As always, cross-posted from my column over at Raked!
This latest episode of Good Wife opened unconventionally for the series, as we watched from the perspective of Alicia’s future client as he witnesses a convenience store robbery. The man, Travis Dolan, is summarily identified in a lineup and tried for the crime that he did not commit. His pro bono case comes to Alicia through Legal Aid, which plays crucial role later in the ep. As usual, the writers cleverly reintroduced an important aspect of the law that paid off in a big way, and I never saw it coming. When will I learn? They aresmooth.
Meanwhile, Eli wants Kalinda full time and she seems interested, despite the fact that he also wants Alicia. Unsurprisingly, Diane and Will refuse his request and keep their most valuable employees. It does cause them to revisit their conversation about what it will take to survive a down economy and keep the firm intact. Diane’s scheme is to woo Celeste Serrano (yes, Lisa Edelstein is back), whose dissolving firm has a bankruptcy department. Luckily, or unluckily for Will, Celeste is in town for the Midwest Bar Association, and Mr. Gardner is sent to win over his ex. This is a terrible plan!
(Sidenote: I should have known Diane would be the hero of this episode when she came on screen in that insanely amazing blue blazer.)
I was so supremely uncomfortable with what happened next. Will stalks Celeste to a criminal defense mixer where she tells Peter all about how Will was 1/3 of her first threesome. Oh God. Peter ran the other direction, and I don’t blame him. Celeste is scary. Please let this only be a three-episode arc and nothing more. I’m hopeful, since Will ends up turning down Celeste’s tempting counteroffer to leave Lockhart/Gardner and join her new firm.
Over in the newly clean State’s Attorney’s office, Peter has brought in AUSA Amani Stonehouse to act as a racial bias watchdog. Given Cary’s recent dismissal of Kalinda, I’m assuming that Amani will stick around and play off of him. Will she become competition and/or a romantic foil? Maybe I’m watching this show with sex-colored glasses, but any time a new character is introduced, I automatically start hooking them up with somebody in my head. Which leads me to…
Kalinda. As usual, Kalinda’s spy skills basically solve Alicia’s court case, clearing Travis and implicating the man who recognized him from the lineup. I was honestly kind of distracted during this montage, since Kalinda was sleuthing around using an iPad and wearing a new dyke-tastic thumb ring. I do love her.
There are a couple of important things to note about the end of the episode. First off, Will accidentally drops the “L” bomb on a phone call with Alicia. Alicia insists it doesn’t mean much, but it clearly raises the stakes for Will in this relationship. Freudian slip of the tongue? Methinks yes.
Also, hoping to alleviate financial strain on the firm, Diane visits Legal Aid to dissolve their arrangement to provide free services. But a conversation with charming leader of the floundering organization (Romany Malco) convinces her that she needs to do more to serve the community. She gives Will her proposition: bring Legal Aid in house at Lockhart/Gardner. DAMN! Was that not the most badass move ever? I truly admire Diane for following her moral convictions, and hope she’s rewarded with some lovin’ from Romany’s character. Diane with a younger man – now that’d be hot.
Where do you think this is going?
Next episode: Colin Sweeney, the creepiest of serial killers, is back! And Alicia needs something from him. Dun dun.
The Good Fan 