BWW Recap: A Step To The Right on THE GOOD WIFE

There will be some happy fans after tonight's episode of THE GOOD WIFE. No doubt there will be some unhappy ones too, given the subject matter - even if one of the show's rarely used viewer warnings was deployed in advance of 'Restraint'. The happiness will come from seeing Christine Baranksi get to own the hour, after a mostly Diane-lite start to the season (sorry Cary fans, maybe we'll get to you next week?!). Finally, Diane's got a great big, topical case to chew on, and that means we get some of those classic Diane lines we all wish we could convincingly deliver (like, oh say: "Why do I have to be so damn convincing!").

But the case is so topical, it's bound to make some viewers uncomfortable. I haven't had a chance to check Twitter yet, but I'll assume 'Restraint' has people talking. Though the Kings are damn clever sometimes, and I'm not sure people will know quite what to say. Yes, they've gone ahead and tackled the abortion debate, and yes, they've drawn to attention the sneaky tactics used by anti-choicers to misrepresent fetal tissue research (topical, topical, topical!), but by having our resident leftie, Diane, argue the case for the anti-choice side, most of the politics tonight are delivered with, well, restraint.

Nice, Neat Justification

See, Diane keeps getting caught up in the conservative crusades of her billionaire client R.D., who sends his minion Ethan to crusade on his behalf whenever he is too busy on another TV show. Diane is clearly challenged each time she's asked to argue against her beliefs, but she rises to each test, because she also believes in being challenged. And the law. Diane believes in the law, so tonight, when a doctor tries to stop the release of a damaging video recording, Diane steps in to defend free speech. She thinks the pro-choice movement can handle the pressure this tape would generate, but some of her clients don't agree. In fact, as the case progresses, Diane loses many of these clients, including Emily Gilmore Bea, one of her fellow Emily's List activists.

With Diane arguing the other side - because she believes in their case, without needing to believe in their cause - we get an interesting, opposite-day take on the abortion debate. And we get to see that the feminist adage still holds very true - the personal is political. The consequences tonight are Diane's. That one tape was only ever going to do as much damage as any other anti-choice propaganda might, but it does all the damage to Diane's reputation, and to the bottom line - her firm, which is how she got into this ... challenge ... in the first place.

Diane is married to a deeply conservative man. She's strong enough to disagree with him, but there are consequences to his beliefs being played out in the political space, just as, for him, there are consequences to hers. It's been an interesting story to watch develop over the years - and perhaps tonight's mass exodus of many of Diane's like-minded clients will be the impetus for her to examine just how much is too much consequence to bear.

The Mid-West Offices

Because it's opposite day on THE GOOD WIFE, while Diane is losing friends and clients, Grace Florrick is winning them all over. Our often-troubled teen has found her calling - quite literally, it turns out. When she is tasked with cold-calling clients for the fledgling Florrick Quinn legal firm, she quickly works out that momentum is everything. After some crafty thinking around recorded office sounds (hmmmm, sneaky is not always as sneaky does), Grace manages to score meetings with many of those clients who are now unhappy with Diane.

Grace's mom is kinda snooty to her throughout the episode, mostly because she's distracted by Louis Canning's attempt to steal Lucca, and then her counter attempt, with Lucca, to steal the clients he offered up as bait. She's also a bit distracted by the thought of Jason smouldering around Lockhart, Agos and Lee when he should only be working his four billable hours for her. Alicia learns her lesson though, when Grace puts in her timesheet. Four new clients = a $35K bonus for Grace. Cash or cheque.

The kid has got it going on right now!

Two Fish In A Tank

Eli, however, is tanking. He's gone all smitten kitten over Courtney, because she's Vanessa Williams someone he respects and admires, who just also happens to be Vanessa Williams gorgeous. Last week, Alan Cumming was my MVP for the heart he brought to Eli Gold. This week, he's close behind Ms. Baranski as the best part of the hour, though it's as much for humor as heart. Cumming is such a brilliantly physical actor; he does Eli as nervous suitor so well tonight that it's both funny and achingly endearing to watch.

The reward is that Courtney is open to Eli's advances. Even if he has an office the size of her bathroom, and far less money, and thinks she's a socialist for wanting to raise the minimum salary for all her staff to $75k. Even so. Sometimes there are happy little endings on THE GOOD WIFE. Little ones. Small advances. Sometimes everything looks to be going a certain, good way.

Which is precisely why we should expect another disaster, and soon.

What did you think of 'Restraint'? Do you think Florrick Quinn will get to keep Diane's clients? Are we perhaps heading for Florrick, Lockhart and Quinn before the end of the year?

Image Credit: CBS

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