Recap: The Good Wife: Undisclosed Recipients – Season 6 Episode 17

All Options are open to me, and I plan to decide in 48 hours…

That was the mantra that flowed repeatedly like the daily incoming tides of what was just an hour’s worth of TV. Yes, I’m talking about Sunday night’s broadcast of The Good Wife which was as designated Season 6 Episode 17 or Undisclosed Recipients.

I think we can best describe this episode as a farce, a legal farce, not wrapped in the robes of the judiciary, but instead dressed up as everyone’s most inner thoughts. Which should never, ever, be committed to history and perpetuity via the deus ex machina otherwise known as e-mail.

Why is Diane Lockart not smiling?

Doors didn’t open and then slam shut over and over, but people did storm off. Instead we heard the sounds or at least the visualization of chests being expanded in high dudgeon again and again. Yes, as is often said, art imitates life. Only in this episode, it was art imitating art. Eli Gold, played wonderfully by Alan Cumming, did the best impression to date of the robot C3PO from long ago and far away in the film Star Wars.

Ed Asner was once again on hand as Guy Redmayne – everyone’s rich uncle with a mind forever in the sewer. Running a close second was Jerry Adler, as Howard Lyman, one of the alta-cockers still at the firm, with his old man’s crush on Kalinda Sharma. Speaking of Kalinda, wasn’t it nice to see her character in action once more, rather than obsequious Kalinda under Lemond Bishop’s thumb for the past few weeks.

As for Mr. Bishop. He approached the new State Attorney – yes, Alicia did win the election – stating that he wanted to step away from his ‘business’ to take better care of his son. Because he had contribution mucho dollars to an election PAC, that he had set up,  he now wanted some consideration from the new State Attorney in the form of not pursuing charges against him stemming from his ‘business’ and to call off Deputy SA Geneva Pike’s investigation. Alicia said she’d be able to offer no charges in exchange for Lemond offering testimony against his former lieutenants. Lemond, the role is handled by Mike Colt,  demurred angrily, flashing teeth so glaringly white, that one would consider donning sunglasses when talking with this man.

Alicia sans sunglasses talks with Lemond Bishop

But he was not the only one requesting something from Alicia – Guy Redmayne wanted Alicia to name Redmayne’s man as her Deputy – a quid pro quo for his campaign contributions. Alicia had someone else in mind – Finn Polmar.

The outgoing State Attorney named James Castro wanted a smooth transition. He asked Alicia to not look backward but to look forward. Alicia stated that she didn’t think she should sweep any of his misdeeds under the carpet as a courtesy.

So before she had even handled even one case as State Attorney, or had even entered her new office,  Alicia had apparently angered three men – Bishop, Redmayne, and Castro – all of who had stormed off in a huff, with or without a compensatory door slam. Of course Redmayne called Eli Gold and demanded an adjustment. He wanted Eli Gold to explain the facts of life, or rather how the world of political contributions were repaid in the 21st century.

Eli arrived at Alicia’s office – all regal and puffed up, lacking only ermine robes – and laid it out for Alicia. Never ever tell them NO upfront. Tell them what they want to hear with a built in delay and stall delivered simultaneously.

You now have the source of All Options are open to me and I plan to decide in 48 hours or so.

So Lemond Bishop, James Castro, and Guy Redmayne all returned and were greeted with a smile and a friendly look. Alicia changed her tone and gave them the mantra. Which went a long way towards molification.

Meanwhile Alicia’s firm, Florrick, Agos, & Lockhart was in the process of negotiating with Alicia who would have to divest herself of her partnership and financial connections with them. Of course that was contentious too.

The partners stare down with Alicia

Yes, the show is about lawyers so there was an ongoing case too. A file sharing service was being sued by a movie outfit for copyright infringement because they had made the movie available online via download before the film had even been released. The movie company claimed diminished box office. Of course this case would spin in multiple directions and the suit would be changed to brand tarnishment. Which lead to Florrick, Agos, and Lockhart being hacked and hundreds, make that thousands of disturbing ugly emails would be made public.

Of course this would be a disaster for Alicia as well as Diane Lockhart, Howard Lymon, Cary Agos, David Lee, Julius, and almost every one else working at Florrick, Agos & Lockhart – so instead of winning a huge cash settlement, the firm would have to settle for no money and then and only then would the hacking stop.

Agos smiles – something not seen recently

Of course, the firm would have to invest in brand new computers, servers, mobile phones plus the necessary IT to get that all done and up and running. This would of course severely impact the amount of money they could give Alicia in her buyout package.

Alicia by now, had thoroughly absorbed Eli’s lessons about stalling and never ever giving a direct no – a non answer was always better – said to her former partners and friends – that she would consider the offer. Fade out.

I though this was a major improvement over the last few episodes. Some it was a of course farcical, but we all could see that the intent was to throw a lightness over the whole pool of ugliness which had surfaced. Of course we now have the possibility of Finn and Alicia working together, which could and probably will lead to something extra-curricular, and we still need a resolution to Bishop, Redmayne, and Castro. I can hardly wait.