, and it is not. One of my pet peeves is the judge forcing the lawyer to go to trial the next day. This does not happen in civil cases ever and very unlikely for criminal matters. And Alicia Florick would not be taking the lead on cases when she practiced all of a year before she took a break of over a decade. The law may not change that rapidly, but more importantly, her trial advocacy skills would probably be non existent after such minimal practice as a junior and a long break. I would also get annoyed at how many criminal cases they would get her to do at a supposedly big corporate law firm. There are criminal firms for a reason and you hire them because those lawyers are in court constantly as opposed to the corporate lawyers who write memos for years before they do a deposition. I felt it was lazy to resort to doing a criminal case for a corporate client, or pro-bono legal criminal work that turns out to be a major case. The super rich corporate clients would be able to afford better criminal defence counsel, and the super poor would qualify for legal aid, which would allow them better counsel.
November 11, 2010 at 3:35PM ESTMost importantly, I just did not care that much about the non law part of the show. Archie Panjabi is cool, but she's not enough to make me watch this show on a consistent basis.
Woodrow L. Goode, IV I don't expect the show to conform to real-life in every detail. But when my 87-year-old grandma says "That's applesauce-- they can't do that!", I figure you've gone pretty far past suspension of disbelief.
November 11, 2010 at 6:58PM EST
November 11, 2010 at 3:00PM EST Reply to Commentdid anyone else notice that in both of this shows the male leads used to be part of best bromance of all times, dan and casey?
sdhb Amen to that, sister. I so miss SportsNight!
November 12, 2010 at 8:00PM ESTLisa Oh yes. I've been taken with the irony of Dan and Casey going head to head against each other since the shows started. I miss Sports Night too. Especially the bromance.
November 13, 2010 at 2:49PM ESTOpie
November 11, 2010 at 3:31PM EST Reply to CommentAm I the only one getting bored and irritated with the whole Kelinda vs 'that other PI' story on The Good Wife?
erinpayton As someone who watched Scott Porter play the lovable character he did on Friday Night Lights, I actually am enjoying him being a (psycho?) badass. I find him pretty menacing, and love that he's getting under Kalinda's skin (and she under his). And I like how they've involved Cary in their increasingly nasty shenanigans.
November 11, 2010 at 3:49PM ESTHannah Lee No, Opie, you're not alone.
November 11, 2010 at 7:11PM ESTI thought Kalinda was a really strong part of Season 1, but the introduction of a random "nemesis" for her has really dragged her and the show down. I roll my eyes every time that plotline comes up on the show, and the fact that they've involved other characters in it just makes it worse.
Jacob
November 11, 2010 at 5:58PM EST Reply to CommentI've continued to really enjoy the Good Wife. Despite thinking the Blake/Kalinda stuff is pretty silly, I think season two is continuing to improve from season one (unlike Parenthood, which I recently gave up on).
I think the election stuff could be tedious except for Alan Cumming, who manages to steal every scene he's in. I also like that it's dealing with some of the nitty-gritty, something I think West Wing really dropped the ball on back in the day (under Sorkin; I'd given up by the time they delved into the election for Bartlet's successor).
Chrissy
November 11, 2010 at 6:57PM EST Reply to CommentI really continue to like The Good Wife (although I thought this was maybe the weakest episode of the season - everything about the case just felt wrong to me, legally, logically, etc.) The Blake/Kalinda thing is the only real misstep - they need to pull back the curtain on that fairly soon, because it seems like they're both just jerks. Kalinda's realization this week about how far Blake is willing to go (and how unleashed he appears to be by the law firm) could go some place interesting, so here's hoping.
Hannah Lee
November 11, 2010 at 7:19PM EST Reply to CommentI'm really enjoying both shows (pity they're on opposite each other) I find Parenthood's the one I watch live more and more. (The Good Wife gets watched later in the week...though with less urgency lately as the Blake and election storylines have made things a bit broad and soap-opera-y for me.)
While the Parenthood had to re-find its footing in the new season, I think the last couple of episodes have been really strong. Alan you're right about the show working better when not everyone has a main storyline. It givs room for more depth all around. The performances have pretty much all been strong: Krause, Nelson and Potter were standouts this episode. I liked too, that they've let Adam's anger and frustration build over many episodes. Last season he was the go-to guy and took everything in stride; this season his fuse has been getting shorter and shorter - it's been well developed.
I just wish the writers would come up with a plotline for Sarah (Lauren Graham) that doesn't involve a romance...there's so much more to mine for that character. Strong actress, but that character sometimes seems transplanted from a totally different show.
LVG Totally agree with Sarah comment! Moves her kids out of her husband's house, gets HIM help for drug problem, and moves all of them home to get familial support and better life for her kids. Shows good judgement there all around - despite what appears to have been early marriage to a jerk. She's got a great relationship with her Mom - who seems like she's got a good head on her shoulders/gives great advice (so far). Even her kids, for the most part respect her -- enough for Amber to call her to come get her drunk friend out of a pool at a party she did not tell her Mom she was attending.
November 12, 2010 at 3:51AM ESTAnd goodness gracious - it's Lauren Graham for God's sake! The woman can act and should have won a ton of Emmy's for Gilmore Girls alone. Give her a story line worthy of her talents. Heck, just rewatch the nuanced looks / comments she shoots to Crosby at his boat party..the look and then the quiet way she comments "I'll help you" said a thousand things in 5 seconds on the screen. Remember, this will make her the only Braverman to have failed (so far) at staying married and with the father of her kids, and it reinforced her comments to Amber in "Orange Alert" about knowing what it feels like to be lonely. Come on Jason Katims. Write this woman something to really sink her teeth into about the strength it took to raise those kids on her own.
Heather LVG- I agree completely. Lauren is one of the rare actresses who is equally talented in drama and comedy. She conveys so much with a look or slight change in her tone of voice but they reduced her character to be the "funny" one which is sad.
November 12, 2010 at 7:22AM ESTMary
November 11, 2010 at 9:05PM EST Reply to CommentI love "The Good Wife." I'm usually hard on shows that aren't realistic, but for some reason I like that Alicia almost always comes out on top. To me it's like comfort food.
doublesuited77
November 11, 2010 at 10:08PM EST Reply to CommentGood wife finally hit its stride
this season
LVG
November 12, 2010 at 3:35AM EST Reply to CommentJust can't get into the Good Wife. If I wanted a soap opera, I'd watch / tape Daytime TV. so I gave Parenthood a shot. Went back and watched Season One via OnDemand. Currently caught up on Season 2. What a great show! Agree with others that the show is at it's best when it focuses on one or two siblings and not the whole group. Wish they would give Amber and Sarah more scenes together. Mae Whitman and Lauren Graham have such chemistry..so believeable. And would love to see Drew finally call his Mom out on her behavior. Maybe next week...the kid is about to blow. Loved this week's Adam storyline. Finally, the guy seems human.
webdiva Hmmmm, and I was just about to say that despite liking Lauren Graham and Peter Krause in other shows, Parenthood does absolutely NOTHING for me. It could vanish tomorrow, and I'd never notice. ot interested in the least. But The Good Wife is a keeper. What a talented ensemble, and there's just enough tension/creativity in the story arcs to keep me coming back. Alan Cumming as the consultant is a GREAT touch. Cannot wait to see what Alicia does next with the hinted company split looming, or whose firm she ends up in.
November 18, 2010 at 9:05PM ESTLala
November 12, 2010 at 6:48AM EST Reply to CommentI think that this episode of Parenthood was the best of this season so far. It had the "second half of the 1st season" feel that I adored so much. I love when this show puts all 4 siblings in a scene together. That´s what I´ve been missing this season and we finally got it. And I agree that the show is at its best when they don´t try to give a full storyline to everyone. And please, KEEP THE BOAT.
Tracey
November 12, 2010 at 11:35AM EST Reply to CommentTHANK YOU for mentioning the L.A. Law thing! The first thing I thought when I saw the plugs for this episode on the morning news was, "wait a minute... didn't L.A. Law do that 20 years ago with David Rappaport?" I always loved David Rappaport. Such a tragedy ... so much talent, but typecast as the freak because of his size. I gather that depression over that typecasting is what caused his suicide before the age of 40.
Lisa
November 13, 2010 at 2:47PM EST Reply to CommentI gave Parenthood a shot in Season 1 but just couldn't handle the family drama. I have enough in real life, thank you very much.
On the other hand, I'm obsessed with The Good Wife. The first season was very good initially and turned into great somewhere near mid-season. This season has continued most of the past greatness but there have been serious missteps along the way. Mostly, I bemoan the addition of Blake. He just can't match the rest of the cast, the character makes little sense, his story arc seems to be turning the law firm and its employees into members of a crime syndicate and he's just taking time away from stories and relationships which deserve to be wrapped up or addressed. I don't know what is planned for him but I'd put my vote in for a fast and irreversible exit. The legal inaccuracies usually don't bother me but when the episode itself is weak, like the last one, it just compounds the problem. They need to change the format a little because in order to keep the twists and turns coming they end up making the firm look incompetent.
sdhb
November 13, 2010 at 5:34PM EST Reply to CommentParenthood is actually starting to bug me with the whole talking on top of each other thing. I realize that this is just how this family communicates, but its getting grating. If the plotlines don't stay relevant or interesting, I'm gone.
Love The Good Wife though, so at least there is that! Alan Cummings is wonderful! I do enjoy Kalinda, but what I didn't like was when Archie Panjabi won her emmy, in her acceptance speech, she said "this will be great for my career". That just didn't seem like the right thing to say, even if you think it.
hans
December 1, 2010 at 1:48PM EST Reply to CommentDoes anyone know when the next episode of both of these shows is supposed to air? It seems that neither one of them aired last night, and I can't find any info on the web.