150 replies to this topic

[TWoP Howard]

From TWoP and ZAP2it:

Alicia and Louis Canning (Michael J. Fox) make an unexpected connection when a personal crisis interrupts a routine arbitration.

And a little more direct from CBS:

CHEAT TWEET: #MichaelJFox returns! Louis Canning makes Alicia an offer, but is it another manipulation? #GoodWife 12/4 9pm ET/PT Link

“Parenting Made Easy” – A routine arbitration turns into a battle of wills between Alicia and Louis Canning, but the pair makes an unexpected connection when a personal crisis interrupts the proceedings, on “THE GOOD WIFE,” Sunday, Dec. 4 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner Michael J. Fox returns as Louis Canning, and SAG Award nominee Jennifer Carpenter (“Dexter”) guest stars as Alicia’s latest client.

Edited by TWoP Howard, Dec 4, 2011 @ 5:30 PM.

[missknowitall]

Well that sucked.

[exzim]

Big time

[merylinkid]

WHAT THE FUCK!!! Anything I was gonna say about how cool Canning was and some legal nitpicks got lost at the ending.

She's at work so she misses her daughter's call. This means she must break up with Will. WHAT THE HELL does one have to do with the other. Especially since Grace was just fine. And Alicia was not screwing Will when she missed the call. It would have made more sense for her to quit her job since that is why she was not there for Grace.

[Spy Idol]

They also started the episode off as a battle between the two newbie female lawyers, and then Alicia and Canning started to take over, and then they never resolved that plotline at all. Expected it to come around to Caitlin proving that she didn't need Alicia's help or something like that. Weird. The Grace plotline totally derailed the episode and was resolved in a really lame way too.

[cwaldo]

Grace Florrick, why do you have to ruin everything? Ugh. Totally saw that coming, but it still makes me sad for Alicia. And Will. Poor Alicia. She can't actually have the "distraction" of a love life or actual friends. Speaking of friends, Alicia has got to just forgive Kalinda already because she needs a friend desperately right now.

I thought it was funny that Will still had enough of an ego that he didn't let Diane know it was Alicia that broke up with him. I really hate everyone in the smug State's Attorney's office right now. I hope the investigation takes some of them down with Will. I loved how they used their impossibly high win rate as an argument that they must be bribing the judges.

Take the job with Canning, Alicia. Then maybe you can see Will again, if Grace doesn't do another awful thing. Which she will of course.

[randp37]

It seemed as if Alicia made a promise to herself (to God?) that if Grace came back safely, she would end the relationship with Will.

What I hate is that Diane believes Will ended it.

[Driad]

The Grace story line reminded me of a case in Boston a couple of years ago. A 14-year-old girl didn't show up at school, and texted her mother that she had been kidnaped. The police spent hours scouring the city. Turned out that the girl spent the day with her boyfriend, and sent the message to her mother because she didn't want to get in trouble for skipping school. Somehow the phrase "grounded until you graduate from high school" sprang to mind.

Eli -- perfect pitch is not an advantage to a pianist. Relative pitch could be but he probably doesn't know the difference. Just as well he found another line of work.

The episode? Meh.

[calidub]

That was disappointing. Kinda like the entire development of the Will/Alicia "relationship," to be honest. The entire thing was handled so poorly. It's like the writers were so afraid of it becoming The Will & Alicia Show that they neglected them all together. When was the last time they even kissed? Episode 3? And they never had an actual conversation. And now it's just... over? Fail, writers. Serious fail.

She's at work so she misses her daughter's call. This means she must break up with Will. WHAT THE HELL does one have to do with the other.

Exactly. If anything, it could've brought them closer together. I'm disappointed that she made zero effort to confide in him or seek comfort in him and just ignored his calls. And then she couldn't even call him to tell her they found Grace?

Poor Will.

[SassySenior]

Dreadful episode. All the WTF moments that had me just shaking my head. Beginning "premonition" of something sinister was certainly offset by the after school baptism in the druggy neighborhood. I guess the only good thing from this episode was remembering the arbitrator from the movie "Best in Show".

[OptimisticCynic]

She's at work so she misses her daughter's call. This means she must break up with Will. WHAT THE HELL does one have to do with the other. Especially since Grace was just fine.

1,000 times in agreement. I hate this change in storyline because it's punishing Alicia for a) having a career and b) having a sexual relationship with a man she's attracted to. It's some retro sexist bullshit and it's stupid for many reasons.

First: at Grace's age, this storyline simply doesn't work. If she were younger, I could understand. But Grace is 14 or 15. The character is written and played as naive as an 11 year old child incapable of street smarts. Their whole conversation about "distractions" made me roll my eyes. Because clearly, unless Alicia is tied to her children at all times her actions aren't meaningful, important, or worthwhile.

Second: Why isn't Peter being handed this same judgment? If Alicia truly felt that they was negligence in Grace's parenting she should sit down with Peter and they should both decide to obviously spend more time and care in paying attention to their kid's lives. If they are that overprotective, hire a nanny or babysitter for her full time.

This storyline is so stupid that as she walked away from Will I said to myself, "well she doesn't deserve him then." Which is something I thought I'd never say with this show. They have always written Will as interestingly gray but in regards to Alicia he has always been attentive, loving, patient, kind, and most of all interested in what made her happy and her best interests.

Edited by OptimisticCynic, Dec 4, 2011 @ 10:22 PM.

[stonehaven]

Personally, I am glad she broke up with Will. She needs to find her love life but outside that office. Now, the reason pisses me off..I am so tired of seeing women feel guilty their jobs take them from their family. I rarely ever see that portayed in men and it is a well worn plot device that Hollywood seems bent on pushing.

..and the whole Grace thing seemed just weird...the build up..the drama..those promos all made it seem like life or death..and then just "oh yeah, she got baptized"...

..and then Eli and Diane were given very little to do. I'm glad Alicia got more to do but did it have to be as a weepy mother act? Also, if Canning found that memo in her bag, is that considered "work product" and therefore "attorney client" relationship? Also, if he took it from her bag while in her home, that is theft.

I do like that Peter seemed to want to unite with Alicia in the safe return of their daughter but I am waiting for the blame to start flying at some point.

Overall, after two weeks..an "eh" kind of episode.

[Sunless]

I loved this episode!

Exactly. If anything, it could've brought them closer together. I'm disappointed that she made zero effort to confide in him or seek comfort in him and just ignored his calls. And then she couldn't even call him to tell her they found Grace?

Poor Will.

She was never in love with Will. It's been pretty obvious that he was the one who was in love. If something happens to the kids it makes sense for her to seek out Peter.

[Invader Toph]

The arbitrator, Michael J. Fox, and the first 30 minutes were the better parts of the episode. I'm surprised at how Diane has become the team mom but I'll go with it. As for the rest...

My mom would've KICKED. MY. ASS. if I did something that amazingly stupid. She couldn't even tell her best friend? Wow. Just wow. And as for Alicia breaking up with Will, I think that she did it because she felt like she was neglecting her family. And between work, the affair, and her children it was was too much. She probably felt that if she was home more this wouldn't have happened. It's not exactly logical but I understand. What I have a problem with is that it came right the fuck out of nowhere. If it was built up more over the season then it would be better. But over the course of one episode? No.

[OptimisticCynic]

One more thing I forgot to mention - the true pay off of the awful and poorly written Grace storyline, the prospect of a mend between Kalinda and Alicia, was completely neglected. It felt in character for Kalinda to save the day but not want to take credit given their situation, but considering they wrote such a poor storyline at least it would have provided some sort of payoff.

So two of the relationships that I felt showed the most chemistry and the most interesting in the show - Alicia/Kalinda and Alicia/Will - are now sacrificed for what exactly? So that Alicia can go back to Peter? Punish herself for finally doing what she wants? They refuse to have her divorce him which I also hate.

Edited by OptimisticCynic, Dec 4, 2011 @ 10:27 PM.

[cwaldo]

I'm glad Alicia got more to do but did it have to be as a weepy mother act?

Couldn't agree more. When she picked up the picture of her and Grace, I thought, "stop crying and do something!" I think Ken Tucker said something a few weeks ago about how all the plot points are happening around Alicia, but she is not really a participant in the over-arching plots right now. I want her to find out about the investigation and get involved. It's frustrating to feel like she's just letting things happen.

[randomname1]

So two of the relationships that I felt showed the most chemistry and the most interesting in the show - Alicia/Kalinda and Alicia/Will - are now sacrificed for what exactly?

I agree with this whole-heartedly! It's hard to think what will be interesting from here on. I never watched before this season, then I started watching after TAR. I got so interested that I watched the first two seasons on dvd between the last episode and this one. I feel like I had a crash course in the Alicia/Kalinda relationship, now it's all just dust. Alicia should totally forgive Kalinda for a one-night stand that happened before they met. Grace should have told her mother that it was Kalinda who found her. I also agree that Channing stealing that email was theft--press charges and have the guy arrested.

[merylinkid]

Okay, calmer now. What I did like about this episode was Canning. His line to Alicia "How are the children doing?" was hilarious. Then he was so gentle and supportive when it was clear something was wrong with Alicia "I have a driver, I can take you anywhere you want to go."

Also loved Alicia telling Martha "You are a little young to have a lifelong grudge." Someone should point that out to Cary too. You didn't get the job, sweetie. Be grateful you found another one. In this economy you could be unemployed.

Full in LMFAO mode when Alicia ran out to take the pictures of the posters and Canning followed her. She said "You want me to slow down" then took off at high speed again.

Did not like some of the legal stuff. First of all, defamation only needs to be told to one person. That email calling the professor a homophobe was defamation whether it was posted online or not. Canning stealing stuff out of Alicia's bag is disbarrable. Where he got it is definitely relevant because if he stole it, it is inadmissible. Even in an arbitration where the rules are a bit more relaxed.

Edited by merylinkid, Dec 4, 2011 @ 10:33 PM.

[PoeticJustice32]

WHAT THE HELL does one have to do with the other.

Uh yeah. I was wondering what that poor negligee did to deserve being thrown to the ground in such anger. I thought the situation with Grace and Canning's heavy courting would have resulted in Alicia leaving the firm, not breaking up with Will. THAT would have made more sense and solved the boss-underling problem as well as Alicia's guilt at not being more available for her kids.

Color me surprised that the little twit was only getting baptized. Did anyone even ask Grace about the supposed man that she got into a car with? My butt would have been fried if I went off to a seedy part of town....to get baptized!!!??.....and didn't tell anyone where I was going and who I was going with. WTF!!

I love that Kalinda jumped right on the search for Grace, and better yet didn't want any credit for it. That is going to endear Alicia some way shape or form when she finds out. Ohh I'm soo excited. It won't be long til Kalicia is back!! Oh be still my beating heart.

I didn't care for Diane misreading/assuming what went on between Alicia and Will....and then bringing over a glass of scotch...to what? Celebrate? And what's with these people drinking all the damn time. Its becoming OTT. I swore when Will offered Eli some scotch it was the morning time. I guess its always 5:00 somewhere as they say.

I hated hated hated that they made Martha so damn bitter. For one, being blonde doesn't automatically mean someone isn't qualified. Sure Caitlin got the job because of her connections, but damn it, Martha doesn't know that. And then for her to complain about her pay cut or whatever....petty just petty. Be glad you have a freaking job lady. I"m just pissed because the whole interaction made me root for Caitlin!

Edited by PoeticJustice32, Dec 4, 2011 @ 10:38 PM.

[Qi Zi]

This ep. was all kinds of suck.

The case made no sense at all. If the junior professor was in a tenure-track position, which you have to assume she was, then no provost could just fire her like that outside the procedures of the annual review, which would've taken place well before August. Even more absurd is the conceit that an English professor at a major research university (Bible college don't count) could be a Bible-thumping, Tea-party Republican.

Hated the way Will happened to walk in just at the precise moment the Florricks do their group hug with the door swung wide open. Come on. It's almost as bad as Grace butt-dialing the precise moment when her baptizer happened to sound like a crazed kidnapper.

[Blue32]

What on Earth was up with that weird one-on-one baptism with the hot youth leader? That was some freaky shit right there.

Eli -- perfect pitch is not an advantage to a pianist. Relative pitch could be but he probably doesn't know the difference. Just as well he found another line of work.

Ha, I know, right? If his parents had wanted him to be, say, a violinist, on the other hand...

Celebrate? And what's with these people drinking all the damn time. Its becoming OTT.

Not for law firms, it isn't, although I admit morning drinking would be pushing it.

Edited by Blue32, Dec 4, 2011 @ 10:47 PM.

[cwaldo]

Hated the way Will happened to walk in just at the precise moment the Florricks do their group hug with the door swung wide open.

To be fair, it wasn't a group hug at that point, Peter had stepped out of the picture.

[dbell1]

COTW - guess Alicia's happy they made her hire Caitlin? Martha was sucking on sour grapes big time. Canning - glad to see you back, oh devious one. I guess he was the extra person we saw off to the side during the Grace, Alicia & Peter hug? Bonus points for no Jackie there. Would have thought grandmom dearest was going to be the screeching harpy in the corner telling Alicia it's all her fault.

Was that Internet Jesus doing the baptism?

BOTW (Brat of the week) - Grace - butt dialing your mom 12 times? Leave a message or send a text that you're going to be late. Oh, and I guess the phone died after all those calls but why didn't Kalinda have Grace call Alicia as soon as she found her? Or dumb daughter do it? "Hey, your mom's at home catatonic and your dad's calling in sketch artists, wanna tell them you're safe?" And where was Zach when Grace got home? Still off being L&G:Teen Techie? Hope he mentions to Alicia that Kalinda found Grace.

Will - feel bad for him losing St. Alicia again, but he's now back in his partner's good graces and maybe Peter's people will back off him. Just don't bring back massive forehead Tammy. Please.

[CozyKat]

I really liked the episode, but then I'm a very simple soul. I never pay super-close attention to the legal intricacies, and I think that within the constraints of the series concept - Alicia has to be a wife at least in name only, and she can't end up blissfully melded to Will this long before the end - the writers maneuvered pretty well. I must confess I watched that last scene half a dozen times. Poor Will, indeed.

I agree the writers went too far in not having Grace, or someone, call Alicia before Grace walked through the door. I understand that would've lessened the "impact," but so did the normal-people-don't-act-that-way factor.

I also agree that the flinging-away of the negligee was a bit of a groaner, but I don't think Grace going missing was the only thing that made Alicia call it off; she's been dropping hints of ambivalence about the affair all season, and the "distractions" conversation with Grace hinted at what was coming. And I don't think Alicia is being "punished" for having sex. She's having a covert affair with her boss while still pretending to be married, and because she prizes integrity, it has taken a toll on her. The whole Grace business struck me as the last straw, not the whole reason.

I also couldn't imagine Will telling Diane, "No, no, our breakup actually went like THIS." They're close professionally, but it's not like now he wants to bare his heart about the affair that pissed her off.

Loved the exchange between Eli and Will.

[stealinghome]

Actually, I didn't think this week's episode was that bad. I was expecting the entire episode to be about finding Grace, so that it wasn't was an improvement on my expectations. And at least something actually HAPPENED this week, which is a nice change from other episodes this season. However, that doesn't mean that tonight's episode didn't have flaws, however, of which the biggest is definitely:

She's at work so she misses her daughter's call. This means she must break up with Will. WHAT THE HELL does one have to do with the other. Especially since Grace was just fine. And Alicia was not screwing Will when she missed the call. It would have made more sense for her to quit her job since that is why she was not there for Grace.

ITA. I'm not even a Willicia shipper--actually, I'm pretty anti-the couple--but that was the LAZIEST FUCKING WRITING I've seen on this show, hands down. How does that make logical effing sense? IT DOESN'T. Laziest.Writing.Ever. If the couple breaks up, I want them to actually break up for a REASON. There are just no words for how ridiculous that was. For Pete's sake. It's like the writers decided that they actually want to go back to S1/early S2 with Willicia, like they suddenly realized they shot their wad too soon with the relationship, but writers, YOU CAN'T UNRING THAT BELL ONCE IT'S BEEN RUNG. Even if Willicia isn't working the way you want it to, that doesn't mean you can reset the show! And I don't want another season of ridiculous tortured longing looks, because if you just think that will make them more interesting or more OTP--no. No, it won't.

And I'm sorry, I won't buy that Alicia suddenly got overwhelmed with her life, because she had her shit together just fine before Grace went missing. Or, ITA with

What I have a problem with is that it came right the fuck out of nowhere. If it was built up more over the season then it would be better. But over the course of one episode? No.

Loved what we saw of Peter tonight, both as a father and chewing out WSC (and I'm totally on-board the train that somehow WSC is going to try to use this special prosecutorship to take Peter and Alicia), and I like the way they've handled the Peter/Alicia relationship this season. I also loved Eli and his conversation with Will tonight (though boy, is the shit going to hit the fan when Alicia finds out Will has been hiding the investigation). Will's conversation with Diane was also promising, because you just KNOW that letting Diane think he ended it for the firm is absolutely going to come back to bite him. I also think Josh Charles is at his best when Will is plotting, wheeling, and dealing, so that there was a lot of that tonight was good from an acting front.

I'm surprised at how Diane has become the team mom but I'll go with it.

I wouldn't have thought it, but it REALLY works for Diane. Her relationship with Eli especially is making both characters more interesting right now.

Other bullshit things: I really, really liked that Kalinda dropped everything to go find Grace. And I love her nobility in telling Grace not to tell Alicia--somehow it's very unexpected but also very in character. But I don't believe for a SECOND that Kalinda would not have called Alicia right away when she found Grace. I don't care how angry Alicia is. I don't care how hurt Kalinda is. There is no.fucking.way Kalinda would let Alicia suffer any longer than she had to. And I'm already tired of the Kalinda/Cary/Dana...thing. Though I did like that Kalinda cut Dana down to size tonight.

but she is not really a participant in the over-arching plots right now. I want her to find out about the investigation and get involved. It's frustrating to feel like she's just letting things happen.

It's annoying, but it's also CLASSIC Alicia.

Full in LMFAO mode when Alicia ran out to take the pictures of the posters and Canning followed her. She said "You want me to slow down" then took off at high speed again.

I LOVED that. Alicia doesn't let her bitch flag fly enough. But when she does, it's awesome.

Even more absurd is the conceit that an English professor at a major research university (Bible college don't count) could be a Bible-thumping, Tea-party Republican.

Bwah!

To be fair, it wasn't a group hug at that point, Peter had stepped out of the picture.

Yeah, it was Grace and Alicia hugging with Peter just barely visible on the other side of the doorframe.

I think tonight is easily the most I've liked MJF as Canning since his initial appearance. If they play him more like they did tonight, I'd say bring him back as often as you want!

My Alicia-and-Kalinda loving heart got BIG pitter-patters after the preview for next week.

[askew]

Well, I called it. This was the episode that Alicia got punished for being with Will. That plus the right-wing Republican talking points about Christians being discriminated against for being bigots and all the God talk is enough for me. This show clearly has an agenda and if I wanted to watch this agenda I'd watch Fox News.

[stealinghome]

This show clearly has an agenda and if I wanted to watch this agenda I'd watch Fox News.

Heh. Funny how perceptions differ. I think the show generally swings pretty liberal, but it also isn't afraid to call the left out on its shit, which is what I would classify tonight as. (And in the end, the professor even lost!)

Besides, I thought Canning's rebuttal--"so do you want to kill gay people?"--was a classic, West Wing-esque moment of puncturing the legitimacy of the "the Bible says it!" argument/the professor's self-righteousness. Kind of like what Diane did to McVeigh on the stand last season, talking about the Tea Party.

Edited by stealinghome, Dec 4, 2011 @ 11:25 PM.

[askew]

The show has been pushing how noble the Republicans and the Democrats are corrupt for years now. I've been able to overlook until this season. Now, every episode has some reference to it plus they are using religion to excuse bigots and are punishing their main character because she is a woman having sex. It's getting old. I don't know if CBS is telling the producers to make the show more appealing to conservative Christians like NBC did with the West Wing or if the producers are Republicans. Either way, I hate the preachiness. I just wanted to watch an interesting law show with complex characters. So much for that.

[L star]

I don't think Alicia was being punished for having sex. I actually think the writing was on the wall for Alicia/Will as soon as Grace asked her if what was upsetting/distracting her was Will. For Grace to jump from you missed my phone call because you're busy/distracted, to is it Will distracting you instead of thinking it was work or anything else really got to her. When she saw the negligee (granted an eyeroll worthy moment) I think she just felt like she'd dropped the ball. She told Grace she would eliminate distractions and Will is still expendable for her.

I'm more curious how long this will stick. Alicia did this in a very emotional state which is unlike her. I'm curious if she'll regret it. And isn't it time for Will to screw up soon? I mean beyond not telling Alicia about the investigation. Just this ep there was him refusing to break up with Alicia after Diane told him to, telling Kalinda not to find out if it would help him to break up with her, catching on that something was wrong and going to find her, and then being the model dumpee at the end. I realize he's going to be doing more because he's the one in love but this is getting ridiculous. I hope it's laying the groundwork for something rather than just there to unbalance the relationship.

I've always seen this show as leaning much more to the liberal side as well.

I loved the first half of this ep. The second half was eyerolling from the kidnapper voicemail to Kalinda not calling Alicia to tell her Grace was okay to Alicia just letting Canning get away with stealing confidential work from her. Sad because the first half was amazing IMO.

[ScienceGirl12]

This episode was...OK.

Things I liked:
Diane - both in her scene with Eli and her ending scene with Will. She really has it together. I want more showdowns between her and Wendy Scott-Car....maybe Diane can use her magical kickass powers to render Wendy mute because the latter's voice truly grates.

The absurd arbitrator.

Canning - I liked that he did to Alicia EXACTLY what Kalinda (and by extension, Lockhart & Gardner) have done to the opposition so many times i.e. gotten a piece of info by rather shady means. And I like that even after doing so, he unapologetically wants Alicia to work at his firm.

Will and Eli's scene. Favorite part of this episode - I've been hoping that this would happen! And I love that it happened over a glass of scotch. Score one for Will here, I think Eli is going to find it very hard to take sides in this one.

Will generally. I know he's fictional, but I felt really bad for him again in this episode. He tries to check in with Alicia, goes to her apartment, wants to commit, actually gets good advice from Eli re: telling Alicia about the investigation (I was actually wondering what, precisely, he was going to tell her when she walked into his office) and he gets dumped. He handled it in a really mature way but like he told Diane...SHE will get over it. I'm wondering what Alicia will think when she finds out about the investigation?

Things I disliked:

Normally, I don't hate on Alicia's kids. But I think the time has come where I have to - seriously, how is Grace SUCH AN IDIOT? The entire "kidnapping" plot was sloppily written and executed. I agree with everyone's criticisms before me - a) why isn't Alicia more actively involved?, b) no way Kalinda wouldn't have told Alicia that she had gotten Grace (and sidenote, but Kalinda is apparently superior to the entire Cook County police force), c) how does Alicia equate missing Grace's butt calls with a necessity to be around more - and given that she does equate them, shouldn't she quit her job like an earlier poster mentioned? It was just ridiculous - I *wish* the white supremacist HAD been involved, that might have made the plot more legit. And also, I disliked the fact that the kidnapping lasted for a grand 10 minutes...it lacked any sense of real urgency. I figured Grace was with one of her weirdo church groupies or a friend of the tutor. Annnnd how lame was Grace's friend (and unobservant)? Argh!!

Will's sad faces :( Poor Will.

Things that I don't want to happen:
Will seeking comfort with Caitlin, which now seems like a more likely possibility.

Alicia reconciling with Peter. Please god NO.

Edited by ScienceGirl12, Dec 4, 2011 @ 11:54 PM.