"Executive Order 13224" is about as packed as an episode can get without going overboard. There are so many things flying around during the episode that the episode could have gotten out of hand under less capable writers. However, the episode is tightly plotted, so the episode more dense than anything else.
Put under personal threat, Alicia hires her own lawyer, Elsbeth Tascioni, Peter's old lawyer played by the very impressive Carrie Preston, who is nothing short of delightful in her attitude and tricks. The case of the week was probably the strongest of the season, with hilarious redacted reenactments (which, I presume, were going on in Caitlin's head), and thorny issues regarding the post-9/11 world.
In another strong plot, Peter tries to go after Lamont Bishop through information on Will provided by Blake. It leads to a confrontation between Peter and Will which almost reached an apex before calming down. It looks like Dana will stay on the show, as the law firm was just using her to lure the person they really wanted.
For the n-th time, Grace had a subplot and it was awful. The writers have been so off-base with the children since the first season that we shouldn't expect more. Grace is back to her idiotic ways, learning about religion through the internet. I understand that teenagers can be dense at times, but it's pathetic how dumb Grace is. She hears that Jesus never said anything about gays but spoke against divorce on numerous occasion, and her thinking changes instantly as she tells her father getting divorced would be bad. As bad as the plot was, it became an afterthought in an otherwise strong episode.
Score: 9.2/10
Showing posts with label The Good Wife. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Good Wife. Show all posts
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Review - The Good Wife Season 3 Episode 6 Affairs of State
While Eli is great as the funny, charming lawyer, it's nice to see his serious side as well. It rounds out his character and gives him the depth often times hidden behind his hilarious outbursts. This side is in full display when his ex-wife, played by Parker Posey, wants to run for state senate. Her scenes bring up lots of old wounds when it's revealed that she slept with a bin Laden relative while married to Eli--during their two happy years--and Alan Cummings rocks the scenes as expected
The whole diplomatic angle of the episode and the case at large didn't work so well. There are references to the One China policy as appeasement to the Chinese government, but the episode doesn't go much beyond that. Also, the case is hardly complicated and ends with the easy conclusion of the Taiwanese guy running around, for presumably being guilty, and caught at the airport. I didn't like we got to see lots of Caitlin, though. Despite the initial way she arrived, she's certainly not stupid
Will meets Zach in the office and it's a little more than awkward. I'd reckon this is the most flustered we've ever seen Will. He's fine in front of a courtroom when thousands or even millions of dollars are on the line, but when it comes to personal issues, he's quite inadequate.
Score: 8.6/10
The whole diplomatic angle of the episode and the case at large didn't work so well. There are references to the One China policy as appeasement to the Chinese government, but the episode doesn't go much beyond that. Also, the case is hardly complicated and ends with the easy conclusion of the Taiwanese guy running around, for presumably being guilty, and caught at the airport. I didn't like we got to see lots of Caitlin, though. Despite the initial way she arrived, she's certainly not stupid
Will meets Zach in the office and it's a little more than awkward. I'd reckon this is the most flustered we've ever seen Will. He's fine in front of a courtroom when thousands or even millions of dollars are on the line, but when it comes to personal issues, he's quite inadequate.
Score: 8.6/10
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Review - The Good Wife Season 3 Episode 5 Marthas and Caitlins
The case in "Marthas and Caitlins" is paper thin, featuring a problem with plane, and is mostly an opportunity to revisit an old character in Colin Sweeney, played by Dylan Baker, who recently finished up a stint on Damages as, you guessed it, a creepy guy. Sweeney, who we haven't seen since the first season, remains a creepy guy who is also indispensable. He likely killed his wife and probably has tendencies along those lines, but he has useful assets, though may be a stretch that he just happened to have the key information for the case. In any case, he proves himself very capable of getting information out of prison thugs for his own release, and then testifying for the case.
Alicia's conflict with David Lee is great stuff, showcasing her place in the firm--both as the low man of the totem pole and as a Caitlin, the one who got in not by merit but by connections. Seeing all of this puts things in perspective for her: no matter how great she thinks she, she's still a lowly third-year associate; and more, she'll always carry the stigma of being in the firm because of Will.
From what I've read, that was Lisa Edelstein's last episode on the show as Celeste. Although she isn't critical to the show, she represents a foil for Alicia, a woman who is different but also feels something for Will. It gives Alicia a great deal to think about, wondering what makes her similar to Caitlin to have the same tastes in men.
Score: 8.9/10
Alicia's conflict with David Lee is great stuff, showcasing her place in the firm--both as the low man of the totem pole and as a Caitlin, the one who got in not by merit but by connections. Seeing all of this puts things in perspective for her: no matter how great she thinks she, she's still a lowly third-year associate; and more, she'll always carry the stigma of being in the firm because of Will.
From what I've read, that was Lisa Edelstein's last episode on the show as Celeste. Although she isn't critical to the show, she represents a foil for Alicia, a woman who is different but also feels something for Will. It gives Alicia a great deal to think about, wondering what makes her similar to Caitlin to have the same tastes in men.
Score: 8.9/10
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Review - The Good Wife Season 3 Episode 4 Feeding the Rat
The case started off better than most this season, with the audience seeing the client being innocent before he's suspected of the crime. The entire case, however, is pretty boring. At first after there is a witness that positively confirms the client's identity, I thought Kalinda would dig into the witness's background which would then lead to something deeper. Instead, only after most the episode is spent finding nothing, then Kalinda looks into the witness and finds out he actually the shooter. Well that was easy...
Diane's plot, while solid, needed to be extended a little further. There have been money problems this whole season and the previous seasons, so when Diane wants to stop pro bono work, it makes perfect sense. But when Diane finds her roots, helping Alicia, talking to the legal aid guy, and deciding to move him and his people into the office, it rings false. The quick turnaround makes the money troubles seem not as significant. At the very least, it should have gone into the next episode so we'd actually wonder whether Diane lost part of herself. I guess we'll learn more since Romany Malco will be on the show for more episodes.
This is the second week with Celeste and we see just how slimy she can be, deliberately making things awkward between Will and Peter. While the move might seem inappropriate for someone courting a legal partner, she seems to know how to push Will's buttons. She busts out the potential for Will to become baseball commissioner, and this ploy really grabs Will's attention until he realizes what he has at the present.
I'm sorry to say this, but the episode felt a lot more streamlined without any detours into the Florrick household--no Zach and whatever he's up to these day and no Grace and her weird tutor. There was still personal drama to be found--Will's "love you" to Alicia--but it didn't interfere with the episode nearly as much as kid drama does.
Score: 8.6/10
Diane's plot, while solid, needed to be extended a little further. There have been money problems this whole season and the previous seasons, so when Diane wants to stop pro bono work, it makes perfect sense. But when Diane finds her roots, helping Alicia, talking to the legal aid guy, and deciding to move him and his people into the office, it rings false. The quick turnaround makes the money troubles seem not as significant. At the very least, it should have gone into the next episode so we'd actually wonder whether Diane lost part of herself. I guess we'll learn more since Romany Malco will be on the show for more episodes.
This is the second week with Celeste and we see just how slimy she can be, deliberately making things awkward between Will and Peter. While the move might seem inappropriate for someone courting a legal partner, she seems to know how to push Will's buttons. She busts out the potential for Will to become baseball commissioner, and this ploy really grabs Will's attention until he realizes what he has at the present.
I'm sorry to say this, but the episode felt a lot more streamlined without any detours into the Florrick household--no Zach and whatever he's up to these day and no Grace and her weird tutor. There was still personal drama to be found--Will's "love you" to Alicia--but it didn't interfere with the episode nearly as much as kid drama does.
Score: 8.6/10
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Review - The Good Wife Season 3 Episode 3 Get a Room
The biggest thing that sets The Good Wife apart from other network shows is that there is always something going on beneath the plots. There's tons of that happening with Celeste (played by Lisa Edelstein) facing off against Will. The case is hardly interesting--featuring a rather straight story about a medical device--but we learn a lot about the characters from the episode.
First, the introduction of Celeste gives us an idea who Will used to be, a big gambler and her boyfriend/lover. Alicia is shown to be capable of acting jealous in order to sway the mediator, further reinforcing the idea that she is a different person this season. And finally, through Alicia's talks with her brother, she reveals that she isn't in love with Will. This combination of things we learn about the characters is pretty significant.
Eli again gets his own plot (and sadly Kalinda doesn't get a scene with him), this time revolving around a listeria outbreak from cheese. It's an obvious pulled from the headlines story and references other PR disasters like Tony Hayward, but the plot serves a deeper purpose beyond showing kids throwing up. Eli is beginning to pick up more and more clients, and inevitably will butt heads with others. This week, he gets into it with Diane after they have a difference of opinion and Will is fine leaking information about Eli to the press.
The most obvious problem with The Good Wife right now is Grace. I don't get what the writers are trying to do with her. Last season it was the religious thing--tinged, oddly, with racial implications. This season it's her street dancing tutor. None of it makes much sense. If the writers were going to preserve continuity and continue with the religion this season, then fine, but they're replacing it with something even more weird.
Score: 8.7/10
First, the introduction of Celeste gives us an idea who Will used to be, a big gambler and her boyfriend/lover. Alicia is shown to be capable of acting jealous in order to sway the mediator, further reinforcing the idea that she is a different person this season. And finally, through Alicia's talks with her brother, she reveals that she isn't in love with Will. This combination of things we learn about the characters is pretty significant.
Eli again gets his own plot (and sadly Kalinda doesn't get a scene with him), this time revolving around a listeria outbreak from cheese. It's an obvious pulled from the headlines story and references other PR disasters like Tony Hayward, but the plot serves a deeper purpose beyond showing kids throwing up. Eli is beginning to pick up more and more clients, and inevitably will butt heads with others. This week, he gets into it with Diane after they have a difference of opinion and Will is fine leaking information about Eli to the press.
The most obvious problem with The Good Wife right now is Grace. I don't get what the writers are trying to do with her. Last season it was the religious thing--tinged, oddly, with racial implications. This season it's her street dancing tutor. None of it makes much sense. If the writers were going to preserve continuity and continue with the religion this season, then fine, but they're replacing it with something even more weird.
Score: 8.7/10
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Review - The Good Wife Season 3 Episode 2 The Death Zone
Alicia is currently in the middle of many things and being pulled from every direction. First, there's her thing with Will which would be a problem if came into the open. This then leads to Alicia splitting with Peter, the reason Diane suspects for Peter wanting an audit. Will agrees with Diane at the end of the episode that they'll get rid of Alicia if she works against their interests, but this issue clearly isn't that simple. At home, Alicia has to assuage her children's worries about the situation while keeping the truth from them. Again, there's no easy answer to these problems.
The case of the week was basically a British invasion with foreign laws and customs, creating a new minefield which proved to be humorous The ending of the case did feel hammy, though, with the Twitter usage and confession, but it did feel kind of appropriate what with all the seemingly silly legal hoops beforehand.
Kalinda and Eli meet for what Kalinda says is the first time, and it's not surprise that the two savviest characters on the show work well together. I'm looking forward to seeing them work together the next time which I'm sure will be interesting. Eli sure seemed to remember Kalinda from somewhere, so I'm guessing he'll remember eventually and begin to connect the dots regarding Alicia's mindset.
Score: 8.8/10
The case of the week was basically a British invasion with foreign laws and customs, creating a new minefield which proved to be humorous The ending of the case did feel hammy, though, with the Twitter usage and confession, but it did feel kind of appropriate what with all the seemingly silly legal hoops beforehand.
Kalinda and Eli meet for what Kalinda says is the first time, and it's not surprise that the two savviest characters on the show work well together. I'm looking forward to seeing them work together the next time which I'm sure will be interesting. Eli sure seemed to remember Kalinda from somewhere, so I'm guessing he'll remember eventually and begin to connect the dots regarding Alicia's mindset.
Score: 8.8/10
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Review - The Good Wife Season 3 Episode 1 A New Day
Since CBS started promoting the third season of The Good Wife, it's been perfectly clear where the writers are going: it's going to be a different show. And indeed, after watching "A New Day," I can confirm that it is a very different show, from the title sequence to Alicia's appearance to the sexual energy coursing through the show's veins.
These changes are part of what delineates The Good Wife from most network shows, and especially CBS shows. The writers aren't content to sit back and let things be the same year after year. Alicia won't always be at Peter's side, the characters won't always to friendly to each other, and the landscape they're in will change. It's good to know the writers are still pushing forward, tweaking things to make the show into a complete narrative.
Looking at the show from high up, there are moving pieces everywhere. Cary is working for Peter but is still in contact with Kalinda. Kalinda is still on the outs with Alicia but is in contact with Kelli Giddish's character who is also working for the State's Attorney's office. Eli is now working at Lockhart Gardener while working on Peter's governor campaign. Yeah, there's a lot going on.
The case of "A New Day" isn't all that great--the writers commenting on Muslim-Jewish relations rather directly and with added "Look, I know video games! That makes me hip!" dialogue--but we get to see Eli working his magic and Peter messing with Alicia during the case. It'll be interesting to see how Peter and Alicia deal with each other in the future, and with Eli suspecting something between Peter and Alicia (because he was lying to Peter, right?), things can get a lot worse.
The final scene shows us what's going through Alicia's mind and what she'll be thinking as the show progresses. She's just said good-bye to her husband and kids, and now, a less than an hour later, Will is at her door. At the hotel, at Will's place--those were far away, contained outside her bubble. But now Will is at her home and it's as personal as it gets. Alicia stares at herself in the mirror, not entirely sure who she is or what she wants.
Score: 8.8/10
These changes are part of what delineates The Good Wife from most network shows, and especially CBS shows. The writers aren't content to sit back and let things be the same year after year. Alicia won't always be at Peter's side, the characters won't always to friendly to each other, and the landscape they're in will change. It's good to know the writers are still pushing forward, tweaking things to make the show into a complete narrative.
Looking at the show from high up, there are moving pieces everywhere. Cary is working for Peter but is still in contact with Kalinda. Kalinda is still on the outs with Alicia but is in contact with Kelli Giddish's character who is also working for the State's Attorney's office. Eli is now working at Lockhart Gardener while working on Peter's governor campaign. Yeah, there's a lot going on.
The case of "A New Day" isn't all that great--the writers commenting on Muslim-Jewish relations rather directly and with added "Look, I know video games! That makes me hip!" dialogue--but we get to see Eli working his magic and Peter messing with Alicia during the case. It'll be interesting to see how Peter and Alicia deal with each other in the future, and with Eli suspecting something between Peter and Alicia (because he was lying to Peter, right?), things can get a lot worse.
The final scene shows us what's going through Alicia's mind and what she'll be thinking as the show progresses. She's just said good-bye to her husband and kids, and now, a less than an hour later, Will is at her door. At the hotel, at Will's place--those were far away, contained outside her bubble. But now Will is at her home and it's as personal as it gets. Alicia stares at herself in the mirror, not entirely sure who she is or what she wants.
Score: 8.8/10
- I didn't comment on the tutor/video because I didn't get it. I might even prefer the weird Christian stuff at this point.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Review - The Good Wife Season 2 Episode 23 Closing Arguments
The second season of The Good Wife ends without too much of a climax since most of the explosive stuff was resolved earlier in the season. This is an interesting choice by the writers, because most network shows operate in the same way, weighing episodes of major importance at the beginnings and ends of seasons. The Good Wife does it differently, though, condescending the arc so it doesn't seem drawn out and retains the same vigor throughout.
These episodes since the Kalinda revelation haven't had the same "what will happen next?!?!" vibe, but are maintained by a sense of unease. "Closing Arguments" keeps the viewers on edge, moving several plots forward while using each character to their fullest. There is a great scene between Peter and Will, scenes between Alicia and Kalinda (who've cooled down, but are definitely far from where they were), and the case features the velocity that the show can pull out when warranted.
The final scene is a bit sappy, although you have to appreciate the acting and directing that went into it. Is this a game changer or a one time deal? With Eli Gold joining the firm and the Democrats wanting Peter's entire family out there, difficult choices have to be made.
We're now in wait and see mode until CBS announces something. As most people probably know, The Good Wife's ratings are low in comparison to CBS shows and low in general. If it makes you feel better, CBS canceled Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior earlier today and renewed CSI: NY so I have a feeling CBS will renew TGW along with the rest of the locks.
Score: 8.9/10
These episodes since the Kalinda revelation haven't had the same "what will happen next?!?!" vibe, but are maintained by a sense of unease. "Closing Arguments" keeps the viewers on edge, moving several plots forward while using each character to their fullest. There is a great scene between Peter and Will, scenes between Alicia and Kalinda (who've cooled down, but are definitely far from where they were), and the case features the velocity that the show can pull out when warranted.
The final scene is a bit sappy, although you have to appreciate the acting and directing that went into it. Is this a game changer or a one time deal? With Eli Gold joining the firm and the Democrats wanting Peter's entire family out there, difficult choices have to be made.
We're now in wait and see mode until CBS announces something. As most people probably know, The Good Wife's ratings are low in comparison to CBS shows and low in general. If it makes you feel better, CBS canceled Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior earlier today and renewed CSI: NY so I have a feeling CBS will renew TGW along with the rest of the locks.
Score: 8.9/10
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Review - The Good Wife Season 2 Episode 22 Getting Off
[Restored from Blogger]
The Good Wife has built up such a universe that the implication of the twists have far more impact than the plot development does. The revelation of Peter having slept with Kalinda in the past would be bad news obviously. Alicia is co-workers with Kalinda, so that's a clear problem. But the writers did this season was to make Alicia and Kalinda a lot closer, so there was mutual trust between them. This betrayal, then, is not just withholding of information but of a deeper level of deceit.
Now, with Kalinda remaining Lockhart Gardner after some plot machinations (it would be cool to see Kalinda working somewhere else, wouldn't it?), the tension can only get higher. Alicia will have to see Kalinda every day, forced to relieve the betrayal by both her husband and best friend.
As far as other plot developments, not much happens except more drudging up of Alicia's feelings for Will. After lots of waffling in the first two seasons, will something finally happen between them?
Score: 8.8/10
The Good Wife has built up such a universe that the implication of the twists have far more impact than the plot development does. The revelation of Peter having slept with Kalinda in the past would be bad news obviously. Alicia is co-workers with Kalinda, so that's a clear problem. But the writers did this season was to make Alicia and Kalinda a lot closer, so there was mutual trust between them. This betrayal, then, is not just withholding of information but of a deeper level of deceit.
Now, with Kalinda remaining Lockhart Gardner after some plot machinations (it would be cool to see Kalinda working somewhere else, wouldn't it?), the tension can only get higher. Alicia will have to see Kalinda every day, forced to relieve the betrayal by both her husband and best friend.
As far as other plot developments, not much happens except more drudging up of Alicia's feelings for Will. After lots of waffling in the first two seasons, will something finally happen between them?
Score: 8.8/10
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Review - The Good Wife Season 2 Episode 21 In Sickness
Wow! "In Sickness" was a very impressive episode for Julianna Margulies and should be contention for the episode she sends for the Emmys. Balancing Alicia's personal life and her legal case, the episode excels in all areas and provides the momentum to bring us into the last two episodes of the season with several thorny issues to resolve.
The core of the episode is that Alicia refuses to accept anything Peter has to say about his past transgression with Kalinda and boots him out. Unreasonable? I'd say so, especially when she argues, during the case, that the client's previous actions should have no bearing on her current health issues and needs. If the patient should be given the liver--in a situation with limited resources--despite her past, then perhaps Alicia should not be so harsh. But then again, the situations are different, so there are other ways to look at things.
Looking ahead, there is plenty that gets developed for future episodes. Peter seems to like the idea that Cary competed with Alicia, the family will come under close scrutiny, and the biggest elephant in the room, Will, is there for Alicia.
Score: 9.2/10
The core of the episode is that Alicia refuses to accept anything Peter has to say about his past transgression with Kalinda and boots him out. Unreasonable? I'd say so, especially when she argues, during the case, that the client's previous actions should have no bearing on her current health issues and needs. If the patient should be given the liver--in a situation with limited resources--despite her past, then perhaps Alicia should not be so harsh. But then again, the situations are different, so there are other ways to look at things.
Looking ahead, there is plenty that gets developed for future episodes. Peter seems to like the idea that Cary competed with Alicia, the family will come under close scrutiny, and the biggest elephant in the room, Will, is there for Alicia.
Score: 9.2/10
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Review - The Good Wife Season 2 Episode 20 Foreign Affairs
The Good Wife does a good job making characters seem real, even some of the wackier judges who sometimes stray a little too far. Then there is Hugo Chavez. He's a bad person, a tyrant, and many other descriptors. That's all true. But what he isn't is this silly, ridiculous loser who spends his time talking to lawyers via satellite and seem like a big joke. Sure he says stupid stuff in public, but that's for the dumb leftists who gobble up his rhetoric. Why did the writers have to bring him in anyway if he was going to be such an unrealistic joke? And the stuff with Fred Thompson was along the same lines, though toned down.
The rest of the episode was rather good, however, and partially makes up for dumb parts. Alicia goes on television to turn the tide of the election in Peter's favor, and is quite candid about Peter and her family. Whether she helped or not, Peter wins and everyone is happy.
And then the investigator arrives, telling Alicia that Blake had lied about this woman Leela who isn't in any database. Where has Alicia heard that name before... Peter is absent for all the of the episode and right as he appears at the very end of the episode, the waterworks start, and with if, the big cloud of Kalinda sleeping with Peter. Something major has to happen, right? Even if Alicia says the past was the past, Peter still lied (or omitted) about sleeping with Alicia's coworker and friend, and the same goes for Kalinda.
Score: 8.6/10
The rest of the episode was rather good, however, and partially makes up for dumb parts. Alicia goes on television to turn the tide of the election in Peter's favor, and is quite candid about Peter and her family. Whether she helped or not, Peter wins and everyone is happy.
And then the investigator arrives, telling Alicia that Blake had lied about this woman Leela who isn't in any database. Where has Alicia heard that name before... Peter is absent for all the of the episode and right as he appears at the very end of the episode, the waterworks start, and with if, the big cloud of Kalinda sleeping with Peter. Something major has to happen, right? Even if Alicia says the past was the past, Peter still lied (or omitted) about sleeping with Alicia's coworker and friend, and the same goes for Kalinda.
Score: 8.6/10
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Review - The Good Wife Season 2 Episode 19 Wrongful Termination
It's a foregone conclusion by now, but yes, "Wrongful Termination" is another strong outing by The Good Wife, which is slowly building towards the season finale. Everything hinges on the secret of Kalinda and Peter sleeping together (it's more or less state in the episode, so my line of inquiry last week is very likely wrong), with Cary trying to keep Kalinda safe. Meanwhile, Tammy returns as well as to draw Will away from Alicia.
The case brings back Canning, who is great in every respect. This time, his defense involves the implication that a drug could make someone violent--the same drug from the company he defended a while back with the rats attacking each other. Ultimately, damning evidence is found and the matter is resolved in Alicia's favor. But another problem lies ahead: Canning, who bought the firm of the now-deceased Stern, offers Alicia a job for double her current salary.
Score: 9.0/10
Sorry for the shorter-than-usual review. It's past midnight, and I need sleep.
The case brings back Canning, who is great in every respect. This time, his defense involves the implication that a drug could make someone violent--the same drug from the company he defended a while back with the rats attacking each other. Ultimately, damning evidence is found and the matter is resolved in Alicia's favor. But another problem lies ahead: Canning, who bought the firm of the now-deceased Stern, offers Alicia a job for double her current salary.
Score: 9.0/10
Sorry for the shorter-than-usual review. It's past midnight, and I need sleep.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Review - The Good Wife Season 2 Episode 18 Killer Song
After the explosive episode last week, The Good Wife cooled off with "Killer Song," which didn't have that many twists, but kept some tension going throughout the episode. Like the rest of the episodes this season, it is quite effective in weaving together all the different characters and storylines so there aren't large holes from week to week.
This week's case involves a convicted killer who is "better" after 30 years. The crux of the episode is a song he wrote while in jail, detailing a murder but not necessary the murder he was incarcerated for. Initially, Kalinda good evidence linking the song to the murder, but her clouded mind misses a key point, and it falls apart. Eventually, however, the case is blown wide open when the victim's daughter says that the lyrics correspond to the murder of a friend's mothers, and while the murder gets free from the this trial, Cary quickly has him arrested for the next crime.
Up until the Natalie Flores episode, Eli had been mostly a comedic character, the political insider with quick quips and quick solutions. We saw a different, human side to him when he decided to out Natalie. She returns in the episode, and we again see Eli trying to make up for what he did, and helps soften his character, especially after all the "put white people on the website!" business last week.
I'm beginning to wonder whether Kalinda and Peter slept together. Although the hints are as big as they get, neither of them explicitly confirms (the "one night" comment is ambiguous, to an extent) that they slept with each other. Could they be covering up something bigger? Whatever happens, there'll be plenty of unhappy campers. Peter openly and honestly states that he loves Alicia and is fine with Alicia's plan to stay in the apartment, but all of that has to come crashing down soon.
Score: 8.8/10
This week's case involves a convicted killer who is "better" after 30 years. The crux of the episode is a song he wrote while in jail, detailing a murder but not necessary the murder he was incarcerated for. Initially, Kalinda good evidence linking the song to the murder, but her clouded mind misses a key point, and it falls apart. Eventually, however, the case is blown wide open when the victim's daughter says that the lyrics correspond to the murder of a friend's mothers, and while the murder gets free from the this trial, Cary quickly has him arrested for the next crime.
Up until the Natalie Flores episode, Eli had been mostly a comedic character, the political insider with quick quips and quick solutions. We saw a different, human side to him when he decided to out Natalie. She returns in the episode, and we again see Eli trying to make up for what he did, and helps soften his character, especially after all the "put white people on the website!" business last week.
I'm beginning to wonder whether Kalinda and Peter slept together. Although the hints are as big as they get, neither of them explicitly confirms (the "one night" comment is ambiguous, to an extent) that they slept with each other. Could they be covering up something bigger? Whatever happens, there'll be plenty of unhappy campers. Peter openly and honestly states that he loves Alicia and is fine with Alicia's plan to stay in the apartment, but all of that has to come crashing down soon.
Score: 8.8/10
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Review - The Good Wife Season 2 Episode 17 Ham Sandwich
Wow! Now that's how to end an episode! Excuse me for my excitement, but The Good Wife is one of the only shows on television which literally leaves me giddy at the end of an episode All the relationships have been carefully crafted since the first episode and now we see everything intertwined in the best way possible.
Let's start with the case, Alicia representing crime boss Lemond Bishop whose wife wants a divorce. They can't agree on anything, including custody and money, which Bishop has a lot in illegal activity but little in legitimate business. There are veiled threats everywhere and the two parties are prepared to go to court. As the episode progresses we don't necessarily feel that Bishop is too bad of a guy and his son certainly humanizes things. Then, the writers bring us back to reality, as the opposing lawyer comes back with news that Bishop's wife overdosed. Damn!
But what's more impressive than that are the subplots. Blake has considerable dirt on Will, saying something about Will's theft and how he covered up for him back in the day. Childs is specifically going after Lockhart Gardner, with Blake as a willing witness. With Kalinda subpoenaed by the grand jury, Alicia advises her not to say anything.
If things couldn't get even better, Kalina, played expertly by Archie Panjabi, turns the tables, using the information that Bishop's wife may have been having an affair to imply that it was in fact Blake she was seeing, painting a target on his back, thus running him and his ability to testify out of town. Kalinda stays very quiet while talking with Alicia, keeping the truth close to the vest, but is absolutely perfect when lying.
Somehow, the writers manage to top themselves yet again, using the final meeting between Blake and Kalinda to drop a huge bombshell, that Kalinda has been cosying up to Alicia because she slept with Peter in return for changing her identity. What?!?!?!?
Score: 9.7/10
Let's start with the case, Alicia representing crime boss Lemond Bishop whose wife wants a divorce. They can't agree on anything, including custody and money, which Bishop has a lot in illegal activity but little in legitimate business. There are veiled threats everywhere and the two parties are prepared to go to court. As the episode progresses we don't necessarily feel that Bishop is too bad of a guy and his son certainly humanizes things. Then, the writers bring us back to reality, as the opposing lawyer comes back with news that Bishop's wife overdosed. Damn!
But what's more impressive than that are the subplots. Blake has considerable dirt on Will, saying something about Will's theft and how he covered up for him back in the day. Childs is specifically going after Lockhart Gardner, with Blake as a willing witness. With Kalinda subpoenaed by the grand jury, Alicia advises her not to say anything.
If things couldn't get even better, Kalina, played expertly by Archie Panjabi, turns the tables, using the information that Bishop's wife may have been having an affair to imply that it was in fact Blake she was seeing, painting a target on his back, thus running him and his ability to testify out of town. Kalinda stays very quiet while talking with Alicia, keeping the truth close to the vest, but is absolutely perfect when lying.
Somehow, the writers manage to top themselves yet again, using the final meeting between Blake and Kalinda to drop a huge bombshell, that Kalinda has been cosying up to Alicia because she slept with Peter in return for changing her identity. What?!?!?!?
Score: 9.7/10
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Review - The Good Wife Season 2 Episode 16 Great Firewall
"Great Firewall" is a turning point episode, and what a turn it is. After a season of build up, with Bond invading the office and Peter on the campaign trail, it all came to a head in a grand flourish. Even if you weren't surprised about the outcome (The Good Wife isn't really a show where the protagonists lose), you gotta admit you felt the elation emanating from all the characters.
Well, except for Alicia. While Will, Diane, the partners, Peter, Zach, and Eli are as excited as could be, Alicia is pushed into a corner. For a while, she was the breadwinner, working at a law firm and seemingly doing good for the world while supporting her family. Everything has changed, however. If Peter wins, will he revert to past behavior, and will Alicia need a job?
Tying into that is this week's case, a Chinese dissident who wants money from a social networking company, Chum Hum, for giving his IP address to the Chinese government. The case is amicably resolved in the end, but the bigger story is that Edelstein is still a client. In fact, the dissident case was used primarily to push Chum Hum out of China, opening the market for Edelstein. As for principles against turning in people to the government, Will could care less. Caught in this web, Alicia has to feel uncertain about her place at the firm.
Meanwhile, Kalinda moves to a new place and Cary informs her that Childs is moving on her in a week. Their encounter is topped off by a kiss after Kalinda indicates she likes "normal".
Increasingly, The Good Wife has a bizzaro universe that doubles on everything. There is Social Network and a movie similar to that, both based on young people who made tons of money off websites. Then there's Yahoo! and Chum Hum, both which ratted out people to the Chinese government, as well as Facebook and Edelstein's site. Crowded world (or the people really like the same things). Do the writers really need to reference real life examples for the viewers to get the connection? I'm fairly certain most people got the Bill Ayers thing on last night's episode of The Chicago Code.
Zach and Becca don't ruin everything for once, actually running things by Eli to his delight. Has Zach finally learned from his mistakes?
Score: 9.3/10
Well, except for Alicia. While Will, Diane, the partners, Peter, Zach, and Eli are as excited as could be, Alicia is pushed into a corner. For a while, she was the breadwinner, working at a law firm and seemingly doing good for the world while supporting her family. Everything has changed, however. If Peter wins, will he revert to past behavior, and will Alicia need a job?
Tying into that is this week's case, a Chinese dissident who wants money from a social networking company, Chum Hum, for giving his IP address to the Chinese government. The case is amicably resolved in the end, but the bigger story is that Edelstein is still a client. In fact, the dissident case was used primarily to push Chum Hum out of China, opening the market for Edelstein. As for principles against turning in people to the government, Will could care less. Caught in this web, Alicia has to feel uncertain about her place at the firm.
Meanwhile, Kalinda moves to a new place and Cary informs her that Childs is moving on her in a week. Their encounter is topped off by a kiss after Kalinda indicates she likes "normal".
Increasingly, The Good Wife has a bizzaro universe that doubles on everything. There is Social Network and a movie similar to that, both based on young people who made tons of money off websites. Then there's Yahoo! and Chum Hum, both which ratted out people to the Chinese government, as well as Facebook and Edelstein's site. Crowded world (or the people really like the same things). Do the writers really need to reference real life examples for the viewers to get the connection? I'm fairly certain most people got the Bill Ayers thing on last night's episode of The Chicago Code.
Zach and Becca don't ruin everything for once, actually running things by Eli to his delight. Has Zach finally learned from his mistakes?
Score: 9.3/10
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Review - The Good Wife Season 2 15 The Silver Bullet
One thing The Good Wife has been fantastic at doing is branching out to give every character more prominence. The series began with the focus on Alicia, but we slowly got to know Diane, Will, Kalinda, Peter, and Alicia's family. In its second season, Eli has taken a large role. He's neckdeep in the campaign, so we see him scheming in the background and being a funny character. Until "The Silver Bullet," however, we haven't been able to see the personal side of him.
With the introduction of Natlie Flores (America Ferrera), we see Eli grapple with his job, wondering whether he should out her as a illegal alien in attempt to score points over Wendy Scott Carr. We also see Eli's daughter and learn that he was divorced. In the end, the pol inside Eli comes out on top and Natlie is exposed. This should be an interesting storyline.
The case this week gets pushed to the back with the return of Kurt McVeigh, ballistics expert and Diane's romantic interest. In the process of defending him, the team finds out that the recently released cop-killer really was a cop-killer. But no double-jeopary. Oops.
Once again, The Good Wife falls to epic mishandling of teenagers. Like her brother, Grace is turned into a moron, so the writers can make fun of Christians. If you want to poke at religion, fine, but at least make Grace reasonable, not a lunatic who watches lunatic videos about Jesus. At leastAlicia hands her a Bible, hopefully a King James Version, which she can read and try to understand.
Score: 8.7/10
With the introduction of Natlie Flores (America Ferrera), we see Eli grapple with his job, wondering whether he should out her as a illegal alien in attempt to score points over Wendy Scott Carr. We also see Eli's daughter and learn that he was divorced. In the end, the pol inside Eli comes out on top and Natlie is exposed. This should be an interesting storyline.
The case this week gets pushed to the back with the return of Kurt McVeigh, ballistics expert and Diane's romantic interest. In the process of defending him, the team finds out that the recently released cop-killer really was a cop-killer. But no double-jeopary. Oops.
Once again, The Good Wife falls to epic mishandling of teenagers. Like her brother, Grace is turned into a moron, so the writers can make fun of Christians. If you want to poke at religion, fine, but at least make Grace reasonable, not a lunatic who watches lunatic videos about Jesus. At leastAlicia hands her a Bible, hopefully a King James Version, which she can read and try to understand.
Score: 8.7/10
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Review - The Good Wife Season 2 Episode 14 Net Worth
An episode like "Net Worth" is very tricky. The main character, Alicia, is only tangentially involved in the legal case, because she's all the way in Oregon helping her brother move and can only communicate through telephone. Also, the case is based on the movie Social Network, which is actually referenced in the episode (somehow, in this bizarre The Good Wife-universe, movies about programmers are popular enough that two are made around the same time), and absolutely skewers screenwriter Aaron Sorkin (who is an unlikable person in my opinion). There has to be a balance between maintaining current characters and plots, and still providing biting social commentary on a real life person.
For the most part, the episode does its job, showing how much of a loser the writer is and how he blatantly makes things up because the facts somehow fit the "truth" of a person. While bashing Aaron Sorkin, the writers also get to show how cool Mark Zuckerberg. The moral of the story: Don't make up things about real people but it's okay to refer to real person and paint them in a negative light.
When will the Will and Alicia drama end? Owen pushes Alicia to ask about the missed call (which, if you remember, was deleted by Eli), and she does exactly that. However, Will lies, telling her it was right for her to be back with Peter. And so, the plot rolls along with no end in sight.
In a very saucy scene between Kalinda and Blake, we finally learn the details about Bond and his plan to have Lockart Gardner help MS13 and their expanding operation in Chicago. What's great about Kalinda and Blake is that it's not romantic and not necessarily sexual. Their relationship is charged, always hanging on knife's edge, and we just don't know what will happen next.
Score: 8.6/10
For the most part, the episode does its job, showing how much of a loser the writer is and how he blatantly makes things up because the facts somehow fit the "truth" of a person. While bashing Aaron Sorkin, the writers also get to show how cool Mark Zuckerberg. The moral of the story: Don't make up things about real people but it's okay to refer to real person and paint them in a negative light.
When will the Will and Alicia drama end? Owen pushes Alicia to ask about the missed call (which, if you remember, was deleted by Eli), and she does exactly that. However, Will lies, telling her it was right for her to be back with Peter. And so, the plot rolls along with no end in sight.
In a very saucy scene between Kalinda and Blake, we finally learn the details about Bond and his plan to have Lockart Gardner help MS13 and their expanding operation in Chicago. What's great about Kalinda and Blake is that it's not romantic and not necessarily sexual. Their relationship is charged, always hanging on knife's edge, and we just don't know what will happen next.
Score: 8.6/10
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Review - The Good Wife Season 2 Episode 13 Real Deal
I feel like I'm getting repetitive, but I can't help but admire how consistent The Good Wife is. "Real Deal" brings back Michael J. Fox and skillfully interweaves him in the office politics, making for very compelling episode.
The one thing I especially like about the episode is how the levity really comes out, even during the most tumultuous times. No matter what Bond or Canning are doing, how poor the campaign is, we get to see lighter moments from everyone--the smiles while conspiring, Peter's rapper friend, and so many great scenes.
Looking ahead, Will and Diane have Bond pinned, using his keyloggers against him. It's only time before they move, and I'm definitely excited for that.
Score: 9.2/10
The one thing I especially like about the episode is how the levity really comes out, even during the most tumultuous times. No matter what Bond or Canning are doing, how poor the campaign is, we get to see lighter moments from everyone--the smiles while conspiring, Peter's rapper friend, and so many great scenes.
Looking ahead, Will and Diane have Bond pinned, using his keyloggers against him. It's only time before they move, and I'm definitely excited for that.
Score: 9.2/10
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Review - The Good Wife Season 2 Episode 12 Silly Season
In network television, The Good Wife is truly unique, blending serialized storytelling with standalone plots like none other. The alliances in the background pulled and stretched is unmatched, and the show would be a good fit on cable, although it would probably become less impressive due to existing expectations of cable television. "Silly Season" does not let up the current strand of tension lacing itself throughout each second, and continues to build towards the inevitable resolution of conflicts.
Childs is maneuvering himself as always, but also offers to give Cary a larger role, most likely for Cary's intimate knowledge of Lockhart Gardner and Alicia. We finally see Wendy behind her perfect exterior as she essentially blackmails Alicia into forcing a disparaging flyer to disappear. The end result is that Peter must drop the PAC, and with it, all his money. However, it does improve Peter's image, and Alicia does seem to reciprocate by opening the door in the end. Kalinda's steely exterior is slowly being peeled back, with both Childs and Blake looking into her.
Despite the numerous subplots (and there's several more than the ones mentioned above), "Silly Season" manages to keep forward momentum as an individual episode and as part of a larger arc.
Score: 9.2/10
Childs is maneuvering himself as always, but also offers to give Cary a larger role, most likely for Cary's intimate knowledge of Lockhart Gardner and Alicia. We finally see Wendy behind her perfect exterior as she essentially blackmails Alicia into forcing a disparaging flyer to disappear. The end result is that Peter must drop the PAC, and with it, all his money. However, it does improve Peter's image, and Alicia does seem to reciprocate by opening the door in the end. Kalinda's steely exterior is slowly being peeled back, with both Childs and Blake looking into her.
Despite the numerous subplots (and there's several more than the ones mentioned above), "Silly Season" manages to keep forward momentum as an individual episode and as part of a larger arc.
Score: 9.2/10
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Review - The Good Wife Season 2 Episode 11 Two Courts
The amount of deception in "Two Courts" is incredible. Everyone's doing something behind the scenes, with others trying to figure out what's going on, resulting in the giddy pleasure of watching all the background machinations.
There's the jury expert who watches for micro-expressions but turns out to be useless even after Will and Alicia put in extra effort to make his skills useful. Blake has been spying on the associates for Bond, even after Bond joined the firm. Jackie, who seems crazier by the minute, tries to meddle in the campaign by inserting her guy into the campaign. Diane originally offers Cary a job, but after further scheming with Will to take down Bond, she offers Cary a job at Lockhart Gardner. However, Cary asks for double Alicia's salary and a position above hers.
The final scene of Alicia asking the jury foreman why they came to a quick decision pretty much blows out the idea of reading the jury. According to him, they just knew. Whether that's realistic or not is another story. Maybe it's because this case was more clear cut than usual since Kalinda wasn't able to dig up more information. Also, the deviation of tactics towards influencing the jury leaves us without a good comparison.
Score: 9.0/10
There's the jury expert who watches for micro-expressions but turns out to be useless even after Will and Alicia put in extra effort to make his skills useful. Blake has been spying on the associates for Bond, even after Bond joined the firm. Jackie, who seems crazier by the minute, tries to meddle in the campaign by inserting her guy into the campaign. Diane originally offers Cary a job, but after further scheming with Will to take down Bond, she offers Cary a job at Lockhart Gardner. However, Cary asks for double Alicia's salary and a position above hers.
The final scene of Alicia asking the jury foreman why they came to a quick decision pretty much blows out the idea of reading the jury. According to him, they just knew. Whether that's realistic or not is another story. Maybe it's because this case was more clear cut than usual since Kalinda wasn't able to dig up more information. Also, the deviation of tactics towards influencing the jury leaves us without a good comparison.
Score: 9.0/10
