The Good JDM
Imagine coming home and seeing this man casually leaning against your doorframe, reading, exuding leather and MAN. Do you need smelling salts?
The Good Spectacles
AND THEN. Imagine he is gazing appreciatively at you while you do something otherwise mundane, like open a bottle of wine, or cook dinner, or put your hair in a ponytail, or folding a napkin into a little boat. Because, whatever, sometimes you do that.
The Good Work
And then you and Jeffrey Dean Morgan and his glasses can spend time bent over a laptop discussing the rigors of the day and watching YouTube clips of old episodes of Passions. BEFORE IGNITING YOURS.
The Good Bookshelf
But also, you interview work prospects together very thoroughly and sensitively in your well-appointed wood-paneled library. Before knocking everything off the desk and knocking boots.
Just in case: Obviously, none of that happened with him and Alicia. YET. They just worked together on a case, and we found out that JDM used to be a lawyer but was disbarred after punching a judge. "Do I need to worry about you?" Alicia half-joked. "Yes," he said, and probably meant it on lots of levels. SEX LEVELS.
Where did this room come from, though? Alicia put her office in Zach's old bedroom last season. Peter hasn't lived there in a while, so it's not like he had a home office she couldn't touch prior to now, right? Did she order up a bunch of built-ins on her $135-per-case bond court spoils?
The Good Autumn
Not caring about the intricacies of some of these plots is so FREEING. Diane, this week, is basically suffering for having gotten in bed with Oliver Platt last season -- the reason Alicia was booted from the firm, and now, a guy who's holding them hostage to his billings by making her argue cases she wouldn't ordinarily.
And Diane copes with this by trying half the case in this ode to fall colors. To the thanks she is not giving. I think... from some angles this jacket was badass. But straight-on, I'm not sure it's my jam. The hook-and-eye closures that don't quite shut it all the way, for instance. Not always my favorites.
The Good Louis
But, BLESS YOU, Diane: She's up against Mr. Canning, and when he tries to elicit sympathy by fumbling with his medication, Diane coolly walks over and opens it for him without missing a beat. Love it. Also, Louis is jazzing up his suits, of which I approve. He also gets some physical comedy, whereby he makes a big show of fumbling with his canes in front of the judge. Basically, he and Pregnant Martha Plimpton are the same character on this show: using their circumstance to try and get a leg up. It's not as funny when it feels like the same trick being regurgitated at us over and over again.
The Good Jacket
NO JEWELRY? IS SHE FEELING WELL?!?
The Good Eyebrows
Please imagine this is the promotional poster for their spin-off show. Peter Gallagher here is playing the slimy liaison to Oliver Platt, but the two of them get to do a lot of smarming (him) and disapproving (her) and if I didn't know she was happily married to Gary Cole FOREVER AND EVER then I would be worried the two of them might knock it. Also, her lipstick matches her... laptop case, or whatever that is. ALSO, a brooch. So she's not entirely without her usual dose of Lockhart. (I guess she DID have a triple-strand of pearls earlier, so maybe the middle outfit was just a victim of rationing.)
The Good Speckling
Another week, another episode about how bond court is a place where intellect goes to die, another cute pattern for Lucca Quinn.
The Good Sparkle
In this episode, some unsolicited advice from Alicia to other people's clients, coupled with her fighting hard for another of her own, has people asking to replace their bond court attorneys with her. By the end, Alicia loses because the mother of her client lied about not shoplifting and so the daughter -- the woman Alicia is defending -- cops a plea and takes the jail time to spare her. Alicia nurses her depression and a martini, and Lucca advises her that she pushes too hard and then -- after nearly biting her tongue for fear of Alicia taking this as a compliment -- says she cares too much. "Shake the trees for better-paying clients" out of bond court, is her advice. Alicia turns to her and says, "Want to do it together?"
They should shop together first, though. Great things could happen.
The Good Closet
Eli's office will never not be funny to me. It's hardly a revolutionary gambit, but Alan Cumming and Mary Beth Peil in this scene are truly great -- her blowing smoke about his office in a way that's clearly both barbed and polite; him responding by complimenting her makeover; her responding by stammering something insincere about his new haircut. All the while, both smiling. I just love them.
The Good Grams
She's glowing. This speaks highly for Howard Lyman's abilities.
The Good Eyeroll
Eli tries to play Jackie and Grace and even Alicia against Margo Martindale, in a way that makes Jackie and Grace feel like Margo's influence is deleting them from Peter's life. Jackie is ENRAGED about this, and Margo shutting the door on her -- leaving her outside EVERYONE'S offices except Eli's -- elicits this expression. She is a treat. A put-upon treat. I don't like this jacket as much as the other one, though. Closer up it looked kind of muddy. But I couldn't resist this shot of her being irritated.
The Good Ties
Eli got some lively neckwear this week.
The Good Tie II
I've decided they're all in reddish tones because he's on the ATTACK. His fangs are sharpened and he is out for blood.
The Good Noose
That necklace looks a little dangerous to me. Margo should avoid wearing anything Eli could grab and use to choke her, because he WILL have fits of murderous rage. It's just very likely.
The Good Victory
So, it looks like everything's coming up Eli -- everyone is mad at Margo -- until Margo susses it out, and then expertly kisses both Jackie's ass and Grace's. She sucks up to them so perfectly that by the end they're practically endorsing HER for vice president. A point to the lady.
The Good Officewear
I like this outfit on Alicia. It's typically crisp, although it does also have a slight Diane edge to it. The show really likes color-blocked blazers this year.
The Good Cary
Cary has nothing to do this week EXCEPT: He tries to tempt Alicia into doing them a favor with Oliver Platt's people, claiming that if she succeeds he'll be so delighted that he'll shower her with rose petals as she is carried back to her place in the firm on a litter toted by six Daniel Craig clones. It doesn't seem to work, but for his scheming, he does get a Lemond Bishop-worthy costume this week.
The Good Blouse
More prim office wear for Grace, although it's good on her. She needs a hair chop, though.
The Good Sweater
Oh, Grace. Sweet, preppy-as-hell Grace, who may have just come from playing racquetball at the country club. Why so blue? You're working instead of going to school.
The Good Proof
And, by the way, the twist in Alicia's case that leads her and JDM to security tapes reveals this: It's AT LEAST September 12. So, after Labor Day. Meaning that if Grace is still in high school, she ought to be back by now. If she's supposed to be in college, she's... not particularly doing much college. So WHAT IS THE DEAL. Somebody please clean up after this.