The Good Wife 3x10: Parenting Made Easy

Original Air Date: 4 December 2011

Storyline: Skin DeepA routine arbitration turns into a battle of wills between Alicia and Louis Canning, but the pair makes an unexpected connection when a personal crisis interrupts the proceedings.Review: There were many reasons for me to love this episode. For one, it was maybe the most emotional one yet, as far as I remember. It also brought back Micheal J. Fox in his recurring role as brilliant lawyer Louis Canning, whom Alicia had confronted before in what always were great and entertaining trials. On the other hand, it ended with a decision which I'm not sure was the best one for Alicia or for Will and, most of all, it brought on a piece of drama which, for a show thriving from its believable, real plots, made me thing I was watching something else entirely. So I have conflicting feelings about this week's installment.

But let's take everything one step at a time. It looks like the mixture of personal and professional took Alicia on the verge of a nervous breakdown that would have made Almodóvar write yet another script about neurotic women. Which is why, went Grace went AWOL for an hour, she thought of the worst: kidnapping, especially with Lockhart/Gardner involved in the white supremacists Donald Pike's killing of Colin Sweeney. Sometimes, things get too much for a working mother and Canning's offer to come work for his "parent friendly" firm might have arrived at the right moment. But instead of making this decision - of leaving the firm that raised her, Alicia's decision was to leave Will. Most unfortunate for the fans of this couple and for the show's dynamics, which only had to gain from the short but intense moments of passion.
I saw this breakup coming ever since the last couple of episodes; Alicia didn't seem as involved as Will, who was actually willing to put himself on the line in order to maintain the affair. I wasn't happy about it, of course, since I'm not a big fan of the will-they-won't-they drama and I don't get why it's so entertaining for most of the viewers, especially when the show is not about romance at all. But I was most unhappy about the way it came, forced by circumstances that were not even remotely believable. Do teenagers do stuff and go places without telling their parents? Sure. But these are never paired up with some extremist running around free and what seemed even more unbelievable was Grace not telling her religious friend Shannon that she was going to be baptized.
With all of this emotional turmoil happening, I was surprised the writers found the time to squeeze in a case and even more surprised to see Eli get a minor plot as well. Both of these storylines were entertaining, but was it a little too much going on?
The case not only involved the return of Louis Canning and his job offer to Alicia, but also that of the Marthas and Caitlins war, as the two former Lockhart/Gardner junior associates candidates dueled in an arbitrary court in a case that also saw Jennifer Carpenter guest star as a Republican and religious professor with very strict ideas. A role quite unusual for the Dexter alum. The dispute was actually pretty entertaining as it gave us a more self assured Caitlin, who is becoming quite the litigator under Alicia's guidance. 
As for Eli's short arc, he continued in his depression and was advised by Diane to socialize; he may be brilliant, but that won't get him anywhere if he doesn't make friends inside the firm, who could get him clients. So sharing a glass of scotch with Will didn't seem like a bad idea, especially since both of them might get what they wanted out of it - Eli some clients and Will insight into Peter's corruption investigation.
I'd just like to conclude by saying that Grace is not my favorite character right now. She never was, what with her religiousness and all, but she is becoming more and more annoying by the minute. One thing I'm glad about: things might get on the right track for Alicia and Kalinda; I've missed their friendship and I'm glad to see at least one of them is taking the steps necessary to mend fences.
The Good Wife 3x09: Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Back to Season 3