Review: 'The Good Wife' - 'Net Work': Ripped from the Sorkin
Did a 'Social Network'-inspired story stick too close to the facts?
Josh Charles and Julianna Margulies on last night's "The Good Wife."
A few thoughts on last night's "The Good Wife" coming up just as soon as I take off my shoe...
The "Law & Order" franchise popularized the idea of doing episodes that are "ripped from the headlines," but Dick Wolf and company's approach was to always start with something that was clearly a fictionalized version of a tabloid story and then quickly take a sharp left turn into something that bore only a passing resemblance to the real story. That approach always seemed to make sense, both from a "protect yourself from being sued for defamation" standpoint and from a creativity standpoint. If you take a well-known story and change the names but none of the other details, where's the suspense? What's the point?
Last night's "Good Wife," on the other hand, presented the Mark Zuckerberg/Aaron Sorkin/"Social Network" story more or less as it happened in the headlines from which it was ripped. The only tweak was the lawsuit itself, but the firm's client was clearly Zuckerberg, the douchebag screenwriter was clearly Sorkin, etc. The show tried to get around that by having a character compare their client to Zuckerberg, which was just silly; a universe in which this guy and Zuckerberg co-exist makes as much sense as a universe in which the fictional "Studio 60" and "Saturday Night Live" co-exist. It's there as an attempt to place some distance between you and what you're imitating, but it's a distance nobody buys.
So because there was no real change, the whole thing played out like the show both trying to glom onto the success of "The Social Network" and just bashing Sorkin for an hour. I've bashed Sorkin a time or 20 in the past (go read my old "Studio 60" reviews), but it got to the point where I was wondering exactly who on the show hated Sorkin this much. (Other than Josh Charles, has anyone in the cast or crew worked on a Sorkin show or movie?) So unless you just enjoy Sorkin being called out for his less endearing qualities, I found the whole A-story an example of how not to do this particular trick.
As for the rest of the episode? Clearly, Julianna Margulies needed a light schedule that week, and the Kings also wanted to keep drawing out the whole voicemail business as long as they possibly can. And while Kalinda is definitely the show's most entertaining character, I thought the whole strip interrogation scene between her and Blake was both ridiculous and maybe not the best approach to a scene in which two characters are explaining key details of the show's most complicated story arc. Putting two characters in their underwear is an easy way to make an expository scene seem more interesting, but in this case it also made the exposition so beside the point as to be instantly forgettable.
What did everybody else think of this one? And since I only write about the show on occasion, how are you finding season 2 at this point?
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About This Blog
All through his childhood, Alan Sepinwall's relatives told his parents, "All that boy does is watch television! How's he going to make a living doing that?" His career as a TV critic has been 15 years and counting of his attempt to answer their concerns. "What's Alan Watching" is a blog whose title is self-explanatory: Alan watches TV shows, then writes about what he watched. He can be reached at sepinwall@hitfix.com
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February 16, 2011 at 10:14AM EST Reply to CommentI actually really dug the A-plot. I guess I was just able to remove the knowledge that these were supposed to be real life characters and enjoy the drama at face value. The "Zuckerberg" reference did take me out of it a bit, because, as you said, no way there are two of that guy in ANY universe.
Caroline
February 16, 2011 at 10:19AM EST Reply to CommentI absolutely love The Good Wife, but I agree this episode was really off. I feel like they almost openly declared war on Sorkin, and I don't see that as being a good thing.
However, I am really glad they nipped Will and Alicas storyline in the bud, that whole deal was starting to get a little annoying and quite frankly, I don't see the chemistry they had in season one anymore.
In regards to Kalinda, while they do seem to be revealing more about her, I think they need to tone it back down. The mystery is what makes her character.
Omagus This pretty much sums up how I felt about this episode. It didn't suck but it may have been my least favorite episode of the show's first two seasons. In addition to the things Alan points out, Eli Gold was also clearly missed. But if this is the season's low point, I'll be good with that.
February 16, 2011 at 1:53PM ESTI did get a kick out of the scene where Cary was conducting the search of Blake's home because it hit me for the first time that both Matt Czuchry and Scott Porter played characters who dated Lyla Garrity on Friday Night Lights.
blingbling
February 16, 2011 at 10:20AM EST Reply to CommentI adored this show last year and can't tolerate it this year -- one of my fastest love/hate turnarounds ever. "The Good Wife" has gone terribly soapy this season, and I can't stand any of the characters despite the great actors behind them. Alicia's Mother Theresa act is getting a little old, and whenever they ramp up the heat between her and Will, I feel like yelling, "Honey, all the men in your life are shmucks so go move in with your gay brother, who's at least halfway interesting!"
I do, however, tune in to see what Christine Baranski is wearing, because this IS a chick show, after all.
Mostly, I tend to toggle between "Southland" and "White Collar."
the minister Man, you really really need a Tivo.
February 19, 2011 at 11:06AM EST
February 16, 2011 at 10:28AM EST Reply to CommentWrite a comment...
February 16, 2011 at 10:31AM EST Reply to CommentAlan, you miss a lot of what was deliberate about the plot; it was all tongue in cheek, with a large dose of irony. The writers knew this, which is why the Kalinda plot was really what last night's episode was about.
wcdixon
February 16, 2011 at 10:36AM EST Reply to CommentThanks for confirming my suspicions that this really was just a silly silly episode of The Good Wife...being a big fan I think I was in denial last night as I told myself "Well, that was alright...I guess."
Only thing missing were several long walk and talk sequences down the law firm corridors.
Carrie
February 16, 2011 at 10:47AM EST Reply to CommentI enjoyed the Kalinda/Blake/Cary plot, but the Zuckerberg rip-off was definitely much less deftly handled than most of their cases-of-the-week. I think the Kalinda/Blake scene didn't bother me because those characters are already a bit larger than life, so they can take a few more risks with them than they could with other parts of the ensemble. Also, honestly, I am an easy mark and pretty people in their underwear is fun to watch. I make no apologies for that.
Lise Same here. Kalinda kept getting closer and closer to Blake, and I was thinking, oh pleeeeease don't have them start making out...and then she hit him with the baseball bat. Perfect.
February 20, 2011 at 12:55PM ESTThey're not realistic, but are very entertaining, and easy on the eyes.
rachel
February 16, 2011 at 10:50AM EST Reply to CommentI liked the A-plot. I know this is an unpopular opinion, but the entire Kalinda/Blake plot is uninteresting, even obnoxious, and frankly fastforwardable. (I think I made that word up). I just mean to say, I don't like it.
xbrooklyngrrl
February 16, 2011 at 11:39AM EST Reply to CommentI was a big fan of this show last season; for a network show, it was smart, interesting, didn't pander, didn't dumb down, suprised me. This season has been a big let down, some episodes like last week are dense with lots of interesting plot (and easier to ignore stuff I don't like), this episode felt empty, lazy and predictable.
And I'm really over the Will/Alicia thing, but I don't think that was meant to put it to bed (so to speak), since he lied about his real feelings, I felt like we were being set up to go another round and frankily, who czares if they do it? Her character is the worst, tho, just how noble, honest and downright decent can one lawyer be? That's an oxymoron...and boring.
webdiva What's boring to you, chica, gives me something to root for. I rather like that Alicia tries to figure out what's honest for her life, then sticks with it and stays sane and true to herself. There had to be at least one decent person at that law firm, and if it's Alicia, that's fine by me - I can identify. And if that's boring to you, too bad. Change the channel if you want more wackos. As for Kalinda, I find her grimly fascinating but not likable; and I remember that she's still either spying for Glenn Childs or trying to work both sides without him cracking down on her. It's not clear that she's really a friend to Alicia, though she might want to be. That's a very thin line for Kalinda to walk.
February 21, 2011 at 8:27PM ESTAnd I like this season just fine, tho I wish they'd hold the election already and resolve whatever Peter's situation is.
Emily
February 16, 2011 at 11:56AM EST Reply to CommentIt was definitely a filler episode - and one that didn't really ring true with Alicia's character. Just taking off to drive cross-country with her brother.
I'm enjoying season 2 except for the excessive use of the terms "Phone me" instead of "Call me". Seems unnatural and is just becoming irritating.
Omagus Does anyone know why the characters say "phone me" instead of "call me"? That's something that has stood out like a sore thumb and I'd like to know why it's done...
February 16, 2011 at 2:00PM ESTjenfullmoon
February 16, 2011 at 12:18PM EST Reply to CommentI enjoyed Alicia road-tripping. Does this mean that Owen will become a semi-regular now? I hope so, he's hilarious.
I hate the whole voice mail thing, because it seems to have taken them 20something episodes to finally get to this point and then it becomes nothing. Big whoop. I can't say I was worked up about it because obviously Alicia's not going to leave Peter if she hasn't by now, so... meh.
I keep hearing rumors that Kalinda was going to kill Blake, so I was surprised that it didn't go that far. Very strange scene, though.
Did not give a shit about The Fake Social Network (didn't care about the original either), but I was a wee bit interested in what happens when someone has fame thrust upon them and thus can get treated like crap in the media. Fake Zuckerberg was a lot more sympathetic on this point than the original, anyway.
ed w "obviously Alicia's not going to leave Peter if she hasn't by now, so... meh."
February 16, 2011 at 3:10PM ESTAs someone who has only watched this show occasionally, that's a major reason why I couldn't get more into it. It's hard to respect her character when she keeps falling back in with her ex. Originally the premise seemed to be about a strong woman who wasn't going to take it anymore but that seemed to get lost.
webdiva Buried somewhere in here is the assumption that a strong woman couldn't possibly give a cheating husband a second chance, for any reason. That's one hell of an assumption, and there's more than one strong woman who might disagree though she wouldn't choose to stay in that situation herself. Ultimately, it's Alicia's choice, whatever her reasons, and a strong woman would do what she thinks she has to without giving a good goddamn what anyone else thinks of it (including us). If y'all tried to tell me what to do with *my* life like that, I'd smack y'all upside the head several times and tell you to butt out.
February 21, 2011 at 8:35PM ESTAnd no, I think the possibility of Alicia reuniting with Will has gotten past the point of believability. Plus, she did break up with him in college for a reason; we just don't know what the reason was.
cadfile
February 16, 2011 at 12:23PM EST Reply to CommentI am liking season 2 alot. There have been some episodes that have blown me away and I like all the major characters. I do see Alicia starting to get stuck so I hope they do something now that the voice mail arc is done.
I like that the show has bits of political, legal, and soapiness all in the right amounts.
They have some great acting, actors, and writing so no wonder I like this show. It isn't stupid
Herbert Brodkin
February 16, 2011 at 12:55PM EST Reply to CommentI thought the Blake / Kalinda scene was absurd given that she wasn't costumed in a bra and thong.
Hannah Lee
February 16, 2011 at 1:04PM EST Reply to CommentThe Kalinda/Blake/FBI agent scenes were just weird and awkward and not very believable. Maybe they were going for edgy, but they just came off as kind of lame and like they belonged on a different show. Maybe something interesting happened during them, but I may have missed some of the exposition because I was too busy rolling my eyes.
The Sorkin representation was also weird, especially because it actually mimicked Sorkin’s work at its worst: when he’s had a personal ax to grind or a point to make, and did it at the expense of good storytelling (like on S60). In this case, the “ripped from the headlines†obsession (and personality bashing) distracted from what could have been an interesting case. And given his work history with Sorkin, Josh Charles as Will mocking the screenwriter at the end just made it kind of uncomfortable.
Loved Alicia and Owen, though, and I hope Dallas Roberts gets to stick around a bit.
David
February 16, 2011 at 1:22PM EST Reply to CommentSeason Two has been stellar - in my opinion, the best series on TV this year.
But I did find this episode shaky at points. I was let down a bit by Will's denial at the end of the episode and on one occasion, my interested waned on the A-plot.
That said, even a second rate showing of The Good Wife trumps most of TV these days and I certainly liked this episode. I just didn't love it as much as I have the rest of this season.
Tea
February 16, 2011 at 1:34PM EST Reply to CommentI had been loving this season until this episode. This one was a slow drag. The last few episodes, though, have been really, really good.
coxlaw
February 16, 2011 at 1:36PM EST Reply to CommentWhen the telephone call from Will didn't get received, and the writers essentially fell back on a lazy gimmick to generate suspense, I stopped watching out of sheer disgust. I'm a Mad Men fan, and that writing has set the bar high. I recently returned to The Good Wife to see the legal plot lines which I like, as well as the Alan Cummings character and Alicia's brother. I don't like St. Alicia and really don't like Chris Noth's acting. In my humble opinion, they should kick off Noth and just stick to the legal plot lines.
chutneylix Agreed, for me the brother, Alan Cumming and Kalinda minus Blake need more time on screen. I am loving the whole business overthrow plotline though. Its been lots of fun.
February 16, 2011 at 1:50PM ESTToby O'B
February 16, 2011 at 3:20PM EST Reply to CommentThis has been the second episode of a TV show that has created its own version of Zuckerberg. 'Lie To Me' had a Zuckerberg clone in a recent murder mystery episode. For a while there it seemed like everybody had their own versions of Nancy Grace and Blackwater Security. I wonder how many more Zuckerbergs we're likely to see in other shows, and if there have been any others already? It seems like he's a character that could provide more plot possibilities than just his own......
TalentedButHumble
February 16, 2011 at 3:47PM EST Reply to CommentCongratulations Good Wife. I’d thought a scene from last week’s Fringe – in which a paramedic didn’t seem to know Olivia’s stomach from her uterus – was going to win the Season’s Stupidest Scene award. But that icky Kalinda-wazzisname scene, which caused me to turn the show off 47 minutes in, may have overtaken Fringe.
Can’t stand the obnoxious brother either.
I’m with those who feel the show has taken a marked turn for the worse in its writing this season.
webdiva Amen! HATE the snippy, nosy, pushy gay brother who absolutely can't get his own life together but keeps snooping around in everyone else's. Dallas Roberts was much more interesting on Rubicon, but that's the scriptwriters' doing.
February 21, 2011 at 8:41PM EST
February 16, 2011 at 4:20PM EST Reply to CommentWow, lots of unhappy campers with this episode. I enjoyed much of it. The road trip with Owen, Kalinda and her two dates that weren't really dates, Will perplexed by Alicia's admission that she never received his second voice mail. And of course all the partner power jockeying with Diane and Will.
Lots of balls to juggle. Held my interest all the way through. Guess I'm just easy to please
klg19
February 16, 2011 at 6:48PM EST Reply to CommentCall me an outlier, but I enjoyed this episode.
I like Alicia with Owen, because you see a more relaxed version of her--probably the woman Will was carrying a torch for all those years--and you start to think about why she became the buttoned-down person she mostly is today. So that plotline pleased me.
I'm really REALLY ready for the Blake/Kalinda storyline to wrap up. Mostly because Blake creeps me out so very much. But while, at first, I found the Blake/Kalinda strip to be weirder than it needed to be, on reflection I saw it as an interesting inversion of the scene that immediately preceded it: the Fed tries (and fails) to use sex to get what she wants out of Kalinda; Kalinda tries (and succeeds) to use sex to get what she wants out of Blake. It could be a reflection of men's resistance vs women's, or just an indication that Kalinda is extraordinarily good at getting what she wants.
The Zuckerberg plot was all right by me. Not great. I'm not a huge fan of the ripped-from-the-headlines style (I thought L&O was just lazy in the later years), but I thought they did interesting things with it. I didn't actually think of it as a rip on Sorkin, until they started revealing that the screenwriter hated bloggers. Mostly, I saw it as one way to think about other legal solutions to the Zuckerberg situation.
Fran I like Alicia with Owen for the same reason you do, and it's also the reason I like Alicia with Kalinda during off hours -- we see what she's like as she is naturally, and not as she is to fulfill a role for someone else. Actually, I think the burgeoning Alicia/Kalinda friendship was what got me hooked on the show in the first place, back in season one. I wish they showed more of that. And more Eli.
February 17, 2011 at 1:03AM ESTAs for Blake, I can't stand him and also thought that scene with Kalinda was wildly off for the show. I did like the Blake/Cary scene, though. "When two p****s collide," and all that.
Dan Burton
February 16, 2011 at 7:18PM EST Reply to CommentI'm surprised at the number of people who didn't like this episode. I thought it was the best in a good long while.
I LOVED the Zuckerberg plot. I thought it was hilarious. Here's why:
a) I liked that they roasted Sorkin. I think that's well-deserved as I personally don't care for the man, although I loved some of his work (the West Wing).
b) I liked that they accused Sorkin of being bitter at the internet as a whole, and said that that was his motivation for writing the Social Network. What Sorkin engaged in with the Social Network, ascribing an unfounded motivation to Zuckerberg -- i.e. that Zuckerberg couldn't get laid so instead he stayed home and eventually pooped out the "genius" that is Facebook -- is exactly the trick that the Good Wife writers are playing on Sorkin.
Was bitterness at the internet actually Sorkin's motivation in writing the Social Network? Maybe, maybe not. But...either way...just as fake Sorkin says in the episode, it's "true to the character" in the story the Good Wife writers are trying to tell. Get it? Eh?
Ugh, yeah, you do. (Actually, I'm beginning to see why people might not have liked this episode. This 'meta' plots aren't for everyone. But I thought it was at least a fairly clever one.)
c) I like that they as much as explicitly stated in the episode that part of the point of this exercise (making a fake Social Network deposition scene in a Good Wife episode) was to give the real Aaron Sorkin a taste of his own medicine. When they had the fake Sorkin say something like, "and you could just make a movie about me...and get Edelstein [that's fake Zuckerberg] to finance it." This is, of course, exactly what the show itself is--a movie about Sorkin. (Yes, I know it's not really a movie, it's a show, but same thing.)
PS. Not so crazy on the whole Kalinda thing. I think she's kind of an implausible "lipstick" lesbian, and I feel like the show is trying to be titillating, but it comes out of left field and feels like it belongs on a different show. Ever since Kalinda took a baseball bat to that dude's car, it's been all downhill for me with her character.
evolution1085
February 16, 2011 at 7:37PM EST Reply to CommentI find Alicia to be the most unlikeable character on the show now. Any interactions between her and Chris Noth come off entirely disingenuous, and anything between her and Will is written like a Dawson's Creek episode. At some point towards the end of season 1, Matt Czuchry became the most likeable lead on the show, and now I find I watch more to see what's going on with the campaign and Carey more than anything else.
Melissa
February 16, 2011 at 7:51PM EST Reply to CommentThe two storylines that I'm sure the writers intended to be the strongest this year are, in fact, what is driving the show into the ditch. Namely Kalinda's feud with Blake and subsequent backstory and the Alicia/Will UST.
First, the UST. I never bought that these two were attracted to each other. I don't think Margulies and Charles have anywhere close to the chemistry that JM has with Noth. Heck, I think JM had more chemistry with the motorcycle riding fake lawyer from last year. Bring him back. The writers drew out the misunderstanding about 4 episodes too long. It was only interesting if it would have somehow impacted the dissolution of the firm, which is not going to happen anyway.
Second, Kalinda. I love Kalinda and think she is one of the best female characters on television. But, her mysterious ways have become annoying. I may be alone in this but I don't really care about her backstory. I don't want to know it. That's what makes her interesting. At least that's one of the things.
Finally, in my opinion, the relationship that is the emotional center of this show isn't Will and Alicia, Alicia and her family or Alicia and Peter. It's Alicia and Kalinda. They have moved away from these two working together, confiding in each other (at least Alicia confiding to Kalinda) and having each other's backs. The show was much more interesting when those two had more screen time together.
Melissa I forgot to add - the fake Zukerberg story was done much better on Lie to Me a few weeks ago.
February 16, 2011 at 7:52PM ESTredkythera I completely agree with you Melissa about the Kalinda/Blake Alicia/Will storylines. The best plots are the office and city politics.
February 17, 2011 at 5:35AM EST
February 17, 2011 at 12:17AM EST Reply to CommentMadTV and SNL coexisted for a while, and on the same night at similar times. I think it plausible there could be an la-based show on fridays in late night. This is worse
sepinwall And before there was Mad TV, there was Fridays. My issue wasn't that there could be two late-night sketch comedy shows. It's that we were sold Studio 60 as some kind of groundbreaking comedy institution, which it simply couldn't be if SNL both existed and (based on my memory of the show's backstory) predated it.
February 17, 2011 at 12:21AM ESTD-B
February 17, 2011 at 1:01AM EST Reply to CommentThis is a great show, far superior to many other shows you write about here on a weekly basis. It is really lame of you suddenly decide to write it after one of its rare less-than-steller episodes.
redkythera
February 17, 2011 at 5:19AM EST Reply to CommentGEOGRAPHICAL INCONSISTENCY: I liked the idea of Alicia taken a long weekend- getting away from work, and her husband and kids- to take a long road trip with her brother. Now her brother is a hip gay who smokes weed which means he lives in Portland a hip city full of gays and where lots of people smoke weed. From Portland to Chicago you never leave I80. Now they entered Idaho on a two-lane road with green trees and lakes. However, that area is high desert with low hills. Plus Boise, a city of 500K, is less than an hour from the border. They would have had no problem finding WiFi.
This show has been my favorite drama,by far,on network TV; although Chicago Code may change that. But I have to admit as I was watching this episode I thought it went from bad to worse to horrible.
As Alan and many others pointed out there is no way there can be two Zucherbergs. This just popped in my head but if you want to rip off Social Network switch Zucherberg for a trampy Paris Hilton who they are making a movie about and there is your twist.
As a lesbian I have been upset by the whole is Kalinda a lesbian or straight or Bi. Any of the three I could believe for her character. Since her sexuality was brought up last season I feel it was used as a mystery (she wanted to keep her life private) but has now devolved into titillition. As usually happens with lesbians in entertainment and was clearly the object in "O I am taking my shoe off. Now rubbing your leg."
Being upset about this my jaw just dropped when it became just absolutely atrocious. Kalinda and Blake go into a hotel room to divulge secrets of their professional and personal clandestine activities. But the only way they can search each other is through erotic strip teases. Is Blake such a typical horny male that he would lose all caution for a good shag.
Not just a bad episode but the worst of the entire show.
redkythera Oh by the way Alan thank Slate for a new reader.
February 17, 2011 at 5:22AM ESTMelissa I think all Hollywood script writers have failed basic US geography. In one episode, Criminal Minds had an agent fly into El Paso and take a train to Dallas. There are so many things wrong with that scenario I hardly know where to start. I'll just say that it is 570 miles between Dallas and El Paso and a major airport hub in DFW. I never watched Criminal Minds again.
February 18, 2011 at 2:15AM ESTwebdiva Glad to see someone besides me wondered why the hell Alicia would EVER stray from I-80 when it would get her back to Chicago so much sooner. Absolutely ***NO REASON*** for stumbling around on side roads. Somebody slap those writers silly!!
February 21, 2011 at 8:45PM EST
February 17, 2011 at 12:07PM EST Reply to CommentI'm happy you've decided to post something on this show Alan. I'm two weeks behind, but I just wanted to say, that it's the only network drama worth a damn.
In fact, when I ran into Josh Charles over the holiday's--at a bar here in Baltimore--I mentioned that to him; he agreed and said that all you have to do is look at the Golden Globe noms to know that the networks are struggling to connect with audiences.
Brett Golden Globe noms are meaningless.
February 19, 2011 at 3:47AM ESTYorick
February 17, 2011 at 2:04PM EST Reply to CommentAlan,
I come here every day to read your blog, and I really enjoy your input on everything, even if I don't always agree. But I am a little frustrated with this particular post on The Good Wife. First, a disclaimer: I love the show, even as I recognize its flaws. And I think you have a point about last night's episode, which was not very good. But my frustration comes from the fact that you chose this particular episode to write about the show. I happen to think The Good Wife is one of the best (if not the best, but I don't watch that many) drama on network TV, and having my favorite TV critic not acknowledge it on a weekly basis is disappointing enough, but having you write about the show only to bash a subpar episode feels frustrating. Obviously, you're not a fan, but I would be curious to have a post with your thoughts on the show as a whole.
I realize it sounds like I'm telling you what you should and shouldn't write about, and it was really not my intention, but I guess it's a collateral damage from my needing to vent !
gregel
February 17, 2011 at 2:30PM EST Reply to CommentI think it's pretty clear they mentioned Zuckerberg and 'The Social Network' to avoid...a lawsuit. Irony, no?
Cathy "PS. Not so crazy on the whole Kalinda thing. I think she's kind of an implausible "lipstick" lesbian, and I feel like the show is trying to be titillating, but it comes out of left field and feels like it belongs on a different show. Ever since Kalinda took a baseball bat to that dude's car, it's been all downhill for me with her character."
February 17, 2011 at 8:12PM ESTI don't think Kalinda is implausable as a bisexual. Or at least the actress isn't. But I think the writing for her character has gotten quite cartoonish this season. They go over the top with her sexuality and her tough behavior. And at the same time her relations with women are clearly treated to a different standard than her ones with men.