S06.E20: The Deconstruction

[photo fox]

I don't want to rehash it if it's been covered, but could someone enlighten me on the disagreement/on set tensions between JM & Archie? Or tell me what forum/link to look for to read about it?  I see it mentioned often but I can't find the origins of what's it about and when it started.  Thanks!

 

Busy, it's all pretty much speculation, but you can read all about it here.

[swimmyfish]

I don't want to rehash it if it's been covered, but could someone enlighten me on the disagreement/on set tensions between JM & Archie? Or tell me what forum/link to look for to read about it?  I see it mentioned often but I can't find the origins of what's it about and when it started.  Thanks!

There's a behind-the-scenes topic a few threads down, if you want to check that out. I think the title is "Even more dramatic than the show".

 

ETA: Ooops! It looks like photo fox beat me to it!

Edited April 27, 2015 by swimmyfish

[Noreaster]

Bad episode. Lame exit for Kalinda. Cheesy scenes. A plotline that had too many twists. The Kalinda character shouldn't be so stupid as to assume she can frame Lemond's associate and get away with it. They really should have just had Kalinda get and hand over the evidence outright and then flee. Or kill Kalinda off. And lovesick Cary trying to throw himself under the bus. Lame.  

 

I'm glad Archie Panjabi is gone.  She took up so much screentime in the past few seasons and I didn't like any of her storylines.  The writers didn't know what to do with her character and quite frankly AP is not good enough to make bad writing work.  

 

The rest of the episode sucked. Instead of the law firm misunderstandings, they really should have rejected Alicia returning to the firm at all. Need time for the scandal to die down at the very least. Silly that Diane, Cary, and even David Lee would think it made good business sense to invite Alicia back, just to realize that uh, it may not be a good idea? What a waste of time. Oliver Platt was wasted this episode too. Case of the week was boring. I don't feel at all sympathetic toward the grandmother defendant.  

Edited April 27, 2015 by Noreaster

[Dowel Jones]

I dont think it was anything long, but at the same time what the hell could it be for Alicia to break down like that?

 

"You realize that I have a lock on the Emmy now, right?  Buh bye!"

[TigerLynx]

I thought Alicia's reaction to Kalinda's note was being faced with the realization that she is right back where she started, and even worse off.  When Peter was arrested, the only person who would give Alicia a job was Will.  Alicia joined his firm, became friends with Kalinda, Diane, and Cary.  Now Will is dead, Kalinda is gone, and Diane and Cary are moving forward with the law firm that Alicia helped create, but then left.  Alicia has to start all over again, she is in an even bigger hole than before, and Peter, of all people, is the one offering her the most support.

[blixie]

 

As for the letter and Alicia’s reaction. I guess we’re supposed to assume Alicia’s emotional reaction at the end was because of the letter and Kalinda leaving? To me the scene was ambiguous. I felt Alicia cast the letter aside like immediately after glancing at it, pretty much how Kalinda has been shoved aside. (Very hard not to see this is symbolic of the actresses too!) Her collapse after- was it because of Kalinda, or just the state of her life in general? As I said it seemed ambiguous to me.

 

Yeah I agree she certainly wasn't breaking down, JUST because Kalinda was saying goodbye/apologizing one final time about Peter (I only think this because of how affecting Kalinda was by the family picture, and I think they cut to Peter specifically). I SO enjoyed her losing everything and breaking down, couldn't happen to someone who was more smug for so long this year. I too couldn't help reading the note flip as some kind of final FU to Archie.

 

I loved the goodbe to Archie, but I'm also wondering if she won't appear in one of the final episodes, either via the phone/another note. Sniff poor Cary, he had so much feeling for her she could never fully reciprocate due to her particular set of issues. I hope he gets some final confirmation from her that she is okay.

 

The only other notable thing about this one was seeing Linda Lavin again, she's a kick.

[swimmyfish]

I thought Alicia's reaction to Kalinda's note was being faced with the realization that she is right back where she started, and even worse off.  When Peter was arrested, the only person who would give Alicia a job was Will.  Alicia joined his firm, became friends with Kalinda, Diane, and Cary.  Now Will is dead, Kalinda is gone, and Diane and Cary are moving forward with the law firm that Alicia helped create, but then left.  Alicia has to start all over again, she is in an even bigger hole than before, and Peter, of all people, is the one offering her the most support.

 

That's a really great analysis. Since her interactions with the other characters were not explicit good-byes, I think the note from Kalinda was along the lines of 'glad you're back at the firm.' That - the realization that she really doesn't have anything at all right now - would hit her much harder than just a good-bye from an estranged coworker.

[Primetimer]

As Alicia ponders her next move after election-rigging disgrace, Kalinda ponders how to handle the whole Lemond Bishop situation in a fashion that gets as few people murdered as possible.

Read the story

[CleoCaesar]

Well that was cheerful.

 

As for Kalinda's grand exit, yawwwwn. "Anticlimactic" doesn't begin to cover it. And THAT'S all it took to bring down Chicago's #1 drug baron?

 

I got so bored during the third or fourth double-cross of Is Alicia Staying or Going. By the end of the episode I wasn't sure if the firm wanted her in the first place or not, and I don't even care. When an episode starts off with Alicia (or ANY character) happy and getting what she wanted, it's obvious that the end is going show them desolate with nothing. Fiction writing 101.

 

I'm going to fanwank that Kalinda's note was something along the lines of, "Peter said I was the best he ever had. Bye, Felicia!"

[Tetraneutron]

I am SO bored of partner musical chairs.

[Winston Wolfe]

 

I hope the Good Wife ends with Alicia alone with Colin Sweeney.

That could possibly make for the best series finale ever aired.  And just deserts for Alicia Florrick if she doesn't change her smug, self-absorbed ways soon.

[UsernameFatigue]

The best part of the episode was Linda Lavin. And Linda Lavin's character again referring to Lemond and Lemon-d. Love her.

 

I was puzzled as to why they made the grandmother defendant 62 years old. That is CB's age, and the actor playing the grandmother part is a decade older. In this part she looked at least her age if not mid to late 70s. It doesn't say a lot for this episode that this is what I kept focusing on.

 

That, and what was the significance of the hole in the wall at Kalinda's mostly empty apartment? I could not think of what would be on the wall that would need to be ripped off of it, along with a chunk of the wall itself.

Edited April 27, 2015 by UsernameFatigue

[KLovestoShop]

I was wondering the same thing about the hole in the wall.  The only thing I could think of was a wall safe.

[Readalot]

I was wondering the same thing about the hole in the wall. The only thing I could think of was a wall safe.

at few seasons ago she tore a hole in the same place to get a gun, money, etc when she was having issues with her ex-husband. It's her hiding spot.

[Ms Blue Jay]

I thought we were shown an old episode where Kalinda reveals that she has a stash of cash in there.

[Youngy]

The changing letterhead for the law firm's partners is a bit hard to take, no matter the story-driven circumstances. Alicia never even really quite resigned to take the SA job (wasn't it all still being negotiated when the vote scandal broke?) and yet here they go, changing the name of the firm and moving forward. Has it been about four days (in the show's timeline) since the election? In what world would they have already moved on?

On a somewhat related note, the whole "which law firm is this, anyway?" scenario has become more confusing (and not intentionally so, I'm afraid) as the season has gone along. A lot of the original non-partner LG lawyers who split to start the rebel firm with Alicia and Cary don't seem to be around much anymore; rather, it seems to be all the old LG cronies who populate the scenes, at least when you consider the extras in the background. For example, we haven't seen "the other Carey" (Zepps) in ages. Is it just me, or is this show all over the place when it comes to continuity on who's working where when? It makes another plotline of "musical chairs" (as someone described it in an earlier post) all the more frustrating. How are we supposed to care who's with the firm when the show barely does?

[Texasmom1970]

I have watched this show from the beginning and this one really makes me realize how much I dislike Alicia's character now. It wasn't always that way when the show began I actually liked her. And I used to live Julianna on "ER", but her dating George Clooney on that show might have had a lot to do with it.

More upset about Kahlinda leaving I was always been a fan of Archie. Hope her next endeavor works out better than the crap they gave her character on this show. Once again Matt continues to impress. He really can convey a lot without even speaking.

[Ms Blue Jay]

Everyone's talking about wishing Archie luck in her new show, but is there actually something lined up?  Or is this in reference to The Fall?

Thank you.

[photo fox]

MBJ, AP has a development deal with 20th Century Fox to headline a drama pilot. Haven't seen any further details yet.

[Ms Blue Jay]

Thank you very much pf.  That's very good/interesting news.

Edited April 28, 2015 by Ms Blue Jay

[Litnit]

Again with Grace being written like an 8 year old.  I literally thought to myself, "This is a conversation I would have with my 8 year old." Mummy, do you get to make important speeches?  Barf.

 

Could be I wasn't paying enough attention, and please don't anybody try to explain it to me, but the misunderstanding with Alicia's client reminded me of a thousand episodes of Y&R I've watched.  When the drama of an entire episode hinges on "She came in, we talked, apologized, and it's all good" then you're in serious soap territory.  

 

Oh, and I built this firm in our home.  Barf.  We know, we were there and it wasn't that long ago.  Then, you sold out and ran for SA.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

On top of all the new signs and letterhead and business cards, you know the IT guy just sighs and rolls his eyes every week when one of the partners sends him an email telling him that they need another new domain name.

 

One thing I loved in this episode was how warmly Diane welcomed Alicia back. Of course, that didn't last long but it was a nice moment.

 

I had no idea that Archie was leaving until a bunch of people kept bringing it up in episode threads a few months months ago. Ever since then, I have been just waiting for her to be run over, shot, or otherwise written off the show. I'm just glad that her exit wasn't via Lemond killing her. I can't wait to hear the conversation between Lemond and Cary later. He already told Dexter that he was the one who gave evidence to Geneva so I wouldn't put it past Lemond to want Cary taken out just for good measure. You know, just in case!

[dbell1]

 

I'm starting to dread Sundays at 9:00 (or 9:18, or 9:22, or 9:31, or.....whenever).

Mic drop! I laughed so loud at this.

[Darian]

I was as spoiled as it was possible to be for Kalinda leaving. I knew she left, I knew why. I knew how. I knew she (Kalinda/Archie) looked into the camera and said good-bye. And I am sitting here with tears in my eyes. Damn it.    

[izabella]

Kalinda leaving seemed anti-cllimactic.  And I am sick to death of musical chairs with the law firm.

 

Is this all the writers have left?  They should pack it up this season. 

[Tetraneutron]

I just realized: no more Kalinda means no more Kalinda ex machina for the writers. No more having her use her magic computer, swoop in, and win the case of the week or solve all the interpersonal drama. The writers might actually have to write plots that hold together on their own.

[Eugenie]

I find it weird that Diane is the one in most trouble with the SA, yet she spent the entire episode acting like it's just business as usual, while others run around trying to save her. Will we get to see Diane find out she won't get disbarred, go to prison, or get killed by Bishop?

[KLovestoShop]

AP is starring in a BBC production that will start on PBS this summer, called The Widower. She is also in another show called The Fall.

[CleoCaesar]

Again with Grace being written like an 8 year old.  I literally thought to myself, "This is a conversation I would have with my 8 year old." Mummy, do you get to make important speeches?  Barf.

 

Same here. Do the writers not know how to write teenage girls or are they deliberately infantilizing Grace? She's never been the sharpest tool in the shed, okay, but her relationship with Alicia really does resemble that of a young child and her mother.

[panthergirl13]

AP is starring in a BBC production that will start on PBS this summer, called The Widower. She is also in another show called The Fall.

Her Twitter feed also mentions a BBC show called "Shetlands".  (as well as some cute pics of her and cast/crew from TGW): https://twitter.com/PanjabiArchie

[Kel Varnsen]

The law firm back and forth was really tiring, although it is fun to watch David Lee be such a devious asshole.

 

Why did rich GOP dude leave a liberal firm where he wanted a low profile anyway, and where he knew a Florrick worked and was not scandal-free? I don't buy it, and I don't buy that suddenly, all sorts of high-flying wealthy corporate folks in Chicago are saying, "What? There are shady lawyers and politicians here? Well I am just not having any of it. Good day to you all!" I mean sure, they're sick of this shit but if they have good lawyers then they should be happy. 

 

At least Colin Sweeney will always love Alicia.

Isn't Colin Sweeney one of the firms biggest clients? I thought the top three at one point were Chumhum, Bishop and Sweeney. If Alicia went out on her own she could probably do a lot worse than having him as her only client. Especially if she was a one woman show like what Finn does. 

 

This firm must spend so much damn money on new letterhead and new wall signs that it's no wonder they can't afford to lose clients.

I am totally picturing a sign maker (like the one from Parks and Recreation) who is able to wear like a Rolex or something, because of the amount of money this firm is constantly spending on new signs. Especially considering how quick the turn around seems to be. I think at one point (maybe when they were L&G) not only did they have a big sign, but the windows to the conference room also had the logo imprinted on them. 

 

And I still don't understand how you could possibly do a recount when a voting machine was hacked. If the hack makes it think a vote for Prady is a vote for Alicia, how do you know who voted for Prady?

 

And speaking of Prady, does he get to become SA now? Alicia dropped out after the election was over, but before she was sworn in right? So either Prady gets the job, they have another election or would Peter get to appoint someone? 

[GHScorpiosRule]

Same here. Do the writers not know how to write teenage girls or are they deliberately infantilizing Grace? She's never been the sharpest tool in the shed, okay, but her relationship with Alicia really does resemble that of a young child and her mother.

 

The sad thing is, or is ironic a better word? In the first season, I think, she was much smarter. Remember that lunch or dinner where she asked that one person about what was going on in the Middle East and/or Israel?

 

And yes, I do believe the show, after that, was hell bent on infantalizing her, to make Zack look the more smarter. 

[Isazouzi]

I thought Alicia's reaction to Kalinda's note was being faced with the realization that she is right back where she started, and even worse off.  When Peter was arrested, the only person who would give Alicia a job was Will.  Alicia joined his firm, became friends with Kalinda, Diane, and Cary.  Now Will is dead, Kalinda is gone, and Diane and Cary are moving forward with the law firm that Alicia helped create, but then left.  Alicia has to start all over again, she is in an even bigger hole than before, and Peter, of all people, is the one offering her the most support.

I just want to quote your post because it's a great analysis of the story the writers tried to tell.

 

Busy, it's all pretty much speculation, but you can read all about it here.

"Pretty much speculation", understatement of the year. That and JM bashing.

[marny]

I also found it laughable that anyone would be interested in Alicia's memoirs. I know other wives of scandal-ridden politicians have written books and made the talk show rounds, but at this point, it's been several years since Peter's scandal (not to mention he was able to rebound pretty swiftly) and her own "scandal" is something she can't even disclose under threat of the DNC. So, her book would be interesting how?

[picklesprite]

Bishop, ultra-careful Bishop, snarls, "tell Dexter he's dead," while being held by cops?

Alicia's delayed reaction to the note was so dramatic that I actually thought it might be a suicide note.

I can't bring myself to condemn JM soley on the basis of speculation. Maybe AP actually did something rotten and her friends are defaming JM who is being the honorable one by refusing to speak ill of AP in public. Maybe there's a legal issue that keeps either of them from speaking directly about it. And that's all unfounded speculation, too. Maybe it's the writers who have been mad at AP. I could sure believe THAT, though I won't without proof.

I still love the show. I have strengthened my eye-rolling muscles, though, and I've developed a damn fine snort.

Edited April 28, 2015 by picklesprite

[MoreCoffeePlease]

I'm going to fanwank that Kalinda's note was something along the lines of, "Peter said I was the best he ever had. Bye, Felicia!"

 

 

This!  Too, too funny.

 

I hope Cary can find a nice, normal woman and have beautiful babies with her.

 

No more of Kalinda's magic vagina!  Someone suggested it, and I agree, she should have taken Lemond Bishop's son with her, or they all could have run away together.

 

Alicia, if you are so darn tired, take some time off, spend some time with your daughter, and maybe even visit your son, and then figure out what the heck you want to do.  Amazing that we all like Peter much more than Alicia at this point.

 

Oh no, not more Louis Canning!  I hate to say it as a huge Michael J. Fox fan, but I'm so over this role on this show.

Edited April 28, 2015 by MoreCoffeePlease

[Kel Varnsen]

Bishop, ultra-careful Bishop, snarls, "tell Dexter he's dead," while being held by cops?

 

That was really dumb. All I could think about was how the arresting cops must be thinking, sweet, that will play well at trial.

[readster]

That was really dumb. All I could think about was how the arresting cops must be thinking, sweet, that will play well at trial.

 

 Exactly because I have read many cases where guys like Bishop getting arrested say that and it really sends them up the river. Of course in Bishop's case it will send him to the MCU to be the husband of Kristin Ritter and have a baby named Daniel that will become the future Captain America with both of their powers and her godfather will be from the mystical city of K'un L'un where Michael J. Fox said on Spin City years ago he love to live.

[Kel Varnsen]

 Exactly because I have read many cases where guys like Bishop getting arrested say that and it really sends them up the river. Of course in Bishop's case it will send him to the MCU to be the husband of Kristin Ritter and have a baby named Daniel that will become the future Captain America with both of their powers and her godfather will be from the mystical city of K'un L'un where Michael J. Fox said on Spin City years ago he love to live.

 

Yea it kind of destroys any idea that he is just a legitimate businessman if he is threatening to have his associates killed. 

[Kiddvideo]

I like any episode where St. Alicia ends up sobbing. This made 2 in a row!

[readster]

Yea it kind of destroys any idea that he is just a legitimate businessman if he is threatening to have his associates killed. 

 Especially when you know he was being serious and not joking in a loving way. You know what has been the biggest waste? I know there are still two episodes left but we never found out who was Bishop's inside person in the SA office. It wasn't Castro and after he revealed it was Geneva to Alicia then Bishop knew. So, who was feeding him the info? Because if Castro would have been his inside man he would have known it to have been Geneva from day 1 and he didn't know until Alicia found out. Because let's face it, if Bishop had a good inside person he would have known about the affair between Geneva and the Police detective and would have outed that secret in no time and it would have come across as a conspiracy between the police and the SA office to take a "legitimate businessman" down. As of now the affair is still going on and not even Cary knows about what really happened with the frame up with him. He could even get Geneva disbarred and the cop kicked off the force as a result of it. But that is too much for the Kings to do because that would have fixed the storyline from the beginning and Kalinda wouldn't have had to go on the run. 

[MakeMeLaugh]

How is it that Justified and Mad Men are leaving us and this dreck continues?

Next season Alicia will write a book no one will ever buy, but the episodes with her character can all be flashbacks and interior monologue as she sits in front of her laptop with a giant glass of red wine, and JM will have scenes with no one else.

Blech.

Edited April 28, 2015 by MakeMeLaugh

[Fredward]

I have absolutely no idea where this show is going any more. I'm not really sure the show does either tbh. Treading the same ground with some mild variation might be thematically interesting but it gets tiresome to watch. Especially if it's overused.

[orza]

Diane brought in a lot of money and clients and saved their bacon so she has clout.

[Tetraneutron]

Sucks to be Dylan Bishop. Gets an A in algebra, but dad won't be home anymore. Was hoping Kalinda would pick him up on her way out of town.

Guess Alicia's going to now write a book? Whatever.

I really don't get the idea that Kalinda should be Dylan's mother figure. That doesn't make sense. Kalinda isn't maternal towads him, she doesn't care about him the way Lemond does. Why would that even be a happy ending for Dylan? Being cared for by the woman who put his dad in jail. The show has always been honest that Dylan isn't going to get a happy ending. And Kalinda isn't Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side.

 

Yeah, I don't see how Alicia can write a book. The only reason anyone cares about political memoirs is for the juicy insider gossip, and the wife of a sitting governor isn't going to give that, not to mention the stranglehold the DNC has on everything about the votong scandal. Whatever. We all know that in a few episodes she'll be back at the law firm. It doesn't how many iterations that place goes through (we're at number seven now? Eight?) in the end all the main characters are at the same firm, with all the main clients.

Edited April 29, 2015 by Obviously

[orza]

Dylan will go back to his aunt, where he was the last time Bishop was in prison. He's has a family to take care of him.

[dr pepper]

I actually felt a little teary when Kalinda began disengaging. I was really afraid that she would walk out and a couple of goons would show up and say something like, "Mr. Bishop is disappointed in you". And she would say "i know" and not even try to run as they shoot her. But no, she did her disappearing act, which is good for the character, but bad for the show.

I'm honestly not sure what the show can do now. Ideally, Alicia should let the democratic machine that just ran her over give her some kind of soft job, like coordinator at a non profit. That would allow her to retrench, make some new contacts, and rebuild her resume. But it wouldn't be the same show. She wouldn't be the Good Wife anymore.

Oh, and what happened to Robyn? What happened to all the Florrick Agos redshirts?

Finally, could we maybe get Alice as a recurring character? Maybe Diane could hire her as a lay analyst and counselor for mentally dubious clients.

Oh, also, when Cary was at Kalinda's i wondered if he would find an envelop with a thong and a note for him to remember her.

[izabella]

Finally, could we maybe get Alice as a recurring character? Maybe Diane could hire her as a lay analyst and counselor for mentally dubious clients.

 

I have her to thank for Lemon-d Bishop, and wish they would all start calling him that now.

[needschocolate]

I wonder if this Alicia loses everything scenario was the plan all along.  When did they come up with it? Was it when they realized that her being SA would a bad idea?  Was it earlier, when the realized that the election stuff was unwelcome by viewers?  Was it even earlier when the firms merged and they needed the firms to merge so it would be Alicia vs Everyone?  Or was it way, way back when the firms first split up.  Perhaps they have always had a years-long outline of where the show would go and this was part of the plan. 

 

To me, it feels like they are coming up with this stuff on the fly. 

 

My reaction to Alicia finding Kalinda's letter/ breakdown was..."she's having a miscarriage, what episode did I miss?"

 

I actually said, out loud,  "Bad time to have appendicitis."

 

That must have been a very short note that Kalinda wrote Alicia. I doubt we'll ever see it, but given the time it took Alicia to toss it on the kitchen counter, I'm guessing it just said something along the lines of . . . "Bye!"

 

I am hoping is either said "You deserved it, Bitch" or it is along list of Alicia's friends who also slept with Peter. 

 

Now that Kalinda has moved on, maybe Robin will return.  Remember her?  The employee who just seemed to disappear into thin air and was never mentioned again?

 

I fear that all their investigator work will now be done by the guy with the kids. 

 

So, Kalinda did screw up and forget to eject the flashdrive properly?  Some posters above seemed to think it was intentional, but it looked like an error to me.  It was crummy to try to pin it on Dexter. 

 

I think Kalinda set up Dexter, she used his flash drive and she knew he had named the flash drive as soon as she plugged it in and that is could be traced back to him.  She also is too computer savvy ("hey, I found the hacker in Russia") to not know that the "failed to eject properly" window would come up. 

 

However. I thought it was out of character for Kalinda to set up Dexter and I lost a little respect for her. A few episode ago, during Cary's seemingly never-ended trial, Kalinda seemed remorseful that she inadvertently got one of the innocent "employees" killed, but she had no problem setting Dexter up?  This got me wondering if Dexter was the guy who really taped Cary, leading to Cary's arrest.  I remember there were 3 "employees" suspected of wearing the wire, and that Bishop killed the wrong one (or two?), but I don't recall if Dexter was the "bad guy" - if he was, that would explain why Kalinda had no problem setting Dexter up. 

 

Bishop, ultra-careful Bishop, snarls, "tell Dexter he's dead," while being held by cops?

 

Well, he wasn't careful enough to use a password on his laptop...

[Zaffy]

TGW season 6? what season 6? there is no season 6. From season 5 we go directly to season 7. There was never   TGW season 6.

I think I have almost persuaded myself here. I just have to repeat it a few more times and yep I would soon  really believe  season 6 NEVER existed.
It was all a dream.  A bad dream. Right Bobby? ;)