Before we get started on one of the best episodes I’ve experienced in my 29 years on this Earth, allow me to reintroduce myself. Our amazing Good Wife writer Amy Amatangelo asked that I pinch-hit for her temporarily. I’m a big fan of Amatangelo’s work, and I’ll try to do her justice.
This episode is proof that The Good Wife is one of the best shows—in terms of plot, cast, and pretty much everything else—on television. Someone took to Twitter last night to ask if the show can be submitted in both the Drama and Comedy categories for next year’s Emmys. An appropriate question because, during “Oppo Research” you likely laughed as much as you cried/shook your head in wonder and fear.
Let’s talk about the new guy in town. Steven Pasquale (Rescue Me, Do No Harm) shows up as Johnny Elfman, Alicia’s would-be campaign manager, and it’s perfect—he’s perfect. Eli has done that thing he’s so great at doing—where he convinces each member of a party that the other person really, really wants to meet them. Johnny and Alicia both walk into this not planning on meeting each other, and then—once Eli hits them with the surprise—not planning on liking each other either. Of course, they’re both cut from the same suspicious, unimpressed cloth and it is amazing watching the two cut each other down (and, eventually, become somewhat impressed).
I cannot stress enough how incredible this opening scene was. Alicia waiting for Eli plays like a stay-at-home Mom setting up for an epic playdate with her child’s Montessori pre-school friend (trust me, I’ve been there)—so much wine and cheese, and more wine, and then that hilarious TV drama she loves playing in the background (and her frustration when they reveal those crucial spoilers during the after-show). This is important because Johnny handles her as if she’s “just” a silly little Mom who got bored one day and decided to run for State’s Attorney. The fantastic cheese spread (yes, I’m going to keep bringing that up), and then Grace’s hilariously mistimed choir practice all work to support this image he has of Alicia in his head (not to mention her reputation as The Good Wife who stood by her man). What completely demolishes this image, or at least, complicates it? Alicia’s explanation of her choice to be a lawyer.
She did not want to “help” people, or right the wrongs of the world. Instead she answers, unblinkingly with that straightforward face only Julianna Margulies can pull off: “I like clarity. I like rules that tell me what’s right and wrong.” BOOM. Put that on your cheese spread, Johnny boy.
And we haven’t even gotten to the good stuff yet! Alicia dives into The Matrix, and swallows the red pill, AKA the opposition research. Couple of things we learn. First? Zach had an abortion with Neesa.
I’ll give you a minute to re-process that.
Zach. Had an abortion. With Neesa.
Meanwhile, Alicia’s brother is sleeping with a married Palestinian man… who also goes by the name Phil… but only when he’s doing bare-backed gay porn. You’re not going to get me to Google “bare-backed gay porn.” Not today, anyway. Also, Alicia’s mom sometimes spanks badly-behaved kids in department stores because, of course she does. Oh, and Kalinda did whaaaat?! Not ready to process that yet.
So let’s return to Zach’s abortion. The phrasing here is important. Alicia calls Peter—and she is reeling—and says, “Did you know our son had an abortion?” Peter and Eli then use similar language. They never say, “Zach’s ex-girlfriend had an abortion,” or “Zach took Neesa to get an abortion.” It’s Zach’s abortion. Between this, Gloria Steinem as [a] god last week, and so many other things going on in The Good Wife, CBS has its own brilliant, feminist movement happening right now. I’m in.
I was devastated when this meeting ended, because I could have watched Alicia, Eli, and Johnny go over oppo research all night (it was like Polanski’s Carnage, and those other rare works of art where all of the action takes place in one room, and it’s still exquisite). As the episode progresses we see Alicia making more definitive moves towards a campaign. She speaks with her mother and brother (I appreciated that Owen just walked out on her), and she attempts to drop Bishop as a client. Mike Colter is incredible—especially because he hinted at none of this awesome storyline when he spoke with Paste recently. At first, I was afraid we’d seen the last of him, but if he’s going to be secretly funding Alicia’s campaign, perhaps we can look forward to more.
By the end of the episode, Alicia is very clear on her intentions. There is victory in that clarity, but we also see that she is heartbroken. Her son, her Good Son who didn’t smoke pot or have sex, or have abortions—that son lied to her. The way Alicia flashes back to those images of Zach—all of those moments that she’d clearly put out of her mind (like catching him and Neesa)—come rushing back to her, and it’s painful. When she says, “Have fun in college Zach,” her voice is dripping with the irony Eli warned her against. She is over her kid right now, and she is furious that while he seemingly had an abortion and then went off to college to have fun, her motherhood and livelihood will be called into question. She makes the plan to lie about the event when she runs—to say that she was involved in the decision, and talked it over with her son (and, especially, urged him to keep the baby). This plan is also a new side we’re seeing to Alicia. She wants to win. She’ll lie to do it.
I have no real critiques for this episode. It was, in my opinion, perfect. But I also may be blinded by the brilliance of that opening scene. And all of the other scenes. And as a fan of Scandal—who also struggles with the sheer ridiculousness of that show—I really appreciate a series that can bring the drama, without losing its footing in realism.
Stray Observations:
Eli’s hair looked amazing.
It’s time to play Who Should Alicia Start Hooking Up With? Finn (who may have totally, definitely been behind that non-DUI), or Johnny (her would-be campaign manager and OMG wouldn’t that cause some drama)? I pick Johnny. Thanks, writers.
Speaking of Johnny, and how hot he is, I love how Peter was inquiring about Johnny’s looks and the non-existent scar from his motorcycle accident. Oh yeah, Peter. Be afraid, be very afraid.
Actually, Peter appears to have his own entangelments popping off, yet again. Happy to see Connie Nielsen from Law & Order: SVU, but nervous to see where this is going.
“I should’ve spanked you, ya bitch.” Alicia’s mom, Veronica, FTW.
Hallelujia! Grace Florrick was nowhere to be found in the opp research!
Best Quote of the Episode: “Christianity 3, Atheism 0.”
Shannon M. Houston is Assistant TV Editor at Paste, and a New York-based freelance writer with probably more babies than you. You can follow her on Twitter.