S06.E21: Don't Fail

[Noreaster]

Not a bad episode.  I like the flashback device and the case was sort of interesting. I just laughed at the Alicia/Kalinda scenes because I also think the writers are playing around with the viewers.  The Alicia/Kalinda relationship has had so little to do with the Alicia Florrick story for several seasons yet some viewers make such a big deal out of it.  I wouldn't be surprised if the writers have been having fun with it for some time.  

 

Not a fan of the direction the show has taken recently.  Spending most of the season on Alicia's campaign only to turn around and have her abruptly withdraw.  And then it looks like she's going to start up another firm of her own?  Same old, same old.  I don't know if this is what the showrunners really had in mind when they started this season. Maybe they had to change course to appease a particular party (the network due to falling ratings?).  After all, some viewers have been talking about how they prefer goody-two-shoes Prady and how they dislike morally ambiguous Alicia.  So the show more or less just turned Alicia into Prady in this episode. She only wants to argue cases that she believes in?  Alrighty then.  If it's true that the show succumbed to other pressures, then I wish they didn't.  The end result is virtually no growth in the Alicia character. Maybe these are typical moves for network shows versus cable shows that can take more risks.  

Edited May 4, 2015 by Noreaster

[SpinMartyr]

Count me in as one who really doesn't care about Alicia and Kalinda scenes or what Kalinda's note said or what the Kings owe viewers to make them satisfied with Kalinda's farewell. Like Will, Kalinda is no longer part of this show. Meanwhile, I enjoyed the episode. I like Alicia and Finn a lot. My favorite flashback was seeing Jackie's joy in listening to Zach's speech. Jackie! It has been a long, long time.

[Litnit]

Alicia staring at the clock waiting for five o'clock to fill up the wine soup bowl was awesome.

Has she really not spoken to Zach all these months? That whole conflict really never made sense to me.

Purely for selfish reasons, I want to see more Finn please.

[Guest]

So was Alicia mispronouncing Matan's name purposely over and over in their scene alone, or was that just poor acting AND direction?  Or did she always rhyme it with rattan when everyone else rhymes it with baton?  

 

Also, I'm no attorney but I laughed at Kalinda telling Alicia that's it her duty to do her best to defend her client IF SHE THINKS HE'S INNOCENT!   Ugh.  I guess if your attorney thinks (or knows) you're guilty you have no right to a fair trial with a rigorous defense and presumption of innocence.  

Edited May 5, 2015 by Guest

[Fredward]

Mmm. Dunno. I don't dislike the idea of Super Idealistic Girl since that's always been a part of her and arguably the dissatisfaction she's been experiencing since Will's death and what might even have contributed to her running for SA, might be dealt with in this fashion. But... what exactly has the point been of the 'education of Alicia Florrick' this whole damn time? The real world doesn't matter follow your dreams? I actually wouldn't hate that message, depending on how it's handled. Idealistic doesn't mean naive. Alicia shouldn't be naive after everything. If she's turning her back, purposefully, on the halls of power she should still remember everything that's happened. And use it. Idealistic yet savvy and cunning and even cutthroat if required would be nice.

 

BUT! More importantly! Was that chemistry I espied in the Kalinda/Alicia scenes? Even if one of them totally did not even have the two of them in the same room? I've been watching this show since I was relatively young and young me being all inexperienced like in the ways of the world would never have picked up on such when they were still actually seen together but yeah. That would have been interesting.

[candall]

I liked the episode--and thought everyone would like it--because we were finally back in the courtroom. 

 

I have some harrumphs, though. . .

 

They made the breathless, stammering ingénue attorney too silly.  I don't think anyone goes trotting up to the bench with tiny little tippy-tap baby steps. Twice.

 

Alicia says to Finn:  "I'm starting my own firm.  Would you like to join me?"  Take a big step back, your highness.  Finn has his own established solo practice in prestigious office space (and no string of disasters in his wake.)  How does Alicia have the hubris to suggest he set up his own door & trestle desk in her kid's bedroom?  Maybe asking if he'd consider sharing a practice would be more appropriate than inviting him to join her firm.

 

For their "conversation," JM and AP did a good job responding to the lines they were being fed by the production assistant, but I wonder if an actress who requires these gimmicks and extra setups loses the respect of the crew?

Edited May 5, 2015 by candall

[cardigirl]

Liked the episode, hated that stupid-ugly hat Alicia was wearing.  Just didn't seem like her style.

[Limelight]

I loved when Finn told hat disguised Alicia, that no one was looking at her or cared that she resigned from her elected office, they had other things to worry about. I can't imagine most people would even know who won the state's attorney job anyway even if she was St. Alicia.

I hope next season isn't all about Alicia starting her own firm with Intern Grace. I'm worried it will mean much less of my favorites, Cary and Diane. Honestly Grace and Alicia are my least favorite characters, at least hire Eli's daughter who had a personality. Will Eli now have to bring his clients to this new law firm again? It just seems like a storyline already done before.

[readster]

IANAL, but how did the COTW get bumped to First Degree Homicide?  If the guy died 6 years after the beat down from juries received in the fight, where's the pre-meditation there?  Shouldn't the charge have been, at most, manslaughter?

 

It's a sign of Matan's overwhelming hubris that he thought he could charge (and win) the defendant with First Degree.  It's definitely his fatal flaw.

 

 Exactly! I'm not a lawyer but really this just didn't make sense. Especially when they were trying to get the charge because the main alabi ended up dying over years years ago from an OD on her own. Especially when it seemed that the defendant had been out of the business two years later before before she died from over using. Like I said, more like Matan was trying to get him on something he left behind. Plus, there was plenty of evidence that it was someone from the bachelor party but no one cared. The defendant just sadly was next to the alley dealing and he had kicked the guy out before the said fight happened a couple hours later. We also never heard the reason why the guy who died was even in the fight to begin with. Seemed like he didn't want to get the real person who beat him up arrested for some reason. Yet, that wasn't even brought up. 

[needschocolate]

That fake bar scene last night was laughable.  They really would have been better off giving the viewers another phone call.

 

They should have done what they did on the old Patty Duke Show (cousins, identical cousins...) and had an extra wearing a Kalinda hairstyle wig for Alicia's Scenes, and an extra wearing an Alicia wig for Kalinda's scenes.  The extras would only be seen from behind, but it might not have been so obvious as the way they ended up shooting the scene.  

 

Also, I'm no attorney but I laughed at Kalinda telling Alicia that's it her duty to do her best to defend her client IF SHE THINKS HE'S INNOCENT!   Ugh.  I guess if your attorney thinks (or knows) you're guilty you have no right to a fair trial with a rigorous defense and presumption of innocence.  

 

So the way she follows Kalinda's advice and defends her thought-to-be-innocent client is to throw Kalinda under the bus.  

 

Apparently the kind of lawyer Alicia wants to be is the kind that lies to judges.  

[OptimisticCynic]

They should have done what they did on the old Patty Duke Show (cousins, identical cousins...) and had an extra wearing a Kalinda hairstyle wig for Alicia's Scenes, and an extra wearing an Alicia wig for Kalinda's scenes. The extras would only be seen from behind, but it might not have been so obvious as the way they ended up shooting the scene.

.

Orphan Black does a more convincing job of Tatiana Maslany playing against herself than this show did of that Alicia and Kalinda scene.

[candall]

Heh, I'm surprised they didn't dress up a fake stunt-double Kalinda/Alicia and film her from behind when the other one was speaking.  That's the only thing that would have been more obvious than those hard back & forth shots.

 

This stupid show--I hope they're all acutely embarrassed that this little controversy generates more discussion than their story.  But probably "there's no such thing as bad publicity" and they're all high-fiving in the executive producer suites.

[Janimo]

I watched this episode once after dvring it.. Then I fast forwarded to see the "Alicia and Kalinda" scenes again, and only wound up giving myself a headache and getting really pissed off. I won't go off on a tangent...but.....my gut tells me that all this foolishness about JM and AP not appearing in any scenes together for 50 episodes is due to JM, but it's just a feeling.

 

I was wondering if IMDb (internet movie database.com) is correct when it lists JM as "Producer" of the show in 78 of the 134 episodes, since  "Death Row Tip" in 2011 until now. Hmmmm......She hasn't been the Executive Producer since the show started?

 

I remember really loved the show when it first came on. That was when they gave Kalinda something to do.....and she and Alicia used to have such chemistry together......Such a waste. :(

 

Good luck to Archie!!!! She deserves so much better, imo.

 

 

Edited May 6, 2015 by Janimo

[Black Knight]

Well, given that the show went fractional in hitting a new series low Sunday night, to a .9, they had better hope that all the publicity about the controversy draws some curious people in for the finale. Yeah, I know, S7 is assured, but I'm sure the Kings and CBS would still like to avoid the spectacle of their show potentially pulling CW-level ratings next year.

[Janimo]

A .9??? Thanks, Black Knight. You cheered me up with that info.

Sorry to be so cynical... but this show used to be good.

[lonestar]

Isn't Finn leaving at the end of the season for Downton Abbey?

[Black Knight]

No, Matthew Goode can do both shows. The final season of Downton Abbey is being filmed right now.

[Maherjunkie]

You telling me that guy is actually British?!!

 

I began to warm up to Alicia again until she took down Zack's room.  Cold-hearted stupid heifer.  YOU belong in the maid's room, give the kid yours!

 

Bet somehow, someway, she will come back to the firm.

 

Brunette, middle-aged Suzanne Sommers that she has become.

[FuriousStyles]

You telling me that guy is actually British?!!

 

 

LOL.  I had no idea either, until I saw him in a commercial recently and he was talking in a British accent.  

[Noreaster]

Alicia turning Zach's room into her temporary office is supposed to be funny.  Especially when they put in a scene with Zach saying he wants to come back home for a visit.  It's not like she intends to permanently work off of a door as her desk. My goodness, people want to hate on Alicia so bad.  And hype up the "controversy".  

[CleoCaesar]

You telling me that guy is actually British?!!

 

The biggest sin TGW has committed is not making Finn English. Matthew Goode has the deepest, richest, poshest voice when he's speaking in his native accent. WHY they had to make him use that flat, fakey Americanish accent is beyond me.

[AudienceofOne]

I enjoyed it. I think they've realised they took the show in the wrong direction and they're trying to bring it back to its roots. I certainly enjoyed it far more than a lot of the episodes this season. I've been particularly annoyed by their determination to create a sort of false equivalency between her and Peter. The fact is, Peter was not unfairly accused of corruption - he was corrupt. And he wasn't just revealed to be unfaithful - he was revealed to have banged prostitutes. The idea that it's the same thing that Alicia was framed for corruption and had an affair with a man she loved while she and Peter were separated makes me blow steam.

 

I know it's the Good Wife but now her political career is DOA I hope she finally kicks Peter.

[pennben]

Ah, but Peter had been around in politics for awhile at the beginning, she was just getting started.  She didn't bang a prostitute, but she banged the boss (Will) and the help (her campaign manager).  She's lied to the press, lied to judges, blurred campaign contribution lines, took money from drug dealers and racist/homophobic/sexists thugs, among other things.  Had she stayed on that course she was overachieving her way to being beyond Peter!  Do not underestimate that Alicia!! 

[TV Diva Queen]

I enjoyed it. I think they've realised they took the show in the wrong direction and they're trying to bring it back to its roots. I certainly enjoyed it far more than a lot of the episodes this season. I've been particularly annoyed by their determination to create a sort of false equivalency between her and Peter. The fact is, Peter was not unfairly accused of corruption - he was corrupt. And he wasn't just revealed to be unfaithful - he was revealed to have banged prostitutes. The idea that it's the same thing that Alicia was framed for corruption and had an affair with a man she loved while she and Peter were separated makes me blow steam.

 

I know it's the Good Wife but now her political career is DOA I hope she finally kicks Peter.

She's a million times worse than Peter.  I hope he kicks her hard to the curb.  

[Ohmo]

You telling me that guy is actually British?!!

 

Replace Matthew Goode with Alan Cumming, and I had the exact same reaction  I about fell over the first time I heard Alan talk outside the character of Eli. I had no idea that Alan was a British actor until that moment.

 

The biggest sin TGW has committed is not making Finn English. Matthew Goode has the deepest, richest, poshest voice when he's speaking in his native accent. WHY they had to make him use that flat, fakey Americanish accent is beyond me.

 

NCIS has commited the same sin with Jamie Bamber. Thankfully, Forever has retained good sense with Ioan Gruffund.

[HawaiiTVGuy]

So we STILL don't know what was in the letter Kalinda left Alicia???

And THAT was the scene between them that was supposed to make viewers happy???

Eff off show.

Haha...based on JM's awesome acting last week, the letter was blank, it must have been because she didn't look at it long enough to read a single word.

 

Finally Alicia and Kalinda in the same scene

Were they really?  I totally agree with the theory they was any new filming together for this episode.  As was pointed out, they NEVER showed them together in that last extended scene at the bar at the end, and the brief scene in the beginning, that looked like it was a old taping they probably had edited out previously.  The non-Kalinda flashback scenes were extended enough to probably be newly filmed, and also the cut-back and forth between Kalinda and Alicia, but that one brief scene where they are laughing at the bar, easily could have been a previously filmed scene.

[HawaiiTVGuy]

IANAL, but how did the COTW get bumped to First Degree Homicide?  If the guy died 6 years after the beat down from juries received in the fight, where's the pre-meditation there?  Shouldn't the charge have been, at most, manslaughter?

 

It's a sign of Matan's overwhelming hubris that he thought he could charge (and win) the defendent with First Degree.  It's definitely his fatal flaw.

I agree, if they thought he beat him enough to nearly kill him the first time (the injuries did look severe) they should have charged him with attempted murder if they believe that was his intent.

[GHScorpiosRule]

Replace Matthew Goode with Alan Cumming, and I had the exact same reaction  I about fell over the first time I heard Alan talk outside the character of Eli. I had no idea that Alan was a British actor until that moment.

I believe that Cumming is Scottish. 'tis a wee bit o' a difference.

[needschocolate]

It boggles my mind every time some female character tells Alicia that she (or her mother) admires Alicia for staying with her husband after she found about that he slept with a  slew of prostitutes (and non-prostitutes, like Kalinda).  I cannot think of one woman I know who would admire a woman for staying with her husband after he does this.  I think they would all be more inclined to think less of the wife for staying with him. 

 

Most of them would admire someone who had the strength to get out of a marriage to a well-off politician and head out on their own, so, I could see people admiring Alicia for starting over when she had to and for building a successful firm (the general public probably doesn't know the trouble the firms have had). 

 

I suppose there are women (likely those religious enough to think that divorce is a sin) who would admire a woman who forgave, stayed, and re-built her marriage after her husband had an affair.  But Peter didn't have an affair - he had multiple affairs with prostitutes. 

 

Sure, there are a lot of women who stay with habitual cheaters for whatever reason, but I don't think their are a lot who would admire someone for doing so. 

[GHScorpiosRule]

Not that this makes Peter look any better, but they changed the narrative of Peter banging a whole buncha prostitutes, to just that one. Amber, I think her name was? So it's just Peter cheating with Amber, who was a prostitute and a one night stand with Kalinda.

 

But yeah, she should have divorced him years ago. But she like the power being Peter's wife, gives her.

[CleoCaesar]

I think they would all be more inclined to think less of the wife for staying with him.

 

Definitely. And I think that adds another layer of irony to the show's title.

 

 

they changed the narrative of Peter banging a whole buncha prostitutes, to just that one. Amber, I think her name was?

 

All I remember is the number 18. It was either 18 different prostitutes, or he slept with some number of prostitutes 18 times, or he slept with Amber Madison (?) 18 times. All are repugnant scenarios, though.

[Black Knight]

The non-Kalinda flashback scenes were extended enough to probably be newly filmed, and also the cut-back and forth between Kalinda and Alicia, but that one brief scene where they are laughing at the bar, easily could have been a previously filmed scene.

Not only was it a previously filmed scene, it was a previously aired scene. Every Kalicia fan knows it, it's the most iconic Kalicia scene of S1, and in the top five for the series. And it certainly didn't happen the night that the flashback here claimed - it happened the night Alicia won the competition over Cary. The tug of war over the phone was because Kalinda wanted to call Alicia's house and tell them she was going to be really late. "I'm taking responsibility for your irresponsibility."

Edited May 9, 2015 by Black Knight

[arrowhead]

I thought it was later implied that he also had an affair with the (family friend?) lawyer he later hired and that the intern was possibly his daughter (... I may be totally off though; huh)

[Janimo]

I think you're right, arrowhead. That was Connie Nielsen as "Ramona." I had forgotten about her. Not sure if he had an affair with the daughter or was just helping her with a job.

What the heck happened to Marilyn Garbanza (Melissa George)??? Or have I just not been paying attention. Maybe I've just forgotten about the "so many loose ends"  that were left by the writers, intentionally or not. Sheesh......:(

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I already watched Alicia start a law firm in her apartment with Cary and it wasn't very entertaining the first time around. I really don't want to see that again. Can't the writers come up with some new storylines?

Edited May 10, 2015 by ElectricBoogaloo

[needschocolate]

I already watched Alicia start a law firm in her apartment with Cary and it wasn't very entertaining the first time around. I really don't want to see that again. Can't the writers come up with some new storylines?

 

But this time it is with a guy she has the hots for, so we can get the obligatory scene of Grace coming home early from school one day and finding her mother in a compromising position.  Given the way Grace is written, she will either not notice, believe Alicia when she claims they were just practicing a horizontal dance for the annual Bar Association Talent Show, or she will go into a tizzy that her mother is human, and join a convent.