CBS' The Good Wife - Episode 5.21 "The One Percent"
Alicia manages the fallout when her client's insensitive statements to the press threaten the fate of a multi-billion dollar merger. Meanwhile, Diane faces a potential conflict of interest when she and Louis Canning are on opposite sides of a class action suit involving a pharmaceutical company. Also, Eli learns the truth about Alicia and Peter's relationship.
"Do you need anything?"That's the final line in "The One Percent" - the penultimate episode of The Good Wife's fifth season. Every character spends this hour needing something whether it is answers or simply asking for something. Alicia and Cary are questioning whether or not a jury will go their way on their latest case. Eli wants to know what's up with Peter and Alicia. Diane wants to know what everyone else is up to at her firm. Peter needs some lovin'. Some of those needs are neatly resolved throughout the episode. Alicia and Cary are able to settle the case with Louis. Eli learns the truth about Peter and Alicia - and he's not happy with it. And then others are left explosively complicated. Diane is angry how the whole situation with Rayna turned out. She thinks Alicia and Cary are to blame and goes over to their firm to let them have it. She's angry Diane and angry Diane is so enjoyable to watch. Turns out, though, it was Louis who foiled her plans. Her own firm is fighting against her. How is a business divided a successful business? Simply put, it's not. And now, the fire is burning even stronger in Diane. The show is setting up an explosive confrontation in next week's finale. One that's bound to shakeup the show and I can't wait.
This episode is largely a pleasant and charming hour but it's not a completely necessary hour. So much of the running time is devoted to the intricacies of the legal cases. They did intersect in interesting ways. Louis and Diane had that conflict of interest which sets Diane on that path all by herself - well, Kalinda's at her side too, but she's soooo quiet. But Louis representing that other company is ultimately what did him in during his case with Alicia. That's a well structured and simple story. Additionally, there were several moments that proved that The Good Wife is one of the best intentionally funny dramas on TV - Louis reacting to Kalinda, Louis and Alicia saying opposite things at their computers (Hmmm, maybe I just enjoy Michael J. Fox reacting to things?)
But ultimately do we care enough about Peter's internal struggle in the aftermath of his split with Alicia? It's fun watching him throw two drinks in the State's Attorney's face. But seeing him flirt with another cute young intern is ground the show has covered plenty throughout its run. It's simply not interesting or tense anymore. It's interesting that his desktop image is Alicia. But dangling the intern in front of him is suppose to create a conflict that just feels manufactured and inorganic. And I don't even root for Alicia and Peter to reunite. I'm all for Alicia as an independent woman facing the world as the head of her own law firm. But then again, that also leads to great scenes with Eli when he's says that Peter and Alicia are his family and life. So it somewhat balances out.
Some more thoughts:
- "The One Percent" was written by Ted Humphrey and directed by Rosemary Rodriguez.
- Every week it seems like Matthew Goode is sporting a new hairstyle.
- Doesn't it feel like over the course of the show, all of the characters have aged five years except Zach and Grace? Zach is just now graduating high school! Wasn't he like a junior in the pilot? But then, who's really looking at the kids for logical consistency.
- Rayna is leaving her firm with Elsbeth because it's too much for her? Ummm, how can there be too much Elsbeth?
- It's also awkward whenever the show tries saying that Alicia is racist. They did that in the Colin Sweeney episode a few weeks ago and again tonight with her two interviewers.
- Where's Robin been? It feels like it's been awhile since we last saw her?
- Louis: "Boo."
