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Registered: ‎12-22-2010

THE GOOD WIFE - "Going For The Gold" (S4/Ep15) - 03.03.2013

THE GOOD WIFE continually delivers, giving viewers more reasons to love it with each and every episode. The acting is outstanding. These actors form such a perfect ensemble. The writing is superb; deftly incorporating complex and often controversial legal and political issues, but always injecting an element of surprise and humour.

Who cannot adore Elsbeth Tascioni (Carrie Preston)? Sure she's obsessive compulsive and probably suffers from Asperger's Syndrome (a distaff MONK), but a more brilliant legal mind would be hard to find. As Eli Gold realized, she's definitely the one to have on your team.

TGW has some wonderful actors in guest starring arcs. It's great to see Kyle MacLachlan (AUSA Josh Parotti) back in a series after his stint on the short-lived MADE IN JERSEY. Parotti is besotted by Elsbeth. It'll be interesting to see how this relationship develops if both actors become series regulars. S. Epatha Merkerson (Judge Ellis) hasn't been seen regularly since the conclusion of LAW AND ORDER. T.R. Knight, formerly of GREY'S ANATOMY, is absolutely wonderful as Jordan Karahalios (shades of George Stephanopoulos in the 1992 Clinton campaign) the ambitious if not ethically ambivalent campaign director, determined to supplant Peter's veteran right-hand man, Eli Gold, hence the double-entendre title of the episode, and cement his place in Governor Florrick's inner circle. That was a touching phone call when after offering instant debate advice, Peter said gratefully, "I forgot how good you are at this. I really miss having you run the show, Eli." Seems like Jordan's going to be sent packing or demoted sooner rather than later.

As for Will and Alicia - after recuperating from their shared cold symptoms and vowing to keep their lips off one another, sparks were also flying between Will and ASA Laura Hellinger (Amanda Peet). It looks as if Alicia is trying to work on her marriage (again). That cute, flirty, "you mean a date?" scene on Peter's campaign bus gives one hope that maybe she's regained her senses.

Jackie! Jackie! Jackie! What a cunning, conniving, cranky old biddie. Peter's seemingly frail mother has selective memory of events and her "cognitive issues" resulting from the stroke manifest themselves at the most opportune times - for her. Apart from her deceptiveness, there are the style issues. She's wearing Chanel jackets with piping favored by that other famous Jackie during the 1960 Presidential campaign. Jackie Florrick fell in love with a headband and flip hair-do circa 1964 and never let go of either.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record: I DON'T TRUST CARY. That passive-aggressive, snarky remark to the other 4th Year Associates as Alicia entered, "Alicia's just been named our newest Equity Partner. Let's give her a hand." Yeah, right. The only hand he'd give her is a shove down an open elevator shaft, just like Rosalyn Shays in L.A. LAW. He's always skulking, scheming, watching, waiting, plotting and preparing to pounce. The perfect season-ending cliffhanger: Cary and Company stage a coup - or file suit - in a revenge attempt to destroy Lockhart Gardner.

I'm so glad that Lockhart Gardner is out of the running to handle civil cases for the State's Attorney's Office. The stated reason about the drug-dealer client was reason enough, but could you imagine the howls of nepotism from competing law firms had they gotten it? It was bad enough when Alicia was just an Associate and wife of the State's Attorney, but now that she's an Equity Partner and could soon be the Governor's wife, the competition and the media would've been all over this story.

Alicia's finding herself in an awkward position (thanks, Diane), having to supervise the very people who were her friends and peers only recently. That's a short-fused keg of dynamite just waiting for a match. It's not a matter of "if," but rather "when" it will explode and guaranteed, it won't be pretty.