The Good Wife: Mind's Eye
March 8, 2015 9:26 PM - Season 6, Episode 14 - Subscribe
A few hours before a big interview, Alicia's got laryngitis. And I can only assume she's tripping balls on some kind of cold medication even though they technically don't show it. Most of the episode shows Alicia having mental debates with her political team, fantasizing over hot dudes and missing Will (that made me tear up), and otherwise trying to figure out what to say if asked about Zach's abortion or Lemond Bishop's PAC money. Because apparently the latter got caught bragging on a wiretap that he just bought the next state's attorney. Ruh-roh!
Special guest star: Richard Dawkins, as Alicia fantasizes that if Grace gives up God, she'll get pregnant and start sniffing glue. But atheists can have ethics too, sez "Dawkins." Is this all about how Alicia seems to be losing hers? Well...yeah.... Other briefly seen guest stars: Finn and Will, wherever they are, in Alicia's mingled sexual fantasies. (Oh, and she is PLANNING on sleeping with Johnny. She's so sick of being a good girl.) Zach is fantasized about as a homeless bum and he just misses Alicia's call for real back in college. I think that "I'm out studying or sleeping it off" message just pisses her off every. time.
Other fantasy material involves arguing with religious figures, Peter sleeping with Kalinda, Eli/Johnny/Marissa etc. arguing about the campaign, and Frank Prady making sad pleading faces.
In other news, Grace is losing her faith in God and despite getting involved in another lawsuit against FAL,etc. (approximate recap of a phone conversation: Alicia says shouldn't you be spending your "last days" with your family instead of suing us? And Louis is all, can't I do both?), Louis Canning may be dying for real this time. Alicia makes darned sure she checks at the hospital and is the only "lawyer friend" who showed up. Double awkwardness ensues with Alicia getting a mis-text about Grace losing her faith and then Alicia (after being asked by Louis's wife to pray) asks Grace to do her praying for her instead.
Last lines of the episode as Alicia goes into The Interview:
"Your voice sounds better."
"I'm finding it."
And speaking of, I'm going to pimp the one hippie remedy I've ever had work for laryngitis: friar's balsam. Go find it on Amazon or something, so you don't end up croaking like poor Alicia for two days.
Special guest star: Richard Dawkins, as Alicia fantasizes that if Grace gives up God, she'll get pregnant and start sniffing glue. But atheists can have ethics too, sez "Dawkins." Is this all about how Alicia seems to be losing hers? Well...yeah.... Other briefly seen guest stars: Finn and Will, wherever they are, in Alicia's mingled sexual fantasies. (Oh, and she is PLANNING on sleeping with Johnny. She's so sick of being a good girl.) Zach is fantasized about as a homeless bum and he just misses Alicia's call for real back in college. I think that "I'm out studying or sleeping it off" message just pisses her off every. time.
Other fantasy material involves arguing with religious figures, Peter sleeping with Kalinda, Eli/Johnny/Marissa etc. arguing about the campaign, and Frank Prady making sad pleading faces.
In other news, Grace is losing her faith in God and despite getting involved in another lawsuit against FAL,etc. (approximate recap of a phone conversation: Alicia says shouldn't you be spending your "last days" with your family instead of suing us? And Louis is all, can't I do both?), Louis Canning may be dying for real this time. Alicia makes darned sure she checks at the hospital and is the only "lawyer friend" who showed up. Double awkwardness ensues with Alicia getting a mis-text about Grace losing her faith and then Alicia (after being asked by Louis's wife to pray) asks Grace to do her praying for her instead.
Last lines of the episode as Alicia goes into The Interview:
"Your voice sounds better."
"I'm finding it."
And speaking of, I'm going to pimp the one hippie remedy I've ever had work for laryngitis: friar's balsam. Go find it on Amazon or something, so you don't end up croaking like poor Alicia for two days.
It's all just fine, even a little boring. Still great but not at the long-sustained heights it was at for years.
I think it is because Alicia is designed to be opaque often reactive, and with Will gone, Kalinda not close to Alicia anymore, and Caning/Sweeny/Bishop occasional guest stars, her character arc has lost much of its force. That arc being, to me, her being a shark/alpha predator in development in college, sublimated it, was forced to drag it back to the surface and nurture it, and has spent the years on the show fighting/coming to terms with that aspect of herself. It is why she is always so simpatico and seemingly most comfortable with the other alpha predators of the show. Now only bouncing off of other types of people, her nature is beneath the waves so to speak, waiting for her to come into her own (which this episode points towards) or have an external force draw it forth.
posted by humans are superior! at 11:10 PM on March 8, 2015 [3 favorites]
I think it is because Alicia is designed to be opaque often reactive, and with Will gone, Kalinda not close to Alicia anymore, and Caning/Sweeny/Bishop occasional guest stars, her character arc has lost much of its force. That arc being, to me, her being a shark/alpha predator in development in college, sublimated it, was forced to drag it back to the surface and nurture it, and has spent the years on the show fighting/coming to terms with that aspect of herself. It is why she is always so simpatico and seemingly most comfortable with the other alpha predators of the show. Now only bouncing off of other types of people, her nature is beneath the waves so to speak, waiting for her to come into her own (which this episode points towards) or have an external force draw it forth.
posted by humans are superior! at 11:10 PM on March 8, 2015 [3 favorites]
I loved this debate-in-the-mind episode featuring lots of characters we haven't seen in awhile. (What, they couldn't squeeze in Jackie?) and yet I found the end depressing. She spent most of the episode trying to be honest with herself but in the end, she was gazing at her campaign manager like he's the new flavor of the month and buying his line re the bigger truth.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 12:23 AM on March 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by TWinbrook8 at 12:23 AM on March 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
This episode could have completely gone off the rails, and I actually thought it might a couple of times. Dramatically, plot-wise, it was maybe a little boring, but as a viewer, it was exciting to see if it was going to completely collapse under its own weight of its gimmick.
I feel the same way about Alicia, Grace, and religion. I don't know if I love those parts of the show, but I love that the show is trying those parts of the show.
The Peter/Kalinda stuff is great because it feels right and gave us confirmation of something that's been there for years: Just because Alicia and Kalinda can be civil (on the phone), it doesn't mean it's not something Alicia is thinking about every time they interact.
I also like that Marissa was basically the same inside Alicia's head as she is outside it. I also love her in both places. I hope that Sarah Steele is entertaining me for a very long time.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 6:28 AM on March 9, 2015
I feel the same way about Alicia, Grace, and religion. I don't know if I love those parts of the show, but I love that the show is trying those parts of the show.
The Peter/Kalinda stuff is great because it feels right and gave us confirmation of something that's been there for years: Just because Alicia and Kalinda can be civil (on the phone), it doesn't mean it's not something Alicia is thinking about every time they interact.
I also like that Marissa was basically the same inside Alicia's head as she is outside it. I also love her in both places. I hope that Sarah Steele is entertaining me for a very long time.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 6:28 AM on March 9, 2015
Did Julianna Margulies spoil the election results? (Don't say I didn't warn you it might be spoilery.)
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:10 AM on March 9, 2015
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:10 AM on March 9, 2015
Worst.Episode.Ever. So boring. Is there anything more boring than having someone recount their super weird dream to you? No. And that was what this episode was.
posted by unliteral at 3:50 PM on March 10, 2015
posted by unliteral at 3:50 PM on March 10, 2015
You know when you think about it the episode wasn't so different from "The Decision Tree" last year when Will is imagining cross-examining Alicia. And that was a fantastic entry. So why then was this so dull, as I agree it was?
The problem this year is that Alicia is so far removed from all the other characters and her storyline is pretty uninteresting. The Decision Tree was effective because it was so deeply rooted in emotion and pain and character relations. I don't care about the race. I don't know why she's running. I don't know how it impacts anything else on the show. I think she pretty much has to win to keep the show moving forward, and once that happens we might have some interesting interplay again. But as it is she's isolated and opaque even when we are literally treated to a full view of her thought processes, the other characters are floundering, and a once riveting show seems to be treading water every week.
With Will gone and Juliana Marguiles apparently unwilling to be on set with the soon to be departed Archie Panjabi, there's so little emotion or connections or soul left and it's really disappointing. I hate to complain about things I love, but there it is.
posted by yellowbinder at 10:44 PM on March 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
The problem this year is that Alicia is so far removed from all the other characters and her storyline is pretty uninteresting. The Decision Tree was effective because it was so deeply rooted in emotion and pain and character relations. I don't care about the race. I don't know why she's running. I don't know how it impacts anything else on the show. I think she pretty much has to win to keep the show moving forward, and once that happens we might have some interesting interplay again. But as it is she's isolated and opaque even when we are literally treated to a full view of her thought processes, the other characters are floundering, and a once riveting show seems to be treading water every week.
With Will gone and Juliana Marguiles apparently unwilling to be on set with the soon to be departed Archie Panjabi, there's so little emotion or connections or soul left and it's really disappointing. I hate to complain about things I love, but there it is.
posted by yellowbinder at 10:44 PM on March 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
Yep. Just gonna say it now...with this episode The Good Wife has jumped the shark.
posted by MyTwoCentsToo at 11:16 AM on March 11, 2015
posted by MyTwoCentsToo at 11:16 AM on March 11, 2015
The problem this year is that Alicia is so far removed from all the other characters and her storyline is pretty uninteresting.
It really is bizarre. Was Juliana Marguiles also filming a movie or something when these episodes were taped because it makes no sense for her character to be so detached from the rest of the show. I hope one day someone spills what really went down between her and Archie Panjabi. Right now JM is looking very prima donna-ish to me.
posted by fuse theorem at 7:05 PM on March 12, 2015
It really is bizarre. Was Juliana Marguiles also filming a movie or something when these episodes were taped because it makes no sense for her character to be so detached from the rest of the show. I hope one day someone spills what really went down between her and Archie Panjabi. Right now JM is looking very prima donna-ish to me.
posted by fuse theorem at 7:05 PM on March 12, 2015
"I mean, she did sleep with her husband!" is a reaction I continually have to stop myself from having when I hear rumors of a Juliana Marguiles/Archie Panjabi feud. Every. Single. Time.
Something I did like about this episode that I just remembered was when Richard Dawkins showed up, Alicia said in her head "Renowned atheist and the best-selling author of The God Delusion?" and nothing else; on one hand, it was a little way to clue in unfamiliar people in the audience, but it also worked for me as "Yes, Alicia would know who this is but also she would probably only know that much."
posted by MCMikeNamara at 12:40 PM on March 13, 2015 [1 favorite]
Something I did like about this episode that I just remembered was when Richard Dawkins showed up, Alicia said in her head "Renowned atheist and the best-selling author of The God Delusion?" and nothing else; on one hand, it was a little way to clue in unfamiliar people in the audience, but it also worked for me as "Yes, Alicia would know who this is but also she would probably only know that much."
posted by MCMikeNamara at 12:40 PM on March 13, 2015 [1 favorite]
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posted by yellowbinder at 10:36 PM on March 8, 2015