S01.E03: The Schtup List

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Quote

Adrian and Barbara face a cruel realization about a high profile client. While second chair to Diane on a case, Lucca is in for more than she bargained for thanks to the state's attorney's office's golden boy, Colin Morello (Justin Bartha). Maia visits her father in prison. 

Promo:

Edited February 26, 2017 by saoirse

[Primetimer]

Ranking the players as the show settles into itself.

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[vims]

If the ST show were actually launching this year I'd consider paying for All Access. One show isn't worth it. My hope is that they recognize that this is a good show that's wasted by being online only and shift it over to broadcast. All Access would have to really tank for that to happen though.

[kieyra]

Only a few minutes in, but casting Rose Leslie and Bernadette Peters as mother/daughter was pretty inspired. I don't just mean because they're redheads; they play off each other very well in the opener. The tension is those few minutes is nuts. Rose Leslie in particular is riveting. 

[adam807]

I can't decide if Leslie's constant intensity is an acting choice or how she talks because of her accent.

[stonehaven]

I am really loving this show..although the whole "he voted for Trump?" thing is a bit hamfisted...Still, nice to see this show..and it's nice to use All Access for awhile.

[kieyra]

I kind of liked the Trump thing--it's an opportunity to tell some stories about the current political devisiveness, how it's affecting people and estranging family members. It would be easy for them to just snark on the guy who voted for Trump, but instead we're going to see what the fallout *feels* like for him, especially in what on the surface appears to be a "liberal" firm, and hopefully find out what his reasoning was.

[steelyis]

6 hours ago, kieyra said:

I kind of liked the Trump thing--it's an opportunity to tell some stories about the current political devisiveness, how it's affecting people and estranging family members. It would be easy for them to just snark on the guy who voted for Trump, but instead we're going to see what the fallout *feels* like for him, especially in what on the surface appears to be a "liberal" firm, and hopefully find out what his reasoning was.

 

I wish they hadn't given that plot to Julius because it marginalizes him as a character, and I can't imagine sympathizing with any reasons they might come up with to justify his voting for Trump. It's a shame, because I always liked Julius on The Good Wife and missed him when he disappeared from that show. Side note, I cackled at the look Robert and Barbara gave each other after resolving not to ostracize Julius in the firm.

Bringing back Marissa Gold is one of the best casting decisions The Good Fight has made. She is a delight. And I like her working beside the firm's investigator Jay Dipersia, played by Nyambi Nyambi, who I'm glad found work after Mike and Molly ended.

I already like Lucca and Diane as a team. I just get the sense Diane respects Lucca; I never got that from Alicia and it annoyed me when they were law partners.

Christine Baranski is amazing. I felt every bit of Diane's dread when Barbara brought up equity just from the expression on Diane's face. And I loved Diane's "I have to eat shit" expression when Barbara partnered Diane with Lucca. Christine Baranski is amazing.

Even though I didn't sour completely on Alicia towards the end of Good wife, I do find I enjoy the Good Wife universe a lot more without her focus to detract from the excellent ensemble The Good Fight has. I'm glad this universe and the way it tells stories are back on my screen.

[Joimiaroxeu]

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I can't decide if Leslie's constant intensity is an acting choice or how she talks because of her accent.

I've been wondering about that too. I've never seen her in anything else besides Game of Thrones so I don't know how well she usually handles an American accent. I think she's doing fine here but maybe it's a bit of a struggle for her, or at least enough of a challenge to make her self-conscious.

[CarolMK]

I remember first seeing Rose Leslie on Downton Abbey. I've always liked her in that show and in Game of Thrones. The rest of the cast looks interesting. I am beyond annoyed it is only available on CBS access- our cable bill along with internet and phone is already $230 a month, I can't justify paying this too ;(

[Noreaster]

I thoroughly enjoyed this episode. This show is pretty much The Good Wife without the Alicia character.  The tone, pacing, humor, music, etc.  It is also kind of annoying in the same ways...like how the lawyers must always speak over each other in the courtroom and the unrealistic nature of the courtroom procedures.  The acting is stellar as always which helps to elevate the sometimes less than stellar writing.  I didn't care for the case-of-the-week.  Too twisty for my tastes. The defendant's hair bothered me...is it a bad comb-over? 

The Maia storyline is a little confusing.  I don't understand why Maia and her father can't speak openly with their lawyers in the room.  Maia obviously had nothing to do with the business so she should be in the clear.  And if her father is not guilty, why wouldn't he have his lawyer investigate the matter?  

[Noreaster]

22 hours ago, adam807 said:

I can't decide if Leslie's constant intensity is an acting choice or how she talks because of her accent.

I've never watched Rose Leslie before this show, but her acting style reminds me of Mary Elizabeth Winstead's in Braindead (the Kings' show that aired last summer).  

18 hours ago, kieyra said:

I kind of liked the Trump thing--it's an opportunity to tell some stories about the current political devisiveness, how it's affecting people and estranging family members. It would be easy for them to just snark on the guy who voted for Trump, but instead we're going to see what the fallout *feels* like for him, especially in what on the surface appears to be a "liberal" firm, and hopefully find out what his reasoning was.

Hopefully it will play out this way. I remember The Good Wife did a good job showcasing conservative viewpoints with the Oliver Platt character.  That said, I don't have high hopes for this storyline.  If I remember correctly, Julius was used more for humor (similarly to David Lee and Howard Lyman) or to help advance the various law firm musical chair plotlines.  He was never a serious character.  

[preeya]

On Sunday, February 26, 2017 at 3:01 PM, stonehaven said:

I am really loving this show..although the whole "he voted for Trump?" thing is a bit hamfisted...Still, nice to see this show..and it's nice to use All Access for awhile.

I agree. I'm hoping that the entire season doesn't include the Trump stuff. He voted for him, as did millions of others, although not in this particular firm, so just move on.  I noticed at IMDB that Boatman has been cast in only 2 episodes, so perhaps this won't be an an ongoing theme.

[dr pepper]

Lucca should have been the Trump voter. Not because she turns out to be a closet conservative, but because she's a radical. She hates corporate democrats and she hated that the first female president would just more of the same that the boys had always done. So she was for Sanders. And when he didn't get the nomination, she figured the only path to reform is destruction.

[Vella]

I think my favorite part was when Diane and Lucca gave quiet, but sincere kudos to each other and *shook hands*. Such a lovely addition that made the moment that much better.  I just love seeing a show where women are working, working together, being assertive and competent and supportive and awesome.  Why, why is this not regular broadcast?  This is easily CBS's best show.

[milner]

Our local provider, here in Canada, cuts the show off a minute or so early.  So can somebody tell me how it ended.  Last I saw Maia went to see her dad in prison, showed him the Schtup list and asked if it would hurt her mother.  The Dad hesitated and Bam the show ended.  Was there more?

[Sandman]

I didn't like the "Kanye voted/would have voted for Trump" bit; it seemed, I don't know, topical and cutesy for its own sake. And is Kanye anybody's idea of a political bellwether?

[Perkie]

22 hours ago, milner said:

The Dad hesitated and Bam the show ended

Maya asked if Dad was going to take down Mom as well as Uncle Jax and Dad said he didn't know.  

[milner]

Thank you

[Guest]

On 2/27/2017 at 0:55 PM, Noreaster said:

I thoroughly enjoyed this episode. This show is pretty much The Good Wife without the Alicia character.  The tone, pacing, humor, music, etc.  It is also kind of annoying in the same ways...like how the lawyers must always speak over each other in the courtroom and the unrealistic nature of the courtroom procedures.  The acting is stellar as always which helps to elevate the sometimes less than stellar writing.  I didn't care for the case-of-the-week.  Too twisty for my tastes. The defendant's hair bothered me...is it a bad comb-over? 

The Maia storyline is a little confusing.  I don't understand why Maia and her father can't speak openly with their lawyers in the room.  Maia obviously had nothing to do with the business so she should be in the clear.  And if her father is not guilty, why wouldn't he have his lawyer investigate the matter?  

Having recently discovered Happy Endings, the aging of Zachary Knighton amazes me.  I like it, because I feel like I too look 20 years older than I did 10 years ago.  

I also don't understand why Maia was advised not to see her mother at the outset of the case.  Maia is not a codefendant and was not part of the financial firm.  What does separating her from her mother socially possibly accomplish (besides drama)?  

And, yes, why isn't Maia taking the affair to the prosecution, if it's going to clear her father's name?  A cop with a warrant can get a lot more damaging info than a kid with a camera phone and moxie.  

And why is the uncle named Jax?  I've seen that name on one person... a wannabe pop star on Idol named Jacqueline.  

[John Potts]

One thing I really appreciated about this episode: there were no real villains in the court case. The opposing council was doing his duty but wasn't capricious (and was disgusted at being used as a stalking horse for a drone strike), the judge was applying the law even though she didn't agree with it and Lucca & Diane seemed (for the most part) more interested in winning the case than scoring points off each other.

As for Maia's storyline, I was briefly wondering which side "Uncle Jax" was on, before realising, "Unless we're going all Targaryen, presumably dad's". Did think her mum's pretty despicable for guilting her daughter into visiting when she was having an affair (unless we're meant to buy she really WAS doing it for her husband). Though I didn't really get why Maia & her dad didn't speak openly about getting evidence against Uncle Jax, unless they were worried about the info getting back to him before they could seize it.

On ‎12‎/‎03‎/‎2017 at 1:14 AM, Winston9-DT3 said:

why is the uncle named Jax?  I've seen that name on one person... a wannabe pop star on Idol named Jacqueline

You've clearly never seen the "classic" movie, Mortal Kombat 2 (or played the game of the same name)!

One thing I didn't believe was the whole "Find the Trump supporter!" plotline. While I would expect a black law firm to skew heavily Democrat, I would expect there to be a few small government conservatives (and have them say something like, "I wanted a Republican President, that doesn't mean I liked Trump, but he was the choice we had"). In any case, Julius was an odd choice - when he was a swing vote in the corporate machinations at Lockhart Gardener (to displace "Bond" as named partner, IIRC) he wanted a affirmative action program as the price of his support. It seems unlikely that somebody like that would vote Trump over Hillary.

Edited April 20, 2017 by John Potts

[Milburn Stone]

On 2/26/2017 at 5:53 PM, kieyra said:

I kind of liked the Trump thing--it's an opportunity to tell some stories about the current political devisiveness, how it's affecting people and estranging family members. It would be easy for them to just snark on the guy who voted for Trump, but instead we're going to see what the fallout *feels* like for him, especially in what on the surface appears to be a "liberal" firm, and hopefully find out what his reasoning was.

I can offer a different angle on that, as someone who, late to the party, is only now starting to watch the show. And that is, in the nearly four years since you wrote that post, there still haven't been any other dramas to my knowledge that took on the Trump thing in its various dimensions. Maybe some show did an episode on it. No other show to my knowledge has taken it on as a running theme. And to me, that's remarkable. When Trump happened, I thought, "Our art is going to start to reflect this." That has happened hardly at all. Except in this show, which took it on basically right away.

This is another reason it couldn't be on the network, only on CBS All Access. Just as the show depicts the threatening business consequences of overtly opposing a president, CBS was well aware of those dangers.

Edited December 16, 2020 by Milburn Stone