S06.E15: Open Source

[Noreaster]

Yeah, the lead isn't that big.  But I guess there were little things here and there that make me feel that way. It seemed like the storyline was if Alicia didn't criticize Peter, the election would be up in the air. Otherwise, it was becoming a sure thing for Alicia.  Eli wasn't so concerned.  One of the characters mentioned there was no real effect in the polls from Prady's attack of Peter.  

 

And I just think the show is making Prady too good for him to end up winning.  I feel like one consistent theme on this show has been people can only win if they play dirty a little.  Whether it's bending the rules, compromising their morals, attacking friends and colleagues, etc.  

 

That's my take anyway.  

[whatsatool]

Yes shouldn't Alicia be downstate shaking hands? And in the burbs?

Edited March 18, 2015 by whatsatool

[pennben]

 

Yes shouldn't Alicia be downstate shaking hands? And in the burbs?

 

No, Alicia should not be downstate for a Cook County election.  Downstate is very much not in Cook County.  I think they've hedged enough to acknowledge that they are paying attention to the suburbs in play in Cook County for this election.

Edited March 18, 2015 by pennben

[webruce]

Maybe Alicia will win and then change her mind and give the job to Prady? As stated above, Alicia has been thinking about her morals more I believe. And how Prady is running a cleaner campaign. Between talking to Prady and Grace they are making her reconsider I believe.

[Tetraneutron]

That doesn't make any sense. Elections don't work that way. The winner doesn't have the right to resign and then arbitrarily assign the job to someone else. That would be crazy. If the winner resigns/dies/whatever, a new election is called or it goes automatically to some city bureaucrat who's the designated second in command in case of emergency.

 

Besides, how could anyone respect Alicia if she spent all that effort campaigning for a job she didn't even attempt to have? It makes her look like some bored housewife who wants a shiny toy and then throws it away when she gets bored.

 

I also think it's strange that Alicia assumes Prady has run a cleaner campaign. The audience knows this but she doesn't. All she knows is he lied to her about his intentions to run in the first place, told her he would bring up her affair with Will if she ever mentioned the corutroom shooting, ran a negative ad showing her literally in bed with Sweeney and Bishop (kind of gross presentation depite the vaildity of the point), and lied about his religious beliefs and (by omission) about his sexuality because his religious beliefs are unpalatable to Cook Co. voters.

 

She doesn't know he told off Redmayne (which is the affirmative only good thing I can think of that he did). And we saw the argument between Prady and his campaign manager where the campaign manager says Prady's a good guy who doesn't go negative, but Alicis knows none of this.

Edited March 19, 2015 by Obviously

[MYOS]

Unfortunately, the democratic process means election results give legitimacy... ;-) Imagine voters' face if someone were to just "transfer" the election results to someone else! She could forget getting elected for *anything* and being respected in the courtroom, too! If she resigned, she'd be a laughingstock and in any case Prady would not win "by default"...(Wouldn't it be some kind of fraud, too? Genuinely curious). If Alicia gets elected, she has to sit. Considering how much she enjoys the lawyer stuff and how little inspired she seems to be about Cook County SA, I hope both for our sake and hers that she loses.

I wouldn't mind her finding a real issue - overtesting in schools/education reform, corruption, marijuana legalization, NCP income screwing kids' college admissions, whatever... and then fighting for it and climbing the ranks in a political party to get national exposure about it, but she's too lukewarm about the SA job (beside the fact that she "wants it" but last week in her head we saw that what she really enjoyed was the lawyer stuff).

Edited March 18, 2015 by MYOS

[beeble]

Again, I'm just really amazed at Alicia's and everyone else's ability to somehow wish away any Chicago winter snow.          

[Tetraneutron]

Unfortunately, the democratic process means election results give legitimacy... ;-) Imagine voters' face if someone were to just "transfer" the election results to someone else! She could forget getting elected for *anything* and being respected in the courtroom, too! If she resigned, she'd be a laughingstock and in any case Prady would not win "by default"...(Wouldn't it be some kind of fraud, too? Genuinely curious). If Alicia gets elected, she has to sit. Considering how much she enjoys the lawyer stuff and how little inspired she seems to be about Cook County SA, I hope both for our sake and hers that she loses.

I wouldn't mind her finding a real issue - overtesting in schools/education reform, corruption, marijuana legalization, NCP income screwing kids' college admissions, whatever... and then fighting for it and climbing the ranks in a political party to get national exposure about it, but she's too lukewarm about the SA job (beside the fact that she "wants it" but last week in her head we saw that what she really enjoyed was the lawyer stuff).

It really would make her a laughingstock. On a national level.

 

It's an interesting idea that she gets passionate about an issue, but that's not in her character. We've never seen her actively campaign for something, to the point where that's what gets her up in the morning. Sure, she usually believes in whatever the case of the week is, but those aren't really big important issues. The one time I can think of that it was, it was the same-sex marriage fight in season 4, and Alicia was disgusted at the crusading lawyer why wanted their case to go all the way to the Supreme Court. And that was a cause she supported. The kind of guy who cares about people is Abernathy. And the show never hesitates to point out he's a fool.

 

I just don't see Alicia getting moist-eyed about poor kids or whatever. It's not her, or Diane, or Peter, or Finn, or anyone on the show except the occassional guest star.

[Abstract]

I really don’t know what Diane has ever seen in Kurt, a taciturn gun-nut Tea Party Palinista. He never seems to have a personality, just political beliefs. I love Gary Cole, but Kurt is just so blah. I can’t picture him being funny or sweet or anything even vaguely positive that involves moving muscles on his face.

.

Based on the scene in the car and her "you make me feel like I'm 22" line, I'm pretty sure there are skills at play here that have nothing to do with personality.

[CleoCaesar]

Based on the scene in the car and her "you make me feel like I'm 22" line, I'm pretty sure there are skills at play here that have nothing to do with personality.

 

Heh. Possibly. Then again, no amount of sex could make me stand to be around someone with Kurt's extremist views for longer than absolutely necessary [i.e. the sex].

[lonestar]

The way this show has treated AP is disgraceful.  

I hope St. Alicia loses the election.

Louis Canning can die anytime, he's way past his use by date.

Diane is such a hypocrite. She loved it when she was out shooting with Kurt and couldn't accept an invitation to hang out with rich gun users fast enough. So, she wants their money, although she wants to outlaw their lifestyle? She should run for SA as she clearly is a politician.

[Tetraneutron]

Is Kurt a Tea Party type? I always saw him as a libertarian. Pro-gun, against public programs like Obamacare and Social Security, but also pro-civili liberties, and has no problem with minorities, women, and gay people.

 

Besides, I think the show is trying to be very clear that despite the show's (and characters') political leanings, they aren't si dumb as to assume every Democrat is good and every Republican bad. Some Democrats (Peter) are slimy and corrupt, some (Abernathy) are blithering idiots; some right-wingers are good, and funny, and smart, and amazing in bed, apparently.

[CleoCaesar]

Is Kurt a Tea Party type? I always saw him as a libertarian. Pro-gun, against public programs like Obamacare and Social Security, but also pro-civili liberties, and has no problem with minorities, women, and gay people.

 

Wasn't there a video shown of Kurt at a Tea Party rally, talking about secession or something to that effect?

[candall]

This damn show keeps teasing me with moments where I think Alicia is going to see the light and drop out of the stupid election. 

I was SURE Alicia blurting out to Prady:  "But it's not too late!!" was the trumpet sound of her own wakeup call.  Pffft.

 

So now we have The Good Wife trashing her husband because it's politically expedient, versus Prady submitting to persecution for the sake of adhering to the tenets of his faith.  Is there anything left on the shelves at the anvil store?

 

The Canning subterfuge would have been a clever play--except informing her in timely fashion about the ultimate destination for the money made it all a big waste of time, other than netting MJF some face time.

 

Diane and I don't need Gary Cole's face to move as long as he retains the use of his hands.  Woof.

Edited March 20, 2015 by candall

[Fredward]

Just out of curiousity what would  happen if someone in an elected position just decided that they're done? That they quit? Is that illegal? Would they go to jail? Could the president just decide to not be president anymore one morning?

[vibeology]

Just out of curiousity what would  happen if someone in an elected position just decided that they're done? That they quit? Is that illegal? Would they go to jail? Could the president just decide to not be president anymore one morning?

 

People can resign from elected office. Nixon did. It can be a political career killer depending on why you resign. If you leave office because your spouse is dying and you want to spend every moment left with him or her, voters will be way more forgiving than if you resign to take a job making millions of dollars each year or because a scandal was breaking anyhow or because you're bored.

 

If Alicia is elected and resigns, she will have a hard time running for anything again unless her reason is compelling enough.

[MakeMeLaugh]

If Alicia pulls out of the race or resigns after being elected, For whatever reason, it would be to me the same as her waking up in bed one morning and saying it was all a dream. A giant copout finish to the story line, of which I am throughly tired. She must lose or win. if she loses, she will be diminished in her world, so I predict she wins and the final season sees her dealing with the bad clients she might have represented.

I really thought Diane might have been inviting herself on Kurt's long hunting weekend trip, and that he had some shenanigans planned with the opposing expert witness.

[needschocolate]

There was some logic behind the case that didn't make a lot of sense to me. When McVeigh was doing the testing he said that the feeder was clogged or something and because of that the manufacturer wasn't responsible. But how does that make sense. If the feeder can get clogged isn't that a design flaw?

 

Plus at the end of the case the big reveal was about if you made guns in cold environments the plastic doesn't hold together well. But how was that evidence of anything since McVeigh said the design was sound, and the guy who actually made the gun didn't appear to have done it in a cold environment?

 

You first point was a "huh?" moment for me, too.  It didn't seem to have anything to do with the rest of the story - it didn't come up in court.  It was like they needed filler.  

 

But, I think I can explain your second point - the web site guy knew that cold temps would comprise the gun, but he didn't put a warning about that in the instructions or on the website.  

 

Who wants to start a campaign to have a spin-off with just Diane, Cary, and some other lawyers (I'll even take David Lee), similar the good old days of L.A. Law?  Christine Baranski could absolutely carry her own show, and we'd be rid of Alicia. 

 

Sign me up.  Alicia can win the election and The Good Wife can continue with the SA being married to the Governor and have all the plots they want about upcoming elections - and I can take that off my DVR Series Recordings list.  Meanwhile, Diane, Cary and a few others with be on a new show (Lockhart Agos? - not bad, since it shortens to LA as in LA Law) that has clients (but not Bishop) and trials and legal stuff.  And every once in a while they can do a crossover episode where Lockhart Agos has a case against the SA.  

Edited March 21, 2015 by needschocolate

[Reishe]

Sign me up.

 

Could Marissa be hired as a paralegal? I like her. And maybe we can get Robyn back (or does that actress have commitments? I lost track).

Edited March 21, 2015 by Reishe

[Kel Varnsen]

But, I think I can explain your second point - the web site guy knew that cold temps would comprise the gun, but he didn't put a warning about that in the instructions or on the website.  

But if the plastic gun that injured the guy who filed the lawsuit wasn't made in a cold environment what does that kind of warning have to do with the case?

[Ohmo]

But if the plastic gun that injured the guy who filed the lawsuit wasn't made in a cold environment what does that kind of warning have to do with the case?

 

I'm not a lawyer, but this strikes me as similar to the McDonald's hot coffee case.  Once a potential liability is uncovered, it seems that many legal cases go to settlement rather than back to trial to prove whether the plantiff actually performed the act (or should have known not to perform the act).  Maybe it's cheaper in legal fees just to settle and put a warning up to prevent the next lawsuit.  Reminds me of when a family member worked as an executive for a company that made industrial propane tanks.  Some restaurant owner bought a tank and put it in his/her restaurant dishwasher in order to clean it.  Well (not surprisingly), the tank exploded and did serious damage to the restaurant.  The owner sued the maker of the propane tank, claiming that there was no label or warning on the tank against  putting it in an enclosed heated space like a dishwasher.  As obvious as that seemed to the company, it didn't bother to go back to court to argue that the restaurant owner shouldn't have done that.  The company saved money by settling and writing a warning for the tank, so I can see why the plantiff would just settle (especially if it had some "benefactor" as the episode called it) who was willing to pay the money.

Edited March 21, 2015 by Ohmo

[marny]

I'd thought the cold environment situation was the opposite-- the guy who originally designed the gun had been working in a cold garage when he created it. The guy who bought it and printed it was in an average temperature environment. But because the original design presumed cold temperatures, it wouldn't work properly under normal temps. The video Kalinda watched explained that the designer was moving out of a freezer to a climate-controlled space, so that's how she knew he'd originally designed it in the cold.

[needschocolate]

But if the plastic gun that injured the guy who filed the lawsuit wasn't made in a cold environment what does that kind of warning have to do with the case?

 

I don't think we know what the conditions were like when he made it.  As I remember it, after the temperature issue was exposed, the next scene was the defendant making and offer.  So, either the defense knew that the faulty gun was made in a cold place, or they knew that the temperature couldn't be proven and they should have had a warning, or what Ohmo said.  

 

I'd thought the cold environment situation was the opposite-- the guy who originally designed the gun had been working in a cold garage when he created it. The guy who bought it and printed it was in an average temperature environment. But because the original design presumed cold temperatures, it wouldn't work properly under normal temps. The video Kalinda watched explained that the designer was moving out of a freezer to a climate-controlled space, so that's how she knew he'd originally designed it in the cold.

 

The way I understood it was that the video showed that the guy was so happy to be in a warmer location because the guns (maybe other stuff too) didn't work out right when made in a colder location.  

 

I think the situation you described could be possible too.  They didn't say what temperature the faulty gun was made under.  However, I am still leaning towards the "doesn't work in the cold" theory.  For the defense to lose, the defendant would have had to make the gun in the cold, have it work, then make it again in the warm room and have it not work.  In other words, I think they would have had to have a few more lines of dialogue or at least have him say like this in the video - "We finally  get to move into a place where I am not freezing my butt off and now none of my prototypes work."  

 

Either way, they didn't give us enough information.  I assume they didn't have enough time because they used it (wasted it IMO) on election stuff and on that little blurb about something  on the gun being clogged that went nowhere.  

[torqy]

I've been wondering for several episodes now...why hasn't Kalinda persuaded Bishop to just "disappear" Canning?? You just know he's more than capable...