The Good JDM
This guy is very good at smiling at you as if you're the only person in the room. Of course, in this moment, Alicia WAS the only person in the room, because Grace manages to be home all day when she should be in school and then missing at night when Alicia is drinking wine, getting smiled at very slowly by a hot man, and then inviting him in for a drink. (As far as I know, nothing happened. Alicia certainly didn't call me with details. I assume she and Olivia Pope are busy planning the next episode of Blabernet Sauvignon, their podcast all about trying to walk in the light.)
The Good JDM
I also enjoy how he looks while pensive. Don't worry, he has parked his car. He is not driving and talking on his cell AND thinking all at the same time.
The Good JDM
Delicious. He has so much charisma. I mean, I stuck with Grey's Anatomy while Izzie was having GHOST SEX, and the only reason I didn't leave is because it was ghost sex with HIM and he is hella watchable.
The Good JDM
Now I'm just being gratuitous and undisciplined.
The Good JDM
I mean, look at him. That hair? That hair shouldn't work. Right? It shouldn't. It looks like it was very recently caught by surprise. And yet.
The Good JDM
In these two episodes, he a) helps crack a billing scam and recovers money for Alicia's client that they thought was gone forever, though he may have used some intimidation to get it; and b) inspires more of Alicia's mistrust because she digs around into that whole judge-punching thing and is told -- by the judge -- that JDM is a classic sociopath. He makes a very convincing argument that JDM seems normal and even very cool and but can BLOW AT ANY MOMENT, like a human Vesuvius. But eyewitnesses claim nothing much happened. It's all shrouded in mystery. Alicia never seemed to care that much about Lemond Bishop, or even about any of Kalinda's hinky methods, so I can only conclude that her paranoia about this is a signal that she is into him. But feels uncomfortable riding the S.S. Denny Duquette if he's in danger of murdering her in her bed.
The Good JDM
He even looks good in his mug shot, though. Also, i can't believe it took Alicia this long to Google him. And I REALLY can't believe it took Grace this long to Google him. AND FINALLY: The Daily New Jerseyan? No.
The Good Diane
Business as usual for Diane: She's fabulous.
The Good Diane
Also, Diane is mixing patterns. I don't know if it's a dress or separates, but I like it. All those squiggles may reflect the fact that she's grappling with Howard Lyman in this hour. He wants to sue them for ageism -- and is at constant loggerheads with Cary -- and so presents lots of evidence, like a pair of adult diapers with his name scrawled on them, which he claims were left at his desk. It's not clear whether he's setting them up or this really happened, but Diane ultimately makes them all apologize to Howard and go along with whatever he needs in order to avoid a lawsuit. Cary basically just gets to walk around looking frustrated and then collect his paycheck.
The Good Diane
However, the scene in which everyone has to a) occlude their vision, b) plug a nostril, and c) walk with pebbles in their shoes -- all to simulate being very old, like Howard, as part of sensitivity training -- is a riot. In that outfit, though, Diane still manages to look elegant in 3D glasses and a nostril plug.
The Good Diane
It's okay, Diane. You truly never lost your dignity, but if putting on the chain necklace makes you feel more like YOURSELF... no argument here. Breathe in, breathe out.
The Good Diane
This necklace was WHAAAT. It's heavy and it's a punch in the eye, and it's DEEPLY symbolic: While she wears it, she gets shouted down on the hiring of a young African-American woman to fill one of their associate spots, in favor of the three white Ivy League males that David Lee -- and I think Cary? -- feels are more qualified. She fights, she loses, she feels guilty. So she calls the girl to her office and tells her that while her qualifications came up short, Diane would be happy to help or be an advisor. The girl essentially tells her to piss off, and has a trick up her sleeve: She video-taped her interviews with Howard (cluelessly, casually inappropriate, as usual), David Lee (more open about how she's not their usual type), Cary (who comes across well-meaning but bumbling), and then finally Diane's rejection. She posts it on YouTube as an indictment of LAL's diversity or lack thereof, and... look, I get it, but also, what future employer is going to bring this person in for an interview, or anything else, if they're pretty sure she's surreptitiously taping everything?
The Good Diane
So Diane puts on an aggressively confused blazer and some SILVER jewelry -- unusual for her, but it matches her nails, so points for that -- and tries to make nice with Monica (the girl). But she makes the mistake of likening her own experience as a woman coming up through the ranks to Monica's experiences with discrimination, and Monica DOES NOT appreciate it. She makes an allusion to how Diane's decision whether or not to sleep her way to the top was a CHOICE, whereas Monica didn't CHOOSE to be looked at askance and/or dismissed due to the color of her skin. Diane, uncharacteristically, is left sputtering. And is probably lucky Monica wasn't taping this. I only mention any of that because, well, there's always a chance it'll come up again. LAL is getting pretty well hammered. By which I mean pummeled, although everyone is also probably getting drunk.
The Good Lucca
I'm guessing Lucca is going through a real Scarlet Pimpernel phase, or else she wouldn't have taken a linen napkin and tried to turn it into a cravat.
The Good Alicia
Let us all stand back and admire Alicia's sleeves, though. A tailored suit that ends up having belled sleeves is VERY unusual for our Mrs. Florrick. I like it. Perhaps JDM is opening her up like a flower.
The Good Alicia
Basically everyone on TV has these glasses now. I think it's filling a network quota.
The Good Lucca
I LOVE Lucca's little cropped jacket. She's been a bit more muted since joining Alicia's living-room firm, but that's good. Also, yes, that's Christine Lahti, playing opposing counsel. She was good, but it all starts to feel the same after a while: Lahti and Rita Wilson feel the same; Mamie Gummer feels similar to Elsbeth Tascioni***; Louis Canning and Martha Plimpton are of a piece; etc.
*** My point in this comparison was just that they're both women who give off a vibe of not having it as together as they obviously do, but the point in the comments is well taken that Elsbeth can't help being like that, whereas Mamie does it by design to make people overlook her so that she can twist the knife. So in THAT sense she IS more like the others, but there was something in the basic construction of the character that intitially reminded me of Elsbeth. Who obviously is the best and I love her.
The Good Lucca
Another good Lucca dress. I like this actress a LOT, but the cases have been so flat this season, so she hasn't had a ton to do. This one was SO BORING. It was all about college financial aid and such. I think part of the issue is that this feels like Alicia's bajillionth career reboot, and yet all it entailed was her rolling her eyes at bond court for a few weeks before abandoning it. It's all a bit half-hearted. Give Cush Jumbo's Lucca some heavier lifting.
The Good Ladies
"Yes. Alicia DID get the better outfit. TRUST ME. I NOTICED."
The Good Wine
And then Alicia opened the door to Jeffrey Dean Morgan, bearing their client's money and a grin, and ended up inviting him in, and I'm sure we're all relieved she was wearing something cute when it happened. But what of their flirty agreement to have a drink in her inner sanctum? No idea. No one else was in the room when it happened... I want to be in the room where it happens.
The Good Fraud
This was entertaining, and I'm not just talking about Alicia's hat. Peter decides to announce that he's running for president, and wants to announce in the same place Obama did. But for a variety of reasons, that can't happen, so they end up building a set inside to make it LOOK like they're outside -- in a Chicago winter, so THERE is your time frame; WHY ISN'T GRACE IN SCHOOL? -- when in fact they are sweltering and sweating and using extras and campaign aides to feign a crowd. They even have a bunch of electric fans taped to the dais to cool Peter's body while he gives his speech, and he and Alicia are amusingly miserable about this together. They do have a good rapport, even though it's still impossible for me to root for her to get back with Peter. I'm still nervous that's where this show is going, in the end.
The Good Eli
Alan Cumming is great. Eli has lots of aneurysms in these two hours, mostly because he still wants vengeance against Peter. And he thinks he's getting it when Landau -- the guy who booted Alicia from the SA's job -- agrees to introduce Peter. Eli gets Christopher McDonald (the judge from bond court) to find proof that Landau tampered with the voting machines in Alicia's election, but all Chris can find is proof that PETER asked for Landau to do it. Ergo, taking down Landau ruins Peter, and by extension, Alicia.
He does, however, find Margo Martindale in greater need of cooperation with him because of the degree to which Peter now needs Alicia. So that's something. AND he seems to notice the painted set behind Alicia at the announcement. Hold off on the exploding brain, Eli. You'll find a way to plot another day.
The Good Arnold
I just wanted you all to know that Dan Lauria appeared briefly, as the friend of Jackie Florrick's who got Howard Lyman his account for LAL. Cary was assigned to the first meeting and they treat him like a crazy klepto, which forces him to deduce that Howard Lyman discredited him with them just to be a jerk. Cary vs. Howard is not especially compelling TV, I have to say. It brings out the worst in both of them.
The Good NSA
Oh, and ALSO, the NSA is back on Alicia's case. Same music cue over part of the scene and everything. Basically, through one of Alicia's cases, she gets back in touch with an Edward Snowden-type (played again by Zach Woods, of Silicon Valley/The Office/Playing House/everything) she once represented, and this pings her old nemeses at the NSA. They're THRILLED to be eavesdropping on her again, and honestly... first another career reboot, and now another NSA eavesdropping scandal? Did they forget to put new things on the Wheel of Stories before they spun it this year?
The Good Cary
Oh, Cary. This scene was funny, but am concerned this show has NO PLANS for what to do with you this year.
Also, it's the tie so nice...
The Good Tie
... he wore it twice, albeit in another color. Let's please make Cary the new Lemond Bishop. He already nearly got sent up the river for it once. Might as well DO IT this time. It has to be more interesting than glowering at conference tables every week.
The Bad Tie
I just do not believe Cary Agos would buy that tie, though. I feel as though I'm being lied to here. I have no room for your necktie of deceit, Cary. Do not lie to us through Windsor knots.