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A Guide to Not Backing Down on The Good Wife

Escalation is one strategy used to achieve results on The Good Wife and for several of the characters in this seventh season this has been a key tactic. Eli continues his schemes against Ruth with varying results and over at Lockhart, Agos they are dealing with a disagreement which is impacting relationships with clients. For Alicia and Lucca, their first case officially working together – Lucca answered yes to Alicia’s martini laced question – involves varying extremes of upping the stakes as they go from pursuing a debt collecting agency to a for-profit school.

The Alicia/Lucca partnership is in the fun early stages and they are still figuring things out such as how much they charge an hour. You would think that would be one of the first things to address, but getting cases is the priority. Grace points out the importance of money and while they have not given an explanation as to why she is not at school (when is she meant to graduate?), she is proving useful by reminding her mother that they have bills to pay. The particulars of this case constantly evolve throughout the episode and The Good Wife continues its fun hot streak. Spending a week away from the frantic atmosphere of bond court is much needed, particularly when arbitration is held in such a chilled out setting. The fact that even in season 7 they are finding new ways to present cases is an achievement, even more when all three plot points are threaded together in a cohesive and not too coinkydink fashion.

And speaking of fashion; Lucca continues her reign as the new Good Wife style queen from the teal number with striped cuffs above to injecting a little bit of leather in arbitration.

Leather will always be synonymous with Kalinda, but that hasn’t stopped costume designer Daniel Lawson from using it this season with faux Kalinda investigator sharing this style penchant with her predecessor to Diane’s amazing matching leather skirt and jacket combo. Lucca is all about mixing prints and textures and this is no exception. It also looks like Alicia has been raiding Diane’s wardrobe with this patterned jacket choice.

There is also this fantastic kaleidoscope floral dress and as with their working practices Lucca’s style is far bolder than Alicia’s. Lucca is the one that wants to take things to the next level when they get sued and this is a good thing as sometimes Alicia is in danger of playing it safe. It could cause conflict at a later date, but for now they are a very match for each other and a successful partnership is not about having the same style or opinions on everything. They do have their simpatico moments with shared emphatic objections and there is a fair amount of reading the situation in a similar way.

Lucca isn’t the only one working out in Alicia’s current work situation and Jeffrey Dean Morgan continues to light up the screen with so much grufty sexual magnetism I almost inclined to say “Finn who?” I say almost because I am not going to forget that missed opportunity for a long time. Jason is all kinds of wonderful this week and proves his very low hourly rate just by sitting there wearing glasses. He also tracks down the scam artist and gets Maggie’s money back while also preventing someone else from falling foul of this scheme. All while smoldering and being super casual. There is a darkness to his persuasive tactics, but Alicia has always been a fan of the bad boy.

The episode ends with another unanswered question posed by Alicia and never has “what do you drink?” sounded so much like an invitation in as it does here. Also this dress works so much better without the jacket.

One of their tactics against this for-profit school is to introduce a debt strike and it was Eli and his magically raised plotting eyebrow that suggested this move. Eli has a week of ups and downs with his current employment situation going from outright glee at the media coverage of Peter’s position on unions to despair at Peter’s positive poll numbers. Marissa returns this week (much to my delight) and she is concerned about her father’s spiraling. Eli’s motivations aren’t exactly covert and she knows he is trying to get back at Peter; to counter she has found him an amazing job opportunity to get him out of this mess. All Marissa needs is some cereal and for Alicia to make it look like she is firing him.

Alicia does her part and is very convincing when she dismisses him pointing out that she knows he is using her. This doesn’t have the desired effect and when Eli later tells her he isn’t going anywhere she doesn’t fight him because she knows there is no changing his mind. The debt strike tactic pits Alicia against Peter’s current union position and Ruth is furious at him for how much this is messing with her campaign. At the moment this Ruth versus Eli story is going gangbusters, but there is a danger that it could become quite repetitive and I am proceeding with caution.

The link between all three plots this week is the food service union boss, Ronnie Erickson and this is where the Cary/Howard battle hits breaking point. Howard has informed Erickson of Cary’s temporary home last year and causes major embarrassment for Cary when it becomes clear that they think he is some kind of criminal. Diane has had enough and to stop a lawsuit (because Howard is in a protected class) she hosts a mediation to air grievances and work through them. This has varying results and it turns out that their jokes about Howard’s age have set the tone for other employees. Howard shows the types of products which have been left in his office such as adult diapers and a bib; this is work place bullying and it puts Howard in an entirely sympathetic position. Yes jokes are made about everyone, but they shouldn’t breed this kind of degrading behavior.

Cary does raise the question of whether Howard planted those products himself and while we can’t be a hundred percent certain of their veracity, I am inclined to believe that Howard is telling the truth on this occasion as he appears to be genuinely hurt. This results in sensitivity training giving us this wonderful moment, which Howard definitely milks for sympathy.

Diane still looks great even with cotton wool up her nose.

This earlier outfit and her ‘come the fuck on’ face are also aces.

There is a lot of legal chicken this week and not a whole lot of backing down. Eli is still intent on his current mission, but the Lockhart, Agos dispute looks like it might be sorted (for now). Alicia and Lucca have proved themselves to be a formidable team and I am looking forward to seeing who they will take on next.

Tags: "Payback", 7.05, Alicia Florrick, Christine Baranski, costume design, Cush Jumbo, Diane Lockhart, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Julianna Margulies, leather, Matt Czuchry, The Good Wife

Comments 2 Comments
Categories The Good Wife
Author Emma Fraser

A Guide to Steering Events on The Good Wife

19 Oct

Despite branching out on her own Alicia Florrick can’t avoid the office politics of her old firm and she ends up as a pawn across intersecting storylines in this week’s episode of The Good Wife. Everything is still shiny and new with this whole starting over business and Alicia’s isn’t the only one who is reinvigorated by a change in job role as Eli is positively thriving in his quest to ruin Ruth’s campaign. He is in full sabotage mode and he doesn’t even have to do that much heavy lifting in succeeding in his plan to mess with Ruth. Yes she might be able to dictate his tiny office space, but Eli comes with years of Florrick family knowledge giving him an instant advantage. Eli’s advice to Alicia about steering events so ‘they don’t steer you’ is his current playbook and at this point Eli has taken the lead.

What Eli is also doing is making it seem like Alicia is the one making the decisions. When he tells her that if she says yes to “Mama’s Homespun Cooking” she won’t have to do a dozen other things he is appealing to her desire to do as little as possible for the campaign. Eli knows full well this cooking show will be a disaster and this is what he is banking on. Why else would he tell Alicia she can be herself? If this had been during Peter’s other campaigns, Eli would be throwing a fit at the discussion Alicia and Veronica have live on TV; instead he is pretty much cackling with joy at their unfiltered conversation.

Eli’s got his fingers in all the pies in “Cooked” warning the judge in Alicia’s case that he is part of a bribery sting. Not that Eli is doing this out of the goodness of his own heart and it is all part of his plan to bring down Frank Landau of the DNC. Last week Alicia reluctantly apologized to Frank and Eli mentioned a revenge strategy to her, but it is not Eli’s style to reveal all the intricate details of his plotting. So it looks like Alicia is about to get caught in the crosshairs of this scheme; I believe Eli doesn’t want to hurt Alicia, but I also think he is so angry at how Peter treated him that he is going to push this as far as he can go. Even if it means Alicia is collateral damage.

In bond court Alicia and Lucca’s working relationship and new friendship is tested when they are pitted against each other. Alicia finds a way for them to join forces, but there is an unsettling element to this case that puts Alicia in full paranoid mode. The involvement of the FBI instantly raises the question of a sting operation and the target could be a number of people including Alicia. It doesn’t help that Alicia has given her client advice that could be construed in a negative way and Lucca was the one who suggested this direction.

Alicia withdraws from her pally interactions with Lucca suggesting they have separate trials and Lucca is direct in letting Alicia know how she feels about this telling her “screw you.” Lucca is very good at her job so it is unclear why she is languishing in bond court when any firm would be lucky to have her and Alicia’s initial suspicions don’t seem that out of line. Thankfully the pair is not on the outs and Alicia has her back. Now to make Lucca an official partner at Alicia’s startup so this friendship and my love for Lucca’s costuming can continue.

Speaking of which here are the spectacular offerings from Lucca this week with check, lace and a jacket Diane would love.

Suspicion is the reigning feeling this week with Diane flipping out when she thinks Alicia has betrayed her. Going back a few steps and Diane is suffering from young summer intern fatigue after her mentoring offer is met with a surprising lack of enthusiasm. Cary argues that people want work/life balance, which makes little sense to Diane. Diane turns her attention to Alicia and their working relationship suggesting to the equity partners that they share some of their overflow with Alicia. This is not an all together altruistic offer as Diane thinks Alicia can become their pawn instead of Louis Canning’s. Part of the reason she reacts so unfavorably to Alicia ‘helping’ Howard is this romantic notion that Alicia is of the same mold as Diane and this goes against that.

I would not want to be on the receiving end of this facial expression. Ever.

Or this one.

Killer outfit from Diane (standard). In leather (not so standard for Diane).

Alicia’s apartment sees a stream of repeat visitors throughout the episode and when Diane makes her second trip she accuses Alicia of representing Howard and plotting against them. This isn’t strictly the case, but Diane is having none of Alicia’s ‘it’s not what it seems’ reasoning. Yes Alicia gave Howard advice about the ageism thing, but she also told him he needs to work harder and this is what he is doing. Really she is doing Lockhart, Agos a solid.

In true Good Wife tradition an elevator become the important location for a romantic interaction and after Howard had a meet cute with Jackie Florrick he asked her out for dinner. They really hit it off and now the pair is dating; this might be beneficial to Alicia if Jackie is happy in her own personal life as there will be a whole lot less meddling and fewer passive aggressive remarks. Actually that last one will always happen.

Plus Jackie is now part of #LadySuitWatch2015 after rocking an all white ensemble. Jackie’s heartbreaking story about her mother’s response to her laughter also goes a long way in showing why Jackie is the way she is.

There are already many moving parts and angles getting worked at this early juncture and Eli Gold is hitting Blair Waldorf levels of scheming. Veronica warns Alicia that the good feeling from starting over doesn’t last forever and it will be interesting to see how long it will be before the wheels come off for everyone who is embroiled in Peter’s campaign and how sustainable Alicia’s solo project is. This is another good solid episode and the start of season 7 is doing a lot to wipe clean the memory of the disappointing State’s Attorney campaign, even if Alicia is not as in control as she thinks she is.

Tags: "Cooked", 7.03, Alan Cumming, Alicia Florrick, Christine Baranski, costume design, Cush Jumbo, Diane Lockhart, Julianna Margulies, LadySuitWatch2015, The Good Wife

Comments 6 Comments
Categories The Good Wife
Author Emma Fraser

Can Alicia Florrick be Her Own Boss on The Good Wife?

5 Oct

Last season of The Good Wife ended on a rather sour note both for viewers and Alicia Florrick alike as she had to step down from her newly elected position as a result of fraud charges and we had to endure a farewell scene tainted with behind the scenes rumors and green screen phoniness. Season 6 was a huge step down from the triumphant and exhilarating year that came before it and the election plot was a disappointment on the whole; subsequently anticipation levels for this new season are far lower than this time last year. The Good Wife likes to reset itself each season through campaigns and shifting power dynamics with various degrees of success and “Bond” is no different.

Alicia is once again placed at the bottom of the lawyer ladder and this first episode back is really encouraging in how they are not just playing with Alicia’s journey, but with some of the supporting characters too. I should emphasize the ‘some’ of that sentiment as there are still the same issues when it comes to incorporating all of the supporting characters with the Lockhart Agos crew getting a much shorter shrift of things. But let’s focus on the positives first as “Bond” allows Alicia to grow as well as understand her role in the wider picture.

After the SA controversy she can’t get a job except she can, but the one person offering her a position is someone she considers to be ‘the devil.’ Louis Canning has always been after Alicia to join his firm and the more she resists, the more he comes after her. Alicia is fed up of answering to someone and this was part of the reason why she originally left Lockhart/Gardner (#neverforget) to start her own firm with Cary. In the political and legal sphere there is always someone to answer to and what Alicia has been figuring out from the pilot to now is the different degrees of compromise. Public perception plays a big role and she has gone from the victim of one story to potential victim in another – depending on how much people believe the ‘she was duped by her advisers’ angle. Regardless there is an element of naivety and Alicia has to rebuild her image or rehabilitate depending on what role she is playing.

It is all about working those angles so while Alicia is still refusing Canning’s main offer of coming to work for him she is not against taking work from him. In this latter scenario there is the air of independence even if she ultimately knows there is someone pulling the strings, but there always is no matter how much Alicia wants to believe she is answering to no one.

The same can be said for Peter’s campaign and as soon as Alicia gives the word Eli steps into campaign gear, but he ends up approaching the person who will get his job. That person is Ruth Eastman; played by Margo Martindale and I am thrilled she has joined the ever growing list of amazing Good Wife guest stars, especially as her arc is as Eli’s antagonist. Ruth doesn’t quite know what she is going up against with Alicia and this is one scenario where Alicia is comfortable in controlling the level of access she will give. Eli knows this and after a period of wallowing while watching bad Nazi zombie movies he gets a makeover and reveals his dastardly plan to use Alicia to impact Peter’s campaign.

Eli’s wallowing and subsequent rejuvenation in picture form:

It really is a great haircut.

So is Eli really going to fuck over Alicia to politically point score? This is where things get complicated as Eli really does care for Alicia even if he can’t quite define what their relationship is; however I also think he feels so betrayed by Peter that he is willing to fuck her over in a way that won’t hurt her, but will impact Peter. Eli knows the whole inner workings of the Florrick marriage and so I think he thinks Alicia won’t object to this plan. He also knows she will be mad as hell if she finds out she is a pawn in his revenge plan. And she will find out.

Alicia is currently a one woman law firm working from home with Grace as her assistant. That is one way to cut down on costs. In an attempt to supplement her finances Alicia is working in bond court or at least attempting to as the judge keeps freezing her out because he thinks she is going to waste his time and Marie Antoinette all over the place. Luckily for Alicia she gets a helping hand from fellow bond lawyer Lucca Quinn who after a couple of gossipy quips sees the value and resilience that makes Alicia Florrick the character to route for. Ladies helping ladies is my sweet spot and so when Alicia stands in for Quinn at bond court, Quinn does her a solid by doing the same in Alicia’s probate hearing. Luckily for Alicia, Quinn is pretty quick thinking and knows her shit. Is this the new lady friendship this show needs?

All signs point to yes and yet I am wary of whether this will be the case as we have been burned in the past. And the show is definitely trolling the audience with this moment.

Quinn is a likable presence even if they threw in the random bit of off screen dancing fury at the end and she also has a fun sense of pattern clashing style which differs greatly from Alicia’s own more conservative court room attire. I am of course a sucker for a polka dot, but it is Cush Jumbo’s energy as Quinn that I am drawn to. It all sounds so sad and yet Alicia really does need a friend with no ulterior motives.

A couple of relationships took a beating last season including the manufactured argument between Alicia and her partners Diane and Cary. The former is still strained; the latter didn’t make an appearance as Cary is languishing between the olds he has to spend time with and the younger associates who he longs to be cool with. Oh, Cary. I hope they can find a better storyline for you. Meanwhile Diane wore one of the most Diane jackets and it is fabulous.

A lot has changed on The Good Wife but a lot has also stayed the same; the Diane/Alicia relationship is a difficult one as there is always something that comes between them. All I want is more martini drinking time and planning to take on the world together. Maybe one day, first they have to work through their feelings of work betrayal with standoffish and awkward conversations.

In Diane style news she also wore this fabulous Proenza Schouler stripe jacket (also worn by Olivia Pope) which she made her own by adding a brooch. This is a good tip for personalizing any item of clothing.

Red is Alicia’s power color and it has been used in season openers in the past to signify a bold change (see post Will hookup in season 3 *sob*). After failing spectacularly at bond court in a safe black suit, Alicia steps up her game by wearing her signature shade. While this doesn’t win her any favors from the judge, she does make a friend in Quinn. The red jacket can work in many ways.

Overall “Bond” is a good start to the new season and while it doesn’t wash away the memories of all the missteps last year it seems poised to take Alicia on an interesting path in what might be the final season (nothing has been confirmed as of yet but there are strong hints this is the case). Alicia is in a similar position job wise as when we first met her – at the bottom – but she has seven years more experience in the legal and political arenas. I am excited to see how she navigates these worlds while trying to stay as independent as she can from all the external influences and if such a thing is possible on The Good Wife.

Tags: "Bond", 7.01, Alan Cumming, Alicia Florrick, Christine Baranski, Diane Lockhart, Julianna Margulies, Margo Martindale, Matt Czuchry, The Good Wife

Comments 5 Comments
Categories The Good Wife
Author Emma Fraser

Best of the Emmy 2015 Red Carpet – Pretty in Pink

21 Sep

So much color on the Emmy red carpet this year and while the yellow trend was trying to happen, the pink frocks caused a much bigger impact.

Starting with the boldest of pink tones with Elisabeth Moss in a magenta Oscar de la Renta gown and somehow she has not and will not win an Emmy for Mad Men. Glad to see her going for a lip color which is just as strong as her dress.

Samira Wiley looks like a fabulous superhero in caped fuchsia Jill Stuart.

Christine Baranski forever slaying in hot pink Zac Posen.

More hot pink offerings and this time a dash of navy breaks things up on Uzo Aduba’s charming custom Jonathan Cohen halter neck gown.

The Mad Men cast were out in force and celebrating in style with Jessica Pare joining the pink ladies in an ethereal draped frock.

Maisie Williams is a lady after my own heart as she adores a dress with pockets and I adore this pink quilted dress paired with heels; so many Clueless related feelings. Cher would be all over this.

Giving us much needed posing drama in Bibhu Mohapatra is Jane Krakowski.

The problem with posing in front of light backboards is lighter dress tones such as Yael Stone’s kinda disappear, but thankfully she is giving good twirl to show off this super pretty frock.

One final pink and Joanne Froggatt looks like she is beating the heat in this floaty and romantic J. Mendel dress with a dash of train extravagance.

More Emmy red carpet coverage can be found here and here.

Tags: Christine Baranski, Elisabeth Moss, Emmys, Jessica Pare, Joanne Froggatt, Maisie Williams, red carpet, Samira Wiley, Uzo Aduba, Yael Stone

Comments 4 Comments
Categories Awards, Emmys, Red Carpet
Author Emma Fraser

Out of the Box: Look of the Week

7 Aug

TCA continues and so do the cute patterned frocks on this week’s “Out of the Box.” a dash of a couple of other events and magazine covers.

This kind of reminds me of a colorful version of the wallpaper in Sherlock’s 221b Baker Street, which doesn’t necessarily sound like the compliment it is meant to be. Kerry Washington looks great in Mary Katrantzou at the ABC day at TCA.

Viola Davis was also part of the TGIT panel at TCA and she switched out her heels for far more comfy looking flats for the photocall. They might not completely go with this patterned cocktail dress, but I’m all for her continuing this trend.

There is a lot going on here with Elizabeth Henstridge in House of Holland and yet it manages to stay this side of psychedelic experiment. It feeds into everything I love about a very 70s sleeping bag I once had (but with less orange/brown). Once again this doesn’t sound like the good thing I was intending it too.

This outfit is super cute and Camilla Luddington’s lipstick blouse gets added to the list of clothes I need with a makeup motif. Maybe I need to change this to “What Lipstick Top is She Wearing?”

You know you love me. xoxo

P.S. This really making me want to start that Gossip Girl rewatch that I am always talking about and have no time for right now.

At the Transparent panel they announced the season 2 premiere date (December 4!) and Jay Duplass ditched the top button done up styling of his character Josh, while Judith Light is a vision in white.

The Downton Abby cast are starting their final hurrah and Joanne Froggatt stood out at the TCA photocall in Ermanno Scervino’s fun take on houndstooth adding a pop of color with red strappy sandals.

At the Empire panel on Thursday Taraji P. Henson went for simple chic in a long sleeve Cushnie et Ochs teal dress adding oomph to this look with embellished Alaïa sandals.

Moving onto the Ricki and the Flash premiere with Christine Baranski killing it off screen as much as she does when she is Diane Lockhart.

A very fun twist to the standard mini dress from Laverne Cox in Elizabeth & James paired with studded white Louboutins. This blue is really great on her as is the vampy shade of red lipstick.

Christina Applegate goes for 70s inspired plunging glam in a stunning Naeem Khan at the 5th Annual Celebration of Dance Gala presented by the Dizzy Feet Foundation.

Idris Elba is the first guy to appear on the cover of Maxim (this fact surprised me) and boy did they pick a very striking cover image. Never before have I considered buying this magazine, but they might have me with this fantastic editorial including Idris wearing so many good coats.

There’s no mistaking who the cover star of Variety’s female showrunner issue is this week with Jenji Kohan’s recognizable specs and colorful hair. This quote from The Affair’s Sarah Treem really resonates “This is not about rah-rah girl power. This is about advice on how to literally run a show and adapt to what you’re given in a way that can make it work. “It’s helpful to have people tell you you’re not crazy to be struggling with it, and also helpful to have people tell you you have to adjust the way you’re working.”

A couple of week’s ago I mentioned how my teenage love for Kirsten Dunst was likely to resurface as a result of Fargo season 2 and as if on schedule upon seeing her editorial in the September issue of Town & Country I clapped with glee upon seeing the photos. There’s a little 70s styling in the woodland shots which is entirely appropriate given the setting. In the interview Dunst mentions how she got some helpful advice regarding the TV transition:

“TV is a lot harder than film. A lot harder. When I got the part, my friend Lizzy [Caplan], who is on Masters of Sex, said, ‘Be sure to get B12 shots to get you through the week.’ I was like, ‘Really? That sounds very dramatic, Lizzy.’ By the third week I was all over the B12. It was one of the best roles I’ve ever played—the writing is spectacular—but by the end I was tapped out.”

Dunst also briefly discusses her Fargo character Peggy Blomquist “She is very much like me at my craziest, my mother at her craziest, my grandma at her craziest. I could really combine the nutsiest parts of the women in my family.”

Tags: Amy Landecker, Camilla Luddington, Chace Crawford, Christina Applegate, Christine Baranski, Ed Westwick, Elizabeth Henstridge, Empire, Fargo, Gossip Girl, Idris Elba, Jay Duplass, Jenji Kohan, Joanne Froggatt, Judith Light, Kerry Washington, Kristen Dunst, Laverne Cox, Maxim, Sarah Treem, Taraji P. Henson, TCA Summer 2015, Town & Country, Transparent, Variety, Viola Davis

Comments 3 Comments
Categories Out of the Box: Look of the Week
Author Emma Fraser

Letting it Go on The Good Wife

11 May

In The Good Wife finale Alicia talks about how losing the election finally allowed her the chance to let go of anger, jealousy and not caring about what other people think. The latter is not so set in stone as she spent part of the last episode wearing a hat as a way to go incognito and there are several things this week that point very much in the direction of caring. It is an important sentiment nonetheless as the impact of the election scandal has given Alicia the chance to reassess where she is with her career and how she feels about the scrutiny of being in the public eye.

The latter comes into play when Peter tells Alicia he is going to run for president – which is met with laughter from Alicia until she realizes he is being serious – not as a viable candidate for this position, instead vying for the veep spot. The big family conference about this has Zach reacting in the same way, but his chuckles are far friendlier towards his father with Grace taking on a more concerned approach while also asking the big question about this now pretend marriage. The camera lingers on Alicia as she takes in her daughter’s reaction noting how it instantly makes Grace uncomfortable. Peter points out they aren’t pretending as they are still married and yet Alicia is quick to acknowledge the charade.

This prompts her to pull Peter to one side telling him she can see through this whole thing; he has already decided and really this is all pomp and ceremony asking for approval from his wife and children. He claims otherwise so Alicia tells him she doesn’t approve of this run for political office as it is just inviting the press in once again (how many times is this now?) to tear them to shreds and put unnecessary pressure on their kids (and especially Grace).

One thing Alicia does on multiple occasions is tell people how she really feels in a super calm fashion from Peter to Lemond Bishop’s lawyer Lester as he tries to intimidate her – Wallace Shawn is so terrific in this role – and we even get the big chat with Kalinda; in a bar and with the long ago tradition of tequila shots. I spoke about the leather clad elephant in the room last week and it is impossible to talk about this scene without mentioning how something seemed off and by off it has a certain Orphan Black quality in both the wide and over the camera angles. It sucks that a scene as important as this in a relationship that at one point was the heart of the show has come down to this and that behind the scene rumblings mean this whole moment was underscored with external distraction. Please Good Wife oral history fill us in on what really happened. I didn’t want to have to address this stuff again and yet it is impossible when the sight lines don’t quite match up. But I do want to discuss the sentiment of the scene because it is important to who these characters are/were.

Kalinda’s final season storyline has been all over the place with her involvement with Bishop as her exit arc. It has also been clear they have struggled with this character for some time now, dating back to the introduction of her awful ex Nick. Alicia has never really had that many friends as she tends to be pretty closed off and protective of herself. Some of this stems from how those closest to her turned their backs when the whole Peter scandal happened, but there have been some exceptions. These close relationships have included the romantic (Will, maybe Finn), ones that were for political strategizing (looking at you Maura Tierney), others have been hampered by romance (oh hey Amanda Peet) or have been more about work (Diane and Cary). With Kalinda it was different and Alicia let her guard down over shots of tequila in bars and drinking beer in bed; this makes the whole thing all the more bittersweet.

In this bar scene Alicia discusses how it is nice not to care since the scandal and ultimately how she misses spending time in bars with Kalinda. Kalinda also uses this moment to point out how their time together was the best she had and she messed it up. The way this is discussed is like exes coming back together to talk about the good times and where it went wrong; as I have mentioned on several occasions friendship breakups can be more devastating than romantic ones. With Alicia and Kalinda it was a double whammy as it involved a romantic betrayal of sorts and killed two relationships for Alicia. Even though they are sharing the same space I found the previous version of their goodbye to have a greater tear filled impact on me, maybe because there were less distractions present.

So long Kalinda, you deserved better. But you still look fantastic in leather and sunglasses. Make sure you take a baseball bat with you.

Alicia’s position of not caring about what other people think is put into question in relation to getting sucked back into the political sphere again with Peter’s presidential bid and the memoir commissioned as a way to soften Alicia’s public persona. The concern from Alicia is that she is being remade as a homemaker or rather as ‘the good wife’ and this is far from something she is comfortable or even a little okay with. Alicia is calm and steadfast in how she refuses to give Eli anything that he wants from her or wants her to be setting up one conflict for next season.

Another comes in the form of Alicia’s new firm and after Finn accepts her partnership offer he later recants after they have successfully won their first case together. They make an excellent team in court and over drinks; work is one thing but the sexual tension is too much and Finn can see something bad happening. By bad he means something very good, right? Okay he is being professional and he also happens to be trying things again with his ex-wife so spending this much time with Alicia in bars, alone in her car or at her apartment is maybe not the best way to aid this reconciliation or even start a professional partnership. But it still doesn’t stop me from yelling “KISS HIM” at the screen as he continually makes his excuses to go. I am only human after all. The back and forth between them has been pretty consistent and Finn references this when he explains why they can’t work together; hopefully Matthew Goode will be back next season to explore the notion of “not always do or don’t.”

Alicia explains that she doesn’t want to work alone and she doesn’t have to as Louis Canning is there at the end to offer partnership; a partnership fueled by anger at Cary, Diane and David Lee because they fired his wife from their firm. Simone got a job by using her maiden name and while Diane is more than fine with her working there both Cary and David Lee raise concerns and their majority wins. In a heartbreaking scene Simone tearfully tries to get Diane to reconsider (she isn’t the issue) with “I did this on my own. This was me.” Simone like Alicia has a surname which comes with preconceived ideas.

In the finale Diane doesn’t really have a great deal to do except purse her lips in frustration at her partners. Hopefully there will be far more for her next year (same goes for Cary), but in the meantime here is one final Diane Lockhart costume parade for the season.

Giving good ‘what?!’ face with Cary in striking white and bold red lip color.

The power necklace offers no support in her argument to keep Simone. Maybe stick to the chunky chain link ones in the future when fighting these kinds of battles.

Excellent lip color and jacket combination but none of this is helping against Louis Canning’s threats to pull this firm apart. I think Diane is regretting her partner choice.

All signs point to Canning teaming up with Alicia and considering how she left the firm she created there is a chance she will get on board with his scheme, except I can’t see her wanting to destroy either Cary or Diane. While this finale isn’t as strong as previous ones (and as the season was so all over the place it would have been very hard to deliver a slam dunk episode) it does do a good job of tying up the loose ends while also setting up conflicts for next year. Now the Kalinda storyline has been wrapped up we might get a more streamlined (maybe final) season as we continue the education of Alicia Florrick.

Tags: "Wanna Partner?", 6.22, Alicia Florrick, Archie Panjabi, Christine Baranski, Diane Lockhart, Finn Polmar, Julianna Margulies, Kalinda Sharma, Matthew Goode, season finale, The Good Wife

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Categories The Good Wife
Author Emma Fraser

Going Back to Basics on The Good Wife

4 May

Alicia returned to court in “Don’t Fail” after spending her post election scandal days sharing a whole lot of nothing to help her ghost writer with the structure of her memoir while waiting for 5 o’clock to hit so she could crack open a bottle of wine. An old case (one we have not seen before from Alicia and Cary’s first year at the firm is the shot in the arm Alicia needs to re-evaluate exactly what she wants to do with her career now that her political one is in tatters. If the election was intended to get Alicia into this position it is a shame that it took most of the season to get here and really Alicia’s doubts about her profession started just after Will died.

What the law means, whether it is good or bad are some of the preoccupations of this episode and of The Good Wife in general and “Don’t Fail” looks back to the past to inform the present. The Alicia on the tapes is different to the Alicia listening to them, but there are plenty of similarities between the person she was then and who she now is; scandal is still dominating her life.

On the 2009 tapes the Peter comments are still rife, but even in the present day Peter’s indiscretions get the same amount of attention as her own recent issues at the polls. Aya Cash guest stars as a new lawyer Amber (much to my delight) and not only is Amber a massive fan, but her mother loves how she stood by her husband. This echoes the Lexi tape from the investigation as she also mentions how cool it is that Alicia is standing by Peter. The past and the present are forever entwined with matching opinions. Matan even puts in a Peter reference as a dig rather than a compliment and he essentially pushes Alicia into taking the case with these suggestive taunts. Much in the same way Castro needled Alicia enough into starting the whole SA race in the first place and this is pretty much the equivalent of calling Marty McFly a chicken; Alicia will not back down after a moment like this.

Alicia’s scandal is very PG in comparison to her husband’s and as Finn points out in the grand scheme of things “you’re not that important.” Prostitutes and jail time is far more likely to stick in the minds of the public so just ignore the stink eye the dude in hardware store is giving you Alicia. Maybe he just doesn’t like your terrible hat. Finn is the drinking buddy everyone needs as he is the voice of reason and super dreamy to boot. He also happens to stop by court at the exact right time to realize he has the piece of information that could stop this case from going to trial. In this instance he takes on the magical case solving unicorn role Kalinda inhabited on a weekly basis so it makes complete sense that Alicia would name Kalinda as her source. And she makes the perfect patsy since she has now left the jurisdiction. For Finn, Alicia extends an offer; sadly it is only business related and that sound you hear is me yelling KISS HIM and then realizing this is going to be unlikely if they start a firm together. Finn doesn’t give an answer to Alicia’s offer and while it would put a dampener on any romantic action, they do work well together.

“Don’t Fail” also reminds of us of the era in which Cary and Alicia didn’t really like each other all that much, no I’m not talking about now but when they were in competition with each other during the first season. A lot has changed since then with several different jobs and plenty of contentious moments in-between; however despite recent events their bond is still strong. Cary is at first dismissive and slightly hostile over the phone giving Alicia ample opportunity to flex her already incredible eye rolling skills, but later on things soften between the pair over wine and memories. Cary brings evidence files to Alicia’s apartment; files she hasn’t seen before as they used her line of defense the first time they tackled this case. Kalinda’s departure comes up and there is so much history here that no matter how much shit has gone on between them there is still a strong sense of compassion with an appropriate amount of arm squeezing.

Experience is one thread that binds the episode from how Alicia is a seasoned veteran of the political scandal circuit to how much better they are as lawyers. On the other end there is this idea of being completely green to a situation so while Alicia is used to scrutiny it is new for her to be the one front and center of accusations. In court Alicia is commanding and dominant; it is like she has come home and it is glorious to see her in full lawyer mode where as Amber plays the role of novice as she stammers and finds it hard to have her voice heard over Matan. At the end of the episode Amber says she wants to learn from you and Alicia is pretty friendly but firm when she tells her “no you don’t.” Alicia isn’t one for mentoring and yet I would be more than happy to see Amber return and be part of the potential new firm (as long as it doesn’t interfere with You’re the Worst).

Alicia misses “looking at the law as something good” as now she sees it as being neutral. Her idealism has been tainted along the way as she pretty much lives in the murky grey; has she compromised herself too much? Can a new firm reignite her passion as it does in this episode? I am pretty excited to find out and hopefully The Good Wife can get over this messy bump of a season to deliver an excellent and quite possibly final outing next year.

Let’s talk about the leather clad elephant in the room and the way this episode meshes memory pops with flashbacks using the taped conversations is the usual high standard when playing with narrative devices. Until we get to Kalinda and as with most things Kalinda related this season it has been effected by whatever is going on behind the scenes. First of all the flash of Alicia and Kalinda drinking and in the same shot is not a new scene filmed for this episode. Instead it comes from “Hybristophilia” and Alicia’s celebration drinks with Kalinda after she won the competition against Cary in season 1. This scene is pretty much burned into my brain so when that brief shot flashed up it was instantly recognizable. Later on we do get a brand new Kalinda and Alicia scene where they are in the same room, but not really as their coverage could have been filmed at different times and I wouldn’t bring up the behind the scenes ‘whatever’ except it is incredibly distracting. And this certainly doesn’t make up for Kalinda’s departure last week, but there is still one more outing and one more chance for satisfying closure. Don’t fuck this up show.

That’s the meat of the episode as we see Alicia regaining her confidence after such a huge professional setback by taking on a case which reminds her why she loves this job and at the same time it gives us the chance to bask in nostalgia with both the flashbacks and seeing Alicia in court. Last week I offered up a Diane Lockhart jacket picture parade as a way to make up for the sadness; this week’s general picture offerings are here so we can soak up the joy of this episode. And it is only appropriate that I start with Diane.

Diane only shows up via 2009 and her brooch collection was just as strong back then.

Flashing back to 2009 means revisiting this Cary haircut or at least the approximation of this haircut. Their coat game is excellent.

Speaking of fantastic outerwear as Amber’s blue coat is both striking and matches Alicia’s scarf (this is me taking it as a sign that they should definitely work together again). In the present day this is one of the only instances where Alicia wears bold color as she is in mostly black and dark purple in court in an attempt to blend in rather opting for the red which symbolizes her confidence.

Most accurate representation of what I would look like in this moment. Also in terms of Amber’s court costuming all of her outfits look slightly off with either jackets that age her up far too much or polka dots which are too distracting. It makes sense that a novice lawyer would not necessarily have it all put together in this department yet and Alicia’s s style has definitely evolved over the last six years.

The hoodie of sudden crying makes an appearance as part of Alicia’s restless wardrobe. This gets ditched for a nice cream sweater later on when she is more settled with her career plan.

A plan which involves a new home office. Hope you like a door for a bed, Zach.

Speaking of Zach and some costume continuity as this striped top is also what he is wearing in “Hybristophilia” so this is a pretty good memory of what Zach wore around that time (he has a different color long sleeve tee underneath in that episode).

Next week is the season finale and if it manages to deliver the same quality and narrative development then maybe the election storyline will have served some purpose. Oh and hopefully Kalinda will make one final appearance.

Tags: "Don't Fail", 6.21, Alicia Florrick, Archie Panjabi, Cary Agos, Christine Baranski, Diane Lockhart, Finn Polmar, Julianna Margulies, Kalinda Sharma, Matt Czuchry, Matthew Goode, The Good Wife

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Categories The Good Wife
Author Emma Fraser

Misunderstandings, Heartbreak and a Diane Lockhart Jacket Parade on The Good Wife

27 Apr

The Good Wife has a tendency to swing left when you expected it to zig right and while this season has been on the messy side at times, I can certainly say I did not expect to be left with Alicia in a crumpled heap with just two episodes to go. The Saint Alicia brand has been destroyed by the election scandal and she is now out of a job at the firm she helped start in the heart of her home. “The Deconstruction” also features the apparent departure of Kalinda and despite a lumpy final story for her I was left in a teary mess by her silent goodbye to Alicia. This is not the farewell Kalinda deserved after several seasons of storyline limbo and it is disappointing to not get a face to face encounter between long ago confidants. To try and make up for the lack of Alicia/Kalinda shared screen time there will be a Diane Lockhart jacket parade at the end because there are plenty of marvels on display.

Memory pop of the week belongs to Kalinda surveying Alicia’s collection of photos on the mantel; most are of family and the pain of seeing Peter and everything that represents is still strong. A happier memory comes in the form of Alicia holding up a handwritten sign of her own and it is a photo Kalinda took. Considering Stern is still in the title of the firm it must be from season one and a time when Kalinda and Alicia were super close. Regardless of whatever has or has not been going on behind the scenes the loss of the Alicia/Kalinda friendship comes with the same feelings as a romantic breakup and the Kings have repeatedly asserted the betrayal is so strong they could never go back to being the tequila drinking buddies they once were. Instead what we are left with is a hoodie and jean wearing Alicia reading Kalinda’s goodbye note and responding as if she has been sucker punched. As far as outfits go it isn’t the sadness sweats and yet it is unlike Alicia’s typical polished appearance.

My tears flowed freely when Kalinda left Alicia’s apartment without seeing her former friend followed by Alicia’s gut punch reaction to whatever Kalinda wrote in her note – Kalinda’s amazing stationary game is one of my favorite things about her – and this is in part a reaction to the overall loss of this friendship even if the initial event took place forever ago.

When it was announced that Archie Panjabi would be leaving at the end of this season I wrote about why this made sense for Panjabi as the writers have been finding it hard to utilize her beyond her magical unicorn case solving ways (she does this in this episode too). I also discussed the Alicia/Kalinda dynamic and this show has been at its most sob worthy (aside from the obvious devastation last season) when this pair have been involved. Kalinda’s elevator breakdown stands out as one of these moments and even though Kalinda’s departure has been common knowledge/they haven’t killed her off I am still left feeling super shitty about it. Part of this is down to her lack of agency in the clusterfuck of a storyline she has been involved in as she became a glorified babysitter and pawn in a much bigger game. All of the sighs.

There is some Cary and Kalinda stuff going on as he tries to take the fall for her; instead he just clues Dexter in on what Kalinda had done with the pen drive. It’s not your fault Cary, but the white knight routine was never going to work here. They get a goodbye and to be honest I was far more emotionally affected by Kalinda’s phone call farewell to Diane and her non-goodbye to Alicia. Sorry, Cary.

At the firm which has a new, new name – it is hard to keep up but now they are Lockhart, Agos & Lee – there is a whole lot of misunderstandings going on with Alicia coming back. Diane and Cary want Alicia back and Alicia wants to come back; instead we end up with an episode of them thinking the other is stabbing them in the back. If they took a moment to actually talk to each other then it would all get sorted out very quickly, instead they all play a game of ‘secure the clients’ with David Lee taking the helm. There’s an upsetting “how dare you” moment between Diane and Alicia with me crying out for more martini drinking between these amazing ladies (there is a friendship drinking theme).

Kalinda plays mediator pointing out the mix-up to both sides and even though everything gets resolved Alicia still ends up on the outs and with no clients. This is thanks to Oliver Platt’s RD sticking his oar in pointing out what a joke the Florrick name is as a result of yet another scandal. It is a little disconcerting seeing Diane put so much faith in RD’s opinion, but he does bring a whole lot of money to the firm. Maybe now Finn can get a decent exit package for Alicia.

Red wine drinking has mostly been a solo experience for Alicia swilling a goblet in the kitchen of her apartment. Since the election scandal Peter has joined her making it a much more social experience showing how far Peter and Alicia have come; the constant bickering and backbiting has ceased and this is the first huge press conference where they are united both in front of the cameras and behind them. There is nothing romantic between them at the moment and Alicia ruled that out a few weeks ago, however this scandal has brought them together rather than tearing them apart as the one that started the show did. Peter is an expert in how to deal with negative press and he suggests she writes a book. As long as it is better quality than those emails then I would read it.

Alicia likes order and now she is completely untethered; earlier she asks “What do I do now?” and this question still presents itself at the end of the episode. The book idea is fine and yet this doesn’t feel very Alicia; the uncertainty about where we will be when season six comes to a close is exciting, but I also don’t feel as confidant as I have been with The Good Wife in the past. This year has been ambitious and yet it has also stumbled along the way. So as a way to break the tension here is the Diane Lockhart jacket parade as promised.

The zips! That ring! Diane means business.

Not a good sign when your statement necklace blends in with your jacket. The statement is lost and this is when the initial Alicia misunderstanding takes place. That lipstick choice is A+ though.

Toning it down in deep purple for a visit to Joy, the court appointed officer but you can’t hide a chain necklace that big.

And back to Diane Lockhart power jacket choice in gold jacquard. No statement necklace or brooch in sight so Diane is not completely on top of her game.

Later on when Diane returns to see Joy she once again completely tones it down covering her bold gold with a black coat, but you can still see it peaking out the top.

Another gold patterned jacket and a double chain necklace which feels like it is part of this jacket rather than blending in, as the chain necklace did earlier on when she was stumbling a little. There is also something a little 70s sci-fi space admiral about this whole ensemble and I’m digging it. Diane got a win for her client and while she failed in the Alicia department her relationship with Alicia remains intact.

Tags: "The Deconstruction", 6.20, Alicia Florrick, Archie Panjabi, Christine Baranski, costume design, Diane Lockhart, Julianna Margulies, Kalinda Sharma, The Good Wife

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Categories The Good Wife
Author Emma Fraser

Repeating the Cycle on The Good Wife

13 Apr

Alicia Florrick has tried to break the mold in how she ran her campaign on The Good Wife including not going negative and up to now she has managed to win by using this slightly unconventional method. This all ends in “Winning Ugly” as she tries to go against the system and prove she won this race fairly. What she finds out is you can only be so much of a political outlier and the needs of the party far outweigh those of the individual. And for all Alias viewers you know you should be cautious if Ron Rifkin is representing you; the Arvin Sloane backstabbing is to be expected and here he replaces Rambaldi with the Democratic Party. Less prophecies and fancy devices involved.

There is a sense of déjà vu in the goings on at the firm thanks to Kalinda’s tampering with evidence in Cary’s case and now they are back in a similar position with Diane facing jail time unless she testifies against Bishop. Now they have Finn in their corner rather than opposing them, but even he can’t find something to get out of this hole despite his best efforts and the magnificent use of the word ‘exquisite.’ The judge remarks how there has been more remakes of this case than Spider-Man as they are back in the same position we left them in earlier this season. One thing this does is give Kalinda, Cary and Diane a storyline with purpose as ever since Cary was cleared they have been in plot limbo; the somewhat manufactured conflict with Alicia and babysitting Bishop’s son has been far from compelling. Cary has particularly suffered since he has been released in terms of being insignificant and while I don’t want to see him putting himself in a dangerous position with Bishop it is better than standing still.

Diane’s statement jewelry was missing for most the episode as she stuck to bold jackets and simple dresses. There weren’t even any brooches in sight. The black and white jacket she wore when admitting the evidence she submitted had been falsified is chaotic and distracting; the symbolism extends to the blurring of right and wrong in this instance.

Later on in court Diane has her trust chunky chain necklace on, but she’s paired it with a pale pink blazer and this is a very un-Diane Lockhart color. Cary delivers such an excellent WTF squint here.

The recent email hack has led to division at the firm and something as monumental as this could fracture matters further. At the moment everyone is in protection mode with Cary and Kalinda both positioning themselves in a manner suggesting they will sacrifice themselves (remember Archie Panjabi is leaving at the end of the season). This tableau mirrors the one from a few weeks ago and instead Finn is now on Diane’s side and Alicia is not present at all; how will she take it when she inevitably returns to work and finds herself on the outside of everything?

Return she must as Alicia’s winning dream has crashed and burned; her attempt at winning in a fair and just manner has failed. The device placed in those machines almost circled back to the voting fraud from Peter’s election, fraud which Will knew about but an investigation that died along with him. Peter was placed in the firing line several times throughout the episode from this moment to the threat that if Alicia didn’t step down then she would be destroyed and Peter could also be collateral. In politics it is all rather utilitarian with decisions made factoring what will be the most beneficial to the party. Alicia is far down that pecking order and so she must be sacrificed.

Alicia winning the race was not a surprise, but it didn’t occur to me during the build-up that she might win and then not get to take the SA position. Chicago politics is full of corruption allegations so it should not have come as a shocker and The Good Wife is all about the twists and turns along the way. Her lawyer, Spencer Randolph appears to be a good guy who Alicia, Marissa and the panel are all enamored with and his betrayal is swift and brutal. As I mentioned in the introduction anyone who watched Alias is familiar with Ron Rifkin playing this kind of character and yet I was still taken back when he went for Alicia’s jugular.

In terms of costuming Alicia flips between her power color of red when they first appear in front of the panel, to dark muted colors and ending on dress/jacket two piece which resembles and apron from the top half (ooh back to the whole wife imagery) and as with Diane’s jacket is rather chaotic in appearance. The smiles in this photo are not representative of how Alicia ends the episode; she steps out of the elevator (!) where her eyes have been brimming with tears and she collapses sobbing into Peter’s arms. After their more than civil chat over wine last week followed by this embrace, this relationship is the best it has been in a long time. All they needed was a political scandal to bring them together.

At the start of the episode we see Alicia obsessively watching the news as she sits close to the TV alternating by turning the volume down when it goes full negative to turning it up when in her favor. What is important here is Alicia is wearing her sadness sweats and the last time we saw her in this attire was just after Will died and she told Peter their marriage was over except for in name. This is how we know Alicia is in a bad place mentally despite how much of a brave face she puts on. In part because of the fraud allegations, but also because her relationship with Will is playing all over the news and internet and she keeps having to repeat a lie.

Everything is falling apart both for Alicia and at the firm; will they come together in this time of need?

Tags: "Winning Ugly", 6.19, Alias, Alicia Florrick, Christine Baranski, costume design, Daniel Lawson, Diane Lockhart, Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife

Comments 1 Comment
Categories Costuming, The Good Wife
Author Emma Fraser

Divisions on The Good Wife: Emails, Negotiations and How to Say No Without Saying No

30 Mar

The Good Wife was always going to do a story relating to one of the recent hacks (Sony, iCloud) and they’ve saved it for when Alicia is at her most vulnerable. The most obvious timing would be to use it prior to the election, but this would have probably made her victory unlikely and so they saved it for just after when it could still be just as devastating. I didn’t write about last week’s episode as I was away and while Alicia winning was not a surprise; the day of Halo playing, her victory red, Marissa’s continued employment and Diane’s hunting attire are things I would have loved to write about.

The election story was becoming a little stale with Alicia set adrift from the rest of the show and the hacked email plot brings her back into the fold while also alienating her at the same time. By the end of the episode they are safe from the hack and yet the story is now out there and someone still has two years worth of very incriminating emails at their disposal. What if Alicia getting elected and then failing to actually make it into office is going to be how this season plays out?

Alicia starts the episode in bold white; she’s won and is comfortable in telling the many visitors stopping by her gift packed office that she won’t bow to their every whim no matter how much money they gave or what unwritten rules exist. Soon Eli graces her still very muffin/champagne/ornament filled room to let Alicia know she is doing it all wrong and how this is a game which involves a more diplomatic and roundabout way of saying no. Meanwhile Finn is negotiating her exit package and the amount being offered is not enough to get both Zach and Grace through college (what about Peter’s salary?) and there’s a lot of posturing going on. Just look at the positioning of everyone as they talk figures:

Diane is clearly in charge in the seated position flanked on either side by one person who wants to give Alicia the money (Cary) and two who are very opposed to this notion (Julius – oh hi! – and David Lee). At the end of the episode after email revelations and seeing Alicia in a friendly chat with Castro the positions change with Cary joining David Lee and Julius on the very little money side.

The division between Alicia and her partners has been plotted in a rather unsatisfactory manner as there’s been just one big blowup argument and not much else to suggest dissatisfaction at her distance from the firm and her decision to run. Contentious moments between Diane, Cary and Alicia have always existed as we are reminded by the emails and subsequent remarks but not enough to earn this feeling of dissolution; one forced argument does not a rift make and it would play so much better if the groundwork had been laid out over time in an organic fashion. The offer Alicia gets is small and Finn scoffs at the amount. Alicia uses Eli’s words of advice as to how to say no without saying no (dude needs to write a book) and they take this to be a threat of some kind. If it all does implode for Alicia with her new job will there be a position for her back at the firm or is she blowing up too many bridges?

Alicia’s emails are absent from the initial release as she has been using her campaign email for the last four months and she ignores Eli’s advice about preemptive apologizing going to Finn to say sorry for saying his spine was made of cottage cheese. Finn is the only one who receives such an apology and it is interesting that Alicia is making sure her relationship with Finn stays strong as opposed to anyone at the firm. This goes beyond the flirty feelings I want them to act on and he is someone Alicia wants to keep close, so much so that she offers him the coveted number two position at the SA office. A job he is uncertain of taking for one reason or another.

One thing I do want to note about the black and white ensemble Alicia wears at the end of the episode is the similarity between this and the one she wore when she first returned to Lockhart/Gardner in season 5 for the first time after she left the firm; this was another occasion which involved sitting across from Diane and David Lee. There is a control and confidence in this attire, no it’s not her power color of red but there is something about Alicia in black and white which suggests defiance.

Speaking of statement dressing at the office there is no one who accessorizes quite like Diane Lockhart starting with the power pebble necklace:

Moving onto a subtle but distinctive brooch as the email scandal takes hold:

And ending on a necklace which isn’t quite up to the usual oomph category; it’s part leopard print, part multiple smaller link chains and while it is certainly stylish it doesn’t give off the same level of confidence as her statement jewelry usually does.

One thing “Undisclosed Receipts” definitely delivers is excellent Eli reacts to things material with a lot of this coming from being exasperated by everything Alicia does. One priceless look is when Alicia uses his words back at him to deflect a request. There is pride in that eyebrow arch if you look hard enough:

Eli is less subtle in showing how he feels about phone sex:

And here is a treat as I couldn’t do a post this picture heavy without delivering the gift of screencaps and the email correspondence between Will and Alicia. Steamy emails which were only on screen for the briefest of moments but preserved for posterity here.