The Good Wife Review: Bleeding Out

Would you sell your soul to feed your family?

This week on The Good Wife, the competition for junior associate ends, and Alicia must decide if she will sell her principles to provide for her family. Also, an aging rock star’s wife and mistress fight over his right to life.

We begin this week at Lockhart and Gardiner where Diane and Will, of the cash-strapped firm, are talking more cuts. In a bid to trim more fat, Diane says they need to choose a junior associate; Will or Alicia. They want to keep the decision to choose quiet but, unfortunately for them Alicia’s assistant overhears.

After a couple of attempts to tell a preoccupied Alicia, Carey offers an open ear.

One of Alicia’s distractions this week is Eli Gold, who is trying to get Alicia to back Peter’s campaign. It turns out Peter was serious about not running without Alicia’s support, so Eli comes in to encourage her to do so. Alicia does not deny Eli, although she does refuse to be a public presence in the campaign. No pictures of her or the children should be in the campaign.

This week Alicia is working with divorce lawyer David Lee. Their client is Carol Ann Wilder, married to rocker Max Wilder who is trading her in for a younger model, girlfriend Shana. The dealings are complicated by a prenup. Carol Ann is not happy with the settlement but Max and his lawyer aren’t budging. That is until Kallinda discovers that Max and Shana have planned a weekend wedding. Playing hard to get, David and Alicia hesitate over the settlement and tells a distressed Max they’ll need time to think it over… perhaps the weekend? This ups the settlement to an acceptable $300,000. But before everything gets settled, Max falls into a coma. Hearing this David Lee tears the last signed page of the agreement and objects to the divorce. As long as Max is in a coma Carol Ann is worth 20 million.

Back at the firm Carey is making strong moves to get people with power on his side as he butters up senior associates in his favor. When Will and Diane ask him to join the Wilder case, he eagerly agrees.

Kallinda finally tells Alicia that Will and Diane will soon make a decision for junior partner. Probing on Alicia’s standing with Will, Kallinda encourages Alicia to put her head in the game and do whatever it takes to make sure she wins. Alicia talks to Diane in hopes of learning where she stands. Although Alicia does well, Carey can offer a lot more in terms of billable hours. But he doesn’t have what Alicia does, her name and connections.

After talking with Alicia, Kallinda sees Detective Anthony Burton sitting at the bar watching her. You know; the guy who has a crush on her. Well, he finally makes his move. At first resistant and uninterested at hearing his life story, Kallinda walks away. But then she gives in and kisses him. I heartily agree and am pleased with this. How could you not fall for a guy who drove 300 miles at the thought of you…? Later, he catches up with Kallinda after she has failed to return his calls. He whispers something to her that makes her stutter with her eyes. I love this guy.

On the case, it turns out Max was poisoned by his manager. A settlement is reached in which, Shana, the mistress, gets $1 million a year and Carol, his wife, gets the rest of Max’s estate.

At home, Alicia is crying while going over the household bills. Turns out they’re strapped for cash. This is the first time we really see how much Alicia needs this job. This isn’t just a competition for her; this is her family’s survival.

In a rare move, Alicia meets Eli at his office. She wonders if some of his clients want to change law firms. Seeing Alicia distraught, Eli promises to ask. On decision day, Eli is meeting with Diane and Will. Eli, himself, is changing firms. On his way out Eli informs Alicia that now they have to talk about her husband’s campaign. It’s a double-edged sword. She’s junior associate, but now she’s also a political wife again.

Next week: Carey joins up with Glenn Childs to bring down the Flourics.

Season 1, Episode 21: Unplugged (originally aired May 11, 2010)

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Tuesday at 10/9c on CBS

Photos courtesy of CBS and David M. Russell.