S07.E06: Lies

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Alicia and Lucca defend a client who was fired from a technology firm for failing a polygraph test. Also, Eli plots to leak something that would damage Peter's presidential campaign but could inadvertently hurt Alicia.

 

Promo:

[photo fox]

I loved the callback to the NSA story. And the fainting goats! LOL

What was Eli supposed to be seeing in Alicia's face?

So now Cary is a bigot as well as an idiot? I just can't with what they're doing to his character.

[Brian Cronin]

I can't get over how dumb Diane was. I mean, I sort of like it when they show just how out of touch she was, but damn, she was REALLY out of touch. 

[Ms Blue Jay]

It's almost ridiculous how unprofessional it was.  I live in Canada, but nobody can ask you your age and ethnic background in an interview can they?  It was my understanding that you can't even be asked that on the job.  Or maybe you are just not forced to answer.  I don't know.  And they all implied she grew up in a 'tough' neighbourhood, I mean Jesus!  I'm offended by way less personal questions than that.

[Brian Cronin]

They were all unlikely to be THAT obvious, agreed, but they all (outside of Howard, of course) were believably oblivious, I thought. But Diane calling her into her office to apologize for not hiring her? No one is THAT oblivious!

[lovinbob]

What was Eli supposed to be seeing in Alicia's face?

So now Cary is a bigot as well as an idiot? I just can't with what they're doing to his character.

I think Eli was seeing that Alicia wants Peter to win. And/or maybe that she wants to be first lady.

 

I don't think they're showing Cary to be a bigot. I think they are showing that he is incredibly privileged, and unaware of it, as many wealthy white people in positions of power tend to be. Each of the partners was fairly cartoonish, even when they meant well, and it was great to see it from the other side, for a change. Not terribly subtle, but maybe that's the point.

 

Where do I know that actress, the applicant, from? She was very familiar, but I can't place her.

[Brian Cronin]

I think Eli was seeing that Alicia wants Peter to win. And/or maybe that she wants to be first lady.

 

I don't think they're showing Cary to be a bigot. I think they are showing that he is incredibly privileged, and unaware of it, as many wealthy white people in positions of power tend to be. Each of the partners was fairly cartoonish, even when they meant well, and it was great to see it from the other side, for a change. Not terribly subtle, but maybe that's the point.

 

Where do I know that actress, the applicant, from? She was very familiar, but I can't place her.

 

Agreed, I think Cary and David Lee were believable. Yes, a BIT over the top. But believable. Howard is unbelievably out of touch and Diane was unbelievable oblivious. 

[Tetraneutron]

They didn't ask her ethnic background. It's obvious she's black. Unless you count Howard, who I'm genuinely surprised hasn't been sued. t actually thought it was pretty well done for an affirmative action plot. Didactic as hell, of course, with the rotating characters each giving a size of the argument. Diversity vs meritocracy vs accusations of racism. It was like my high school debating competitions, except more wooden. And I'm surprised no one brought up that a black woman from Baltimore had to fight harder than the white guys to get where she is. That starting from zero and making it to seven is more accomplished than starting from nine and making it to ten. That's really the only pro-Monica argument Diane could have made. Or else she's conceding merit entirely to David Lee and basically saying Monica is charity. 

 

I thought it was great they didn't make Monica perfect. I mean, really, what kind of idiot is that rude to someone who might have connections for her? But I liked that for once, the victim of racism wasn't some perfect angel, passive and grateful for the help of white people instead of fighting, qualifications beyond reproach. I thought the scenes where Diane, apologizes and offers help in a vague way were interesting. It would be one thing if she gave her the names of other lawyers or something, but she didn't do that - just made sympathy noises. 

[Ms Blue Jay]

What?  Howard asked the applicant if she was Nigerian.  Maybe nationality would have been a more perfect way of putting it.  I understand that nobody asked her her race.  Cary did specifically mention her race though, which again is so unprofessional in a job interview to me.

 

This actor played Monica:  http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1446972/?ref_=tt_cl_t10

Edited November 9, 2015 by Ms Blue Jay

[KDB]

The actress playing Monica, the black woman applying for the job, is listed on www.imdb.com as Nikki James. It says she had a role on L & O SVU.

I loved seeing Anna Wood, formerly on Reckless, appear as Alicia and Lucca's client. Anna also appeared in a couple of episodes of Madam Secretary last year.

Edited November 9, 2015 by KDB

[Tetraneutron]

What?  Howard asked the applicant if she was Nigerian.  Maybe nationality would have been a more perfect way of putting it.  I understand that nobody asked her her race.  Cary did specifically mention her race though, which again is so unprofessional in a job interview to me.

 

This actor played Monica:  http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1446972/?ref_=tt_cl_t10

Yeah, I was surprised at that too. It runs counter to the characters we've established that these lawyers, who are supposed to be partners at one of the top firms in town, would focus the interview on anything but interview stuff. Although, how else would they get across to the audience that she's from a rough part of Baltimore? Except Howard, I mean. It's on brand he'd be stupid. 

 

But I think they were trying to go for explaining that the firm thought they were doing a good thing by mentioning that they're friendly to minorities? Except they didn't, really? I wonder if we're going to see this plot go anywhere or are they going to drop it like they did the ageism suit and whether L/A/L is fighting with Alicia. 

[whatsatool]

So one in five people is psychotic and we should avoid a fifth of the population. Nora is a delight.

[jjj]

Wow, they packed a lot into this episode!  Of course, except for the elevator ride, you would never know the two settings of the show were connected.  But the NSA guys are good in very small doses, and we got to see bond court judge again, and Eli caught in the grip of his own plot.  He had a very good scene in that first tiny office ambush by his former assistant (and current mole) -- he was communicating a lot just by how he was shifting his eyes up and down. 

 

The case was interesting, especially going back to mystery client in Iceland -- I assume he was in a previous episode, but I don't recall him.  I thought Alicia was asking for contact information for Mr. Bishop!  Although I had no idea how he could be connected here. 

 

Although I did not hear this amount in the episode, this recap* says the firm offered $1.2 million to settle the gender discrimination claim -- so this little partnership is turning out to be very lucrative.  And Mr. P.I. should be allowed to bill for more than five hours on that one!  *Recap:  http://mashable.com/2015/11/08/good-wife-lies-recap/#0AowLwPIx5qF

 

I find it very, very hard to believe that the first lady of a major state can sit in her apartment away from the Governor's mansion and never have first lady functions -- even first ladies who have full-time jobs have to get out to ceremonial events and have staff assistants to keep track of the zillion invitations.  And that is before adding on a national campaign.  This is the official residence:  http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/sites/mansion.htm

Edited November 9, 2015 by jjj

[Pixie Chicken]

Several of the most recent IL governors have not lived in the governor's mansion. Some prefer Chicago to Springfield and commute back and forth. The mansion itself is in some disrepair.

[Rinaldo]

Nikki M. James won a Tony award for her role in The Book of Mormon. She's also one of the stars of the recent movie musical Lucky Stiff (available through iTunes) -- a role not previously (to my knowledge) cast with a black actress. (I mention that only because it intersects, in a way, with the point of her story on The Good Wife.)

[swimmyfish]

I'm curious where the Lockhart Agos & Lee plot us going this season. We started out with Cary's weird gay-panic response to an associate, had an ageism lawsuit from Howard, and now this. It's seems like there will have to be some serious consequences to all of this.

Officially, you can ask an applicant's age, race, whatever in an interview, you just can't make a hiring decision based on it. It's much safer not to ask, because it's difficult to prove that info didn't influence your decision, but technically it's not against any laws to ask.

I thought Diane's assumption that the applicant was from a rough part of Baltimore was also pretty racist. But then when Monica just assumed that Diane slept with people to get ahead, and liked it, well. . . Honestly, I was back on Team Diane after that.

[shrewd.buddha]

There seemed to be many things not quite right with Diane's "sorry" interview: 

a) "I want to help you, but not hire you." ...and not put you in contact with other firms, or promise to look for job opportunities.

b) The applicant is interviewing at a A-list firm, where, apparently, lawyers make big $$. What about jobs like the bond court lawyers where Alicia was? Was the applicant looking for 'any' job or a prestige job? 

c) Diane's mentoring and philanthropy towards career women comes off as extremely condescending and oblivious. She couldn't handle working in non-luxury offices with Alicia and Cary, she bailed on her goals of having a high-profile law firm managed by a female majority, she basically dismantled Florrick-Agos in order to recreate Lockhart-Gardner,  and she appears to be obsessed with power offices and power wardrobes. She seems like such a hypocrite.

 

All the things happening at Diane and Cary's law firm  seem so random and disconnected from a show about "The Good Wife". It's like a unrelated show about the  misadventures of a Chicago law firm where most of their time is spent in-fighting. 

[Thog]

I'm oddly excited that Jason may be a sociopath/ticking time bomb. It's a much more interesting idea than potential love interest, which is where I thought they were going with him.

 

I was very distracted by Diane's hideous plastic chain necklace. I'm usually crazy envious of her impeccable wardrobe, but that looked like something you would give an infant to chew on.

[swimmyfish]

Diane's mentoring and philanthropy towards career women comes off as extremely condescending and oblivious.

 

I believe Will Gardner mentioned something about this way, way back in Season 1, along the lines that Diane has a tendency to start these mentoring-type relationships with younger female lawyers, but then seems to get affronted when the mentees start to succeed on their own. There hasn't been real consistent follow-up on that, but it's interesting to see her imperfections flare up from time to time.

[Ms Blue Jay]

I was confused about the definition of sociopath.  I understood it to mean somebody who has no real empathy and will emotionally destroy innocent people for their own purposes.

 

I thought somebody with a violent temper / reckless streak was different.  But dictionary.com has me confused again.  Guess I should brush up on The Sociopath Next Door.

Edited November 9, 2015 by Ms Blue Jay

[DisneyBoy]

I caught the first half of the episode - it was my first since Will was killed off - and while I thought the pacing was impeccable as always, I just couldn't muster too much interest in the plot. It seems like the Kings are more than happy to delve into various aspects of politics and law (it was fun to see Alicia use an untraceable cell phone to contact the guy in Iceland) and forget about the humanity and emotional hook.

I was deeply invested in Will and Alicia, and without that I don't really know what the show has to offer. Has Jackie's Alzheimer's story line moved forward? What about Diane's marriage? The more the show focuses on Peter and keeps him in constant campaign mode, the more I turn away. Peter and Alicia's messed up relationship is not appealing to me, however realistic it may be.

If this is the last season, I think they should have really put some more focus into Jackie and Diane and the other little things that were set up over the course of the show instead of worrying about propelling the series forward with more plot lines that will just be undone or forgotten.

Is Eli still dating America Ferrera?

[Fredward]

I can't decide if whatshisface, Jason? Jason is supposed to dangerous or a love interest. Which I am sure is the point. He'll probably be both. Poor Diane, she keeps trying to form these mentoring relationships and no one's interested.

[needschocolate]

I was okay with the NSA guys in the very beginning, then grew tired of them.  Not thrilled to see them back and I thought their segment was too long.  I thought I might have accidentally switched the channel. Couldn't they have just had one say to the other "Hey, remember, you can't listen in to her conversation unless they mention another person on the list." They didn't need to have us watch all these people go into a meeting room.  

 

And I have trouble believing that two guys who love watching goat videos would be that interested in Alicia's life.  Unless the writers are trying to point out that TGW is on par with videos of fainting goats and goats singing.  Hey, I may be on to something here...

 

So now Cary is a bigot as well as an idiot? I just can't with what they're doing to his character.

 

Because I am willing to give Cary and Diane the benefit of the doubt, I am going with the theory that they assumed that the applicant was from a rough neighborhood because they think that Baltimore is all low class and everywhere in Baltimore is rough. I would rather them be snobs than bigots.  

[Ms Blue Jay]

Poor Diane, she keeps trying to form these mentoring relationships and no one's interested.

 

Because she is so bad at it ?  :)  And when she meets people who could probably use some actual mentoring she probably dismisses them as millennial nitwits.  

 

needschocolate there's no way that they could possibly be that ignorant though can they.  First of all she said she was from Maryland and they assumed Baltimore, then they assumed rough neighbourhood.  I know that rich people live in Maryland and I am from the land of Canada... Canadaland.  And I still know that.  

Edited November 9, 2015 by Ms Blue Jay

[MakeMeLaugh]

I can't believe David poohpoohed a real law school as not being top tier. How did someone from a not-top-tier school even get an interview with LAL.? I would love it if the newbies got better offers from "top tier" law firms.

I have no idea why the plaintiff of the week wants to go back to her old firm with or without a polygraph (really, go back and be known as a thief? No place else she can work?), and why didn't someone else figure out a way to take that online polygraph test for her?

Do those NSA frat boys just like laughing about Alicia or are they really expected to find something out? They are the only party team in the room--that would be annoying to be in the next cubicle.

Loving Eli's pixie mole--you just never know where she will be perched next to surprise Eli!

[riverheightsnancy]

Because I am willing to give Cary and Diane the benefit of the doubt, I am going with the theory that they assumed that the applicant was from a rough neighborhood because they think that Baltimore is all low class and everywhere in Baltimore is rough. I would rather them be snobs than bigots.  

I don't know.  Just asking a black job candidate about the "rough" upbringing or area (whatever she said), was just SO wrong. The minority candidate is going to read that statement as indicative of their race and that it is a bad area because of race of people who live there. That statement is so loaded, I don't even understand who anyone could ask that question.  Diane, and Cary for that matter KNOW better. Diane was going to be a judge!  I know better and I am not a lawyer. I have hired people before, and you just don't go there. You could talk about the seaport, the history, the Baltimore Orioles, closeness to DC, the cute small airport and how easy in and out it is (I have flown out of there as an option to NYC or Philly and that alone made it worth it).

 

Also it speaks to the idea that EVERYONE who lives in Baltimore are some kind of criminal and likely black is so offensive in an interview!!! Uh, may I remind that they live in Chicago? Site of some of the most horrific gang wars and lots of crime? (they represented Bishop, they KNOW!)  However, not everyone and every area is like that in Chicago. When a person says they are from NYC, Chicago or Baltimore, they are using the global descriptor, but that doesn't actually say where they lived. The job candidate could have been from a very fine area and family or NOT. That has NOTHING to do with her ability to do the job. NOTHING. Have they learned nothing from Howard's accusations about ageism? To that end, WHY is Howard even interviewing women? You know he will say something racist and insulting. (which THEN they could fire him for, but they did just as poorly) . I do have to wonder, when the girl started recording though. I think that she should sue them, but I would also not hire someone who did what she did (after the fact). 

 

Regarding this story line, is it only me, or is there some type of attempt to now discredit Diane, and Cary (Lymon was always a problem and should have been FIRED for what he said to that candidate)? How could Diane not know better? She has tried huge cases. She is smart (maybe elitist, but smart). She is a political mover and shaker for women's rights. It is like they are trying to show Alicia's firm as being smart, and competent and Lockhart, Aggos and Lee as a bunch of bumbling fools. Cue the Three Stooges. It really is character assassination after all this time of presenting the law firm in one way, NOW they cannot help themselves and all THREE say racially charged statements to a potential candidate? They KNEW before she interviewed that she went to Loyoloa. If they didn't want people from "those" lower-tier schools, you don't call them in for an interview!!  Alicia always has to come out smelling like a rose. I get that maybe they were trying to make a political statement within the show about white privilege, but at Diane's expense, it just doesn't work for what we know about her as a character and it is cheap show. Disappointing. 

[nara]

What was Eli supposed to be seeing in Alicia's face?

 

I think he saw love in her face, and was surprised by that. Alicia loved Peter a long time before they broke up. Maybe she's ready to forgive.

  

I can't believe David poohpoohed a real law school as not being top tier. How did someone from a not-top-tier school even get an interview with LAL.? I would love it if the newbies got better offers from "top tier" law firms.

It's pretty normal for law firms to be particular about the schools from which they recruit. My company was the same, but for MBAs

[Broderbits]

I had a different take on the Diane/Monica callback: it seemed like Diane wanted her to get angry and maybe take action, like suing the firm. Diane let her eyes direct Monica to the new hirees, she seemed willing to help, she's clearly fed up with Howard & David. Obviously, she can't come right out and say "I want you to take us to court"; but it seemed like she was lingering, waiting for Monica to pick up on that idea.

 

In my opinion.

[MakeMeLaugh]

...

It's pretty normal for law firms to be particular about the schools from which they recruit. My company was the same, but for MBAs

Exactly--how did she get an interview? Doubtful the law firm was recruiting even the best students from a not top-tier school.

I think everyone on the Law & Order franchise went to "Hudson University".

Edited November 9, 2015 by MakeMeLaugh

[Kromm]

Wow, this episode went all in on taking basic premises of things that really happen and loading them up via ridiculous contrivances. I'd argue the minority hire plot, the NSA is following you plot, and even the Investigator is a potential sociopath plot all were basic setups of things that can and do have real equivalents, but... taken to ridiculously contrived extremes here.

[TV Diva Queen]

Several of the most recent IL governors have not lived in the governor's mansion. Some prefer Chicago to Springfield and commute back and forth. The mansion itself is in some disrepair.

 

The Mansion is a DUMP. I haven't been in it for a few years now, (I no longer works for the Governor).  Its a mess.  leaky ceilings, mold, smelly.  Yuck.

Edited November 9, 2015 by TV Diva Queen

[MoreCoffeePlease]

I liked seeing Christine Lahti again.  She is a good foil for Alicia.  IMDB says she is 65 ... are you kidding me?  She looks phenomenal.

 

I'm surprised that Monica didn't say, "You know, not everyone who lives in Baltimore is from The Wire, or Homicide, Life on the Streets."  Not a good move for her to insult Diane by saying that she slept her way up the ladder, but I did like that she stood her ground.

[Kromm]

I thought Diane's assumption that the applicant was from a rough part of Baltimore was also pretty racist. But then when Monica just assumed that Diane slept with people to get ahead, and liked it, well. . . Honestly, I was back on Team Diane after that.

Monica was coming from a place of anger saying that though, and Diane wasn't for what she said. Diane actually thought, without losing her temper and thus some of her reasoning ability, that Baltimore = "Poor Rioting Black People", and the few who dig their way out of that.

 

Actually, I wish the plotline has been set in Detroit. Because I have to admit it... that's the place where I think "automatic shithole" even moreso than Baltimore (where I know for a fact there are upscale areas).

[Primetimer]

Maybe he should talk to one of the summer intern applicants Lockhard Agos Lee didn't hire. She's got some good ideas for how to be bad.

Read the story

[TigerLynx]

I don't see how Lockhart, Agos, and Lee is still considered a top-tier law firm.  At one time, Lockhart Garner was a prestigious law firm, but that was before ALL of their partners started double crossing and stabbing each other in the back every week.  Why would any attorney who wanted a career want to work for this firm?

 

I hope Alicia isn't still in love with Peter.  Their marriage was never what Alicia thought it was.  The flashbacks in Season One showed Alicia coming to that realization.

 

Is Eli considering ending his plan because he realizes it will hurt Alicia along with Peter and Ruth?  Eli is fun to watch, but I'm still baffled as to why he is even bothering with Peter or Ruth.

[sacrebleu]

I've got to think that this ridiculous Baltimore = ghetto dialogue would never have gotten past Josh Charles (Baltimore native).

[lidarose9]

I found it tremendously boring and self-derivative (is that a word?). Like they can't come up with interesting new plotlines so they resuscitate old ones. Haven't we flogged the whole NSA thing to death yet? Dangling more Louis Canning manipulation in the background. Oh boy the corrupt Dem party dude and the election fraud thing *again*. Zzzzz. Jason is sort of a Kalinda in a male body, without the boots. And nothing makes any sense to me at all. Why does Alicia continue to have anything to do with Peter, honestly? You can't possibly sell me on the idea that she loves him. This "feud" between Eli and the new campaign manager is contrived and silly. So much of this is pointless and predictable. The whole case of the week thing feels like just warmed up leftovers. We can watch any number of courtroom dramas illustrating how screwed up the justice system is. I have been continuing to watch this whole season hoping something interesting will happen and so far NO. At least Alicia's hair wasn't quite so ugly this week. 

Edited November 9, 2015 by lidarose9

[Lovecat]

Has Jackie's Alzheimer's story line moved forward?

Well, she *is* dating Howard Lyman, so.

[Winston Wolfe]

 

So one in five people is psychotic and we should avoid a fifth of the population. Nora is a delight.

If you read or watch the daily news, does this estimate seem all that far from reality?

 

Lockhart, Aggos and Lee as a bunch of bumbling fools.

They certainly appear to be these days.  Any serious client would stay far, far away from these folks if they had any idea of the internal dynamics.  The fact that the name partners seem to change every six months would be enough of a red flag for me.

 

Poor Eli.  All his scheming seems to be getting away from him.  Even he seems to be puzzled at what his actual endgame is.  His daughter was right, get over it and move on with your life.  He's starting to appear very petty and immature.  Looks like the Office Manager might have a thing for him, though.

Edited November 9, 2015 by Winston Wolfe

[Skyler Durden]

I CACKLED when the NSA dorks showed up. I didn't realize how much I missed them.

Also, if Peter and Alicia DON'T get called out and mocked for standing in front of a badly-painted backdrop in an 80 degree school gym, then this show does not understand how real life works.

[Skyler Durden]

I'm usually crazy envious of her impeccable wardrobe, but that looked like something you would give an infant to chew on.

I couldn't stop staring at it. It was SO big and bad and weird.

@DisneyBoy if you really want details on episodes you missed, you might want follow Kim Reed's Good Wife Marathon posts. Jackie had Alzheimer's? I don't remember that.

(Ugh, Sorry.)

[wonderwoman]

I've been downsizing my watch list, and every episode this season brings me closer to crossing off The Good Wife. While I was not a fan of Alicia's campaign for States Attorney, I had hoped that when it inevitably ended she would return to some iteration of the law firm. By putting Alicia on her own, the Kings (with, I suspect, considerable input from JM) sacrificed the ensemble cast and organically interconnected stories which, for me, was the most appealing part of the show. Not so much "The Alicia (and guests stars) Show."

Edited November 9, 2015 by wonderwoman

[Pixie Chicken]

I'm really hoping the Monica subplot is going somewhere.  Otherwise, it was just a colossal waste of time, meant to show what, exactly?

 

Her race and background shouldn't keep her from getting the job, but they were pretty clear that the other candidates actually were more qualified, in ways that were measurable and quantifiable.  I'm with the others who don't understand how she got an interview -- if her LSATS or alma mater were a problem, why waste her time or theirs?  If they're committed to diversity, are we supposed to believe there were no minorities or women as qualified as the frat boys we saw in the lobby?

 

We've seen before that they're picky.  Wasn't it the "Martha or Caitlin" episode that revealed that the only reason Alicia got the job was Will making a deal in exchange for her being hired over a more qualified candidate? 

 

Diane can admire her "chutzpah" if she wants, but I wouldn't have hired her after that stunt, either.  For one, the undercover recordings were done from the first interview.  Was she anticipating that she'd experience discriminatory questions?  Was she hoping to sue?  Diane was wrong to bring her in for a second time, but it didn't warrant the accusation that she'd slept her way to the top, either.

[riverheightsnancy]

I CACKLED when the NSA dorks showed up. I didn't realize how much I missed them.

 

I like them too. The show has gotten so absurd that you need screaming goats to make it palatable. I find it interesting that Alcia works with a person of color and Lockhart, Aggos had all of these issues with being non-biased. I really feel like this is another JM directive. Not only is she going to fall back in love with Peter, she will become a First lady, do everything honorably, work with a person of color, champion for the little people at bond court (like don't they still need to work there???), while other established attorneys go down in flames because their prior success was a fluke. Alicia, is SuperMom, she can do it all.  Alicia does a full circle and becomes the "Good Wife" all over again. Sigh.  This is why you don't have the star of the show be a producer because she cannot see the forest for the trees, and the story in the beginning was never always and only about her. I also like the Jackie subplot, but I wish Howard wasn't such a leacherous douche. 

[Kromm]

So one in five people is psychotic and we should avoid a fifth of the population. Nora is a delight.

I believe they said "sociopathic" and there's actually a big difference.

I also like the Jackie subplot, but I wish Howard wasn't such a leacherous douche. 

Talkin' 'bout representation, he's a shit lousy one for people of the Tribes (...of Israel... okay, I just mean "Jews").

I'm really hoping the Monica subplot is going somewhere.  Otherwise, it was just a colossal waste of time, meant to show what, exactly?

I fully expected the episode to end with her magically showing up at Alicia's door asking to be represented in a race-bias case.

...Because we all know there are only really 3 law firms in Good Wife Chicago... right?  And if it's Canning, for example, that wouldn't serve the story optimally.

[Skyler Durden]

I'm really hoping the Monica subplot is going somewhere. Otherwise, it was just a colossal waste of time, meant to show what, exactly?

I was wondering that too. If she wanted to shame LAL into hiring her, wouldn't that make for a hell of an awkward basis for employment? What kind of toxic-ass work environment would that create?

[MakeMeLaugh]

Not to mention, is any other law firm now going to be interested in someone who might be secretly recording all her interactions with them the entire time she is working with them and posting unflattering moments online? She should have just sent the video of the interview moments to Diane as a little veiled threat, and perhaps job offer would have magically been made.

[candle96]

Also, if Peter and Alicia DON'T get called out and mocked for standing in front of a badly-painted backdrop in an 80 degree school gym, then this show does not understand how real life works.

Yes. This. I don't understand this at all. Press are at these events, always. That's the whole point of making a public announcement, to have the press carry it on national television.  Not to mention the exact copy of the Obamas would be mocked as being silly and derivative. Adding to the absurdity that the Governor of Illinois was banned from using the Illinois capital steps because of another event. Presumingly they could shut that down, or, I don't know, pick another day for the announcement?? Are we SURE this lady is a good campaign manager?

I wanted to like the storyline with law intern candidate Loyola, but think it ultimately missed the mark and got too heavy-handed. The point that should've been made is that perhaps she was at a second tier law school because she didn't have the same advantages as the white candidates from Harvard, as suggested by the casual, perhaps unconscious, racism and assumptions from Diane, Cary, and David. (Howard's seemed more overt) I do think she'll come to Alicia to sue. 

[Litnit]

I agree with candle96 that the intern story line could have been handled with a much subtler hand and made more sense.  I liked where it was going with the assumptions they were making about her Baltimore origins.  It seemed like the kind of presumptuous statement well intended people might make.  Howard, however, is a lawsuit waiting to happen.  Nothing remotely subtle there.  Then when we saw the footage of some of the over-the-top comments from the others, it made no sense.  

 

I continue to be gobsmacked about the Peter running for President story line.  It's so important that they sell this narrative of the happy family, but they have nothing to do with each other otherwise.  Has nobody picked up on this?

 

Where was Grace this week?  Alicia might have to actually hire a secretary.

 

If this Jason guy is a sociopath it doesn't mean he's going to go off on anybody.  I worked for somebody who could probably get a diagnosis.  Horrible boss.  Not a serial killer.  I'm finding myself wishing he could just be a fun private detective to have around without the ancillary drama.

[Kromm]

I agree with candle96 that the intern story line could have been handled with a much subtler hand and made more sense.  I liked where it was going with the assumptions they were making about her Baltimore origins.  It seemed like the kind of presumptuous statement well intended people might make.  Howard, however, is a lawsuit waiting to happen.  Nothing remotely subtle there.  Then when we saw the footage of some of the over-the-top comments from the others, it made no sense.  

Was she an intern?  I was assuming she was a prospective associate.  I mean why else would they be talking about where she got her law degree?