Just when you think you’re out, they pull you back in. Or at least that’s what Alicia thinks, as possible evidence of her fling with Will surfaces — months after the breakup. What’s worse, Peter may be on the prowl again.
Though Alicia wonders aloud if she’s cursed, we’re fortunate to be blessed with another strong Good Wife episode this week. We may even be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel that is rapidly becoming “the Kalinda problem.”
Key Evidence
Here’s what you need to know about this week’s episode, “Two Girls, One Code”:
Lockhart & Gardner — Internet Cases Are Our Specialty! Once again, Will and Diane take on the big boys of the Internet world, despite the problems this has caused in the past. This time, the case involves a pair of young women who believe a Google-like search engine company dumped their voice-recognition software out of the top search rankings, ultimately driving them into bankruptcy.
Will and Diane won’t accept the measly offer from company owner Neil Gross (a returning John Benjamin Hickey) and his attorney, Viola Walsh (Rita Wilson, also returning). And rightfully so: it turns out Gross had secretly bought a competitor to their software, and then had his search engine algorithm “tweaked” to favor his new company. Just when it seems that L&G will score a huge payday, they’re outfoxed. Gross hires the young women outright, so they cancel their suit. Since Will works on contingency, all the firm gets is a nice thank you. But manners don’t pay the bills, ladies.
Is Peter At It Again? Eli has a possible scandal on his hands — a reporter claims to have a hotel receipt that shows a Florrick may be involved in some extramarital. But which Florrick, exactly? Alicia admits to Eli she had a relationship with Will, but it’s over now, and she can’t be sure where they were on the night in question. Turns out the evidence points to Peter. While Alicia and Will won’t be the subjects of a tell-all magazine article, she’s crushed to think her husband may be up to his cheatin’ ways again. She confronts Peter, who denies everything, so she hits him where it hurts the most — by saying she doesn’t give a damn anymore.
Before the reporter can go public with her story — claiming Peter had an affair with a campaign worker — the truth comes out. Kalinda does some investigating and learns the girl is lying through her teeth. She not only claims to have slept with Peter, but also says Alicia was in favor of it, open-marriage style. When Eli explains the lie to Alicia, she bursts out laughing. And then she goes to find her husband. Her apology consists of a hot, lingering kiss. Maybe there’s no curse after all.
Fifty Shades of Kalinda, Part 3. The Nick and Kalinda story drags on. (Come on, aren’t you glad to see her back on the job trying to get the truth from the campaign hussy?) Things take an interesting turn this week, however. After another we’ve-seen-it-already encounter in the kitchen involving eggs and knives (don’t ask!), Kalinda later ends up in bed with FBI Agent Lana Delaney (Royal Pains’ Jill Flint). Nick follows Kalinda to scope out the competition and is surprised to discover she’s seeing a woman. When he confronts Kalinda about Lana, he makes the mistake of calling her a dyke, which gets him a knockout punch in the face.
Later, Nick insists she end it with Lana now, adding that he knows where “your girlfriend” lives. (Subtlety isn’t Nick’s strong suit.) Kalinda calmly informs him that her girlfriend is actually a federal agent. “So good luck with that,” she says.
Star Witnesses
It was another old-home week on The Good Wife, to excellent effect. Old nemeses Gross and Walsh help remind us how L&G got into financial trouble in the first place — during the cases involving Patrick Edelstein, the big client whose defection brought them down. Even better is Dominic Chianese (Uncle Junior on The Sopranos) as a tech-savvy judge who doesn’t appreciate attorney Walsh’s condescending courtroom behavior. Who knew that Junior understood how search engine algorithms work?
We’re finally getting somewhere with Nathan Lane’s Clarke Hayden, too. The bankruptcy trustee is a wily one — first angering Diane by appearing to side with Viola Walsh, then angering Walsh by unequivocally siding with the firm. Too bad his wheeling and dealing couldn’t prevent Gross from walking away the winner.
And though I’d still like a good Hayden-Gold moment, I’m relieved to see more Eli this week. Better still, it’s vintage Eli, working on Peter’s campaign. As much as I love the guy, I got tired of the awkward “I’m a political consultant so I hang around the law offices” Eli we got so much of last year. (But more Cary, please!)
Summary Judgment
With Will back in court, the cases on TGW are really cooking. As with all the Internet-themed cases, this one didn’t disappoint — from the feisty judge to Will’s gleeful smirking when Viola tried to prove a search engine company has the same first-amendment rights as a newspaper. I really hope L&G digs out of its financial hole soon; I want them to keep fighting the good fight.
I also loved watching Alicia squirm while deciding how much to tell Eli about l’affaire Gardner, followed by her Rhett Butler moment with Peter. Especially because we know she does give a damn about him, as that kiss very clearly showed.
Best of all, maybe we’re coming to the end of the twisted tale of Kalinda and Nick. (Two words: restraining order.) Though it wasn’t very nice of our gal to pull lovelorn Agent Lana back into the picture just to scare Nick off, sometimes a woman’s gotta do what she’s gotta do. Especially when her ex-con husband is a psychopath.
In the tradition of all good serialized dramas, we’re left with some important questions: will scandal — even a bogus one — bring down Peter’s political ambition? Will Kalinda finally figure out a way to get her life back? And will Lockhart & Gardner make enough money to stop renting out their conference room to crazy people?
(Image courtesy of CBS)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
