Monday, November 7, 2011
The Televangelist / Recap City / Television The Televangelist: 'The Good Wife,' Season 3, Ep. 7
Posted by Allison Keene @keeneTV on Mon, Nov 7, 2011 at 10:00 AM
- CBS
- ... Crazy good
Without doubt, "Executive Order 13224" has been the best episode of this season so far. It was action-packed yet full of subtle looks and building tensions. How often can a show mix in the U.S. Department of the Treasury, torture, 9-11, corporate rights, drugs, Homeland Security, sexual harassment, racial profiling and the deliciousness of Red Velvet cake all in one splendidly woven episode and not be "The Wire"? "The Good Wife" has cribbed many an actor from my favorite show, and I'm thrilled to see it stealing some of its narrative finesse.
Where to begin with the complexities? Forget it, I'll just start with Glenn Childs, only because I clapped when I saw him appear onscreen. From "Deadwood" to "Lost" (and about 45 small film and TV roles before, after and in between), Titus Welliver has always been a scene-stealer, and his portrayal of Childs (though subdued this season) is no exception. But I can't imagine why he would have returned this week except to remind us of him - and that he's still working for the government as an AUSA - for when Peter presumably assigns him as the Special Prosecutor to aid Cary and Dana with their case against Lockhart Gardner (mostly against Will Gardner and the firm's drug-slinging Stringer Bell-type client Lamont Bishop, that is). "Executive Order" had quite a few nice cameo turns, from Carrie Preston's fantastic return as Elsbeth Tascioni (and the ensuing hilarity) to Bob Balaban as the dessert-loving Treasury monitor. As I've said in the past, of the many things "The Good Wife" does well, casting may well be paramount.
On the personal affairs front, the love-triangle intrigue seems to finally have direction. When Peter recognizes the affair, he sets his dogs on the firm. When Diane confirms what she has likely long suspected but inwardly denied, she passive aggressively confronts Will and is icy cold towards Alicia. Remember that the firm is Diane's life and life work. She will always choose the firm and what is best for business over relationships within, if those relationships try to crumble the empire she worked so hard to erect. Will and Alicia's affair could cause and avalanche of woes for Diane, and she's right to feel betrayed and angry over it. Finally, even Grace (who many fans would like reduced to a non-speaking role, although honestly I'm not one of them) suggests to Peter, though not Alicia, that divorce is not the answer. And what I wouldn't give to know what it was that Peter thought of that caused that light bulb to flicker on so brightly after Grace said this and he bounded out of his office!
One thing I will give to the writers is that the love triangle is not too black and white. Will is not a great guy, and Peter isn't all bad. Will's trajectory this season is embodied by his actions on the courthouse steps. He's been petulant and reactionary, and in many ways difficult to like. Like many characters and relationships on this show, people tend to be in one camp or another, and that colors one's opinions of the action. I've said before that my favorite characters are, in no particular order, Eli, Diane, Glenn Childs, Cary, David Lee and Season 1 Kalinda. I don't mind even mind Peter. I know, I know - this puts me in the absolute minority. Which is why I appreciate when you guys comment on why I should cut Alicia some slack, etc. What about Will? Am I judging him too harshly? Is he just suffering from a broken heart? Give me some perspective here, people!
The COTW wasn't particularly revolutionary or even all that interesting (though did anyone else think that the defendant might actually end up having terrorist ties?), but it did give cause for some great quips and serious commentary on what Diane refers to as "a strange new post 9-11 world [where] none of the old rules apply." Kudos again to the writers for not making it all about the very worst parts of the Patriot Act - as Will counters, saying he was in D.C. on 9-11, these measures were put into place for our safety. Did some of them go too far? Absolutely, but it deserves to be treated as a complex issue, and I think it was handled with due reverence.
In summary, probably the best episode of the season so far - complex, interesting, engaging. If this is where the show is headed to finish out the year, I will start actively looking forward to it again instead of categorizing it under "another show to keep up with, why not?"
Musings and Miscellanea:
— Oh the little flag pens …
— I wish they had used a different noise for the redacted conversations than the censorship beep. It made everything they said sound filthy! I was reminded of this gem from "Arrested Development."
— Danny: "That's me but … I was thinner then." Judge Ferns: "We all were."
— Cary: "You're like one of those moms who lie about being pregnant." Dana: "Does that happen a lot in your world?"
— "Deputy State's Attorney! Well … Peter Florrick had better watch his salt intake." - Will
— "Ooooh, your voice gets really intense when you go quiet … it rattles me." - Elsbeth
— Maybe it's because I was born and raised in the Bible Belt, but I always think it's funny how the adults are always against Grace going to Bible Study like it's some kind of a dubstep rave.
— So we'll be seeing more of Dana. Will this interfere with the Cary-Kalinda romance? I hope so, frankly.
— That sexual harassment video was such a dead-on representation of mandatory workplace training, the music particularly!
Comments (1)
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"Maybe it's because I was born and raised in the Bible Belt, but I always think it's funny how the adults are always against Grace going to Bible Study like it's some kind of a dubstep rave."
Same here! I'm waiting for them to explain their hesitation about it, but they might not. Other than not being religious themselves, it is as if they fear for her personal safety b/c of the content.
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