Before I begin this week’s review, let’s take a moment to have virtual hug.
Our beloved show is coming to an end and “Monday” was the first of the final nine episodes. Even though I believe deep down in the heart of my DVR that it is time for the show to end (here Alicia is right back where she started), I’m still going to miss the drama so much. Even on its worst days (I’m talking to you Kalinda’s ex-husband), The Good Wife was still far superior to almost everything else on television.
How will the show end? That’s a mystery but I did talk to series creators Robert and Michelle King last week to get some insight about the show’s farewell. My dream is that the series ends with Alicia divorcing Peter and deciding to run for Senate (or maybe Governor?). Eli gets the ultimate revenge on Peter totally abandoning him and helping Alicia eclipse his career. I’m also kind of thinking the series ends with Peter back in jail. We know he’s still up to no good.
My hopes and dreams seem to be on track in “Monday.” The FBI is investigating Peter using Marissa as a way in. The not-so-charming FBI agent Roland Hlavin is back posing as college student who loves the juice bar where Marissa works. Of course Marissa is too smart for this and tapes their conversation. “Now I get why people have children. They can admire themselves in somebody else,” Eli says proudly.
Ruth returns because she’s been subpoenaed. When she realizes the Feds are after Peter, she pays Alicia a visit advising her to leave Peter and “cash out while you still can.” Hmmm… maybe Ruth can help Alicia run her future campaign?
Alicia and Lucca join Lockhart, Agos and Lee. Alicia is once again relegated to the 27th floor, but she gets the biggest office, even if she’s stuck with a busted chair. Diane reminds Alicia who is in charge by taking Lucca off the case with Alicia and assigning her grunt work. During a tense tete-a-tete between Alicia and Diane, Diane gets a few digs in at Alicia about her time in bond court. Lucca, for her part, isn’t used to having to listen to anybody.
The Kings promised we would see a lot of familiar faces in these final episodes and the greatest hit parade has begun. The case involved Howell, the firms’ technology guru who we haven’t seen since he hacked into police records to help Kalinda (and Cary) last season. Howell has gone to a big technology conference and his girlfriend found the new ChumHum tablet, which won’t be released for another two months. Howell is arrested by a special branch of the government tasked with investigating technology crimes. The case brings back ChumHum CEO Neil Gross (John Benjamin Hickey) who has been a huge part of the series. You could tell the show just wanted one last hurrah with Gross (and Hickey) because his larger-than-life character didn’t have that much to do this time around.
The episode also exposed the casual racism that is so prevalent in our society and corporate America. Both Diane and Cary make a point of telling Lucca that they have to introduce her to Monica, the other African-American associate at the firm. Never mind that Lucca and Monica already met when they both worked on the opposite sides of the same case or that, you know, just because they’re both African-American doesn’t mean they’ll instantly be best friends . “Yes let’s share about our common experiences,” Lucca says to Monica when they meet again. My favorite line comes later when she asks Monica, “Know any spirituals?” I like this plot point because it is so blatantly racist, but neither Cary nor Diane are even aware that they are being racist. My only quibble remains the questions of whether or not Cary truly woulndn’t understand how racist he is being. Has becoming a name partner gone to his head?
Next week Carrie Preston returns as Elsbeth Tascioni (hooray!). These final episodes will be bittersweet, but I can’t wait to see them.
Stray Observations:
You may have already figured this out but John Magaro, who plays the FBI agent, also plays Lorna’s husband Vince on Orange is the New Black.
The Kings haven’t ruled out a spin-off series. My top picks for a spin-off are Elsbeth and/or Marissa. How about you?
I haven’t always been a fan, but I kind of loved the Alicia/Jason flirting this week, especially her teasing him about his beard.
“Tell him to buy juice at the 7/11 like normal people.”
The judge being obsessed with the bugs in his courtroom was classic The Good Wife.
I never thought Lucca was that strange a name, but still nice to know where it came from.
Amy Amatangelo is a Boston-based freelance writer, a member of the Television Critics Association and a regular contributor to Paste. She wasn’t allowed to watch much TV as a child and now her parents have to live with this as her career. You can follow her on Twitter or her blog.