Review: 'The Good Wife' - 'The Seven Day Rule': Partners and other strangers
Alicia gets an offer, Louis Canning goes after his money and the firm battles Neil Gross again
Josh Charles as Will in "The Good Wife."
A quick review of last night's "The Good Wife" coming up just as soon as I insist our children be raised Jewish...
As I mentioned a while back, I don't have cable in my office (though I did install an actual TV and DVD player in there since I wrote that post) for a variety of reasons, including the fact that more than 90% of what I watch is either something I see in primetime when I'm home with my DVR, that I get on a DVD screener, or that I can stream on my iPad. Certain shows tend to get lost in the shuffle of this set-up, like most of FX's Thursday comedies, or like "The Good Wife," which virtually fell off my radar after the first four or five shows of this season. I'm busy with other things on Sunday nights, and I have no easy way to watch it in the office, and eventually the episodes started getting deleted off my DVR, even as I said that I wanted to catch up.
But one of the advantages of the show bridging the gap between network and cable is that it's much simpler to jump back into than if I were to try tuning in on a random "Sons of Anarchy" after missing seven episodes in the middle of a season. There wasn't even a "Previously, on 'The Good Wife'" segment, and yet I could pick up on virtually everything happening between the firm and Louis Canning, the changed circumstances of the gubernatorial campaign, etc. (And though I'd like to go back and see what I missed at some point, I was glad to see that Kalinda's husband was written out while I was away.)
I certainly picked a good one to come back to, as "The Seven Day Rule" sat in that "Good Wife" sweet spot of ambiguous morality, characters we like having genuine conflicts with one another, and legal maneuvering that didn't feel too much like the Kings just trying to fictionalize some meme or news story into the show. We know Alicia can't join Canning's firm because Michael J. Fox will have an NBC sitcom next season, but the idea of her becoming a partner under these circumstances — and the way that will change the way she views both Will and Diane — is a very promising one. (And her sense of disappointment with everyone who matters in her life also helped lead to her great drunken outburst in front of the reporter, a fine comic moment for Julianna Margulies.) And if this is it for Nathan Lane on the show (for now, anyway, as no "Good Wife" guest star disappears forever, unless they get their own series), it's been a pleasure to see how effective he can be in a much more buttoned-down mode than he's generally asked to play.
For those of you who've been watching the season all along, how have you found it? Was Kalinda's husband the only bump along the way, or have there been other issues? And how did you like the way things resolved themselves here?
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Login or create a HitFix account Login Signupjenfullmoon
January 28, 2013 at 12:55PM EST Reply to CommentWell, other than the Kalinda thing, I've been pretty entertained this season.
Alicia's smiling (briefly) before David Lee enlightened her on the money she'd have to lay out was lovely. It did make sense that this would happen under the circumstances that it did--figured as much.
And I loved Alicia's drunken outburst too. Great fun.
TK It rang false to me that Alicia was unaware of partnership involving a sizable financial obligation.
January 28, 2013 at 3:17PM ESTOtherwise,this show remains the best example of consistently well written,cast & acted network TV drama.Always entertaining.
January 28, 2013 at 11:52PM ESTjennyh Or also maybe not realizing it would be THAT much. (Peter had a more muted but similar reaction to the $600K figure.)
January 29, 2013 at 2:07AM ESTJaxemer11 It doesn't seem likely that she would not have known about the capital contribution. Maybe she was just shocked at how high it was. It really is a pretty terrible thing to do to a relatively young associate--especially when there is a risk that the firm goes under. If the firm fails to make it through bankruptcy and they have to liquidate, she is out of a job and out of her $600,000. I expect she lost a ton of respect for Will and Diane over this.
January 29, 2013 at 11:16PM ESTJB
January 28, 2013 at 1:03PM EST Reply to CommentGreat point about Nathan Lane, I'll miss him though he just may pass the bar and come back as opposing counsel. As for the show in general, I'm a fan, though not of the Kalinda-husband storyline, so I just enjoy watching most of the participants perform. I'd miss this show if it disappeared right now, but I know I'm in a shrinking group of viewers. Oh well, this is good broadcast TV.
andythesaint
January 28, 2013 at 1:06PM EST Reply to CommentKalinda's story was hot garbage, but I'm also beginning to tire of the constant "embattled firm" storyline. I'm hoping this is the season they pull through it so we can explore different sorts of conflicts.
mcm99
January 28, 2013 at 1:08PM EST Reply to CommentCarrie Preston is my fave guest star. She had a fantastice epsiode a week or two ago. Hope they continue to bring her back. I have missed episodes here and there when football runs over and my dvr misses but those I have seen have been quite successful (minus the Kalinda hubby stuff).
BlitzMark Agreed. Elspeth Tassione is great/fun character.
January 28, 2013 at 1:33PM ESTps Yes, Alan, you really need to watch the last episode! It was great.
January 28, 2013 at 3:36PM ESTEd G. That episode was great. I laughed every time the folks would drop evertything they were doing because Elspeth needed help. And her notepad was really funny too.
January 29, 2013 at 10:56AM ESTjeff rubin In that episode, it was strongly implied that Elspeth would be Alan Cummings' lawyer moving forw
January 29, 2013 at 5:45PM ESTard.....can't wait!!
TV4DAN
January 28, 2013 at 1:11PM EST Reply to CommentI got into this show in the beginning of season 2 and since that time, I think it's one of the smartest shows on TV. It's well written, well-acted, and mixes the court cases and the main character drama better than most legal shows. This season has been no exception. The Kalinda storyline was one of the worst parts of the series, but Archie Panjabi is such a good actress that I understand the desire to explore her character further. That being said, it hasn't affected my love for the show up to this point.
Pam Schuur
January 28, 2013 at 1:40PM EST Reply to CommentLike everyone else, I agree Kalinda-hubby was a mistake this season - I wish they'd chosen a different vehicle for showing Kalinda's obvious dark side. Now that the firm has its 5-month extension to repay its debt, I'm hoping that storyline fades. I'm ready for some interesting cases and interesting clients to walk through the door.
Brian Completely agree. It feels like they have been in bankruptcy forever. Time for the show to move on to something new.
January 29, 2013 at 10:12AM ESTKmarko
January 28, 2013 at 2:55PM EST Reply to CommentThe show is consistently enjoyable. To be honest, I find a bright shiny network show to be pretty refreshing at times: excellent guest stars, crisp writing, etc. It's good.
Beyond that, I'd just say I agree with EVERYONE that Kalinda's husband was an atrocious storyline. And, I suppose in general the show could raise the stakes a bit. It's hard to get too worked up about a lawfirm getting "the 27th floor" back.
PY
January 28, 2013 at 3:02PM EST Reply to CommentThis season has been great ... more so now that Kalinda's husband is gone (as everyone has mentioned). I will be sad to see Michael J Fox go, though.
One thing that's been a bit unclear for me, though: it feels like the reconciliation between Peter and Alicia was a bit sudden (and I've watched every episode). I almost feel like I missed something ... but I think they point is that it was a bit sudden on Alicia's part. But still.
justjoan123 It's not so much a reconciliation, I think, as an estranged-married-with-benefits kind of thing. They are not together-together, but Alicia campaigns for him and they have fairly frequent, if emotion-free, sex. It appears that Peter now is the one who would like more, but Alicia is just fine with calling the shots. Interesting.
January 28, 2013 at 3:52PM ESTJaxemer11 I don't think they have reconciled. Alicia has just given up on letting the situation bother her. She isn't ready to make up, but she isn't going to let it take her down either. Alicia is a lot more jaded and hardened then she was at the beginning of the show.
January 29, 2013 at 11:21PM ESTPatti Nase Abbott
January 28, 2013 at 3:34PM EST Reply to CommentAlso tired of the embattled firm storyline, which we also see on SUITS. Or used to because I've given that one up. TGW does a great job of juggling multiple character story lines and using guests well. Kalinda's was the only miss and it's also time for her to change her wardrobe. Someone that fashion conscious would after five years. Unless she's a character on BIG BAN.
Brian Although GW is the overall better show, I actually think Suits has done a better job with the embattled firm storyline. I think the Hardman as the bad guy story went on for just the right amount of time. The GW bankruptcy storyline has dragged on a little too long.
January 29, 2013 at 10:14AM ESTHeisenberg
January 28, 2013 at 4:21PM EST Reply to CommentThis was a great episode - classic Good Wife.
Kalinda's story is the only part of the season that hasn't worked overall, though I'd say the other stories, as a whole, have been a hair behind Seasons 1-3.
Alan...if you're planning on checking out one episode, watch "Waiting for the Knock" or the one with Carrie Preston.
Gregory
January 28, 2013 at 5:23PM EST Reply to CommentThe Malinda story line was atrociously bad. Kalinda's character had no consistency and for me did actual damage to her character overall. I just do not find her as interesting anymore and they have done nothing to rehabilitate her sense. She desperately needs a good new story, however...
I am quite convinced that the storyline is not dead. Nick is going to show up dead and Kalinda will be implicated in the season finale. God I hope I am wrong cause that story line needs to stay dead.
Also agree that the firm being in trouble has been played out.
Jaxemer11 They need to bring Jason Street back to play off her.
January 29, 2013 at 11:22PM ESTdewdropvelvet I didn't like the guy she was dating, but I found it realistic.. sort of what I'd expect with Kalinda. She has an addictive side ;)
March 4, 2013 at 12:12PM ESTKathyB
January 28, 2013 at 7:58PM EST Reply to CommentEnjoyed last night very much.Nice to have it come on at nine again. NFL games drive me nuts because they drive my dvr setting for the show for too many weeks.
Glad the detour story into Kalinda's less than marital bliss has vanished for now. Happy to see Alicia in drivers seat with her own hubby, and with Eli and the campaign. Feels like she is coming into her own at last. Love this show.
asherlev1
January 28, 2013 at 8:13PM EST Reply to CommentThe Good Wife is my show. I honestly don't think it's capable of truly disappointing me.
berkowit28
January 28, 2013 at 10:42PM EST Reply to CommentAlan, if like most people you have either a Scientific Atlantic (or Cisco, who bought them out) or TiVo DVR, you need to buy Digital Western Expander hard drive, designed to work with them. It multiplies the hard drive space, and consequently hours of TV recording, enormously. A reviewer like you shouldn't be skipping shows because you run out of space and they get wiped. It's not professional. And absolutely not The Good Wife.
You shouldn't be in the office at 10 pm on Sunday either. Even with all the shows on Sunday evening, the cable shows usually get repeated. And you can can record the western HBO feeds for one or two of them if you need to and watch them post the review the next day. Though I find it a bit much that HitFix won't get you a cable subscription at the office, plus a DVR there, so you could cover yourself when there are more than 2 shows on at once.
Anyway, if you cared enough - which you should! - you'd find a way not to miss The Good Wife. Check out last week's On Demand - it was great.
sepinwall HitFix would pay for the cable. It's just too complicated (for reasons too boring to explain here) to install it where I work, especially given how few shows are affected by that.
January 29, 2013 at 9:01AM ESTAnd it's not about professionalism. It's about time management. Only so many hours in a day/week/month/year, and I have to pick and choose which shows to make the effort to watch. And I've never, to be frank, loved The Good Wife as much as you or some others do. It's a very good show that I enjoy when I watch, and that I miss not at all when I don't.
Brian Wow, Berkowit28, did you really just question Allen's professionalism because he chose not to watch a few episodes of the good wife?
January 29, 2013 at 10:39AM ESTberkowit28 No, because he should have the tools not to be running out of DVR recording space for everything he might want to review. As he followed up to explain, that is not the issue here after all.
January 29, 2013 at 12:13PM ESTJaxemer11
January 29, 2013 at 11:13PM EST Reply to CommentKalinda's husband was a mistake (which I believe the writers have admitted). Nathan Lane should still be around, since the firm is still in bankruptcy (that is why they got the extension).
I recognize the flaws in this show, but it is still one of my favorites. Julianna Marguiles is terrific. I would have to say it is the best network drama since Friday Night Lights, and one of the best I have ever seen.