S02.E13: Day 492

[Cranberry]

Season finale! Description TBA.

[Quark]

Lucca giving birth was hilarious, the rest I didn't like so much. 

I'm glad that everyone is alive.

[Aulty]

that episode/season finale was not for me either - I'm a bit disappointed by how this season ended, the last few episodes were not as witty or engaging as some of the earlier ones. Pitty. (I am not American though, so my POV is certainly different)

Edited May 29, 2018 by Aulty

[kieyra]

I really liked it. They’re doing a good job of capturing what a bizarre time we live in, and they also did a good job of building tension regarding just how far the government would go these days. It was easy to imagine Diane just disappearing into the system.

I enjoyed them having fun with the ability to use profanity in this universe. Judith Light and the other mom actress were obviously having a great time bickering too. Cush Jumbo is a good comedic actress as well. I usually hate delivery scenes but that stuff was funny. 

I liked this season a lot more than S1 overall. Even though I can just barely handle the Trump stuff IRL, they managed to make it cartoonish (while still terrifying) in a way that allowed me a little bit of escapism into Diane’s (fictional) story. They did a much better job of balancing the characters this season, wisely downplaying the Maia stuff in favor of more Diane screentime.

The only thing I’m not sold on is Diane’s LSD arc. I’m still not sure which stuff she was supposed to be hallucinating. If anything. This surrealist thing is something the Kings have done before (such as the whole concept behind Braindead, if anyone watched that, and the mini arc with Jackie hallucinating bugs in TGW). Either way, I can at least relate to Diane’s sense of general disorientation right now.

The show’s attempts to portray a “right this minute”, ripped-from-the-headlines view of America on the verge of anarchy is certainly ambitious, if chilling.

(I had to avoid watching episodes of this show the same nights I watched The Handmaid’s Tale.)

Edited May 28, 2018 by kieyra

[Joimiaroxeu]

This show doesn't seem to think much of Chicago's mayor. Heh.

Colin's mother is one of those low-key racist liberals. Who'da thought?

Now that we've seen the parents, I'm guessing either Lucca or her brother is adopted. Maybe both.

Odd season finale. Wonder if the showrunners knew they'd been renewed when the finale was taped?

[Frozendiva]

How did it end? My DVR cut out at 12:05 am. Will need to find another airing to see it.

[CrashTextDummie]

Something quite extraordinary happened as I was watching the finale. I came into it thinking the season, much as I enjoyed it, was missing something. I thought it lacked the strong overarching narrative that the Rindell scandal, which I enjoyed much more than most, provided to make season 1 such a tight viewing experience. There was the "kill all laywers" storyline, which seemed like a half-baked substitute that ended disappointingly. Sure, there was a lot of Trump , but that seemed perfectly in line with the King's penchant for ripping storylines from news headlines. The unmistakable allusions to our current times seemed like a background that sometimes threatened to dominate the proceedings. Most of all, I thought the show I was watching was still an extension of The Good Wife, just a bit more edgy having been liberated from the constraints of network TV. That all changed for me with the finale. TGF has well and truly become its own thing.

The Good Wife was a legal drama with occasional silliness. The Good Fight is a silly show with occasional legal drama. The transformation is complete: this is a pitch black comedy above all else. It was when Diane had a clandestine parking-lot meeting with a former porn-star (who doesn't do deep throat, but has experience with double penetration) giving cryptic advice that the true nature of this show shifted into focus for me and everything made sense again. It has been said before that TGF is about Trump and how he feels like an actual character on the show, but it didn't hit me until now how much this is true. This is not a show about Lawyers set in current times, it is a show about the current times, featuring lawyers. In light of this revelation (which may or may not make me dense for not coming to it sooner), the entire season looks much more cohesive in retrospect. That overarching storyline I thought it was missing was there all along. Those episodes that felt a bit too on-the-nose (P.P tape, impeachment, etc.) were actually the heart of what the show wanted to say, and not the background calling undue attention to itself. The "kill all lawyers" subplot was never meant to be a big mystery, but rather a manifestation of the show's themes, as was reflected in the finale by the slogan shifting to "kill all journalists".

Is it liberal wish fulfillment? Sure you can call it that, but I think it's selling the show very short. It's clear where the creators of TGF stand on the political spectrum, but it didn't feel to me like they were trying to push an agenda. Rather it was an attempt to creatively process the world we live in, through dark comedy and farce, but with sincerity. And to me, that's admirable and exiting to watch. For the Kings to use their platform of a little-watched drama tucked away on a litte-subscribed streaming service to do that, utterly transforming the very genre they operate in in the process, is more than a little crazy. And must-see television as a result.

Some notes on the episode itself:

- I adore the fact that Judge Trig Mullaney has been identified as a "recent Trump-appointee" in every episode he has appeared in. Great running gag.

- The moms of Lucca and Colin are both a hoot. Seriously enjoyed all of Lucca's delivery thanks to those two alone.

- Julius and Adrien vs. 3 idiots and an NRA advocate was perfect and somehow even funnier than Diane's garage meeting with the former porn star.

- Thank you, show, for giving us Liz Reddick. TGF is so much better at presenting female friendship and camaraderie than TGW ever was and nothing exemplifies it better than the relationship between Diane and Liz that developed over the course of the season.

- I didn't comment on the last episode, so I'm glad I have an opportunity to say it here as well: I love Enrico Colantoni. I hope he stays. His character is the kind of person TGW used to have a lot more of back when the states attorney's office and the people who worked there were still relevant. Adversaries that are not colorful villains but grim bureaucrats. Representatives of a flawed system rather than evilly inclined individuals or transparent caricatures.

Please come back soon, show! I can't wait to see more.

[Sesquipedalia]

I loved this season so much more than Season 1. Less Maia and more Diane was definitely the right direction to take. 

Crashtextdummie, I love your whole post. I especially agree with this:

1 hour ago, CrashTextDummie said:

Thank you, show, for giving us Liz Reddick. TGF is so much better at presenting female friendship and camaraderie than TGW ever was and nothing exemplifies it better than the relationship between Diane and Liz that developed over the course of the season.

Audra McDonald was a big highlight of the season, and I was so happy Liz was the one Diane turned to when she needed a lawyer.

I also liked how Lucca realized Maia and Marissa's car was the one she was happy to see. It looks like her Season 3 story line will be about juggling her career with single motherhood, and I hope that her female friends will continue to be there as a support system.

 

22 hours ago, kieyra said:

The only thing I’m not sold on is Diane’s LSD arc. I’m still not sure which stuff she was supposed to be hallucinating. If anything. This surrealist thing is something the Kings have done before (such as the whole concept behind Braindead, if anyone watched that, and the mini arc with Jackie hallucinating bugs in TGW). Either way, I can at least relate to Diane’s sense of general disorientation right now.

I agree this was a good idea but wasn't executed well. LSD works as a metaphor for disorientation, but the whole plot was too fuzzy. Still, I'm glad it ended the way it did and didn't turn into some kind of after-school special with Diane becoming addicted.

Diane's foray into martial arts, while unrealistic and silly from the standpoint of what beginner martial arts classes are actually like, served as the antidote to the LSD effect. I really relate to her desire to bring order to her own little part of the world as a way of staving off the madness. After years in kung fu, I abruptly stopped going to class in November 2016. I felt like my priorities had shifted, but TGF has me thinking I should reconsider.

Did we see Diane turn in her gun to be melted in a previous episode? I don't remember that, but sometimes I watch late and night and forget stuff.

[stonehaven]

I really thought there would be something more to the Mayoral thing.  I thought they would discover that the whole thing was a set up to get Adrian out of the way of the going after Diane.

I echo what someone else said that I love to see two strong women be friends on a show like this. Completely opposite of Good Wife. I will miss this show 'till March...and I enjoyed the hell out of it.

We need more Christine Baranski.

[Medicine Crow]

1 hour ago, stonehaven said:

I really thought there would be something more to the Mayoral thing.  I thought they would discover that the whole thing was a set up to get Adrian out of the way of the going after Diane.

I echo what someone else said that I love to see two strong women be friends on a show like this. Completely opposite of Good Wife. I will miss this show 'till March...and I enjoyed the hell out of it.

We need more Christine Baranski.

Hear, hear!!!

[Nozycat]

I hated the way they kept showing Maia on the cell phone while she was driving.

[Miss Dee]

I'm so sad it's ended! This became a must-see show for me this year.

I got the warm fuzzies when Angela Bower's comment about the car in the garage turned out not to be a sad ending with Colin, but a realization of how much Lucca appreciated having Maia and Marissa in her life.

Only dangling plot line for me: did Maia's fiancée ever find out Maia cheated on her with that government missy?

Edited May 31, 2018 by Miss Dee

[PreBabylonia]

On 2018-05-28 at 12:02 PM, Quark said:

Lucca giving birth was hilarious, the rest I didn't like so much. 

I'm glad that everyone is alive.

Funny, I am the exact opposite. I thought the entire labour plot was ridiculous, mostly since I've given birth myself and the labour pains for a first birth are much slower. The first stage is incredibly painful, but there is more time between contractions so I thought Luca's performance in court was incredibly unrealistic. When you arrive at the hospital, they have you walk around not lie prone in a bed. I honestly felt as if a man wrote those scenes, not a woman. I actually found meeting the porn star in the garage was less fantastic, although I kept thinking of Mulder and Scully while Diane was waiting for her contact.Overall I liked it, but definitely not my favourite episode of the season, so a little disappointing for a finale. Loved the Gary Cole and Christine Baranski scenes though. Two terrific actors that I would watch in anything, and they have some amazing chemistry there!

[Guest]

I totally agree with all that.  I know there are women writers on this show, so why we can't get a realistic labor scene is beyond me.  It's always total panic, emergency, screaming and carrying on and happening in subways and court rooms.  I think most childbirths are pretty slow and uneventful and well-planned, like mine.  The opposite of emergency is probably way more the norm-- the woman goes to the hospital and is sent home because it's too early. 

And tv laboring women always turn into raving lunatics.  I think most of us just knuckle down and get the job done in a relatively drama-free way.  Last time I said that here I was accused of suggesting women should hide their pain and just be stronger than the TV shows.  No.  We just usually are stronger and less drama-prone than that, I think.  The cursing scenes were funny but I feel like labor dramedy is making women the butt of the joke. 

And I was glad when Colin finally arrived and cleared the room.  But really I think one of her women friends or the hospital staff would've done so earlier.  Lucca would've had a labor plan in place including who would be allowed in the room (probably two max) and she'd have met the on-call doctor beforehand.  But it's TV.  

[NutMeg]

I love this show. Love the weekly stories, the current-ness with all the surrealistic feeling, and, above all, the way women friendships are depicted - weirdly, this important part of women's life is rarely depicted well on TV. (Back to the days of the Good Wife, one of the things I like best in the first seasons was how Alicia and Kalinda both slowly lowered their guard to become friends.) Diane and Liz, in particular, have been a joy to watch and I'm so happy we had the addition of Liz this year.

The whole cast is fantastic and they all work for me. Apart from Liz and Diane (and Kurt), I have a sweet spot for Marissa and enjoyed her growing friendship with Jay (yep, friendship again, also not often depicted between a man and a women), and also like Maia a lot. And of course Adrian and Lucius (?) are just a joy. Luca is probably the weakest spot for me (together with Colin), but in a stellar cast that means I find her character good, but just slightly less exciting than others. I do love Colin's mother, though, as long as it's in small doses.

[Ms Blue Jay]

On 5/28/2018 at 6:25 PM, Joimiaroxeu said:

This show doesn't seem to think much of Chicago's mayor. Heh.

Colin's mother is one of those low-key racist liberals. Who'da thought?

Now that we've seen the parents, I'm guessing either Lucca or her brother is adopted. Maybe both.

Odd season finale. Wonder if the showrunners knew they'd been renewed when the finale was taped?

I always assumed Domenic was simply Lucca's half brother.

On 5/30/2018 at 8:47 PM, Nozycat said:

I hated the way they kept showing Maia on the cell phone while she was driving.

Hated, hated, hated this too.

And for my brethren who may agree with me on Rose Leslie's overacting - check the car scene.  She's licking her lips like crazy - UGH!  why?  It takes me out of every scene.

[marionette]

Did not care for the labor scenes.  I had two children and didn't feel the need to swear at the top of my lungs.  Why was it necessary to have everyone in the room joining in?  I guess that is the way people support each other nowadays.  No class at all.  I don't think that it is necessary to be a martyr, but I remember hearing one lady screaming as they wheeled her down the hallway.  Yes, it hurts but we are all experiencing the same thing.  What makes you the star of the show?  You are not any more special than all the other pregnant women in the hospital.  Probably not a popular opinion, but it is my opinion nevertheless.

[John Potts]

OK this was just a incoherent mess. Was there ANY legal stuff? And did everyone take stupid pills? Not just Larry, Curly and Moe on the committee with Adrian, but Diane who (having realised her home may be bugged) goes on to type on her computer (because that's OBVIOUSLY not been tapped) and everyone for going "But she was due to give birth in 2 weeks" (you have heard of premature births, right?).

That said, I did like a lot of Luca giving birth stuff*. Liked everyone rushing to be there for her, even the clash between the two mums was kinda fun and I loved that Colin got there for the birth despite having to fly in from DC (I hope those two crazy kids can make it). And I liked Claudia (OK, I know that's not her name!) going, "Nah, bitch, we're playing smart so we can win, you just got screwed on the way!"

* Though I should point out I've never been at any birth, so can't vouch for whether it bears any relationship to reality.

[love2lovebadtv]

On 6/5/2018 at 5:55 PM, marionette said:

Did not care for the labor scenes.  I had two children and didn't feel the need to swear at the top of my lungs.  Why was it necessary to have everyone in the room joining in?  I guess that is the way people support each other nowadays.  No class at all.  I don't think that it is necessary to be a martyr, but I remember hearing one lady screaming as they wheeled her down the hallway.  Yes, it hurts but we are all experiencing the same thing.  What makes you the star of the show?  You are not any more special than all the other pregnant women in the hospital.  Probably not a popular opinion, but it is my opinion nevertheless.

I have three and I really don't need a realistic labor scene on this or any show that I watch for entertainment lol. It's tv labor. Just like tv sex, tv, court, TV workplaces, things are more entertaining than realistic. I'm OK with it. The swearing wasn't about the way people support each other nowadays but just a personal thing for Lucca, who freaked out that she lost her cool and used profanity in court. 

[betha]

I think this is one of the most brilliant shows I have seen. I love it so much; it has everything good from The Good Wife with much less baggage. I agree they really came into their own this season. It is quick, witty, funny. And I really am not sure if CBS could get away with this spot-on political analysis if this was on the main channel. Granted, I have similar political views to Diane; but the whole hallucinatory feeling of living in Trump’s America was a big win for me- I relate to that on a daily basis, and the idea that we can try to keep our little corner sane. I love Rose Leslie so I didn’t mind Maia last year as much as everyone else did, but I agree this year they used her the right amount, and I found myself also enjoying Lucca much more.  I also LOVE Liz - she is a huge boon to the show, and her relationship with Adrian is interesting. All the partners have way better chemistry now than they did with the previous woman there, who I was not interested in at all. 

There were a few things that felt unresolved at the end of the season...

-they never said what happened with Maia’s cheating, and her wedding planning, as someone above mentioned. 

- are they really going to let Lucca say she only wants three days of maternity leave with no commentary? As the mother of two young children with a demanding career- this is a major feminist and political issue that there is no support for working moms, and for Lucca to assume that she can’t make partner unless she practically ignores the fact she gave birth, without anyone correcting that assumption, is gross. I hope they deal with these issues next season. 

[statsgirl]

From what I've heard about law firms as some corporations, I can believe that Lucca felt that if she took a longer leave she would be consider not partner material. I've heard of people who were fired for getting pregnant.  Some countries have laws that prevent women from being fired when they are pregnant or on maternity leave but even there women have been shuttled off into dead end jobs or suddenly their position no longer exists because of a shuffle. Not to mention that US maternity leave times are pretty antiquated. Next door Canada has a one year maternity leave and in many European countries it's even longer.

On 6/7/2018 at 6:13 PM, John Potts said:

OK this was just a incoherent mess. Was there ANY legal stuff? And did everyone take stupid pills? Not just Larry, Curly and Moe on the committee with Adrian, but Diane who (having realised her home may be bugged) goes on to type on her computer (because that's OBVIOUSLY not been tapped) and everyone for going "But she was due to give birth in 2 weeks" (you have heard of premature births, right?).

36 weeks is considered full term so there definitely should not have been any surprise when that baby came at 38 weeks.  But this is TV so people were stupid for plot.

[txhorns79]

I finally have gotten around to the second season.  I thought this episode was kind of a mess.  The comedy was so broad in Lucca's storyline that it made for a very bad pairing with Diane's extremely serious storyline.  It was like the characters are in two very different shows.  I also thought they kind of cheated their way of out Diane's dilemma by planting the false rumor about the prosecutor.     

Quote

-they never said what happened with Maia’s cheating, and her wedding planning, as someone above mentioned. 

I'd be happy to never revisit Maia's relationship with her girlfriend again.  I never understood how they would have ever gotten past Amy testifying that Maia was a criminal who knew her parents were engaged in a gigantic fraud and proposed marriage to Amy as a way to keep her from having to testify.       

[TVForever]

On 9/16/2018 at 11:40 AM, txhorns79 said:

I finally have gotten around to the second season.  I thought this episode was kind of a mess.  The comedy was so broad in Lucca's storyline that it made for a very bad pairing with Diane's extremely serious storyline.  It was like the characters are in two very different shows.  I also thought they kind of cheated their way of out Diane's dilemma by planting the false rumor about the prosecutor.     

I'd be happy to never revisit Maia's relationship with her girlfriend again.  I never understood how they would have ever gotten past Amy testifying that Maia was a criminal who knew her parents were engaged in a gigantic fraud and proposed marriage to Amy as a way to keep her from having to testify.       

I’m with you on that one. There wasn’t so much as a WTF, Amy? conversation between them. Just that brief, frosty bedtime exchange, but nothing specific to the courtroom incident.