Note: Do not read on if you have not yet seen the Season 5 premiere of CBS' "The Good Wife," titled "Everything Is Ending."
"it's kind of weird. Everything is ending." - Alicia
"Beginning too." - Cary
It's the beginning of the end of "The Good Wife" as we know it. Season 5 of "The Good Wife" kicked off right where Season 4 left off with Alicia still at her front door, face-to-face with Cary discussing Agos/Florrick & Associates. Sorry, Florrick/Agos and Associates. The two of them have one foot out the door, but it's not exactly going as smoothly as they hoped. Alicia and Cary started butting heads already and Diane Lockhart and Will Gardner are definitely onto the plans. But first, let's discuss the main case.
"The Good Wife" is at its finest when the team is firing on all cylinders and working toward one common goal, in this case stopping a death row inmate's execution. The executioners had trouble finding a vein to do the lethal injection -- more than once -- which led Diane to claim the client's 8th Amendment's rights were being violated. The firm raced against the clock (and "Third Watch's" Molly Price) to try and convince "Arrested Development" star Jeffrey Tambor to stop the execution. In the end, Will's quick thinking saved the inmate's life after tipping the DEA off to the prison using the US Postal Service to transport the toxic chemicals to kill the inmate.
Over in Eli and Peter land, Peter started to get his house in order as the new governor-elect. That involved dealing with Marilyn (guest star Melissa George). She was the ethics counsel, until Eli deemed her too sexy and a risk, and encouraged Peter to get rid of her, well, promote her. He did, and Marilyn planted the seed for what I think is the the Peter/Eli storyline of the season and said, "You guys are making a mistake." Problems ahead! Eli was also made Peter's chief of staff. The election storyline of Season 4 really weighed the show down, I'm hoping now that it's over, the levels and pacing will work out and "The Good Wife" will have more balance.
"Alicia, you and I are the new Will and Diane." And now what you're all here for: Alicia's big exit. It's not going to be easy. Alicia already started getting into conflicts with Cary and the other fourth year associates. She wanted to leave after the death row case, but the associates want their bonuses. David Lee is now suspecting the fourth years and tried to get Kalinda to dig up dirt. She's trying to cover for them, but for how long? It's not the perfect work marriage for Alicia and Cary, the cracks are already beginning to show.
"What about Kalinda?" Alicia said she wants Kalinda to go with them, but right now Robyn (by the way, she's the best) is on board. Will it all change? Too soon to tell, but I expect so. I cannot wait to see what happens.
"Don't end up hating me." I am happy to have the Alicia/Will/Peter triangle (hopefully) take a backseat. While I'm not really a fan of the Alicia/Peter relationship, it seems like we'll be riding that train for at least a while. I am hoping the civil war storyline takes precedent and we really get to delve into the inner workings of these characters, especially Alicia. She's changed so much over the course of the show and it's very interesting to watch Julianna Margulies play the part so expertly.
Having Alicia and Cary leave Lockhart/Gardner really opens a lot of new doors for "The Good Wife." In a way, it can be a brand new show. "The Good Wife" is one of -- if not the best drama on TV and this storyline is just going to make it better. I'm truly excited to watch this season unfold, it's going to be exhilarating and I cannot wait.
Gasp count: One.
Some other things:
Alicia and Cary doing shots, drinking wine and snacking. The best.
"What's going on, 'West Side Story'?"
I'm going to miss Kalinda and Robyn working together if they split.
"The Good Wife" airs Sundays, 9 p.m. ET on CBS.
