The Good Wife: Discussion Thread

[YRBB]

I have to start season 5 soon and hopefully eventually catch up to the current episodes.

MAJOR character departing after this season....

[London]

I don't think you really need spoiler tags. It's just news and I'm so sad she's leaving. I do believe more and more that JM has issues with her. I get that it isn't realistic to talk to someone after a revelation that we had early on in the series but all television shows are not meant to be taken as the gospel. Plus, she had remorse for what she did unlike her husband and I thought if anyone could overcome something they didn't see as "unrealistic" it was this show.

It was crazy that they haven't shared a scene in 30+ episodes... people actually count that.

But I am happy for her and plus she has her UK series kicking off next month so she'll be fine. I just hope she is given a proper send off.

[BetterForgotten]

I'm more of a casual viewer, but it's really quite hilarious how Punjabi and Margulies never shares scenes and when their character do, it's always on the phone these days. I didn't want to believe it, but more and more it looks like the rumours of them disliking one another is seeming more true than ever.

It's just so suspicious than whenever Kalinda is in the office, Alicia is never there, or the fact Kalinda is doing 90% of her work on the phone for Cary's case.

[JaneAusten]

Not sure if anyone here is still watching. I have enjoyed some of the season. Cary's arc and getting a chance to be center in a story was enjoyable. He's always been one of my favorites but the entire State's Attorney race has been a big disappointment, and that has taken up so much of the season, particularly the second half.

The episode last night just sort of continued to highlight my own disappointment with the season. Don't get me wrong, the acting on the show continues to be first rate, particularly the scenes last night with Diane and Alicia and Peter and Alicia. But it felt like they shoved what should have covered 3 episodes into one. Alicia stepping down and her disgrace, Bishop arrested, and Kalinda being discovered and departing.

By far the most disappointing to me has been how Kalinda has been handled. I have enjoyed that she's gotten more focus this season but the fact that she's was relegated to the Bishop storyline was disappointing and her departure with the moments in Alicia's apartment felt false, mostly because Kalinda and Alicia have not had any kind of relationship in so long, so trying to milk that didn't work for me. And for a character that started out with so much promise and complexity, I felt the Kings actually did her a disservice. I was pressed to buy the fact that Marguiles and Archie had some sort of falling out that caused the lack of them working at all together in the last few seasons, but it seems that might have been the case and if so, shame on Marguiles because Alicia's relationship with Kalinda was one of the few genuine relationship's that Alicia had.

What I still actually do enjoy is Peter and Alicia's relationship. It's very Clintonesqe and I do think there is some level of love and mutual respect but they obviously have a relationship where they use each other for their own benefit. I did really like the scene towards the end with Peter and Alicia, with him talking to her about what she should do next. He's right, he's been down that path himself and managed to pick himself up and move on successfully.

On a side note, I think the biggest problem with the State's Attorney storyline is that they spent far too much time on it(although I loved David Hyde Pierce) without really understand WHY Alicia wanted the job.

Anyway my thoughts for what it's worth.

[BetterForgotten]

Kalinda's farewell really felt slapped together, but at least she didn't die for some shocking moment and got to leave with her sense of humour in tact. Too bad all the potential from season 1 for this character was never realized. I blame the King's and Margulies (I do now believe there was friction between her and Punjabi) for that.

I wonder if season 7 will be the last, and in a way, I won't be sad if it is. Season 6 kind of felt like they were running out of steam by the end...

[JaneAusten]

Yeah I am happy they didn't kill off Kalinda because while I thought killing off Will would have really shaken things up and changed a lot of dynamics between the characters, what it did was push Alicia to the center of the show and honestly I discovered that I might be interested in her but I don't really like her much. Sidelining someone like Diane/Christine Baranski most of the season was also a disappointment and I love Cary but what on earth happened to him the second half of this season. And Finn was another character wasted. Then Canning showing up at Alicia's door at the end of season 6 was so reminiscent of Cary showing up at her door at the end of season 4, except that was a welcome surprise, Canning is good in small doses but I am not really that interested in he and Alicia teaming up.

That final scene with Kalinda and Alicia was unsatisfying. Even if it was pieced together using CGI or whatever, after how many seasons of not interacting it just felt false. I am disappointed in the Kings for such a lackluster season, particularly the second half, and Marguiles if indeed she really was the one who was a factor in getting Archie/Kalinda sidelined after the first few seasons. I'm still invested but here is hoping next season they rebound.

One positive this season. I loved David Hyde Pierce's character and the dynamic with he and Alicia. It's just so disappointing how that whole storyline ended. Very lackluster.

[Toups]

I feel like the show is running out of steam too. I just didn't find most of this season to be all that interesting and that Alicia running for SA was a waste of time since she didn't win. And now we're back to Alicia building up her own firm.....we just saw that a few seasons ago. I think this season was the first time the Kings had another show in development, so maybe that's why this season wasn't that great. It's not a good sign when the show's creator(s/showrunners are concentrating on more than one thing. Not everonye can handle multiple projects.

[KMan101]

Was Margulies jealous of the attention Archie Panjabi was getting? She was a side role that just blossomed and received a lot of good buzz. I'm disappointed in Margulies if that's true. I'm not surprised either because Hollywood/show business breeds insecurity and fans those flames any chance they get.

I still love the show but never seem to keep up with it. I really want to start from the beginning and work my way through. It's such a solid show but it's clear there's been a few missteps.

[Toups]

Why would JM be jealous? She's the lead, won multiple awards, and the show is centered around her character. It's not like Archie/Kalinda was going to become a big thing on the show.

[BetterForgotten]

There's been widespread speculation that the two haven't gotten along for years, and neither have confirmed or denied it, so it continues. The speculation was that Margulies was not happy that Archie/Kalinda became a cult favourite during season 1 (the character wasn't even supposed to be a on the show past the first episode, but she tested extremely well with test audiences so they kept her) and things further deteriorated when Archie won an Emmy after the first season. From then on, the theory goes, Margulies did all she could have have the character isolated from the show.

It is extremely suspect they didn't share any scenes together during the last few seasons, and when the characters did interact, it was always on the phone. Not to mention, the CGI theory out there about Kalinda and Alicia's last scene together. Yes, Alicia and Kalinda's friendship was broken - but the fact the characters were no longer in the same room together, even in passing, for so long just added fuel to the speculation

Christine Baranski knows all too well what it's like to have the star of the show dislike you because you've become a fan favorite and acclaimed - she experienced the same from Cybill Shepherd on Cybil. So, sometimes you can be the star and win awards, but that doesn't stop you from being jealous and being unprofessional.

Do ‘Good Wife’ stars Julianna Margulies and Archie Panjabi hate each other? Inside the Alicia-Kalinda conspiracy.

[Soapsuds]

It's Linda Lavin all over again with Flo and Belle…LOL

[slick jones]

Belle? Yikes...I get Flo, but Belle...never liked her...Iliked Vera

This season's election dragged wayyyyyyyy too long...It took a lot out of the season...Calinda/Alicia friendship turned cold and never warmed back up. There was enough story for both...

[Soapsuds]

Yeah supposedly Flo warned Belle about Linda before she left the show….LOL….

[wingwalker]

I'll just leave this here:

http://tvline.com/2015/05/15/good-wife-alicia-kalinda-finale-scene-julianna-margulies-archie-panjabi/

[Toups]

I think the "jealous" rumour comes from Archie/Kalinda fans but it makes no sense for JM to be jealous. For a couple of years, JM was winning so many awards (Golden Globes, SAGs, Emmys) and Archie only won one. JM is an awards darling. Kalinda never took over the show, so JM couldn't have been jealous of screen time. Archie's never did anything big outside of show, so JM couldn't have been jealous about that.

I wonder what the issue was between the two because it must've been huge for them to not want to be in scenes together. Maybe something scandalous like an affair? LOL