Open Door Policy

Every time I see an episode of The Good Wife I'm reminded of why I don't write about it very often on this blog. That sounds like it would be an indictment of a show, but for me, it's oftentimes a compliment. There's just way too much to discuss. In a good way. Seriously, never has a show integrated law, sex, politics, religion, race, money, and just about everything else into the fundamental framework of the narrative so seamlessly. Not only do they talk about all the things you're not supposed to mention at a dinner party on the show, but they do so in nearly every single episode. You'd think it would be overstuffed or haphazard, but rather, it's sheer perfection.

It's impossible to even know where to start, so I'm just going to jump in with both feet and hope for the best.

Tuesday's stellar episode (yet another in the long, consistent line of stellar episodes) was a bit different because we finally got to see things from Cary's point of view and got a better look at how the state's attorney's office works. I have always loved Cary dearly, so it was quite nice to see him showcased more prominently on the show. Moving him to the SA's office was a brilliant move, but I think I'm ready for him to rejoin the Lockhart Gardner flock. He actually gets more screentime in his current capacity, but if the show heads in the direction I suspect it will (Cary will return to Lockhart Gardner in a more prominent position, putting him at odds with Alicia in a very direct way), I think he'll get the airtime he deserves on a more regular basis. The real problem is that this show has so many awesome characters that it's nearly impossible to fit everyone into every episode in a meaningful way. Case in point, Will and Diane basically had cameos last night, but somehow the writers balance things incredibly well and make it work. I appreciate a writing staff that doesn't feel like it has to fit everyone in if they aren't really needed, which, with the focus on Cary last night, Will and Diane weren't essential.

Punked
The best part about Cary working for the SA's office is that he knows how to beat Lockhart Gardner. On so many shows, it would seem absolutely ridiculous for one particular SA to run into the same defense team on a weekly basis, but the writers of The Good Wife brilliantly wrote this right into the storyline. Not only does it make total sense for the story that Childs would have Cary work on these cases, but it's also a hell of a lot of fun to watch. Cary knows the partners pretty well, but he knows Alicia through and through. Having competed against her for a year, and been friends with her for almost as long, he knows her tactics, tendencies, and rhythms better than anyone and he uses this knowledge against her to perfection. Oh my god, I loved how he coached that witness to exploit Alicia's routine and screw over her case. She walked right into the trap, thinking she was about to nail the bastard. It's a rare show that sets up its characters in such a way that you find yourself rooting for a different side week-to-week. I don't like to see Alicia lose, but I also love to see Cary win, so it's always a bit of a struggle deciding how I feel about an episode's outcome.

As stated, I enjoy seeing Cary on the other team, but I really miss seeing him work with Alicia as a duo. They always had a really fun, enthusiastic, collaborative vibe between them that was incredibly satisfying to watch. Even if Cary returns to the firm soon, that kind of camaraderie will take a while to rebuild, but I'm eager to see the fireworks until that happens. I have a theory that at some point, for some reason, Cary is going to need Alicia's help with something (maybe he gets caught up in something political or legal that he can't find his way out of or something) and he'll have to begrudgingly call her up. My theory is that that is what will foster a detente and reconciliation between the two. Or, you know, I'm sure Kalinda could talk them into making nice with one hand tied behind her back.

Kinky Boots
Speaking of Kalinda, I think she's the primary reason Cary is sticking with the SA's office for the time being. I have little doubt that he'll return to Lockhart Gardner at some point, but with Kalinda in hot water, it's in her best interest that Cary stay put. I think Cary's last act at the SA's office will involve taking the heat off Kalinda and/or doing something to incriminate Blake in some way. Hopefully both. I love the vibe and chemistry between Cary and Kalinda and it's pretty clear that they do to. It's tongue-in-cheek, sexy, very flirty, and deliciously riddled with innuendo. Above all though, I believe, it's filled with a sort of competitive admiration and respect. He adores her total badassery and she's becoming more and more impressed with his tactics with each passing week. The two have incredible chemistry together and are both sharp enough to go head-to-head with the other. It's kind of like watching Chuck and Blair, although with a disappointing lack of sex. Although, based on the kittenish pose she was striking while waiting for Cary at his office, who's to say that might not change. (I'm operating on the assumption that Kalinda is bisexual. Based on what I've seen and what has been implied, I think it's a safe bet, but I could also see where she's a lesbian who uses her wiles to get the upper-hand. Until we get confirmation one way or the other, I'm going to err on the side of equivocalness.) I'd be happy to see Kalinda hook up with just about anyone (she brings enough sex appeal for even an unlikely pairing), but with Cary? That would be sexy as hell and would add a whole other layer of intrigue to their dynamic. Yes, please!

Kalinda B. Bellows?
As though Kalinda's mere existence were tantalizing enough, we finally got a piece to her puzzle (well, at least a hint at a piece) and why Blake has been calling her Leila all this time. Based on what Blake had to say, it sounds like our saucy, boot-clad little minx faked her death 8 years ago and assumed a new identity. Awesomeness squared. The deeper Blake digs, the more confident I become that he's not long for this world (not that Kalinda would have him killed or anything, but I think we can all agree that Kalinda has ways of destroying people without killing them--even herself, as it were). This show certainly keeps me on my toes, I'll give it that. I'm kinda sorta dying to find out what happened that led to Kalinda faking her death (if that's even what really happened). My dream episode would involve Kalinda's past catching up with her, leading to a series of flashbacks to shed some light on who she really is. Of course, half the appeal of her character is that she's completely mysterious, so I'm pretty sure the writers could give and give and give and there were still be depths to plumb. There are about a billion different directions the writers could take this, but I have a feeling things are going to come to a head toward the end of this season with Cary squaring off with Blake and the SA's office on Kalinda's behalf. With Kalinda and Cary on the same side, I know where I'm placing my bets.

Friday Night Fights
Blake is definitely a force to be reckoned with though and I have a feeling things are going to get a whole lot worse before they get better. Who knew plucky former quarterback Jason Street could be such a bastard? Hehe, it was fun to see Cary and Blake finally come face to face for a number of reasons, but the Friday Night Lights reunion had me grinning from ear to ear (a Cary/Tim Riggins reunion would have been better, but I takes what I gets). I've always enjoyed Matt Czuchry, but with this season of The Good Wife, I'm truly coming to appreciate what a fine actor he really is. That showdown with Blake was reserved on the surface, but you could sense the pure hatred behind Cary's words. Czuchry does a lovely job giving Cary all the facets the role requires and then going above and beyond what's on the page. He imbues every scene with layer upon layer of nuance, almost rivaling the 87 things that are constantly running through Alicia's mind. Much like his character, he's really come into his own in the past year and it really is impressive. I think I might finally stop calling him Logan Huntzberger, which is kind of a big step for me.

Yeah, no one cares about your kids.
During this episode, poor Cary doesn't have Kalinda on his team, so he goes out and recruits the next best thing: his own private detective. Most shows would have just thrown such a character in as a mysterious, shadowy figure with unspeakable methods, but no, The Good Wife puts a spin on everything. Not content to merely toss in a character as needed, they gave him a backstory and individual identity. They take on social issues even when they aren't taking on social issues, and I love that. They also make lovely parallels with other parts of the story, in this case, the mother vs. mother catfight between Alicia and Wendy Scott-Carr. Cary's friend and extremely capable private eye is a stay-at-home dad who basically mortgaged his career to take care of his daughter. It was honestly really sad to see someone with that kind of skill and potential completely wasted on child-rearing. It's what I've been lamenting about stay-at-home moms for ages. Even better, he's one of many stay-at-home dads whose wives have taken over as bread-winner. While it's extremely satisfying to see women escape the rigors of parenthood in the interest of fulfilling their potential, it's still sad to see anyone (in this case, men) falling into that trap. For all his blustering that he loves being a parent and that he and his cohorts are happy to let their more-successful wives bring home the bacon, you can see the underlying resentment deep down. For men who can't understand why women would want to work, take notice. You think raising kids isn't working? Not only is it work, but it's the worst work you can have. Politicos, engineers, businessmen, and other successful professionals giving up who they are and what they love to play paddy-cake? SAD. What's worse, with toddlers being the one and only focus in life, people end up going overboard and assuming that because they've got kids, they're somehow more important than the rest of the world. I spent half the episode feeling bad for this poor guy who threw his life away and the other half mentally berating him to the tune of, "Dude, no one cares about your kid. Except for you, because you have nothing else." I'm sure parenthood is a meaningful life-choice for some people, but seeing that romper room full of ex-professionals whose school and experience are going to waste was just plain dreary. This is why women want to work, fellas. There's more to life than juice boxes.

Scum is the Loneliest Number
While this episode was focused on Cary and the prosecution, there was still a hell of a lot going on with Alicia (you know, what with her being titular wife and all). One of the many things this show does well is making the characters multi-dimensional. Nothing is black and white and no one is invariably good or evil. I think just about every fan of this show has had a hard time with Peter. Season 1 was just so devastating for Alicia, her family, her image, her pride, and her identity. Peter's affair wasn't just an affair, it was near annihilation for his family. Aside from sleeping with hookers, and beyond marital betrayal, Peter is a politician and his infidelity dragged a whole lot of people through the mud and was an abject humiliation for Alicia. That's... not easy to forgive, to put it mildly. I've been steadfastly in the "why the hell doesn't she just leave that philandering, lying, corrupt, manipulative man whore of a husband" camp since the pilot, so redemption has been a hard sell for me. And Alicia. The Will/Alicia/Peter conundrum is probably the best written love triangle on the air and the writers go to great lengths to make the waters as murky as possible. Even though I adore Will and still wish Alicia would just leave Peter already, the writers have constructed the show in such a way that you can understand Alicia's decisions and sympathize with her reasoning. It really is far more complicated than a simple affair. To Peter's credit, he has spent the past season and a half striving for redemption. How genuine his efforts are, I'm still not sure. Heretofore, it's been unclear whether or not his motives are purely family-oriented or if they are politically motivated. It's essential for his career that his wife forgive him, so it's been difficult for me to accept that he truly wants his family back. Well, this week's episode gave Peter the chance to make a grand gesture in the right direction. By dumping his PAC funding, he essentially torpedoed his chances at winning the race, but it sent a very clear message to Alicia about his motives. Most. Expensive. Apology. Ever. Okay, maybe not ever, but in the world of the show, it was a big deal. So big in fact, that Alicia left the door open for their marriage, both literally and figuratively. I still wish she'd just get the hell out of that marriage already, but at least I can better understand her conflicting opinions. Maybe he wants his family back enough that he was willing to pay this much for it, but in the back of my mind, I think he just wants to get laid. This is Peter (apt name) we're talking about.

This post is already a tome, and yet I've only barely scratched the surface. All the delicious Eli Gold political maneuvers, seething rage and manipulation from Wendy Scott Carr, attempted extortion by Becca, mudslinging at candidates children during "silly season," and oh yeah, the A-plot case-of-the-week simply won't get their due. When it all boils down, watching this show is one of the richest, most intriguing, and satisfying hours of my week. It's far and away the best show on network TV and actually manages to hold its own against cable, even while being penned in by standards and practices. It's probably my favorite show right now and I'm actively giddy for each episode that comes down the pike.

Ridiculously long story short, if you haven't given this show a chance, you're truly missing out. The title may make it sound like a Lifetime made-for-TV movie, but it's light-years away from that. I honestly think the title is part of the reason the show's ratings aren't what they should be. Oh, and this show actually makes you think, which we all know people hate to do...

Trust me, it's the good kind of thinking, not the work-y kind of thinking. :)