The Good Wife - Cooked - Review: "Maybe He's Just Not Corrupt?"

7.03 - "Cooked"

This week, Eli further makes Ruth Eastman look a fool, while Alicia is caught in an odd case that might end up causing her problems down the line. Both Jackie and Veronica make appearances, and Howard Lyman lands a huge client. Let's dig into this episode!

"It's semantics."
"No, It's the Law. You know the difference? I get a gavel."

The case of the week started off as typical fare: Alicia and Lucca share a case between 2 men who were arrested for creating and selling GHB. There was a funny witness who may have a deep understanding of chemistry, but a lack of understanding rhetoric, or the use of layman's terms. There was the struggle Alicia and Lucca had to find footing in their respective cases, while the State's Attorney's officer put pressure on both their clients to turn on one another, and there was the brewing sense of competition between the two lawyers as things didn't really look like they would work out in the end. 

Then, Lucca brought up the "catch-22" they were in: Alicia's client may have been arrested for selling GHB, but he didn't actually create GHB, but an analogue designer drug instead. He could be arrested for it, if he knew specifically he was making an analogue for GHB, but if he accidentally created it, when the intent was to make GHB, there was some legal wormhole that opened up and swallowed all logic, and he couldn't be charged with the crime of creating a controlled substance, and he couldn't be charged with attempting to make an analogue to a controlled substance. Alicia explained to her client, Mr. Hlavin, (with great precision) that if he was, in fact trying to make GHB, then that would be a case that would be thrown out. He seemed to understand her, and then later went on the stand and perjured himself, strangely the day after he specifically stated that he was making that drug "safer" for people to use. I didn't totally buy into that, but anyway, at the slightest prodding by the Deputy A.S.A., Hlavin's testimony fell apart, and he spouted off about how he intentionally made it different from GHB, effectively hosing Alicia's case. 

Alicia suspected someone was setting her up to fail but she couldn't figure out who or why. She awkwardly upped the tension between her and Lucca upon requesting that they break their joint case into 2 separate cases. However, Grace called Alicia to tell her that after some rather extensive investigation, she suspected that Alicia's client was misrepresenting himself, and he might actually be an FBI agent. Of course, Alicia doesn't know if he's there to set her up, or possibly Peter, so she calls up Eli to see if he knew anything. Now, at this point, things a bit "gray" as to what is legal, and what is valid, and what is hogwash... She confronts her client and asks that he reveal himself, but he refuses, and so just as she's about to out him in front of the courtroom, he asks for a recess.

In a confidential conversation, Hlavin comes out as an FBI agent looking into judicial bribery against Judge Schakowsky. It's been a 2-year investigation, and he claims Alicia's about to muck it up by blowing his cover. Alicia attempts to remove herself as his lawyer, but he refuses to let her, and blackmails her by throwing her attempts to get him to perjure himself on the stand in her face. Ouch. While insisting that she was just being specific in what could have happened hypothetically, she's still forced by the agent to continue, and to file a motion to dismiss the case. If he adheres to the request, then he would be arrested, as he'd have accepted the bribe. 

Eli calls Alicia, and insists that she tell him what could be going on with the case, and who is out to screw Peter or Alicia, but she tries to calm him by stating that they are not a target of the agent's, the judge is. Now, Alicia just broke confidentiality in trying to keep Eli out of her hair,  (Confidentiality with a person who technically doesn't exist) but that might have ramifications down the road. I've read that some people expect that Alicia would not have given that information up like that, and especially not to Eli Gold, but maybe she feels a sense of friendship there that's really more of her being used even more than she might realize? I can see her trying to mollify Eli with what she expects to be unrelated, yet privileged information. 

Later, in the courtroom, Alicia, as directed by her "Client," files a motion to dismiss. To her astonishment, Schakowsky denies the claim. Her client fires her for tipping off the judge, and we're left wondering who it could have been that sold out "Roland Hlavin" or whatever his name actually was...

"So, what about this lasagna?"

As a part of Alicia's rehab of her image, Ruth Eastman required her and her mother to make an appearance on "Mama's Homespun Cooking," a live reality show where mothers teach their daughters how to prepare special  dishes. Upon hearing about it, Eli immediately allowed it to go forward without any mention of Alicia's family's dysfunction, and how it'd be an absolute disaster if it were allowed to happen. Eli just knows the Florricks, and he knows when something is an absolutely terrible idea. So, he definitely allowed Ruth to step in it all on her own with this one.

The result was just as expected: Veronica showed up inebriated, and laughed at every cue she had on the live show, and then picked at Alicia about how she was kept at bay from Alicia during "hard times" and she was upset about it. Alicia was having none of that, spitting back at her about her feeble attempts to "make things up to her." While I enjoyed that abrupt implosion on live television, I can't help but think that Eli allowing this to happen wouldn't hurt more than just Ruth in his endeavor. That little row being aired live pretty much blows up the image of a strong family bond right out the window... If it wasn't obvious before that there's issues, it would make sense now for those blogs and stupid websites to start digging into Peter and Alicia's sham of a marriage, as well as a host of other things that could be thrown out in the open. However, there's also another part of me who almost can't really spare effort to care about it, because it's yet another political campaign and this feels like even more retread after the one we just finished going through in season 6. I really, really wish they had just opted out of it, and allowed the 2016 primary to be a background thing, only occasionally popping up when real life candidates did something stupid in real life, or something along those lines. But, I digress...

This did allow us to have our first Ruth Eastman spit-take. For once it wasn't Eli!

"Someone had a good nap!"

Early in the episode, upon returning home, Alicia finds Howard Lyman waiting for her in her living room. He asks her to be his lawyer in an ageism case against Lockhart, Agos, & Lee for trying to
push him out of his position. Alicia coolly explains that he's never really contributed to the bottom line of the firm except as a vote that could be useful on occasion. He had no case. She said if he wanted to pursue something like that, he'd need to contribute, and he would need to note any apparent acts of ageism if he wanted to actually build one. He took this very seriously, and immediately went to work. On the way out, he ran into Jackie, and they began flirting. So, that's a thing, I guess...

While working on gaining clients, and actually performing part of the tasks assigned to his cases, he started taking comprehensive notes of things like Cary's sarcastic response to hearing Howard had been handling his own work, and attributed it all to "ageism." Simultaneously, he began dating Jackie, as they shared dinner at a nice restaurant. Jackie seemed genuinely happy to receive the attention, and Howard was always the (gross) flirtatious type who knew what to say. It was weird to witness.

Then, in what could be seen as either a senior moment or a calculated move, Howard called Alicia about his case as he was walking by David Lee's office. He specifically started with the words "about my ageism case" loudly, and only trailed off to say he was reconsidering it. Either way, Alicia said she wouldn't take his case had there been one, and he'd have to go somewhere else. David Lee of course only heard what was spoken loudly on the phone, and before you knew it, Diane had stormed dramatically to Alicia's apartment to confront her about her treachery, when Diane was considering sharing their case overload with her. Alicia was confused and tried to state there was no case, but she couldn't refute that Howard had asked for her legal counsel on the matter. So, it seems Diane wrote Alicia off for good this time.

Howard called for a meeting with the name partners, where they were expecting him to formally announce his ageism suit, but instead he surprised them with the news that he'd landed a $33 million client. That put him square on the board of contributing to their bottom line, which would make it very complicated for them to have grounds to fire him or remove him as acting partner. So, that ultimatum he issued last episode might have had more teeth than we originally thought. Thankfully, they also showed how Howard actually got the client--through his relationship with Jackie Florrick.

Alright, so let's review the situation... Howard Lyman, who has been the butt of the joke ever since he first started in the show, has apparently gone from absent-minded and incompetent to suave and capable in 1 episode? I've always been a fan of this show adding depth to antagonistic characters, but Howard Lyman is an overplayed card. I can't really buy him suddenly having his wits about him... I mean, unless Alicia somehow caused him to think through his situation and want to jump back in, this doesn't really hold up. There's too many situations where he's literally almost cost the law firm clients, or lawsuits. But, on some level, he was a partner in a law firm somehow... Clout doesn't just appear out of nowhere. He has many connections through some unknown (read:unlikely, and not specified within the show itself?) means, and he's pulling his strings.

I think what upsets me about this plot is that it feels like it's at the expense of Diane and Cary having a decent amount of air time... But, we're only on episode 3, so I will wait and see where they take us.
(If this ends up ruining more stuff for Cary or Diane, I'll be really annoyed...)

"You tipped him off."

In the last scene, Judge Schakowsky addresses someone on a phone call. Insisting he'd never take a bribe in the first place, he's glad that he had someone looking out for him, and gave him a head's up about the judicial bribery investigation into him. The other person on the end of that call? Eli Gold.

Using the information that Alicia shared about her client, Eli won favor from Judge Schakowsky, and caused the entire investigation to fall flat, while the FBI agent was already threatening Alicia with blackmail. This could practically be seen as a move against Alicia, specifically... It is the popular opinion that this will come back in a few episodes with teeth, and bite Alicia in the ass. Eli really surprised me with that move. Can't wait to see what comes of it.

Sidenotes:

- The summer intern was a bit off-putting, but it led to more interesting (if brief) conversation between Cary and Diane regarding their different expectations out of their associates.

- Eli's tiny new office, And Ruth's "it's worth it just to see you come into work everyday" or something like that... I love the awkward physical comedy moments like these.

- Who needs Jason Crouse when you have Grace? (Where did she get the facial recognition software?) That was some Kalinda-level work...

- Ruth hasn't really made any decent moves since she replaced Eli...She had better up her game... She's got "national" experience, but that doesn't seem to be helping her, given how well Eli knows The Florrick family.

- I am trying to figure out if I think the overabundance of paranoia is intentional and maybe a sweeping theme, or if Diane flying off the handle when it's even hinted that Alicia's "backstabbing" her is getting old.

- Still waiting on Robyn Burdine to show up and replace Jason Crouse. I mean, I don't hate him, but they aren't even trying to be subtle with this character. 

- David Lee's automatic "bitch" and Cary's "hey" was a highlight in this episode for sure.

- Do you think Diane's super-romantic notions/expectations (meaning she's putting a lot of meaning behind her efforts of furthering things for not only her career but others she influences as well) of new hires is part of why she's having such a hard time keeping people invested in things like she is? She must have been a pioneer in her world, and she is looking for someone to take the torch from her as she gets older. She's had Alicia disappoint her (really, it's more akin to treachery if you think about it) in so many ways (from sleeping with Will, to all the drastic decisions she made, like stealing clients to go to a new firm) and no other candidates so far seem on par with Diane's expectations for a successor. She and Cary aren't agreeing on much either. I feel worried for her, as she seems to be more and more isolated lately. I want more insight into Diane's situation.

- They made a point to mention the state's attorney in this episode... Are we to assume it's Frank Prady? I don't expect they'll have him back on anytime soon, but that makes things interesting.

What did you think of this week's episode? Start a discussion below in the comments!

About the Author - Wilson Crawford

I watch way too much television. But nevermind that, something's on. Currently obsessed with The Good Wife, The 100, and Hannibal (RIP). Other favorites include Damages, Breaking Bad, 30 Rock, Mad Men, and Veronica Mars.

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