‘The Good Wife’ Review: Bow Down, Bitches

Five seasons we have waited for Alicia Florrick to drop that mic on Peter. FIVE. SEASONS. Even if you are an Alicia/Peter fan, you cannot deny the epicness of Alicia finally ridding herself of the filter she has always used when discussing their marital issues. More on that later, though.

The Good Wife came roaring back into our lives with their newest episode, “A Material World,” further clinching their spot as the best show on television. The question is, do I sit here and gush about the incandescent acting delivered by Julianna Margulies or do I have us all bow down to the geniuses in this show’s writers’ room? As the saying goes, “If it’s not on the page, it’s not on the stage.”

How about I just share what I think the best moments from this episode were?

Drunk Diane and Alicia

Does it get any better than these two women getting drunk together? No. No, it does not. What a perfect way to open the episode! Diane and Alicia having drinks in honor of Will after his funeral and realizing that they knew him better than his own family. First knife meet heart moment.

Diane: “We were like the two mistresses at the Irish funeral.”

Alicia: “Yup!”

Diane: “Oh, I’m sorry. I meant that metaphorically.”

Alicia: “I know.”

The fact that this exchange between them occurs followed by laughter screams growth in their relationship. They trade stories about their moms and what they think of how they’ve chosen to live their lives. Drunk Alicia offers to answer David Lee’s call on Diane’s phone simply to terrify him, causing the entire audience to laugh right along with her.

Diane shares her feelings about being ‘alone’ at Lockhart/Gardner now that Will is gone. The women share their troubles at their respective firms, bringing them to the subject of merging. For me, it’s too early for this to occur. But the plan they come up with, is a good one. However, all of this? It’s what friends do. Much love and thanks to the writers for this. Hoping this is the start of a closer bond between Diane and Alicia.

Kalinda takes out the trash

Hallelujah! Ding dong, Damian Boyle is gone. At least, that’s what we’re led to believe after Kalinda finds information that she uses to get him to leave Lockhart/Gardner. A move that, in turn, shoots down David Lee’s chance at pushing Diane out (a collective ‘awww’ at Kalinda protecting Diane). We all know that Will was Kalinda’s main dude and now that he’s gone, it’s clear where her allegiance lies.

I will admit that I had a little panic attack when I thought that we would see Kalinda in Will’s apartment after Diane sent her to collect a box of his work stuff that his family boxed up. There’s just no way my heart could have handled that. But, the scene we did get, with her going through the contents of the box, hurt just as much. The pictures of baby Will, the picture of her with him and the second knife to my heart: the Georgetown sweatshirt. I need Kalinda to give that to Alicia. As much as that scene will kill me, it needs to happen. It belongs with Alicia. End of story.

Alicia in her angry stage of grief

How awesome was it to see Alicia kicking ass and taking names in this episode? No one was safe. Not Cary when he tried to talk to her about taking Grant’s case.

“Cary, listen to me. You take this case, I quit the firm.”

Not David Lee when he tested Cary during settlement negotiations. Or when he pissed her off in court and she kind of took it out on Diane (That one hurt). Not the husband divorcing her client as he tried to pull the rug out from under them by claiming her client was endangering the life of their child. Not Peter when he simply tried to inquire as to how she was doing when she appeared with him at a photo op. Alicia was a force to be reckoned with fueled by an anger she had no idea she was feeling over Will’s death. Until she let herself feel. We’ll get to that in a bit.

Diane makes an executive decision

Fueled by her ‘truce’ with Alicia and their plan to make a merger happen between their two firms, Diane was fighting and emerging victorious in her own battles. Faced with the information from Kalinda that David and Damian were plotting to push her out of the firm, Diane put herself in Kalinda’s trustworthy hands. As we know, she delivered on her word and found a way to help Diane get rid of Boyle, thus crushing David’s dream of pushing her out and taking over and reminding him that SHE is ranking partner. Oh, David. Just bow down, you’re never going to win.

Alicia cracks and breaks

So, as I told a friend, I went into this episode thinking (like Alicia had been for the better part of the episode), ‘I’ll be fine. No more tears. The worst is over’, then Alicia cracked and I was done. It all started with one question during her cross examination in court. The next knife meet heart moment.

“When someone dies, there’s nothing left of them?”

You hear it in her voice. The cracking. The emotion. Diane hears it, too. You see it on her face as she watches her. She knows Alicia’s losing it, but doesn’t know what to do. We see Alicia walking outside after court where she lets out a strangled sob and has to sit on the nearest bench to collect herself. She sees Grace’s old tutor, who invites her to dance (Dammit, Alicia. You should have!).

She goes home, walks straight to her bedroom, drops everything on the floor and crawls right into her bed under the covers. I don’t know about anyone else, but at this point I’m sobbing and reaching out to the screen trying to hug her. Her kids, clearly worried and trying to take care of her, sent me over the moon. That’s what I wanted! (Now, just bring me Owen and Veronica to do the same and I’ll be an even happier viewer). Jesus, Alicia. You are not fine and honey, that is totally alright.

However, I was not happy with Finn visiting Alicia in her home AND stepping into her bedroom. Bro, you don’t even know her. What are you doing? That’s probably an irrational shipper feeling, but whatever. I don’t care. I don’t approve. Proving he doesn’t know anything about anybody…and the final knife meet heart moment…

“Will really mattered to you.”

Her face and her struggle to simply say, “Yes” made me want to kick Finn. Irrational, I know. Yeah, yeah, whatever. I don’t dislike the guy, I just think boundaries are being overstepped for some odd reason and the unknown with where everything is going makes it hard for me to even try to like him. I mean, I’m forever side-eyeing the guy for Christ’s sake.

And last but most definitely not least…

The Florrick Fight

I repeat…FIVE SEASONS we have waited for this! Just the look she gave him when she came out of her bedroom alone said enough. If you had no idea of what was to come, that told you that things were about to get real. Peter freaking Florrick, in all his dumb glory, seeing his wife obviously broken in front of him…

Peter: “The way you’re handling this Will thing…”

Alicia: “I’m doing…my best.”

Peter: “If this is your best, then I think we need to talk.”

First thing that makes me want to punch him in his throat. But, does he stop? Nope. Unfortunately, for him, Alicia is not here for his bullshit.

“Look, you lost a friend. You didn’t lose your child. You didn’t lose your husband.”

“I lost my husband a long time ago.”

You deserved that, Peter. Sorry, not sorry. I could quote their entire, long time coming-about damn time it happened, fight here, but we all saw it. And watched it five more times (Oh…Was that just me?). So great to see Alicia finally say things we’ve all felt she should have this entire time. It’s true what they say, death changes you. Margulies and the Kings did say we would get a different Alicia as a result of Will’s tragic and abrupt exit from her life. They weren’t kidding. Wait…one more beautiful zinger…

Alicia: “Don’t worry, I’m not gonna divorce you. You’re too valuable to me professionally, just like I am to you.”

Can we say BURN?? Alicia is hurting and wants to hurt back. This is how she is dealing with her grief. Will things stay this way? Will she really continue on in an open marriage with Peter? Not the Alicia we’ve known all these years, but this new one? Who knows? Making the future of this show so exciting!

The writers have done a phenomenal job of making the aftermath of Will’s death and everyone’s grieving process not only realistic, but incredibly true to their characters. Julianna Margulies has once again proven that not only is she brilliant and deserves every award she’s ever won, but that she deserves every one this coming award season. Bow down, bitches. Let’s be real, she and the Kings should just start preparing their acceptance speeches now. While the award committees are in a giving mood, can we get one for Christine Baranski, too?

I cannot believe that this amazing ride of season five is almost behind us and we will be left alone on the emotional rollercoaster this show has placed us on until they return in the fall. However, I am excited to see what twists and turns the writers take us on for the remainder of this season.

What are your thoughts on this episode? Hit the comment box and let us know!