‘The Good Wife’ Review: Hunting for Skeletons

“I’m running.” There it is. A decision. Finally. Alicia Florrick is running for State’s Attorney. Are we surprised? No. Do we think she’s ready (Insert exaggerated sigh)? No. Are we on board to watch her find her way during this campaign? Yes. Most importantly, did we enjoy this episode of The Good Wife? Akjzsfjsdhfaghfdhadhahda. YES.

Everyone has skeletons in their closet, right (If you said no, you’re lying)? In “Oppo Research,” some rather interesting and one very shocking ones emerge from Alicia’s closet. Along with those came a decision forced upon her in regards to one of her top clients. This is all before she has even made her final decision on running! Before we get into some specifics, let’s just take a moment to applaud how she handled everything thrown at her (Ok. Maybe she overreacted a little to one, but, can we blame her?).

We start the episode with Alicia preparing for her meeting with Eli while also watching the latest episode of her favorite show. SPOILER ALERT: She gets spoiled on said show. That’s cute. Now she knows how we feel. Turns out that Eli, unbeknownst to her, has invited her campaign manager to attend this meeting with them (How cute was it when she said he was her campaign manager?). While she and Johnny Elfman seem to clash at first, I think I can say that we (and Alicia) end up liking him. Some more than others, but we won’t get into that.

Now about those skeletons…

Zach did what?!

Eli and Elfman hit Alicia hard with the reveal that Zach and his girlfriend Nisa had an abortion last summer. Let’s be realistic. Any mother in their right mind would be shocked and hurt by this information. For Alicia, who takes being lied to very seriously, it’s worse. Immediately, she calls Peter to ask if he knew and to pretty much lose her freaking mind on the phone (Going down in my books as one of my favorites). Piling onto that, they then inform her that Owen is sleeping with a married Palestinian man who also does gay porn. “I don’t know how to answer that.” Who does?! Then she finds out that Veronica spanked someone else’s child in a department store. This poor woman (Alicia, not Veronica).

Pictures and a surprise for Eli

So, after all that time that Alicia was with Will in countless hotels, the one thing they come up with is a photo from the beginning of the series? Are we supposed to believe that? No. I’m sure more will come from that. Absolutely positive. Now, this Finn picture that’s time stamped 8:27a.m. on a date that doesn’t fit the timeline? Something about that is bugging me. But, it’s Finn; therefore I shall ignore it…for now. When Elfman tries to bring up Peter, Eli stops him. Clearly, he cares about Alicia and would rather not cause her any heartache unnecessarily. Assuming she knows what he’s trying to keep from her, Alicia reveals Peter’s one-night stand with Kalinda and shocks Eli. By the end of the meeting, Alicia still isn’t sure if she is running and Elfman commends her for how she handled her “come to Jesus” moment.

Alicia attacks her list

In attempt to address the new information she has been given, Alicia invites her mother and brother over. In a comical scene, we see Owen and Veronica try to figure out why she needed to speak with them before she joins them. Informing them of her considered run for SA, she addresses Veronica’s spanking of the child, much to Owen’s amusement and informs her that she’s arranged a meeting where she can apologize. Asking Owen to join her in the kitchen so that she can speak to him away from their mother, she informs him of what she’s learned about him. His almost immediate reaction of pouring out his glass of wine (the travesty!) and abruptly leaving his sister’s apartment, broke my heart.

However, nothing tops the phone call that finally happens between Alicia and Zach. She is so hurt and angry that he lied to her. He feels so bad for doing so and in turn, disappointing her. Just replaying their conversation in my head hurts my heart all over again. His reaction to her running for SA is pretty much how I thought he’d react. Instead of letting him talk, she tell him what she needs him to say and then does the unthinkable (to me), she hangs up on her son and slams the phone down on her desk. Honestly? Everything she did and said after finding out that he lied to her? I would have reacted the same way. I know they’ll be ok. This is her child, not some random acquaintance. I just need to see it. He better come home for Thanksgiving! FIX THIS.

Meeting with Finn Polmar to discuss that photo (that will not stop bugging me) seemed to cause more problems for Alicia. I have watched the episode a few times now, am I alone in wondering if something has happened between her and Finn already? Weird vibe there and not a good one, either. Given that she gets pulled over for a DUI after her one glass of wine with him, many of us wonder if he set her up. It seems like it and that’s wrong on so many levels.

While we did not see her have the discussion about her running with Grace, we assume she must have. Having set a Google alert for her mother, she discovers that a PAC has been set up for Alicia and is steadily bringing in donations for her campaign. She blames Eli, but he didn’t do it. Nor did Elfman. So who did?

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that in addition to having to address the issues in her family and speak with Finn Polmar, Alicia has also been tasked with firing Lemond Bishop as her client. Fun times for Mrs. Florrick. Of course, as with anything in her life, it doesn’t all go swimmingly. In a meeting with Alicia and Diane, Bishop refuses to let her fire him. In a later meeting with Kalinda, she lets it slip to Bishop that Alicia may be running for SA. Do you see where this is going? I didn’t! Last scene, Bishop waiting for Alicia outside of her firm, he tells her that he’s taken her advice and will hire another firm. Then he drops the bombshell; He is the one who set up the PAC for her. Well, I don’t know about anyone else, but my jaw dropped. I don’t know if this is a good or a bad thing. I just…I really do not know what to think.

So much thrown at Alicia this episode and bless her soul she took it all in stride. She is running for State’s Attorney. We are in for an exciting, yet incredibly bumpy trip down this road with her. I do believe we are beginning to see a different Alicia emerge. I look forward to expanding on this in the future.