S02.E02: Day 415

[tessaray]

Tensions remain high when the firm learns another Chicago lawyer has been murdered by a client; Liz positions herself as a potential ally for Diane; Maia's trial takes an unwelcome turn.

[riprock]

So, that's it, I guess? Maia's mom and Maia both go free because Maia stalled for long enough for an overseas paramilitary unit to trace and capture her dad?

something about the way that new Reddick leaked all that information about the case lacked poetry. It was more interesting when it was part of Alicia's character arc, going from naive to savvy. Now it's just illegal activity, without commentary, from a new character. 

I enjoyed Marissa's scene at the bouncy castle, where she showed flashes of being a secret agent. 

[Oreo2234]

I guess we still might see Maia's dad's trail but hopefully we don't see much of that. I actually enjoyed Maia's trial stuff this episode but I'm ready for the Rindell fraud stuff to reach its conclusion.

I'm not sure how I feel about this people killing lawyers spree plot. When Will was shot on The Good Wife it was effective and believable as it was a rare event on a show where lawyers didn't have the death rate of a doctor on Grey's Anatomy but this might be a little much.

Edited March 12, 2018 by Oreo2234

[veronicalodge44]

i am loving audra mcdonald, and the scene at the bar with her and diane was gold.  i enjoyed the rest of the episode, but it's these two ladies that have me the most excited for what's to come this season.

[preeya]

OK. Hopefully, the Rindell fraud stuff has concluded. However, what did Diane say or do when she met (unethically or illegally) with Maia's mother at the holding cell? Did I miss something?

ETA: Marissa is gold for this show. Hopefully, she can have an expanded role as a legitimate investigator.

Edited March 12, 2018 by preeya

[RedKeep]

36 minutes ago, preeya said:

OK. Hopefully, the Rindell fraud stuff has concluded. However, what did Diane say or do when she met (unethically or illegally) with Maia's mother at the holding cell? Did I miss something?

 

No idea what exactly Diane told Lenore, I suppose it was one of quite a few things related to Maia's trial the writers didn't deem necessary to elaborate on any further. But this episode really managed to drive the point home again that both of Maia's parents are way past possible redemption. I mean, Lenore at least did come through for Maia in the end, but if Diane had to step in for that to happen that's painting a pretty sad picture of mother dearest. Either way, count me among those who are glad they actually managed to wrap this story up rather quickly. I, too, expect Henry's trial to play a bit of a role again further down the line, but for now it seems like we can actually focus on other things again.

Still not feeling Colin/Lucca. I'm trying, I like both actors, but... nope. Just not feeling it on a story level. Not sure what to make of Liz Reddick yet, but of course Audra McDonald is alway a joy and she's definitely hitting off well with Christine Baranski.

Edited March 12, 2018 by RedKeep

[Gulftastic]

I loved Momma Randell doing right by Maia, and her shit of a Dad getting caught. I hope she can move past the testimony of her girlfriend. 

Marissa is great. More of her please.

[preeya]

23 minutes ago, Gulftastic said:

I loved Momma Randell doing right by Maia, and her shit of a Dad getting caught. I hope she can move past the testimony of her girlfriend. 

Marissa is great. More of her please.

1

Not sure if Momma Randall was truly doing right. I believe it took some arm twisting threats by Diane that changed Momma's testimony. The prosecution thought they had a slam dunk until Diane intervened. 

[RedKeep]

1 hour ago, Gulftastic said:

I hope she can move past the testimony of her girlfriend.

Based on how they played it in this episode, I'm fairly certain she will. The two of them remembering the outcome of their conversation about the fund so differently just plays further into that unreliable/messy memory spiel they've had going on with Maia and Amy's "why would you want to stay with someone who lies and wants to put you into prison" point seemed to be what first pushed Maia towards finally being done with the one person who has done exactly that - her father. I expect the show to just fully ignore the process of them moving past what happened between the two of them during the trial, though, which is frustrating. Like everytime when the show bothers to actually give them any material, I ended up liking their scenes and wishing they'd use Amy a bit more, especially since Rose Leslie and Heléne Yorke have great chemistry.

[2727]

My answer if I were Maia and Amy asked what I wanted: "For you to be out of my life starting now. And don't you dare think about getting in bed with me."

Not sure what Liz is playing at by lying to Adrian about Diane intending to retire. The intricate, intramural backstabbing and sabotage on this show is always a marvel.

Edited March 13, 2018 by 2727

[CrashTextDummie]

So glad this show is back. The season premier was a bit of a mess (this show/universe always is when it decides to reshuffle the deck, so to speak), but I thought this episode was already back to firing on all cylinders. Really good episode for all the female leads. Maia, Diane, Lucca, Marissa all got to shine. I find this show so rewarding to watch when everyone is involved in the A-plot, just a special feeling of things coming together that is really enjoyable to me. I find it remarkable how well they have managed to take elements and relationships from TGW and mix them with new characters and dynamics over such a short number of episodes. And I'm not quite sure what special sauce they used to make me overcome the feeling of tiredness towards the end of TGW and get legit excited again for new episodes week to week. It's still the same storytelling beats and tropes, but it feels fresh to me again.

I love the Rindell family saga. It's a feeling that grew over the first season and I'm still fully on board. I just think it's inherently clever to place a naive, good person (Maia) in an environment of sharks (lawyers), a very familiar stereotype, only to build the central storyline around the predators in her own family, and less on the character developing teeth of her own, as you would expect. It has been keeping me on my toes all the way and I am far from tired of the journey. And Rose Lesley really sells it for me. She has had stellar moments last season and I thought this entire episode she was really strong.

Marissa the investigator is a stroke of genius. It just feels so right, and it's fun watching her. And considering how problematic the investigator roles was on TGW (I felt the way they wrote Kalinda was a serious drag on the show way before the AP behind-the-scenes stuff made things ridiculous), it's such a relief. The way they are using Marissa is just the most obvious example of the type of alchemy the writers are using to mix the old with the new and making things feel fresh.

One question though, I hope someone can clear this up: Did Reddick & Boseman "redecorate" their offices to look like Lockheart/Gardner or did they flat out take over LG's office space? It's so obvious they are reusing the old set and I'm not sure if they are trying to hide it or if they are lampshading it. Or where they already there last season and I don't remember it? In any case, it's somewhat jarring to have Adrian and Liz in what are clearly Will and Diane's offices respectively. And I guess this means we won't be seeing the old firm anymore (the fact that Howard got a judgeship also pointed to that). Well, maybe Lee will end up dead.

Finally, Judge Abernathy, always a welcome sight!

Edited March 13, 2018 by CrashTextDummie

[2727]

9 minutes ago, CrashTextDummie said:

And I'm not quite sure what special sauce they used to make me overcome the feeling of tiredness towards the end of TGW and get legit excited again for new episodes week to week.

Easy to pinpoint the difference in my attitude -- no more Alicia.  ;-)

[wendyg]

I love Judge Abernathy. The happiest bleeding heart on TV!

[preeya]

8 hours ago, CrashTextDummie said:

Marissa the investigator is a stroke of genius. It just feels so right, and it's fun watching her. And considering how problematic the investigator roles was on TGW (I felt the way they wrote Kalinda was a serious drag on the show way before the AP behind-the-scenes stuff made things ridiculous), it's such a relief. The way they are using Marissa is just the most obvious example of the type of alchemy the writers are using to mix the old with the new and making things feel fresh.

Totally agree. She (Marissa) is gold to this show.

[Ladybyrd]

Sort of tickled that Lenore, straight from prison, was in a nice dress and fully made up. I suspect Bernadette Peters has some very interesting clauses in her contract.

Edited March 17, 2018 by Ladybyrd

[John Potts]

On ‎12‎/‎03‎/‎2018 at 2:09 PM, RedKeep said:

I suppose it was one of quite a few things related to Maia's trial the writers didn't deem necessary to elaborate on any further.

I thought her testimony was odd, because there didn't seem to be much preamble to it. Glad she DID "take the hit" for her daughter, even if she is a horrible person.

Maybe I'm completely imagining this, but did anyone else get the impression that Liz WAS the lawyer shooter (or at least, the person hiring the shooter)? It seems WAY too soapy, but it did strike me that she had an ulterior motive (and yes, I realise it ended with her attempting to stab Diane in the back, so maybe it was just that).

Do ALL US legal firms all want to be expanding? It seemed that was the problem that Lockhart Gardner & X always had in The Good Wife that they kept acquiring new problems. Is there no satisfaction in being "the best" rather than "the biggest" law firm?

ETA: Did Donald Trump really tweet about sex with a mermaid? That seemed utterly unbelievable, but... it's Trump!

Edited March 23, 2018 by John Potts

[Milburn Stone]

On 3/23/2018 at 7:15 AM, John Potts said:

Do ALL US legal firms all want to be expanding? It seemed that was the problem that Lockhart Gardner & X always had in The Good Wife that they kept acquiring new problems. Is there no satisfaction in being "the best" rather than "the biggest" law firm?

Speaking from experience in the mega global advertising trade, you pretty much have to keep expanding, because your competitors are; and by their doing so, your competitors are able to tell clients a story about the incredible resources and bargaining power that will assigned to their business. If your firm doesn't do that, it will be swallowed up by a firm that does. Being "the best" instead of "the biggest" does bring its satisfactions, but those satisfactions will only last so long when all your clients defect to bigger firms that can offer them more. Expand or die.

[Milburn Stone]

On 3/13/2018 at 2:36 AM, 2727 said:

My answer if I were Maia and Amy asked what I wanted: "For you to be out of my life starting now. And don't you dare think about getting in bed with me."

Here's what made no sense to me. Amy did have to tell the truth on the stand about the words spoken in her conversation with Maia. But she did not have to add that "Maia nodded." (I assume she also told prosecutors this when she was interviewed; she absolutely did not have to tell them that then, either.) Maia's angry remark upon coming home that "there were only two of us in the room" was right. In the first place, the nod was so subtle that it may or may not have existed, and may be more a matter of Amy's perception, which would give her license not to share it with the prosecution. In the second place, even if the nod happened, there is no way to prove it if Amy doesn't go out of her way to testify to it. In the third place, if she withholds her perception of the nod, and prosecutors say, "Oh really? Because Maia told us in her interview that she nodded," Amy can just reply, "That's interesting, because I didn't pick up on that." Amy did not have to rat out Maia's nod, she just had to truthfully report what Maia said. Maia is right to be furious.