S05.E19: Tying the Knot

[Tara Ariano]

Alicia becomes a reluctant witness when a body is discovered in Colin Sweeney's home while she is there. Meanwhile, an unfortunate picture of Zach threatens to become a public relations nightmare for Peter.

[merylinkid]

Hi Finn, welcome to the Florrick-Gould political machine.  Try not to get steamrolled.    Despite the floundering with Zach, Eli was his old self tonight.

 

Eli, I need 7000 signatures.

Cook County or Federal?

Cook County.

Give me an hour.

ME:   Swoon.

 

One advantage of Will's death (yeah that sounded wrong but it's a tv character not a real person), way more Diane in court.   She is FUCKING awesome.   And you notice she doesn't need last minute Kalinda to pull her chestnuts out of the fire.  Kalinda just gave her the waiver and that's it.  All the rest was Diane being Diane.  

 

Damn Renata is one sick twisted bitch.   Perfect for creepy Colin Sweeney.  

[Rinaldo]

I always love seeing Laura Benanti on my TV screen. Even when she's being a sick twisted bitch.

[stonehaven]

The scene with Zack getting the talk was hilarious and I nearly lost it when he called Alicia and Peter as Bill and Hillary...Lots going on but I loved all the political stufff going as well...

[photo fox]

Especially when she's being a sick twisted bitch!

I'm enjoying Matthew Goode, but when did this become the Finn Polmar hour?

Considering that Alicia just lost the supposed love of her life, I can't believe they're already pushing a romantic angle in the next preview. And Owen saying she needs to get laid? Tacky.

[Cattitude]

The whole Colin Sweeney party thing was exhausting. Plus I don't like Colin Sweeney. All the creepy flashing back scenes didn't work well for me.

 

I will say Peter did make me kind of take a shine to Finn at the end, surprising since I didn't care for him. I love that he became the governor's candidate when he was only running due to Alicia's maneuvering. It was cute that he looked like he'd been played when it was kind of an accident. ha!

 

I love Owen, and tacky has always been his middle name. It gives me immerse pleasure thinking THIS is Jackie's son.

 

Can someone give some speculation on the slight breakdown Alicia had behind her door. Was it just Will grief? Was it b/c she feels alone? Was it b/c she doesn't want to think of Peter sleeping around? I really couldn't tell which, if any, of these it was.

 

Diane and Sweeney setting Alicia up on the stand was awesome!

 

Eli was just Eli, so charming.

 

The states attorney is a total dick. Be glad to see him lose.

 

Mostly enjoyed the show though it was all over the place.

[Sandman]

Huh. I thought it wasn't actually possible to make Colin Sweeney any creepier. Nice to see Jane Alexander again, especially when she's calling Mister State's Attorney Castro on his crap.

[Julie23]

Mostly good, although Colin Sweeney makes me cringe every time he talks. Ick!

Love Eli and the signatures, which ultimately caused Finn to Really run for states attorney.Been in the office six months and has the Governors seal of approval? Not very likely. But the look on his face was priceless.

I didn't get the whole pot story. First off, why did Zack 's girlfriend rat him out to Alicia? Wouldn't pointing out to your mother that you lied be a break-up-able offence? If he didn't lie, what was she doing? Covering her own ass, or trying to get Zack in trouble? Then, why were the reporters interviewing Owen? Odd choice for them to run to for a statement. I was confused about that whole story line. 

[Sandman]

... Colin Sweeney makes me cringe every time he talks. Ick!

 

Well, at least we know what Alicia needs to do to become Sweeney's very favourite person.  (Seriously, who hears him say something like that, and doesn't immediately run in the opposite direction?)

 

For me the worst thing about Sweeney isn't his tendency to drop creepy double-entendres into every conversation, or his unholy, barely suppressed glee at putting one (or more than one, really) over on everyone; it's his constant manipulations. Alicia must be getting tired of being toyed with. I think her mini-freakout in the bathroom could have been basically a realization that her life is full of creeps.

 

I'm presuming that Zach's friend (is she his girlfriend?) was covering her own ass, but I'm not prepared to take Zach's assertion that he's never tried pot at face value, either, at this point. I thought Owen was being rather hilariously disingenuous with all his "intervention" talk. I'm not sure how Alicia thought getting her hypocrite (about this, anyway) brother on side would help her get through to her son. 

Edited April 28, 2014 by Sandman

[shapeshifter]

My take was that Peter endorsed Finn because he thought it would make Alicia appreciate him. This seems headed for a backfire in several ways, not the least of which could be that Finn seems possibly headed for a nervous break down (or whatever they're calling it these days).

[Cattitude]

 

My take was that Peter endorsed Finn because he thought it would make Alicia appreciate him. This seems headed for a backfire in several ways, not the least of which could be that Finn seems possibly headed for a nervous break down (or whatever they're calling it these days).

 

I thought Peter did it for Alicia but not to make her appriciate him, it was more b/c he saw the state's attorney was a dick and gunning for Alicia. I thought he was being protective of Alicia and two fold getting rid of the state's attorney that he didn't seem to care much for.

[shapeshifter]

Cattitude, yes, that's what I meant to imply.

[momlyd]

I stepped out of the room for a minute - dinnertime! - and when I came back, there was a dead woman hanging from the ceiling. I thought, "How did the dog change the channel to one of those police procedural shows?" I was thrown off a bit, for certain.

 

I am also confused about the whole marijuana plot line. Did it get resolved? Or was this a way to get Owen back on screen? It seemed to evaporate after the intervention. 

[jester]

Everytime Alicia would flash back to the party to remember some detailed I kept hoping she'd hold her hand to her head Shawn Spencer style to make it less annoying.

[charlieboo]

I was glad they showed Alicia mistaking the two guys at the party because I was thinking it was bit far-fetched that she would have perfect photographic recall, especially when under such stress. So I guess she just thinks she's perfect.

Dylan Baker is so perfectly creepy as Colin Sweeney that I cannot stand to watch him in anything else. He played a normal father in Smash, and I kept waiting for him to murder someone.

[fastiller]

I was glad they showed Alicia mistaking the two guys at the party because I was thinking it was bit far-fetched that she would have perfect photographic recall, especially when under such stress.

It was also a nice call-back to the problems discussed earlier this season (& in some academic/news articles) of cross-ethnic identifications.

 

I always love seeing Laura Benanti on my TV screen. Even when she's being a sick twisted bitch.

 

I really appreciated how Benanti played the court scene when she was getting turned on by the testimony/visual evidence.

[dustoffmom]

I spent a great deal of the episode going back and forth.....rewinding and watching again, then onward only to say to myself 'wait, wait, what was that?' and backing up once more.  Whew...that was a marathon episode with so many balls in the air!  It kept jumping from one storyline to another and had so much going on I found it difficult to follow.  Exactly what was the point of the whole Zac with a bong storyline?  And as another said upthread, then just vanish with seemingly no resolution at all.  Why the flashbacks with Finn.....are we to think he is suffering from PTSD?   But it was worth the viewing for me to hear Eli say 'give me an hour' and to watch Peter stick it to the DA!  Love those two!

[Sandman]

I thought it was interesting that the glabrous dickhead SA might actually have been right about Finn's not being ready to come back to work. I think Finn genuinely was flashing back to Jeffrey's courtroom shootout. It was clear that the State's Attorney was also trying to turn Polmar's situation to his own advantage, which makes Castro's comment about missing his friendship with Finn either sad or enraging.

 

Did Governor Big House make a mistake in his endorsement? Is "Finn" short for "Finley"? I wouldn't have thought so.

Edited April 28, 2014 by Sandman

[Tara Ariano]

Dave made me some Colin Sweeney gifs!

[ApathyMonger]

I thought it was interesting that the glabrous dickhead SA might actually have been right about Finn's not being ready to come back to work.

 

Well, Castro's the one who gave Finn the case with little notice. I think he does know Finn's not ready, but is using that to make Finn look bad.

[webruce]

Mr. and the future Mrs. Sweeney are made for each other. We see that he knew about it, or participated. Diane did her job to well and beat Finn. Should Alicia tell someone? Diane, or Finn or the authorities? I know she can't be charged again. Maybe if she could she could put a bug in NSA ears like she did for Louis Canning. I would imagine if they were listening to Colin Sweeney's conversations that he would say something to Renata Ellard about the murder/hanging of Morgan Donnally. I know at the party Alicia had a lot on her mind but was surprised she mixed up Demetrius Rowe and Barry Hilton going up the stairs. Colin calling to Renata, "Come on killer!" so smug.

I figured Finn would loose his job. I think Peter backing up Finn Polmar has two things behind it. First as he stated States Attorney James Castro does not like Alicia. 2nd, He knows Alicia is friends with/helping Finn after the shooting in the court room. So he wants to stay on Alicia's good side and hopefully work his way back in to her heart. Show her he is there for her and still loves her. And I believe he believed her when she said she wasn't separating to have a new lover. But Castro telling Peter he is making a very large mistake didn't help.

Poor Eli don't want Peter loosing popularity. Did he tell Peter about the Zach picture?

Not sure if Zach is using pot, or if Shauna Norrell(sp?) is trying to get him in trouble. Eli called Alicia, her and Owen(Unforgettable) do an intervention as he stated it. But it didn't tell if Zach was a user or if we will find out he was taking it away from Shauna. Maybe Robyn will have to dig deeper into it.

Tidbits--Finn and Alicia's flash backs were vivid. Bill and Hillary compare was funny, and Sweeney's new glasses were weird. Also after Owens, "She needs to get laid", what was Alicia thinking in her room as she leaned on the door? Also thought before we found out Renata did kill Morgan that Renata and Kalinda would have been a good match. And later, well if Renata tried to take out Kalinda, she wouldn't be so easy.

Edited April 28, 2014 by webruce

[romantic idiot]

I know ad hominem is a terrible argument but 

(1) I'm not sure I believe Colin Sweeney when he asserts that Diane suggested he lie to Alicia. He's perfectly capable of coming up with something like that on this on. 

(2) I'm not sure i believe Renata when she asserted that she killed Morgan. That felt like normal Sweeny mindfucking Alicia by proxy to me. 

 

As much as happened in this episode, I'm over Sweeney and his creepiness - finding myself rolling my eye at his antics much like Alicia. Either way, the episode seemed curiously lacking in energy to me. They need a lot more Eli now with Will missing. IMO of course. 

[milkyaqua]

I wouldn't drink anything Colin Sweeney offered me to drink either.  I wonder how long this wife will last (if she becomes his wife) seeing as they have so much in common?

Didn't get the Zach storyline except thinking that Alicia has to be the worse mother ever.  How do you leave a conversation like that dangling?  Frankly, I don't believe that Zack would be dumb enough to get caught using a bong.  Nor do I buy he's addicted like his "friend" implied.  Is he being set-up?  Maybe.

Owen has always seemed to have a one-track mind where his sister was concerned:  She needs to get laid.  This is why Alicia needs a friend to talk to that isn't in her family unit.

I like Finn but I have this feeling that he probably won't win the SA's job.  I also don't believe he's being set-up as a romantic foil for Alicia.

Also, more Eli.

[Catherinewriter]

So is Zack using or not? It wasn't confirmed.

The Colin Sweeney arc is seriously messed up. What kind of reputable law firm would keep him as a client after all the people he's killed.

Cannot BELIEVE Laura Benanti is the actress who played the therapist in Matt Perry's show "Go On." Unbelievable.

Do we know for sure that Peter is sleeping around? Has this been seen, or are we just extrapolating from his previous character?

Why can't Renate be charged? There was no trial and therefore no jeopardy attaches? Right? Anyone?

Damn, I hate it when Eli is a dick, which he was when he screamed at the woman at the computer. Not just a dick, but abusive. Stop it, Eli!

Edited April 29, 2014 by Catherinewriter

[CleoCaesar]

I'm enjoying Matthew Goode, but when did this become the Finn Polmar hour?

 

My guess is somewhere around Will's time of death, heh.

 

I love MG so I'm predisposed to at least somewhat like Finn, and I do. That being said, he and Alicia don't scream POTENTIAL ROMANTIC COUPLE to me. And I wouldn't want them to. I think the show could survive not filling the handsome-maie-lead spot - there are plenty of stories to tell with the existing characters - but I wonder if a network TV show would actually do that.

[Sandman]

Well, Castro's the one who gave Finn the case with little notice. I think he does know Finn's not ready, but is using that to make Finn look bad.

 

True enough.

[CoderLady]

I wouldn't drink anything Colin Sweeney offered me to drink either.  I wonder how long this wife will last (if she becomes his wife) seeing as they have so much in common?

 

Wouldn't it be lovely if the next we hear about the Sweeneys is that Renata got bored and poisoned Colin to see what it would be like, and doesn't have the good sense not to expect either LG or F/A to save her butt, and ends up being convicted of first degree murder? That would wrap that package up real good IMO.

Edited April 29, 2014 by CoderLady

[gik910]

 

Also, more Eli.

 

How many more episodes are there this season?

 

I'm not sure when GW shoots but Alan is pretty busy through January with Cabaret, so I don't know how much more Eli we can get...

[ChocButterfly]

I wouldn't drink anything Colin Sweeney offered me to drink either.

 

Yes, I was yelling at Alicia the whole time: "Don't drink the sangría!!". She was lucky she didn't get roofied by Sweney.

Edited April 29, 2014 by ChocButterfly

[Hanahope]

Why can't Renate be charged? There was no trial and therefore no jeopardy attaches? Right? Anyone?

 

 

Technically, Renate can be charged again because she wasn't found "not guilty", she was found "insufficient evidence [at this time]".  If the police ever come up with more evidence, they theoretically could charge her again.  But its unlikely they will unless she confesses to someone else who isn't their attorney/won't say anything because they need Sweeney's money.

[shapeshifter]

Technically, Renate can be charged again because she wasn't found "not guilty", she was found "insufficient evidence [at this time]".  If the police ever come up with more evidence, they theoretically could charge her again.  But its unlikely they will unless she confesses to someone else who isn't their attorney/won't say anything because they need Sweeney's money.

Which should be the plot moving forward. I mean, this should give Alicia enough nightmares for her to forget Will even walked the earth. But they might drop it for awhile, because, you know, lawyers are too busy to mull. I do think Alicia was drugged, even though we're joking about the wine. Maybe Sweeney even hired Sweeney look-alikes for the party.

[merylinkid]

Sweeney is not dumb enough to drug Alicia.   He knows he a needs a good attorney who has a good reputation to protect him from his less savory acts.   If it ever comes out he drugged her, she won't represent him anymore, and even if she did, no one would believe anything she said about him because he messed with her perception of events one time.   

 

As for why FA keeps representing this guy?   Money dear people money.   Did you notice that FA gets a million dollar bonus from this merger.   That's bonus on top on their time already spent on the deal.   As long as the money is good and he doesn't cross the line too far, they will keep representing him.   After all for our system to work even the slimy creeps need good representation -- for which they pay dearly.

[apgold]

 

I'm not sure when GW shoots but Alan is pretty busy through January with Cabaret, so I don't know how much more Eli we can get...

 

Cabaret is running thru the summer, so he should be able to squeeze in some filming.  Most shows resume filming in July/Aug.  BTW, I saw it a few weeks ago, he was amazing.  

 

I don't know if anyone noticed, but this ep was directed by Josh Charles, so it's nice to see that he's still associated with the show, even if only behind the camera.  I thought he did a good job, visually and with the actors.

 

Laura Benanti was amazing and especially creepy in that last scene w/Alicia.  She and Colin are a match made in hell.

[Rinaldo]

Laura Benanti has really become a skillful actress, convincing in both light comedy and this sort of ominous drama. Plus, she's kept her beautiful soprano voice in good shape, as I saw in NYC just a few weeks ago:

 

 

And then when she's just being herself, as in the following offhand summing up of this season's Broadway musicals, she's an engaging self-deprecating goofball.

 

[beeble]

The Colin Sweeney episodes are always a little weird, but the actor playing him is so much fun to watch that I can forgive the show any faults. And Lauren Benanti was so fabulous that I think I want a spin-off called "Meet the Sweeneys." (Probably more appropriate as an HBO show)

 

Zach finally showed he's not happy with his parents' "arrangement." I've been waiting for the kids to call BS on Ma and Pa Florick. It is unfair for the kids to have this relationship modeled as a positive one, especially when they have to be paraded in front of the media as the perfect political family. For someone who takes being a mom so seriously, (not to mention a woman with plenty of resources at her disposal), it's pretty selfish to give her children this dysfunctional legacy of marriage. How cynical will these kids be about marriage when they are adults? Fairest thing to do is get a divorce. 

Edited May 1, 2014 by beeble

[Hanahope]

Haha, that Lauren Benanti summer theater bit is hilarious.  Les Miz, funny and short.  I would love to see AC in Cabaret.

[possibilities]

Alan (and Company) did a short bit from Cabaret on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon recently. It blew my mind. You might be able to see it on You Tube or Hulu. I'm not even that much if a fan of Cabaret, but AC is spectacular, truly out of this world.

Edited April 30, 2014 by possibilities

[dr pepper]

Mr. and the future Mrs. Sweeney are made for each other.

 

So which one do you think Alicia will be defending in the future for murdering the other?

[CoderLady]

Dave made me some Colin Sweeney gifs!

 

That review is hilarious and spot on! Two thumbs up!

[rubyred]

Just thought of another reason why Peter endorsed Finn; along with cutting Castro off at the knees and (hopefully) pleasing Alicia, by announcing the endorsement he's being proactively transparent, even mentioning that Eli had collected the signatures.

 

One continuity question -- I thought Peter got the youth vote by promoting progressive marijuana legislation. But it sounded like he was about to announce he was against that? Did I hear that correctly.

 

And I know it's not PC, but I can't help but love it when Eli shrieks at his staff, it's so...ELI. Still remember the scene where he's physically "strangling" the head of the DNC. I don't know any other actor who could get away with that stuff.

[dr pepper]

Have you seen "In the Thick of It"?

[Rhondinella]

Ok I admit I was doing a couple others things while watching this (belatedly) yesterday.  So maybe I just missed something, but I don't see how.

 

Are we supposed to believe that someone tied that girl up to the sexual ropes course, had sexy (un)fun time until she died, and then staged the hanging, all while Alicia was in the house?  Which was less than, what?  30 minutes?  And for the first part of that time we saw Alicia interacting with the dead girl, Benanti's character and Sweeney.  So when exactly was this murder supposed to have taken place?  I'm very, very confused about that.

 

Help please!  What am I missing?

[photo fox]

Help please!  What am I missing?

 

@Rhondinella, I think they had the sexy fun times earlier in the day, which is when the dead girl got the rope marks that turned out to prove she was the dominant. Later, she, Sweeney, and Laura Benanti met up with Alicia at the party. Then at some point, when Alicia was busy with Sweeney/looking for Sweeney, Benanti killed the dead girl and hung her from the chandelier.

 

What I didn't get was why Alicia was so sure she was within Sweeney's sight at all times, when we specifically saw her being unable to find him when she needed him to modify the expense reports. I could understand being at a party, thinking someone was always there, even though they weren't. But we saw her looking for him, thinking she had found him, realizing it was a different guy. I thought sure it was going to come back to be a plot point that she wasn't sure at all, but she kept swearing she was always in sight of him.  Huh?

[Rhondinella]

OK, that makes slightly more sense.  But what was the actual cause of death, then?  Strangulation from the hanging?  They seemed to imply that she asphyxiated as a result of the sexy (un)fun time, but if that was earlier, before the party, that wouldn't make sense.  I guess that's what confused me.  Anyone know?

 

 

[Lisin]

@Rhondinella I think that the ME and cops just assumed that the sexy (un)fun time is what killed her, but in reality it's what @photo fox said. Does that make sense? 

[Rhondinella]

Ok, I guess.  It just seemed like a weirdly convoluted plot to me.

 

Also, Alicia really needs to stop going to Sweeney's house.  

 

And finally, if you don't love Laura Benanti yet, and if you haven't seen this, check her out in a hilarious number at last year's Tony awards with Neil Patrick Harris, Andrew Rannells and Megan Hilty.  They're all lamenting the fact that their TV shows have been cancelled, but Benanti is the only one who had two shows cancelled.  She handles it poorly.  And hilariously.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEC763i6ZoE

[Sandman]

Also, Alicia really needs to stop going to Sweeney's house.  

 

Wow, does she ever.

 

I think the convolution of the plot was a measure of how distracted Alicia was feeling. She's really not on her game. I saw it as her trying to speak with her usual dispassion and certainty, but at first she didn't remember mistaking the other partygoer for Sweeney, or didn't recognize the import of that moment right away.

[John Potts]

I'm sorry, but to me this whole episode was just a long Black Comedy that wasn't very funny. The whole "Fifteen people trying to call Alicia at once" was possibly realistic, but she should have just told Eli to get lost (besides which, he's trying to defuse a bomb that's already gone off - the story's already broken, all Alicia/Peter can say is "they'll have to have a serious talk with their son", for what good that will do). I'm pretty sure he already knows theirs is a marriage of convenience(?) so it's not like he should expect her to act to protect Peter's career. On the other hand, he did gather 7000 signatures, so maybe that was a quid pro quo of sorts.

 

Catherinewriter Why can't Renate be charged? There was no trial and therefore no jeopardy attaches? Right? Anyone?

 

Not only that, but Alicia wasn't her lawyer, so she isn't protected by Lawyer/Client Privilege. So if Colin actually killed her - well, that's quite ingenious on the part of Mr Sweeney (ingeniously evil, for sure, but ingenious).

 

Photo Fox What I didn't get was why Alicia was so sure she was within Sweeney's sight at all times, when we specifically saw her being unable to find him.

 

I really lose respect for Alicia when she commits perjury, unless she genuinely didn't remember what went down. I was also wondering why they were going with the whole "All black people look alike", when Alicia could simply have said "I only saw him from behind and made a mistake".

 

Dr pepper So which one do you think Alicia will be defending in the future for murdering the other?

 

I would love it if wife No. 4 (5?) murdered Colin Sweeney, but I can't see that happening.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I never trust Colin Sweeney so I was yelling, "Don't drink that sangria, Alicia!" I know he likes her, but I also wouldn't put anything past him so I'm glad nothing came of that.

 

Laura Benanti has really been getting around (but in a good way!). I feel like she got to do more in one episode of The Good Wife than she has in six episodes of Nurse Jackie.

 

I liked seeing Alicia as a witness rather than an attorney. As repetitive as it was to see the same little bits and pieces, it served as a good reminder that witnesses are not always 100% accurate in their recollections, even witnesses as detail oriented as Alicia.

 

I really felt for Finn when he was questioning the boyfriend. Having all those flashbacks to the shooting must have been so difficult to deal with during court.

I loved when Castro went to see Peter. Eli's facial expressions throughout that scene were perfection.

[MaryPatShelby]

 

"I love Owen, and tacky has always been his middle name. It gives me immerse pleasure thinking THIS is Jackie's son."

 

No one will ever read this because I am so behind in my watching, but Owen isn't Jackie's son. He's Alicia's brother, and thus Veronica's (is that her name?) son.