‘The Good Wife’ finale recap: Is this the end?

Oh “Good Wife”-ers. I am so sad. It’s the end of an era. Not only that, I had the feeling last week that I was going to be disappointed with Sunday night’s series finale of my favorite law procedural, and I was right. I’m really wrestling with my feelings on this—which I know is exactly what Robert and Michelle King wanted (those finks).

They went and ripped the bandage off and now the scab is burst open and there’s blood everywhere. I fully admit that I’ve never gotten over Will’s death, and somehow I did not see his appearance Sunday night coming. It was nearly as shocking to me as his death. I should have seen it coming; we’ve had visits from everyone else in Alicia’s history, so why not the person who was most important to her? Yet I had no idea.

It gutted me. He shows up right in the cold open too, after Lucca tells Alicia to decide who she’d rather see when she comes home at night. We’re still dealing with Peter’s big case, whether or not he’s guilty of corruption, and whether he’ll take Fox’s ever-changing plea deal. He decides to take the latest deal from the last episode: two years jail time, until the jury comes back not with a verdict, but with a question. They want to hear the 911 call from the night of the crime—which means they’re more interested in the original crime than in Peter’s corruption charge. This could bode well for Peter.

Judge Cuesta allows the call to be heard in court, and they discover a weird rattling sound on the tape. Brilliant Jason determines that the sound is a ring tone (who would want a ring tone like that?), which means there was someone else in the room when the victim was shot. That other person turns out to be Younger’s Sutton Foster (gotta get those Broadway-star cameos in one last time), which proves this case has another lead the sloppy state’s attorney’s office didn’t follow up on.

When Alicia and Jason approach Cary for help with this, he refuses, but it convinces him to see what’s happening in the courtroom, and he decides that the truth is more important—truth not just of what Peter did at the time, but of the original murder trial. Jason mentioning the metal detectors outside the evidence room also helps. Cary approaches Matan once more about the missing bullets, remembering how the police had “pitted evidence” in the past, and the two decide to look for them. And whaddaya know, there they are, in the evidence room, “accidentally” misplaced.

Both Kurt McVeigh and Holly Westfall test the bullets, but it’s not good news (despite Diane’s strange, silly assumption that “definitive” means good news for her). The bullets were from Locke’s gun, which means Peter would have reason to hide them. So does that mean Peter is actually guilty? I believed in his innocence, but now I wonder. Is he really just a good liar (as so many politicians are)?

Alicia wants to put Kurt back on the stand in support of Peter, but Diane refuses. She doesn’t want to besmirch Kurt’s honesty, which I understand and appreciate, but it feels more a response to that guilty scene she exhibited last week where she apologized to Kurt for making him take the stand then. I’d think he’d have been in worse situations before now. He shouldn’t need that much protecting and coddling. Problem is, Fox jumps Peter’s team completely by calling Kurt to the stand himself.

Diane and Alicia both quote legal promises by reminding each other of their obligation to “zealously fight for their client.” But is Alicia actually the lawyer here? Seems to me she’s the client, not the lawyer in this case, so she should listen to her lawyer: Diane. Yes, it’s possible Diane is too swayed by her relationship to her husband to see the clear path, but it’s not Alicia’s place to go over Diane’s head—not to mention what it clearly does to their future partnership. But Alicia does so anyway, pitting wife against wife, and asking Lucca to cross-examine Kurt.

It turns super ugly, as Lucca not only tears down Kurt’s original testimony, but also asks whether Kurt had an affair with Holly! We never hear the answer to that question, but presumably he had—especially since he doesn’t immediately say no (perhaps I’m naïve, but I’d think if he didn’t have an affair, he’d be incensed that they asked and would immediately refute it). Did Alicia really ask Lucca to go down that particular path? Did she have any idea that was coming? What was she trying to prove? Just anything for her husband—whom she no longer wants to be married to? Is it really worth it?

What’s especially disappointing in all this is Peter ultimately decides to take the latest deal from Fox, which Alicia somehow got down to one year’s probation, no jail time—surprising, considering how convinced Fox is of Peter’s guilt. But taking the deal means all that trial time was wasted. We never find out how the jury decides, and all the ugliness has seemingly little payoff. Peter is still guilty, and his career over.

So Alicia and Peter have come full circle: just like the series opener, Peter admits his corruption and heads off to jail as Alicia stands dutifully (more or less) by his side. Except this time she leaves him standing alone on stage, reaching for her hand, when she thinks she sees Jason in the wings. I feel so badly for Peter in this moment, more than I ever have in all seven seasons. What’s worse, as much as Alicia tries to find Jason to tell him that she wants to be with him (thanks to Will’s ghost finally letting Alicia go), he’s nowhere to be found. For whatever reason, he removed himself from the picture—even after Alicia asked him to wait for her. What a stereotypically-male jerk. That stuff has bothered me the last few weeks: Jason being all worried about what Alicia wants when he’s the one who didn’t want to be tied down. What kind of game is he playing? Now he makes her decision for her and refuses her an opportunity to change it.

Anyway, he’s gone, so Alicia’s alone again. But here’s the worst part: in another reflection of the opening scene of the series, when Alicia and Peter have come off stage after his admitting his wrongdoing and Alicia gives Peter the slap heard round the courthouse, this time it’s Alicia on the receiving end of that slap, with Diane delivering it. Alicia’s shaken, understandably, but pulls herself together to go back to the press. She still has big things in store, presumably running for another office (how is she not still scandalized from her last run?), since Eli convinced Peter’s donors to transfer their money to support Alicia. But this amazing friendship, this mentorship and partnership that has weathered so much, is now dead, because Alicia made it personal. Was it worth it?

I’m so disappointed in this series finale. I’m struggling. There’s no written rule that says series finales have to have a happy ending, and I get that. But Alicia is essentially left with nothing. What are the Kings ultimately trying to say (I confess I’ve read nothing about it yet; I’m just working from my gut here)? That women should not be so blinded by responsibility or career as to ignore family and friends? That Alicia deserves to be alone and friendless after all she’s been through and all she’s learned? It still doesn’t feel like the end, because there are too many questions, and too much remaining unsaid. Is this really the end of the story as the Kings wanted to tell it?

Before we depart, a few closing thoughts on the episode:

• Why did Grace really feel she needed to postpone college for a year? How about postponing for a week? It feels a bit martyr-y to me. And does she still want to go into law?
• I love the tête-à-tête between Alicia and Fox: whenever he tries to manipulate her into stereotypical feminine behavior, like playing on her emotions or insisting she put family first, she responds by openly calling him on it and tearing the stereotype down. It’s awesome.
• While I’m saddened and hurt by the return of Will — yes, just seeing him on my screen again is heart wrenching — I love those fantasy turns. Like fan fiction come to life, the characters and audience can see “what if,” even though it isn’t really happening in the story. It’s one of the best things about this brilliant show.

So how do you feel, Good Wife-ers? Are you as upset by this finale as I am? Or are you pleased with it? Do you have a different interpretation from mine? Were you hoping for a happy ending too? However you feel about the show, I thank you for taking this journey with me.

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