Well, that was exhausting. I mean, I’m actually exhausted from watching TV. I feel like that episode just sucked all the life out of me. I just spent the last 45 minutes watching everything spin out of control on The Good Wife and I’m confused and I’m tired and quite frankly it doesn’t feel very good.
It’s pretty clear by now that The Good Wife is no longer a “legal drama.” Sure, there are cases. But the court is just a backdrop; it’s just a tool to get characters together to bicker. The show doesn’t care about the evidence or the law but only how they can manipulate the cases to cause problems back in the office. And I have to ask, how was this show renewed again?
But since it mysteriously was renewed for a sixth season, we may as well review the facts of the episode. The supposed “case of the week” was a familiar one — after trying to adopt a baby from a Native American tribe and failing, Alicia and David Lee’s past client is suing both firms for six mill.
Within about two minutes of the episode, the case is quickly forgotten, however. After participating in a video conference call, Lockhart/Gardner accidentally forgets to shut their video off, leaving Florrick/Agos privy to the inner workings of the firm. Florrick/Agos debates for a half a second whether or not to listen in before eventually deciding to, well, spy on Lockhart/Gardner. And that’s when they hear that Louis Canning and David Lee are trying to destroy their firm. Yikes.
So the team sends over Alicia in hopes of getting the Lockhart/Gardner folks to admit to their plan on camera after she leaves. But after Alicia leaves, the Lockhart/Gardner crew stays pretty tight-lipped. But when Cary notices the first lady of Chumhum (aka Neil Gross’ wife) in the background, the video suddenly speaks volumes: Lockhart/Gardner is planning on stealing Chumhum.
Meanwhile, Diane and Canning are still engaged in warfare over the firm. Canning is building the votes to oust Diane while Diane attempts to defend her territory.
But the Lockhart/Gardner firm isn’t the only one fighting at the moment. Alicia and Cary again discuss the possibility of merging with Lockhart/Gardner: Alicia hoping to go through with the plan, and Cary vehemently against it. So when Alicia threatens to use her votes against him at the next meeting, Cary goes bananas. Finally. It’s nice to see Cary grow some balls. Maybe instead of merging, him and other Cary and the investigator Robyn should just get their own spinoff show instead. Just an idea…
Anyways, so Lockhart/Gardner is feuding, Florrick/Agos is fueding and everything is in complete chaos. Things only go from bad to worse when Cary overhears Kalinda playing him like a fiddle and Cary goes to Canning to spill the beans about the merger. And when Diane finds out Peter wants her to run for state’s governor instead of Illinois Supreme Court justice, she decides she just doesn’t have any fight left in her. Diane, I know how you feel, girl.
It’s the last four minutes of the episode and just when you think things couldn’t get any more bizarre, they do: Diane goes to Cary and Alicia and asks to be brought into the firm. Eli asks Alicia to run for state’s attorney. And then it ends.
Whew. Thank goodness it ended when it did. Longest forty-four minutes of my life, I swear. It’s like the showrunners are killing everything they’ve worked so hard to build over the last five years. The show is literally imploding in front of our faces, and it’s pretty painful to watch. Another season of this? No, thank you.