The Good Wife 4.22
Apr. 29th, 2013 06:49 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
selenakIn which your faithfull reviewer might just have danced the dance of joy.
So, here I was, ready to complain that this episode was advertised via the obnoxious poster "Team Will or Team Peter?" because Twilight comparisons are just what we need, and how Alicia's love life has overtaken her professional story, and... I got played. And am profoundly grateful for it! THANK YOU, SHOW.
Flashback: years and years ago,abigal_n wrote in a Veronca Mars review that in retrospect that tag scene of the very last season 1 episode, teasing the viewer with "who's at the door, Logan or Duncan?" and by implication "whom will Veronica choose, Logan or Duncan?", showed a narrative emphasis shift from Veronica as detective who also deals with personal stuff (which feeds into the detective tale) to Veronica dealing with personal stuff while also being a detective. Now, the tag scene for the Good Wife finale was such a delightful subversion of this. We're teased into assuming it's all about Alicia having decided to resume her affair with Will after all, that we're in for a replay of the s2 ending with the two of them, that an Alicia/Will clinch is supposed our grand narrative climax instead of a damp squib of replay. But no! Alicia did make a decision for risk, for genuine change, and it wasn't by resuming her affair with Will, it was BY JOINING CARY AND STRIKING OUT AT HER OWN IN A NEW LAWFIRM. Excuse the capslock, but I'm just so happy. Yes, yes, I'm aware that Alicia probably still has her thing for Will and the show isn't done with that yet and whatever, but we're still talking game changer here. Both on a Watsonian and Doylist level. Now, Florrick & Agos, or Agos & Florrick, or however they'll call themselves won't be the next round table (note they take Colin "I killed my wife and still joke about it" Sweeney along and he provides some of the founding finances, no less), but still, it means that in retrospect Alicia's growing unease about how the whole becoming a partner was handled and how things in the firm are run MEANS something. And that the big decision the show lets her make is a professional one.
Now would you have thought the sight of Cary at Alicia's doorstep (and more to the point, what that immediately signals to the viewer) would ever evoke such a tide of emotion back in the pilot? :)
Other things to be happy about: it seems we're not done with the Diane-as-judge storyline, either, because as Peter did win the election, it means Diane is still due to the judge post. Unless between seasons someone else finds the security feed and leaks evidence of voter fraud. But I don't think so; it's a potential ticking time bomb of sorts, but if the show lets it explode, it will in in the next season. Which means Will might find himself temporarily without either Diane or Alicia in the firm, though otoh it's also entirely possible he'll get Alicia back as a girlfriend once she no longer works for him, I know, and I'm still mostly certain SOMETHING will happen to prevent Diane from leaving L & G for good at the last minute. But still: we'll see more of the judge storyline, instead of it being just a brief thing because Peter loses the election, and that is one prediction of mine I'm happy to see proven wrong.
Why, I'm even happy for Jackie and her Cuban boyfriend. Who might or might not be in it for the money, but you know, it's Jackie's money to spend, and while yes, Jackie was interferring as hell in the younger Florricks family life, I still cheered for her when she told Peter to stay out of her private life while giving him the congratulation hug. Otoh I approve of how Peter handled Will. Mind you, I think the reason why Will didn't go public and didn't show the feed to Alicia, either, was that he thought if Peter lost the election, Alicia would feeel honour bound to stay with her husband, whereas if Peter won, she would be far more ready to leave him. But I still think Peter telling Will that to do what he likes with the vid, that it's his decision, was the smartest way to handle it.
(Though not the most ethical, but then Peter upon finding out that some of his people committed fraud going public with this and deciding he cannot accept the victory would make him a West Wing character, and he was never that. Though I do hope he makes some enquiries to find out who's responsible and ensures something like this won't happen again in his team. Both for ethical and pragmatic reasons, because it means his election victory can be declared null and void if someone else finds out.)
More happiness: the quiet early morning scene between Eli and Alicia was a lovely character piece between them, and I'm always happy when Eli gets good scenes instead of being comic relief guy.
And: you know, given Kalinda has been playing out Will and Cary against each other (without naming Cary), financial offer wise, in order to get more money, she's sitting in a glass house when going "how dare you?" on Cary re: Robin. (Who doesn't earn nearly as much as Kalinda anyway.) But from a Doylist pov I think given the big pay off for the season was Alicia deciding to leave the firm with Cary, it was the smart thing not to let Kalinda leave as well, especially given the still ongoing Diane-as-judge story, because Will on his own at L & G (or, if Alicia now resumes the relationship, in Alicia's bed room) is hardly interesting enough to watch. Will and Kalinda at L & G, otoh, bound to occasionally clash with Alicia & Cary in cases, now THAT is interesting, given everyone's relationships with each other.
In conclusion: Happy days are here again, the sky above is clear again...
So, here I was, ready to complain that this episode was advertised via the obnoxious poster "Team Will or Team Peter?" because Twilight comparisons are just what we need, and how Alicia's love life has overtaken her professional story, and... I got played. And am profoundly grateful for it! THANK YOU, SHOW.
Flashback: years and years ago,
abigal_n wrote in a Veronca Mars review that in retrospect that tag scene of the very last season 1 episode, teasing the viewer with "who's at the door, Logan or Duncan?" and by implication "whom will Veronica choose, Logan or Duncan?", showed a narrative emphasis shift from Veronica as detective who also deals with personal stuff (which feeds into the detective tale) to Veronica dealing with personal stuff while also being a detective. Now, the tag scene for the Good Wife finale was such a delightful subversion of this. We're teased into assuming it's all about Alicia having decided to resume her affair with Will after all, that we're in for a replay of the s2 ending with the two of them, that an Alicia/Will clinch is supposed our grand narrative climax instead of a damp squib of replay. But no! Alicia did make a decision for risk, for genuine change, and it wasn't by resuming her affair with Will, it was BY JOINING CARY AND STRIKING OUT AT HER OWN IN A NEW LAWFIRM. Excuse the capslock, but I'm just so happy. Yes, yes, I'm aware that Alicia probably still has her thing for Will and the show isn't done with that yet and whatever, but we're still talking game changer here. Both on a Watsonian and Doylist level. Now, Florrick & Agos, or Agos & Florrick, or however they'll call themselves won't be the next round table (note they take Colin "I killed my wife and still joke about it" Sweeney along and he provides some of the founding finances, no less), but still, it means that in retrospect Alicia's growing unease about how the whole becoming a partner was handled and how things in the firm are run MEANS something. And that the big decision the show lets her make is a professional one. Now would you have thought the sight of Cary at Alicia's doorstep (and more to the point, what that immediately signals to the viewer) would ever evoke such a tide of emotion back in the pilot? :)
Other things to be happy about: it seems we're not done with the Diane-as-judge storyline, either, because as Peter did win the election, it means Diane is still due to the judge post. Unless between seasons someone else finds the security feed and leaks evidence of voter fraud. But I don't think so; it's a potential ticking time bomb of sorts, but if the show lets it explode, it will in in the next season. Which means Will might find himself temporarily without either Diane or Alicia in the firm, though otoh it's also entirely possible he'll get Alicia back as a girlfriend once she no longer works for him, I know, and I'm still mostly certain SOMETHING will happen to prevent Diane from leaving L & G for good at the last minute. But still: we'll see more of the judge storyline, instead of it being just a brief thing because Peter loses the election, and that is one prediction of mine I'm happy to see proven wrong.
Why, I'm even happy for Jackie and her Cuban boyfriend. Who might or might not be in it for the money, but you know, it's Jackie's money to spend, and while yes, Jackie was interferring as hell in the younger Florricks family life, I still cheered for her when she told Peter to stay out of her private life while giving him the congratulation hug. Otoh I approve of how Peter handled Will. Mind you, I think the reason why Will didn't go public and didn't show the feed to Alicia, either, was that he thought if Peter lost the election, Alicia would feeel honour bound to stay with her husband, whereas if Peter won, she would be far more ready to leave him. But I still think Peter telling Will that to do what he likes with the vid, that it's his decision, was the smartest way to handle it.
(Though not the most ethical, but then Peter upon finding out that some of his people committed fraud going public with this and deciding he cannot accept the victory would make him a West Wing character, and he was never that. Though I do hope he makes some enquiries to find out who's responsible and ensures something like this won't happen again in his team. Both for ethical and pragmatic reasons, because it means his election victory can be declared null and void if someone else finds out.)
More happiness: the quiet early morning scene between Eli and Alicia was a lovely character piece between them, and I'm always happy when Eli gets good scenes instead of being comic relief guy.
And: you know, given Kalinda has been playing out Will and Cary against each other (without naming Cary), financial offer wise, in order to get more money, she's sitting in a glass house when going "how dare you?" on Cary re: Robin. (Who doesn't earn nearly as much as Kalinda anyway.) But from a Doylist pov I think given the big pay off for the season was Alicia deciding to leave the firm with Cary, it was the smart thing not to let Kalinda leave as well, especially given the still ongoing Diane-as-judge story, because Will on his own at L & G (or, if Alicia now resumes the relationship, in Alicia's bed room) is hardly interesting enough to watch. Will and Kalinda at L & G, otoh, bound to occasionally clash with Alicia & Cary in cases, now THAT is interesting, given everyone's relationships with each other.
In conclusion: Happy days are here again, the sky above is clear again...
no subject
Date: 2013-04-30 07:36 am (UTC)I like that Alicia is making a brutal, brave and risky choice - she's burning bridges with Will as well as L&G - because she knows herself. She's ruthless with her own strengths and weaknesses, and she chooses with her head as well as her heart.
And oh Sweeny, he makes my skin crawl in the best way. I'm so glad he's coming back again.
The Eli scene was lovely.
no subject
Date: 2013-04-30 07:47 am (UTC)re: Diane, yes, Alicia knows, since there was that scene where all the ecquity partners were present when David Lee asked Diane point blank and said Diane could then no longer make decisions for the welfare of the firm (as opposed to the welfare of her shot at becoming a judge) objectively. I can't recall whether Alicia knew before, but she definitely knew after.