Short one for what feels like the beginning of whatever thing this show has been working towards this season: turns out the firm was so focused on reducing its debts that it missed out the moment it became massively profitable due to clients such as Bishop and Sweeney (this was a really nice reminder of HOW L&G makes its money, in case you forgot), also they seem to have snatched ChumHum at some point last episode which I feel like a point I missed. All moneyed up, they feel more hesitant to share the wealth with the future fourth year associates become partners, and since their contribution is no longer needed, there's a vote on keeping them out of their ranks for now - except some things you can't take back without any lasting damage.
Because while this vote is happening, you can already see Diane working through the repercussions in her head, and Will isn't even in the room! And Cary is already marvelling at the yacht magazine that came in the post, because it means they "gonna be rich". For now though, Will and Diane make the awesome decision to pit Alicia and Cary against the firm in a mock trial for a newly acquired client who feels nervous about letting a case that involves teenagers that died of his brand of caffeine-infused energy drinks go to a jury. Once both Alicia and Cary find out that their grand future dream of making partner has turned to dust, they do indeed "come at them hard", as Diane suggested, and totally win the mock case with the fury of the spurned, which costs the firm a lot of money. In their free time, they are also plotting a revolution over coffee and cake with the other fourth years, which is one of the funniest moments the show has ever had, because just imagine Cary leading a revolution! He suggests that they all meet the firm's clients to make the partners nervous about them leaving and taking the wealth along - which they do, both the dining and the getting nervous respectively, and the only thing (Will? Maybe?) can come up with to calm the situation is offer Alicia, and only Alicia, partnership.
It's a pretty great moment, because it's a critical point for Alicia Florrick. She was so angry at Diane and especially Will. She was so outraged over their betrayal. Cary seems so genuinely enthusiastic about their little project and even suggested they open their own firm, since they are responsible for L&G's most profitable clients anyway. And remember last time Alicia was given an opportunity but it involved taking one away from Cary Agos? Except back then, we were pretty sure Cary wouldn't even have hesitated if he had been in her shoes, and now, I'm not so sure any more (his "that's smart" indicated that there are maybe other things to consider here apart from smartness). Alicia takes the offer. She gets into the room, after four years of struggling, but David tells her (because of course David would be the one telling her, not Diane or will) it's maybe because Peter's about to become governor. Even if it isn't just about that, she'll always have her doubts, probably. The question - that Diane asked a couple of episodes ago, that was raised last season with the Martha/Caitlin story - is if it matters.
- Meanwhile, Elsbeth Tascioni faced down the DOJ and Kyle MacLachlan (!) for Eli Gold and proved once and for all that she is some kind of magical creature. The whole thing was like a fantasy cage match between an elf and... well, Kyle MacLachlan, which she finally won when she played everyone in the room, sending Eli into the office of accordion guy with a wire to get a confirmation that the DOJ had obtained its wire tap illegally. Pretty great stuff. For a moment it looked like Eli would set up Jordan (the new number one) but I guess his way back into Peter Florrick's heart goes straight through the DOJ.
- Cutely, once they've been given their budget for the mock trial, Alicia and Cary beg Kalinda to join them - which she only does once she gets a solid share of said budget (forcing them to buy a truly awful expert witness). Once again, The Good Wife is a show about friends who pay for services rendered (even though it's a free bonus from Kalinda which finally wins them the case).
- Alicia and Cary also very soon regretted their choice of fake grandmother, an actress who truly enjoyed having an audience for once. "I cry into the night, where are you my Bella?"
Alicia: You are not the injured party here.
Will: You are?
Alicia: I am. Yes.
- "We don't negotiate with terrorists!"
- The thing is that for the first time it really felt like Cary was very open about his grievances with L&G, and he seemed to trust Alicia enough to share them with her - which is unusual for someone who usually seems so cynical and utterly prepared for disappointments, realist that he is (or is he?). "I'm sick of waiting on other peoples, having them control our fates." So, what does it mean that Kalinda, almost off-screen, seemed to console him after they both watched Alicia becoming part of the upper class through the ever-transparent walls of L&G? (even though the only one of Kalinda's loyalties that I'm sure of is the one to Alicia, so I'm not sure what that was exactly). The one thing Cary did seem absolutely sure of was that you can't actually pull off the whole "changing the system from the inside" thing that Alicia immediately started talking about (but Cary, if anyone can - I mean, we've had seasons now of seeing Alicia adapt and become stronger and change in ways that nobody could have predicted, maybe we've now arrived at a point where the whole thing switches?).
- It seems significant that Alicia made this decision entirely by herself. She didn't ask Peter. She didn't tell the kids. She didn't speak to Will. Even more importantly, she didn't go for a drink with Kalinda.
It ends in a kiss, the first one in ages, and immediate regret (hilariously: "What are you thinking, you don't do that. What's wrong with you?") from both of them and panic because I'm assuming they both thought they were more over each other than they actually are. Also, what happens now that Will is no longer technically her boss? (even though the fact that he just promoted her to partner would cause just as big a scandal).
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