‘The Good Wife’ recap: Is there any defense against reputation?

My goodness, Good-Wife-ers! I can’t believe it’s almost the end. There’s only one episode left in our favorite law procedural, and it doesn’t feel like it. Things don’t feel like they’re tying up, and now I’m afraid the finale will end on an enormous, disappointing cliffhanger. But they’re not guilty yet. Let’s talk about the episode at hand first.

So we finally meet the infamous Lloyd Garber — and it’s a bit anticlimactic. He’s on the stand, testifying against Peter, his supposed friend, but it’s clear Connor Fox trained him on what to say to inflict the most damage. Diane does her best to represent Peter, especially with Judge Cuesta (David Paymer) on the bench and everyone knowing he doesn’t like Peter. It’s a bit surprising that he would be chosen to preside over this case when his opinion of Peter seems common knowledge. But he’s obliged to be professional and not show any bias.

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Fox makes another plea-deal offer to Alicia: eight years in prison (what happened to the three years they were talking about before?). He knows Peter is guilty, and tells Alicia so, but she insists that he prove it. What a concept! It doesn’t matter what you think you know, where’s the proof? Hard as they try, it’s not quite there yet. But Fox says he has a secret witness.

This terrifying new witness is Geneva Pine (Renée Elise Goldsberry, taking a break from Broadway’s “Hamilton”). What could she know that is so damning? Apparently, her coworkers signed affidavits claiming that she and Peter had a very long affair, and that she’s now out to get Peter because he broke up with her. Pitiful. I am amazed that people are taking this at face value. How can they believe it? I know Peter has a terrible reputation, especially where women are concerned, but this seems preposterous to me. I think there would have been some hint or tiny indication at some point if there were even the slightest bit of truth to it, but the only thing we’ve seen while he was her boss is animosity, and I don’t see that turning into sexual tension. Plus, she had been sleeping with that detective back when Cary was on trial. She’s also too strong, too awesome a character to play the part of the spurned lover.

Louis Canning, looking out for his client, Cary, tells Alicia that Geneva is lying. This again goes against Geneva’s character: What could she possibly gain from committing perjury? The defense team tries to prove the falseness of her testimony by going after her motive, but Peter’s reputation is too damaged.

Diane asks Kurt to take the stand and explain his preliminary findings. He hesitantly agrees, and Lucca cross-examines him. But Fox retaliates by putting Kurt’s sexy blond student, Holly Westfall, on the stand to destroy Kurt’s testimony. Diane and Lucca object on the grounds of hearsay, because Holly wasn’t there, but the judge allows it. Makes no sense to me. Lucca asks Holly another question that clears Kurt of wrongdoing, but Diane regrets putting Kurt through it and later begs his forgiveness. Uncharacteristic weakness from Diane.

The major fallout from Holly’s testimony is that it makes Cary a scapegoat, something the defense promised not to do. He and Canning are angry about it, and tell the jury as much, though I don’t think it’s really the defense’s fault. It feels more to me like the writers needed a reason for Cary to be in the episode. He’s been mostly absent this whole season.

I still don’t get why Fox is so hellbent on taking Peter down. I’m probably too naïve and too trusting, but I believe Peter when he says he learned from being in prison and wants to do his best to run a clean office, be it as state’s attorney or as governor.

That’s why it also seems like a no-brainer when Peter insists that Diane put him on the stand. The evidence against him sounded strong last week too, until they asked Peter what happened. His explanation makes perfect sense to me. I have no reason to think he would lie, and I believe he’s learned from serving time.

As the case goes on, Alicia plays the dutiful wife, holding Peter’s hand and doing her best to convince the watching, judging jury that she’s standing by him. This doesn’t sit well with Jason, whether he admits it or not. He does a little work for Alicia at her request, but then feels he needs to stop and will see her after the case. Lucca tries to get Jason to admit that he’s in love with Alicia, but he won’t. Jason also thinks that if Peter is convicted, Alicia will never divorce him and that Jason will lose her. Yet he also won’t admit that he wants her. He really needs to make a decision and, as Lucca says, “stop playing it cool.”

Meanwhile, David Lee is back, listening to Gilbert and Sullivan again (bringing back an old reference with a telling song choice) and being a general nuisance, as usual. After a ridiculously surreal incident in which construction workers tear apart the offices, mistaking them for the expanding 18th-floor law firm, Diane decides to enlarge her new women-partnered firm and David threatens to sue her for discrimination. I still don’t understand why he agreed to vote with Diane on the firm in the first place. Is it just me or has the writing gotten a little sloppy with situations like this?

As Alicia and Peter discuss the case, Peter seriously considers taking Fox’s latest plea deal: two years. He’s afraid his reputation will destroy him, despite his impressive turn on the witness stand. But before he can fully decide, the jury is back. Aaaaand, fade to black. No answer for us yet! Of course.

So what do you think, Good Wife-ers? Could Peter go to jail again? And if he does, will it mean Alicia won’t divorce him, as Jason thinks? Could Jason and Alicia have a happy ending? Or will the series come full circle, with Alicia standing by her man despite her own happiness? I don’t see that happening, but you never know.

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