S06.E02: Trust Issues

[Julie23]

The best part of this episode was the Alicia-Cary hug at the end. Awwww.

[romantic idiot]

How would Peter know that Cary's innocent?  Or, why would he make that assumption without reviewing the evidence?  If he's heard the SA had a CI and scored a recording, I don't believe he would. [1]

 

Dipping into their trust account to pay a partner's personal expenses would be seriously frowned upon by the State Bar, IMHO.  And that's what it would be considered, IMHO, i.e. not a loan or asset.  Unfortunately, the State Bar wouldn't care that it's (supposedly) a bum rap, lol.

 

If Cary had the personal borrowing power to secure a $1.3M loan, he would have borrowed the bail funds himself.  So, for financial statement purposes, Cary's debt would be considered uncollectible and written off as such on the balance sheet (b/s).  It would be an expense, not an asset - JMHO. [2]

 

ETA:  I should add the following:  technically, trust accts and unearned fees are restricted/blocked accts and would never be considered assets for purposes of F/A's balance sheet.  Just saying that if they were, Cary's debt couldn't be considered a replacement asset for the trust account.  Or, alternatively, if we prepared a b/s for the trust account, itself.  Sorry if I took everyone too far into the weeds on the financial issues. [3]

 

F/A was seriously undercapitalized and still in debt for start-up expenses prior to Diane's capital contribution.  I believe that's why someone called out "We're out of debt" after they voted her in.  Thus, the Chum-Hum monthly billing (plus other assorted clients) wasn't covering their operating expenses plus principal, assuming Chum-Hum was paying ther bills currently and not stretching, like many clients. [4]

 

Yes, they can apply funds out of the trust fund if/when appropriate.  During that meeting, if we believe the writers, hahaha, they weren't aware of 7 additional partners and their capital contributions!

 

Yes, Diane was recruited and mentored by Stern.  IIRC, however, was he was out of the picture for at least a few years due to alcoholism and/or cancer. [5]

 

Thought Robin was smarter than to make a 5-10 crack in front of a well-dressed, potential client or some other professional who had business dealings with the firm.

 

Good point / question about why Bishop didn't simply eliminate all 3 capos.  I assumed he wanted to make an example of the 1, the supposed guilty party.  And, it seems like he'd need the rest of the ranks to continue working, maintaining order within the organization. 

 

WRT the depositions, I believe home court advantage always helps, in spite of the annoying construction.  And, Alicia could throw the firm's growth in the opposing counsel's face, i.e. the one who passed her over.  Plus, sometimes those interruptions come in handy, lol!

 

Didn't Alicia march right over to Eli after the Valerie Jarrett call?  I didn't believe he fooled her. [6]

 

I agree with you, romantic idiot, that Cary and Diane are the most sympathetic characters.  We were all bored to tears when every plot focused around the "Good Wife". 

 

Question:  Does Kalinda have stronger feelings towards Cary, even actual love, or is it simply a little bisexual lust?  We know Cary's always been hot for her.  They're working on the same team, again.

There were quite a few points I wanted to respond to, so have numbered them. 

[1] I don't think any of them are kidding themselves about Cary being guilty. Is there evidence against Cary? Sure. But I don't think even Finn believes in Cary's guilt to be honest. Either way. Peter is judging Cary to be guilty before his actual conviction. Again, as I said, predictably smart? Sure. Principled? Yeah right. 

[2] So there's not concept of a hardship loan or something across the Pacific? This is an extraordinary expense - an employer can't be kind and give a short term loan to a valued and loyal employee? Yikes. Also, how would they deem the loan to be uncollectible without it ever having come due? 

[3] I understand your point about trust account. Just reiterating that i thought that the services had been earned already, since I figured the payment was because of the fees they'd already earned due to the work on the case they just settled. 

[4] Yes, but presumably their working capital was covered which is what they needed really (and I mean including the interest payment on any debt they had to service. So they don't need those ChumHum funds to pay their employees' salaries - hopefully they aren't doing that out of their partners' capital contributions. I don't get where the thought that they were unable to service the debt they did have is coming from? Being out of debt just means they can settle it early, doesn't mean they would've defaulted without it, which is how I interpret not having enough inflow to settle operating expenses + principal Otherwise, I can't see Cary Agos from jail voting not to let Diane in if the firm would have one under otherwise. 

[5] Even if Stern left later, the culture at SLG would have been set already, and the employees and partners recruited accordingly, so Diane may not have had the free hand she wants in shaping a firm according to her vision

[6] I meant afterwards. I think Eli managed to lie to her convincingly that he wasn't the guilty party, which is why she went on to confront Castro. And I don't think she now knows who is behind the poll and the leak. 

[Sandman]

Hey, if an apparently self-adoring block of balsa wood like Charles Michael Davis can have a career in television, you won't catch me complaining about Taye Diggs; also Mike Colter isn't exactly an acting revelation his own self, either; but he underplays the monster aspect of Bishop in a way that's a little bit interesting.

 

I'm missing some part of Diane's strategy in bringing over "department heads" from the Mean Girl Lunchroom Formerly Known As Lockhart Gardner. Are these six extra people to be made equity partners, or are they associates? (Would "department heads" even be interested in coming on as associates?) I get that Diane wants to give David Lee and Loose Cannon a big corporate slap upside the head -- and who could blame her? -- but arriving at her new partnership with a six-pack of cronies makes her look insecure and it's out of character for her.

 

The equity partners (including Cary, who's been blindsided so much it's like he and Eli switched roles) would have to vote on the admission of the new partners, as noted upthread, and probably would have something to say about hiring new associates. And I agree with the comments upthread about Diane's already having a chance to build a firm from the ground up: that would be the firm with her name on it already. This development really isn't going to work for me, I think.

 

I thought that Valerie Jarrett did all right, as far as the "As Herself / As Himself" roles go (better her than Fred Thompson!) I liked her  "I'm not saying that!" response to Eli's boneheaded "support of your husband" cue. (Really, Eli?) Still kind of over Eli and his transparent machinations. At least he's given up the pose of looking out for Alicia's best interests.

 

I hope Cary doesn't end up getting totally pushed out of F/A. I admit I kind of loved Cary and Alicia's first-ever hug, but I won't get my hopes up that their relationship is going to be on a steadier footing, the way things are going.

 

ETA: Have Castro and Finn not listened to the tape? Kalinda's surmise about which guy was the CI based on the volume of voices on the tape seemed sound but pretty elementary, so Castro's "How did they know?!" befuddlement makes him look like an even bigger idiot. I'm not impressed with Finn, either. So much for principle!

Edited September 29, 2014 by Sandman

[MrWhyt]

What I don't get is why Bishop hasn't already killed all three of them. He knows it's definitely one of the three who were wearing wires. Is he worried about rebellion within the ranks if he offs 2 innocent lieutenants?

When you're already under investigation by multiple agencies and your lawyer just got arrested for having a talk with 3 members of your organization it is a smart move to not immediately kill off those 3 members and bring even more attention to yourself.

[UsernameFatigue]

I am disappointed- I feel this show is creating drama for the sake of having drama. It is a tangled mess IMO.

After years of watching, I guess I am done with this one. Normally it takes a lot for me to abandon a show I have watched for years, but this one was easy to walk away from. I do not even fully understand why.

It seems to me that the writing has really gone downhill. Too many unbelievable and improbable situations. I know that isn't unusual for this show, but to pack as many as they have in the first two epis does not bode well for continued viewing on my part. As someone else mentioned, do they not have an advisor to point out the ridiculous plot lines that seem only there to advance the story but have no basis in reality? Or the producers just don't care.

 

It is pretty insulting to the viewers when Alicia seems unaware regarding something as simple as Peter being on her mortgage, and that he would also have to sign for her to obtain a second mortgage on the home. Sheesh, I'm not a laywer, but I am smart enough to know that the bank doesn't care if you have a sham marriage, they only care whose names are on the mortgage. It is insulting to viewers to even write a scene like this.

 

The Hilary/Diane photo must have already been packed!

 

It was the Hilary/Diane photo that she picked up. Will must have already been packed. I wonder, if TGW shows a pic of Will, do they have to pay JC for the use of his image?

[Auntie Anxiety]

Someone needs to tell Valerie Jarrett to keep her day job.  And please, please all TPTB, I watch television shows to take my mind off current events so stop putting real life political figures on my screen when they add absolutely nothing to the show.  

 

Taye Diggs?  Yawn.  After all these years, you'd think he could find a facial expression other than looking constipated and then relieved that he was able to pinch one out (tm Jesse Pinkman).

[picklesprite]

God knows I may be confused about this, but I don't see how the voice on the tape could be CarEy unless there was a second, heretofore unacknowledged, meeting with Bishop's men. One meeting with Cary, where nothing untoward was said, and a second meeting with CarEy in which he indirectly led them to a solution? That seems unlikely, but "unlikely" hasn't stopped the writers before now. I would love that possibility, however, just because it might get rid of an annoying character and also solve the weird question of why they'd give two characters the same name.

 

Ignore me if all the above is confused blather.

[jjj]

How can so many department heads/partners at LG suddenly leave and expect to bring their clients with them?  This looks like a lot of legal wrangling over poaching, even if they don't have non-compete clauses. 

 

And how does a brand-new member of the firm, Taye Diggs, have the sway to talk that many senior firm members into leaving?  If a new guy at work showed up and *before starting to work* tried to talk me into leaving my established job, I'd laugh and call the head of the firm pronto.  Incredible that we are supposed to think he got their agreement to leave without ever consulting Diane, and that she basically said, "yup, y'all come along."  Their client base is at the minimum questionable in terms of portability, so with adding seven or eight major new salaries to FA, how is it "we're out of debt"?  And they have not yet negotiated the release of their partnership investment at LG, so there is no big cash infusion from the capital buy-in.  Remember the resistance David Lee gave to Alicia when she wanted her capital back?  

[jah1986]

I don't think Taye Diggs was new to the firm, he's been in the New York office all these years. So they would know who he is and be more willing to listen to him.

[thewhiteowl]

 

ETA: Have Castro and Finn not listened to the tape? Kalinda's surmise about which guy was the CI based on the volume of voices on the tape seemed sound but pretty elementary, so Castro's "How did they know?!" befuddlement makes him look like an even bigger idiot. I'm not impressed with Finn, either. So much for principle!

 

 They don't know Kalinda heard the tape, they don't even know Kalinda knows there is a tape. Her bang-buddy cop let her hear it.

 

[Jellybeans]

When you resort to bringing side players like Valerie Jarrett on "The Good Wife" and two of the Kartrashians on "Royal Pains", I tend to interpret that as "the long goodbye" from the series.

[kwnyc]

Also, I was puzzled why, if Diane already had a bunch of women and minorities in Dept Head positions, she feels she has to leave LG ( C ) to go and do the same thing at Florrick Argos.

 

I think she knew that it was going to be all Canning/David Lee from here on out (and so did they). A chance to start over at a firm in which 2 of the 3 name partners are women and which hasn't yet calcified into a glass-ceilinged structure/hierarchy is probably quite attractive to the L/G folks, particularly Diane's protegees (and not so surprisingly, David Lee's...he doesn't seem like the sort to cultivate or reward loyalty).

 

And I don't see why Kalinda & Robyn would clash: Kalinda actually liked Robyn, and urged her to take the gig at F/A (and gave her advice on how to keep it).

 

All signs point to Alicia running for State's Attorney, so I suspect we'll see little or nothing of the old firm if this bunch goes together well.

Edited September 29, 2014 by kwnyc

[Ms Blue Jay]

also Mike Colter isn't exactly an acting revelation his own self, either;

 

Oh, I think he is.  I've seen him on several shows, and he's always different, and he's always great.

 

I don't mind Taye Diggs.  He is amazing but he isn't bad either.

 

I don't like the character of Robin though.  I never have, and I never will.  She's a goofball, she looks like a kid, and I'll never take her seriously.  She's never amazed me.

Edited September 29, 2014 by Ms Blue Jay

[picklesprite]

I'm back to not liking Finn again. His smirky conduct is so unpleasant. (There was a whole lot of lawyer-smirking going on in this episode.) If he truly thinks Cary is guilty, then that's one thing, but if he doesn't think so, then he's A Bad Man.

 

Alicia can't be State's Attorney. Then we'd have two law firms without the star of the show in them. What would be their point of existing? I really don't think signs point to her running, because that would represent a total backtrack on the character she has supposedly built up during these seasons. Doing something because a man (Eli) wants her to? Doing it despite his refusing to hear her, "No"? Doing it even though she doesn't want the job and hates politics? Doing it in spite of being someone whose natural sympathies lie on the defense side of things? (imo) Doing it in the face of the obvious conflict of interest with her husband the governor? Giving up a whole lot of money to do it? Dumping her law firm she has just started, and all the people in it?  I just can't buy it. Which doesn't mean the show won't do it!

Edited September 29, 2014 by picklesprite

[marceline]

Oh, I think he is.  I've seen him on several shows, and he's always different, and he's always great.

 

Indeed. I think he's doing a great job as being icily menacing and smooth. I never know exactly what to expect from Bishop and my eyes never leave him when he's on the screen. I keep waiting for the "just a businessman" facade to to drop completely. We get little peeks behind the mask but the threat from Bishop comes from imagining what he's capable of. It's funny that we've never seen him commit a single act of violence. We've seen more violence from Will and Peter.

 

Another thing I'm missing: Diane's husband. I've kept hoping we'd see just a couple of scenes where he helped her through Will's death or helped her strategize her exit from the firm.

[picklesprite]

Yeah, I find Bishop really chilling, the way Stringer was chilling on The Wire. Even though nobody can ever top Idris Elba, in my view.

Part of the way he comes across as chilling is in Kalinda's responses to him. She, who is rarely scared of anybody, is terrified of him.

Also, he wears lovely suits. :) All that menace in such good tailoring. This show has always been good with tailoring. You can actually hear the swish of the silk of the linings.

[dcalley]

Didn't Alicia march right over to Eli after the Valerie Jarrett call?  I didn't believe he fooled her.

He didn't fool her with the phone call, he fooled her with "I didn't order that poll. The questions were worded negatively toward you--why would I do that? It's Castro!"

[pennben]

Okay, so here's my best attempt at explaining that the advance of fees used for Cary's bail was not yet another blatant ethical violation by FA:

 

1.  Because FA and LG fought so hard to keep Chumhum last year, FA agreed to outrageously bad payment terms (i.e. Chumhum only pays for services quarterly or bimonthly).

2.  The case we see Alicia finishing up for Cary has been going on long enough that they have accrued at least $1.3 million in billings earned by the time the case settled, but because of the bad business deal they struck with Chumhum, those fees wouldn't be due to them until the next quarterly/bimonthly billing date.

3.  The client was so happy that Alicia limited their liability to $4 million in the case, and otherwise likes Cary, that she was willing to authorize an advance payment prior to the due date for this case so he didn't have to continue to sit in jail.

4.  Thus, while it was described as an "advance", it had actually aready been earned and thus did not need to go into a separate trust account.

 

That was a lot of work for a throwaway line!

 

ETA:  I meant to mention above, that when Alicia mentioned the advance, she also said they should use it for Cary "because it was [past tense] his case", which was my anchor for theorizing that it was an advance in time of payment for fees already earned (but not yet due) rather than an advance payment in cash for fees not yet earned. 

Edited September 29, 2014 by pennben

[ChocButterfly]

Well, it's obvious now the show has steered away from the CarEy/Cary theory, which is a pity, I liked that theory. It also seems all roads lead to Alicia running for State's Attorney now, and she'll supposedly do it to go against Castro, who has take it on against Cary for no apparent reason.

[Sandman]

I'm quite prepared to be proved wrong about Coulter; I have only seen him as Bishop, so far, and I have (mostly) liked his work on the show. I guess what I'm not liking is the show's reliance on him as the Devil Florick/Agos made the Deal with. I did like the story in an earlier season where Alicia got to see just how devoted a father he is. And Bishop's suits are, I agree, damned fine. They're just that touch over-the-top luxurious that emphasizes, rather than softens, his innate menace. 

 

I do agree with picklesprite's observation: anyone who unnerves Kalinda is clearly someone to be reckoned with very carefully indeed.

[Catherinewriter]

Unless I was missing something, I thought Cary voted Nay when they took the vote for inviting Diane into FA. Anybody?

And why, oh why don't they get rid of Lemond Bishop? A lawyer can sever relations with a client legally, can't he/she? When will they wake up - when everyone's dead?

[lovinbob]

Yeah, I find Bishop really chilling, the way Stringer was chilling on The Wire. Even though nobody can ever top Idris Elba, in my view.

Part of the way he comes across as chilling is in Kalinda's responses to him. She, who is rarely scared of anybody, is terrified of him.

One of the things I think is great about Mike Colter/the Bishop character is that I really *want* Bishop to be a good guy. The stylish suits, the winning smile, the adorable son, the soccer dad-ing, and also being totally handsome--he wins me over. But with each episode, it becomes clearer that he is not.

 

Vulture had a great comment on Bishop:

 

(Side note: Know who has a really high-pressure job? Lemond Bishop's son's youth soccer coach.)

Made me laugh out loud.

[pennben]

 

Unless I was missing something, I thought Cary voted Nay when they took the vote for inviting Diane into FA. Anybody?

 

He did.  He was outvoted 10-5.  It appears all partners, whether named or not, have an equal vote.  I assume Cary and Alicia discussing earlier they needed to agree about bringing Diane on was them discussing whether they would bring it to a partner vote (and potential divisive fight) if they didn't agree.  Cary being in jail and a decision being needed to be made quickly changed the parameters of going forward on Diane.

[CleoCaesar]

Sad that the Cary/CarEy theory appears to be dead. It was a good one.

 

Diane wants to turn FA into her image?   Does that include all the financial problems LG had?   Like being top heavy in partners and having too many people to pay?   So let's bring all these partners and associates from LG to FA without consulting Florrick and Agos.   Talk about the definition of insanity.

 

A million times this. I'd be livid if I were Cary. He wanted to start his own firm with Alicia and instead it's back to business as usual with Diane, Dean and a pack of partners from LG. Yay, a new top-heavy management structure! Enjoy your bankruptcy, fools.

[BearCat49]

I thought it was the pic of Diane and Hillary.

 

It appeared to be Will when I backed up the dvr but I wasn't 100% certain.  And, didn't they only focus on the Hilary pic when she was playing off Kirk, her now husband - Mr. Tea Party, Sarah Palin fan?

 

Also, during that scene, it felt to me as if she was taking Will along for the ride in solidarity with the other 7 partners, leaving the Canning/Lee mess behind.

 

NBD - could be either one, i.e. the firm's women (plus other minorities) march out in solidarity so she takes Hilary along!

 

Sure looked like Will to me, however.  Perhaps someone has a better zoom capability on their screen, lol.

[Limelight]

I'm a musical theater fan so I'm a fan of Taye Diggs and his ex-wife Idina Menzel.  I love how they use Broadway stars on this show, I want Christine Baranski, Natahan Lane, Taye Diggs and Michael Cerveris to just burst out into song in a very special episode of the Good Wife, maybe a fundraiser for Governor Florrick, any excuse to hear them sing.

 

I don't know anything about law firms but can you just absorb that many people at one time? It seems like it will completely change the dynamic of the firm.  Now that's just one other thing that Cary has on his plate.

 

I feel wrong in liking Lemond Bishop, I know he does horrible things but Mike Colter is so compelling and smooth that I want him to beat all the charges against him. 

How Eli would think that Alicia could run for State's Attorney being Lemond Bishop's lawyer and not think that would be a deal breaker is something I don't understand for such a savvy political operative.

[BearCat49]

When you're already under investigation by multiple agencies and your lawyer just got arrested for having a talk with 3 members of your organization it is a smart move to not immediately kill off those 3 members and bring even more attention to yourself.

 

Agree, that's another good reason, besides the operating factors..  Seems like Bishop already knew, however, that the SA's focus was on him.  Ballsy move, IMHO, to off even one when all eyes are upon you.  Will he eliminate the remainder of Cary's witnesses?  Stay tuned, lol!

[Sandman]

I'm a musical theater fan so I'm a fan of Taye Diggs and his ex-wife Idina Menzel.  I love how they use Broadway stars on this show, I want Christine Baranski, Nathan Lane, Taye Diggs and Michael Cerveris to just burst out into song in a very special episode of the Good Wife, maybe a fundraiser for Governor Florrick, any excuse to hear them sing.

 

Eli gets a conk on the head and wakes up thinking he's the Emcee from Cabaret?

[BearCat49]

How can so many department heads/partners at LG suddenly leave and expect to bring their clients with them?  This looks like a lot of legal wrangling over poaching, even if they don't have non-compete clauses. 

 

And how does a brand-new member of the firm, Taye Diggs, have the sway to talk that many senior firm members into leaving?  If a new guy at work showed up and *before starting to work* tried to talk me into leaving my established job, I'd laugh and call the head of the firm pronto.  Incredible that we are supposed to think he got their agreement to leave without ever consulting Diane, and that she basically said, "yup, y'all come along."  Their client base is at the minimum questionable in terms of portability, so with adding seven or eight major new salaries to FA, how is it "we're out of debt"?  And they have not yet negotiated the release of their partnership investment at LG, so there is no big cash infusion from the capital buy-in.  Remember the resistance David Lee gave to Alicia when she wanted her capital back?  

 

Dean (Taye Diggs) is new to us as a character on the show.  At the partners' meeting, however, he told everyone that "it's good to be home".  My impression was Will had sent him to set up the NY office.  So they all knew him, IMHO.  He mentioned, "You recruited me" do Diane but didn't mention the date/year.

 

Agree about all the legal wrangling and difficulties of actually collecting those buy-ins.  And, practically speaking, their buy-in might be partially covered by future draws.  IIRC, it was noted above that the infamous "we're out of debt" comment was only made after the Diane vote.  Sounded as if they were anticipating Diane's buy-in.  Supposedly, according to the nutty writers, they don't apparently know about the add'l group.

 

It's TV-land so tptb conveniently ignored all those details, hahaha ...

Edited September 29, 2014 by BearCat49

[CMH1981]

I'm guessing the writers didn't think of the Cary/Carey plot like others have on here and it would have made more sense than this possibly edited conversation that was taped.  I think it would be hilarious to think one of the writers reading about this theory viewers came up w/regarding a Cary/Carey mixup and thinking why didn't we think of that.

 

I'm missing Clarke/Nathan Lane and hopping he makes an appearance soon again since he does work at the law firm.

 

I know we are only two episodes in but the way that Finn has been portrayed here compared to how he was portrayed last season makes me think that the writers or Juliana (based on what we know of how she has had a say on the Alica/Kalinda relationship shift) has decided that they don't like the Finn/Alicia relationship and have decided to make them adversaries instead.  

[BearCat49]

When you resort to bringing side players like Valerie Jarrett on "The Good Wife" and two of the Kartrashians on "Royal Pains", I tend to interpret that as "the long goodbye" from the series.

 

Good point.  Stunt casting usually signals the beginning of the end for these series/dramas.  From the political world, however, they previously used Donna Brazile.  Guess they wanted their Hollywood 15 minutes!

 

Hmmm, no Hilary (in the flesh), yet!  If that happens, ...

[BearCat49]

I think she knew that it was going to be all Canning/David Lee from here on out (and so did they). A chance to start over at a firm in which 2 of the 3 name partners are women and which hasn't yet calcified into a glass-ceilinged structure/hierarchy is probably quite attractive to the L/G folks, particularly Diane's protegees (and not so surprisingly, David Lee's...he doesn't seem like the sort to cultivate or reward loyalty).

 

And I don't see why Kalinda & Robyn would clash: Kalinda actually liked Robyn, and urged her to take the gig at F/A (and gave her advice on how to keep it).

 

All signs point to Alicia running for State's Attorney, so I suspect we'll see little or nothing of the old firm if this bunch goes together well.

 

The real question is, did Michael J. Fox land another series?     lol -

I'm back to not liking Finn again. His smirky conduct is so unpleasant. (There was a whole lot of lawyer-smirking going on in this episode.) If he truly thinks Cary is guilty, then that's one thing, but if he doesn't think so, then he's A Bad Man.

 

Alicia can't be State's Attorney. Then we'd have two law firms without the star of the show in them. What would be their point of existing? I really don't think signs point to her running, because that would represent a total backtrack on the character she has supposedly built up during these seasons. Doing something because a man (Eli) wants her to? Doing it despite his refusing to hear her, "No"? Doing it even though she doesn't want the job and hates politics? Doing it in spite of being someone whose natural sympathies lie on the defense side of things? (imo) Doing it in the face of the obvious conflict of interest with her husband the governor? Giving up a whole lot of money to do it? Dumping her law firm she has just started, and all the people in it?  I just can't buy it. Which doesn't mean the show won't do it!

 

Agree, I can't see her running for all those reasons, too.  Yep, ya never know what these writers will resort to!

[milkyaqua]

I know we are only two episodes in but the way that Finn has been portrayed here compared to how he was portrayed last season makes me think that the writers or Juliana (based on what we know of how she has had a say on the Alica/Kalinda relationship shift) has decided that they don't like the Finn/Alicia relationship and have decided to make them adversaries instead. 

 

I'm not sure about that.  I don't think that Alicia/Finn was ever a planned "relationship" but interview with the Kings and JM don't necessarily rule it out entirely.

 

I though the epi was okay but I'm still of the opinion (as from last week) that no way does Alicia running for State Attoryey not get a big wrench in the machinery when the Lemond Bishop issue comes up.  How could it not and why doesn't Eli seem to have a clue about that?




[BearCat49]

Indeed. I think he's doing a great job as being icily menacing and smooth. I never know exactly what to expect from Bishop and my eyes never leave him when he's on the screen. I keep waiting for the "just a businessman" facade to to drop completely. We get little peeks behind the mask but the threat from Bishop comes from imagining what he's capable of. It's funny that we've never seen him commit a single act of violence. We've seen more violence from Will and Peter.

 

Another thing I'm missing: Diane's husband. I've kept hoping we'd see just a couple of scenes where he helped her through Will's death or helped her strategize her exit from the firm.

 

True, true, true - about Bishop and the smooth manner in which that actor portrays him.

 

Agree, it'd be great to see Diane's spouse but I believe that actor's the lead in a new series.

[cam3150]

 

Another thing I'm missing: Diane's husband. I've kept hoping we'd see just a couple of scenes where he helped her through Will's death or helped her strategize her exit from the firm.

Yes, agreed. Plus Gary Cole is just so darn sexy, I need him in my screen more often. I love his and Diane's relationship.

 

Thank you to those who explained the difference between Cary and Carey. How on earth I have not ever noticed this? . I have never missed an episode but clearly I did not pay attention to all of them.

 

I have not ever thought Matt C was terribly attractive (dating all the way back to his Logan days on Gilmore Girls, probaby my all-time favorite show) but when Alicia walked into the office and he was there after being bailed out, he really looked good.  I also liked their hug and his "This is the first time we've ever done this". 

 

Eli tricked me with his insistence that he had nothing to do with that guy offering Alicia money or the poll. I totally believed him. I agree, it is getting old how pushy he is being in regards to Alicia running for SA. How much more clear can she be? She's not running, Eli. Get. Over. It. 

 

Add me in to those who think something just feels off this season. I don't really like the idea of F/A and Lockhart (though I LOVE Diane).  I don't care for Taye Diggs. The other 7 lawyers agreeing to jump ship was just weird, and why did we not see David Lee's reaction to this?  The construction / homeless guy plots were just OTT even for a show that is known to be a bit quirky.   Something seems fishy about the whole Cary storyline too.

 

All of the "off-ness" can be traced back to one thing, at least for me anyway -- the death of Will Gardner.  While that episode and those that followed last season were extremely powerful, because they were all so centered on Will's death, I didn't feel it as much. But now that we've moved beyond his death into normal life. I feel his absence like a huge, giant, abyss.  The relationship between he and Alicia, between he and Diane, between he and Kalinda, and between all of them together, was so much of what I enjoyed about the show.  I don't think I ever really realized until now how important the character of Will was to me.  I was also an avid WIllicia shipper and now  the possibility of that is gone forever which just makes me very sad.  I guess I am just not finding anything to look forward to on this show anymore. I will still watch it but I guess I just won't care as much.

Edited September 29, 2014 by cam3150

[BearCat49]

Okay, so here's my best attempt at explaining that the advance of fees used for Cary's bail was not yet another blatant ethical violation by FA:

 

1.  Because FA and LG fought so hard to keep Chumhum last year, FA agreed to outrageously bad payment terms (i.e. Chumhum only pays for services quarterly or bimonthly).

2.  The case we see Alicia finishing up for Cary has been going on long enough that they have accrued at least $1.3 million in billings earned by the time the case settled, but because of the bad business deal they struck with Chumhum, those fees wouldn't be due to them until the next quarterly/bimonthly billing date.

3.  The client was so happy that Alicia limited their liability to $4 million in the case, and otherwise likes Cary, that she was willing to authorize an advance payment prior to the due date for this case so he didn't have to continue to sit in jail.

4.  Thus, while it was described as an "advance", it had actually aready been earned and thus did not need to go into a separate trust account.

 

That was a lot of work for a throwaway line!

 

ETA:  I meant to mention above, that when Alicia mentioned the advance, she also said they should use it for Cary "because it was [past tense] his case", which was my anchor for theorizing that it was an advance in time of payment for fees already earned (but not yet due) rather than an advance payment in cash for fees not yet earned. 

 

In the real world, clients constantly make and more importantly, break these types of payment agreements.  (Quarterly magically turns into semi-annually, or whatever, lol!)  For that reason and b/c we're talking about a TV drama, i.e. a mythical law firm, I didn't pay attention to those details.  Furthermore, b/c of Alicia's motion/comment during the partners' meeting, those details don't matter. 

 

Assuming the legal documents were finalized, they'd earned those fees.  If, and only if, those were the funds they intended to use for Cary's bail, because they'd earned it, I believe Alicia would be smarter than to characterize it as an "advance" (that is, unearned) at a partners' meeting, duly recorded in the minutes, for the Bar Association's (subsequent) viewing pleasure.  Again, as I mentioned above, perhaps that's where/why tptb need a legal advisor.

 

JMHO

Edited September 29, 2014 by BearCat49

[pennben]

 

Also, when settlements occur, law firms typically collect the settlement from opposing counsel, deposit it into their trust account and disburse the client's share.  They then settle out the trust agreement, according to its terms. They'd earned their cut of the settlement, assuming the legal documents were finalized.

 

I'm not following, BearCat.  Alicia's client was the one that had to pay the settlement to the other side in this case.  They weren't winning $4 million, they were limiting their payment to $4 million to the other side.  They settled because there were bad facts and were afraid of a bigger verdict had this gone to trial.

 

 

In the real world, clients constantly make and more importantly, break these types of payment agreements.  (Quarterly magically turns into semi-annually, or whatever, lol!)

 

Indeed they do.  Perhaps that is why Alicia was surprised they agreed to pay early here.  Characterizing it as an "advance" was not the best word choice, just that in my theory, not a violation of any rules or law.

Edited September 29, 2014 by pennben

[bentley]

 

I know we are only two episodes in but the way that Finn has been portrayed here compared to how he was portrayed last season makes me think that the writers or Juliana (based on what we know of how she has had a say on the Alica/Kalinda relationship shift) has decided that they don't like the Finn/Alicia relationship and have decided to make them adversaries instead.

Actually, making a couple adversaries as a buildup to a passionate love affair is a classic romantic trope. I believe that's where they're going with Finn and Alicia.

 

Doesn't anybody (on the show) like the current FA office? People pay millions of dollars for that kind of ambience. Instead of fighting it, they should embrace it and brand themselves as a hip, happening law office. I can see the need for some conference rooms and doors, but I wish everyone would stop acting like it's a third world slum.

 

Alicia needs to take a step back. When Peter is the voice of reason and the conscience of the group, you need to re-think things.

[jjj]

Limelight said:

I love how they use Broadway stars on this show, I want Christine Baranski, Natahan Lane, Taye Diggs and Michael Cerveris to just burst out into song in a very special episode of the Good Wife, maybe a fundraiser for Governor Florrick, any excuse to hear them sing.

And don't forget that David Lee showed up in his Gilbert & Sullivan costume one late evening!  It's not so far-fetched -- the university I attended had annual operetta performances using only law school students and faculty! 

[pennben]

 

And don't forget that David Lee showed up in his Gilbert & Sullivan costume one late evening!

 

Loved that!  Reminded me of the scene in West Wing when they serenaded Ainsley with a selection from the same play.  It felt like a very weird callback to me.

Edited September 29, 2014 by pennben

[Irlandesa]

I think her disillusionment this time, was about the fact that Peter, the man she married, put optics over getting an innocent man out of custody where he was being actively mistreated and pressured. But then I don't see anything ethical or laudable about Peter's decision myself. Understandable, yes. Predictable, yes. Ethical? No. IMO, ethics is usually not about optics but doing the right thing. This is the best I've liked Alicia in a while, except she then proceeded to do the same thing by rejecting that real estate guy's money.

Doing something politically smart may not be the height of ethics but it doesn't make it unethical either. Alicia of old knew it was a bad idea and when they had more of a marriage, she wouldn't put him in that position.  Just like she didn't put herself in a bad position with the real estate guy even though she could have freely taken the money knowing she had been honest with him. 

 

Actually, making a couple adversaries as a buildup to a passionate love affair is a classic romantic trope. I believe that's where they're going with Finn and Alicia.

This is true but I think they're too civil, even as adversaries, to have the kind of sparks romantic foes (Sam & Diane/David & Maddie) normally have.

 

I have not ever thought Matt C was terribly attractive (dating all the way back to his Logan days on Gilmore Girls, probaby my all-time favorite show) but when Alicia walked into the office and he was there after being bailed out, he really looked good.

Yeah, he looked very good there.  I've found post-arrest Cary to be quite yummy. 

[BearCat49]

I'm not following, BearCat.  Alicia's client was the one that had to pay the settlement to the other side in this case.  They weren't winning $4 million, they were limiting their payment to $4 million to the other side.  They settled because there were bad facts and were afraid of a bigger verdict had this gone to trial.

 

 

Indeed they do.  Perhaps that is why Alicia was surprised they agreed to pay early here.  Characterizing it as an "advance" was not the best word choice, just that in my theory, not a violation of any rules or law.

 

My bad on the settlement collection.  Correction made, above.  It doesn't matter b/c of Alicia's motion.

 

As I've mentioned a couple of times, Alicia made her word choice during a partners' meeting, i.e. not off the cuff in the elevator (lol) or something.  Decisions made at partners' meetings as a result of duly made and authorized motions carry legal significance.  They're recorded by corporate/partnership secretaries with official minutes produced.  Those minutes become a part of the legal record of the firm.

 

In the event of any question about the firm's use of the funds, said minutes would be available to the State Bar or any other party via subpoena.  Sorry but we'll agree to disagree on this one.  As a professional myself, I don't believe for even 1/2 of a second that Alicia would be so flippant as to make such a poor word choice during an official partners' meeting.

 

Besides the fact that Alicia would know the obvious (and it's obvious, IMHO) ethics violation of using trust account funds for the personal expenses of a partner, Alicia had a front row seat for Will's bar association issues.  And, she had a large group of attorneys who could have (and would have, IMHO) corrected the obvious mistake.  Smart professionals avoid tangling with their bar association - JMHO.

 

WRT the loan issue, no, firms can't simply transfer in or substitute other "assets" in place of trust fund cash.  That'd be another ethics violation.  That's besides the fact that Cary's so-called "loan" wouldn't be considered an asset.  If he had the wherewithal to borrow the funds, he would have done it himself, IMHO.  An uncollectible loan is not an asset.   

 

So, will leave it there and we'll disagree, respectfully.  Experienced professionals don't gamble with their livelihood and their major asset - their right to practice.  That's JMHO as a professional.

 

ETA:  Let's all hope that tptb can bring in an appropriate advisor and avoid these errors. 

He didn't fool her with the phone call, he fooled her with "I didn't order that poll. The questions were worded negatively toward you--why would I do that? It's Castro!"

 

Agree, that was later in the episode, IIRC.

Unless I was missing something, I thought Cary voted Nay when they took the vote for inviting Diane into FA. Anybody?

And why, oh why don't they get rid of Lemond Bishop? A lawyer can sever relations with a client legally, can't he/she? When will they wake up - when everyone's dead?

 

Just my take but I believe Cary knew that Diane would be voted in so he made a protest vote.

 

Yes, they needed Bishop in the past but now have (supposedly) grown their fee base.  Sometimes it's harder to extricate one's self/firm from someone like Bishop, IYKWIM!

Edited September 29, 2014 by BearCat49

[BearCat49]

Sad that the Cary/CarEy theory appears to be dead. It was a good one.

 

 

A million times this. I'd be livid if I were Cary. He wanted to start his own firm with Alicia and instead it's back to business as usual with Diane, Dean and a pack of partners from LG. Yay, a new top-heavy management structure! Enjoy your bankruptcy, fools.

 

Agree, Cary's displeasure at the addition of Diane was completely understandable, IMHO.

[BearCat49]

Eli gets a conk on the head and wakes up thinking he's the Emcee from Cabaret?

 

Love it!  Let them all break into song!

[CleoCaesar]

Doesn't anybody (on the show) like the current FA office? People pay millions of dollars for that kind of ambience. Instead of fighting it, they should embrace it and brand themselves as a hip, happening law office. I can see the need for some conference rooms and doors, but I wish everyone would stop acting like it's a third world slum.

 

Meh, I think it looks like a hellhole and wouldn't want to work there. It just doesn't project the gravitas a blue-chip law firm should. If they want exposed brick and open-plan offices, that's one thing. I can understand paying millions of dollars for younger, less stuffy-looking office. But FA actually looks to be like a shabby building in a dodgy neighborhood. I kind of hope Diane will smack some sense into them on that front.

[pennben]

 

My bad on the settlement collection.  Correction made, above.  It doesn't matter b/c of Alicia's motion. As I've mentioned a couple of times, Alicia made her word choice during a partners' meeting, i.e. not off the cuff in the elevator (lol) or something.  Decisions made at partners' meetings as a result of duly made and authorized motions carry legal significance.  They're recorded by corporate/partnership secretaries with official minutes produced.  Those minutes become a part of the legal record of the firm.

 

So, you are saying a bad word choice matters more than what the substance of the transaction actually is?

 

I disagree.

 

Look neither of us know what really happened, but as we can see between us, there is a legitimate dispute as to what the word "advance" means when Alicia said it.  I'd be disappointed if no one looked beyond the recorded words to the actual facts. That would be silly, in my opinion. I suspect her lawyers would be able to open up the minutes to question what she meant when she said "advance". 

 

PS:  Just rewatched the WW clip, I fell into a trap, it was from HMS Pinafore, not Pirates of Penzance.  I was wrong above in my musical reference, but here is breaking into song!

Edited September 30, 2014 by pennben

[BearCat49]

Actually, making a couple adversaries as a buildup to a passionate love affair is a classic romantic trope. I believe that's where they're going with Finn and Alicia.

 

Doesn't anybody (on the show) like the current FA office? People pay millions of dollars for that kind of ambience. Instead of fighting it, they should embrace it and brand themselves as a hip, happening law office. I can see the need for some conference rooms and doors, but I wish everyone would stop acting like it's a third world slum.

 

Alicia needs to take a step back. When Peter is the voice of reason and the conscience of the group, you need to re-think things.

 

I believe that's their current strategy WRT the Finn/Alicia relationship, too.

 

Thought they did try to portray their office that way, i.e. hip and happening.  IIRC, Robin told Dean, "We're like a funky coffeehouse."

 

I had to agree with Peter during this episode - unusual!  Glad he instructed Eli to can the push poll.  Doesn't Eli have enough to do as Chief of Staff, lol?

 

And, yes, writers, Alicia should have/would have understood the bank's requirements.

[merylinkid]

Yeah a funky coffeehouse with no place to have a private chat with clients. Because attorney-client confidentiality is just one of those pesky rules like client trust accounts.

[Sandman]

Meh, I think it looks like a hellhole and wouldn't want to work there. It just doesn't project the gravitas a blue-chip law firm should. If they want exposed brick and open-plan offices, that's one thing. I can understand paying millions of dollars for younger, less stuffy-looking office. But FA actually looks to be like a shabby building in a dodgy neighborhood. I kind of hope Diane will smack some sense into them on that front.

 

Hee. Now that you mention it, I can't wait for the first moments of Diane's withering survey / eyebrow takedown: "Really."

 

I also agree that Eli needs to get that when Alicia says she's not running, she's in earnest. Unfortunately, I fear the show means to reward his "'No' means 'Oh, please wear me down more, Eli; I find your perverse persistence endearing, rather than tiresome and, frankly, creepy'" doggedness.

 

David's I Am The Ruler of the Queen's Navy get-up has to be part of the Very Special Episode!

Edited September 30, 2014 by Sandman

[BearCat49]

Doing something politically smart may not be the height of ethics but it doesn't make it unethical either. Alicia of old knew it was a bad idea and when they had more of a marriage, she wouldn't put him in that position.  Just like she didn't put herself in a bad position with the real estate guy even though she could have freely taken the money knowing she had been honest with him. 

 

This is true but I think they're too civil, even as adversaries, to have the kind of sparks romantic foes (Sam & Diane/David & Maddie) normally have.

 

Yeah, he looked very good there.  I've found post-arrest Cary to be quite yummy. 

 

I didn't feel any sparks between Alicia and Finn's characters, either.  Same thing for Will/Alicia.  Loved Will's character, however, and do miss him.  He was the glue that held all the other characters together, IMHO.

 

Matt/Cary's looking good, lately, agree.  I didn't find him attractive, physically, initially.  For me, it's probably b/c of his character development over the past few seasons - not merely the physical.