MovieChat Forums > The Good Wife (2009) Discussion > So I just started season 6

So I just started season 6

posted 8 years ago by justabitofeverythingplease
8 replies | jump to latest

On netflix and S7 isn't on there yet. I was kind of done when Will died. It was so sudden, did the actor want out (I'd understand) or wth happened? I'm assuming he didn't die irl because I'm guessing they would have written stuff differently about that. Alicia to me, I dunno, why is this show called 'the good wife?'? I don't like Alicia. I like Diane, I liked Will, I like Cary, I like Eli, I like Kalinda to some point (she's a good investigator but such a sl-t sleeping with people just for her own gains), I even like the kids and the cheating husband and the annoying mother and mother-in-law! And the Michael J Fox character. But Alicia, no, I don't like her one bit.
So here I am, ready to be spoiled. Because I will have to wait for the final season and I don't care enough to evade any spoilers.

[–] !!!deleted!!! (5715013) 8 years ago

I was kind of done when Will died.

I agree with you that Will's death kind of ruined the show for me. For years it had seemed like the whole point was that Alicia was going to ditch the dirtbag she married, and be with Will, like she should have been all along.

The actor just decided he wanted to do something else, which was his prerogative -- but it wasn't fair to the fans who had become vested in their relationship. The writers had no choice but to change all their plans, too. But I don't think it will spoil anything for you to say that Alicia is thinking of Will right up till the very end -- but by then, of course, it was too late to do anything differently.

And I also agree with you about Alicia. It was strange, when she was supposed to be the centre of the show, how many of us had just had enough of her and her dithering around and making bad decisions, to the point that we were watching to see everyone ELSE in the cast, and were just putting up with her.

[–] maibritt1988 8 years ago

Josh Charles, who plays Will got married and had a child on the way. He wanted to spent time with his new family. Originally he was supposed to leave by the end of the fourth season, but was persuaded to stay on, so his character could have a decent send off.
I had the same reaction as you. To me the show was Will and it felt wrong to watch it without him. Without spoiling anything I can say that you might want to watch season 7 ;) It seemed rushed and the writing is off, but stay with it to get your prize.

[–] rockart9-580-802499 8 years ago

Originally, the show was supposed to revolve around Alicia with Diane and Cary being the antagonist. But the actors for those characters did such a fantastic job that the writers soon had to find other antagonists. The show evolved into an ensemble.

Season 6 is probably my fave because of how Cary-centric it is. That being said... If you love Cary, prepare for a really stressful season. Lots of crying. But my god, Matt Czuchry did a really good job!

I think Alicia isn't supposed to be an easily-likeable character. She's complex. There are times when you want to cheer for her but times when she's a b*tch on wheels. But to be honest Alicia would be last on my list of likes.

Personally, I liked Cary of all of them, then Diane, Will, kalinda, Elisabeth Tascioni... even the judges.

As for kalinda, this character could have been more. I think there's so much to her character but the show never really touches on. We have a reason why she's so averse to relationships with how her relationship with Nick went. I think she's a broken person who tried to hide behind a facade of toughness. Unfortunately the writers have systematically reduced her to some mata hari type character. The only time we ever get some insight on her is in season 6 and how far she will go to save Cary. She really truly cares for him.

While you're at it... skip season 7 altogether.

[–] justabitofeverythingplease 8 years ago

Yeah I think Alicia is a good, realistic character but what I liked a lot about this show at first is how everyone just asked everyone why or how something happened, instead of assuming and then acting according an assumption and messing everything up more like soap opera's tend to do. But imo Alicia ends up being more of a soap opera character not wanting to share her fears and thoughts and that is what I think makes her make bad decisions. I do believe it fits with her character to some point. She is a public person and she doesn't want her 'dirty laundry' out there for everyone to see so she tries to keep private. I think that's what we're supposed to see, and not necessarily like Alicia but be at least be interested in where she ends up.

What I like the most about this show is how they sometimes bring back characters, like those judges with quirks ('in my opinion'!) but also Elsbeth Tascioni. But they don't overuse them so they keep being fun to watch.

I liked Kalinda in the beginning but the season where her husband shows up I got tired of her. Even in her scenes with just Nick, where she didn't have to pretend to her coworkers/friends, she still is ambiguous about what she wants and thinks and we still don't get insight. I mean, she can't let him go but she also can't stay with him but why and how never became clear so why should I care?

[–] rockart9-580-802499 8 years ago

I liked Kalinda in the beginning but the season where her husband shows up I got tired of her. Even in her scenes with just Nick, where she didn't have to pretend to her coworkers/friends, she still is ambiguous about what she wants and thinks and we still don't get insight. I mean, she can't let him go but she also can't stay with him but why and how never became clear so why should I care?

I have a feeling the writers did have more on Kalida but I have a feeling that was affected by the supposed off-screen fighting between characters... ahem Margulies and Panjabi... that is if you want to believe the rumors

[–] janar72 8 years ago

justabitofeverythingplease

I was kind of done when Will died. It was so sudden, did the actor want out (I'd understand) or wth happened? I'm assuming he didn't die irl because I'm guessing they would have written stuff differently about that.

What maibritt1988 wrote in her/his reply about Josh Charles wanting to spend more time with his family was one of his main reasons; the other one was to pursue other projects in film and tv and explore new, different characters. If you want to hear it from himself, watch the following interview, starting from 16:07 min (in my opinion, it's one of the best interviews with him and you might want to take some time and watch the whole thing):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0ICfb40GeM

This is his official answer/reason. However, Julianna Margulies, who tends to be a blabbermouth in interviews, gave a slightly different reason in two interviews. She stated that Josh Charles was frustrated with the way the writers/creators developed his character Will in season 4. According to her, he opted to not prolong his contract when it was up after season 4 because of that frustration. If you want to listen to it in her own words, watch the following interview starting from 1:02:18 min:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ay7rbUWoBrg

She said something similar a short time later on Late Night with Seth Meyers, but I can't find this interview online anymore. As long as I remember, Josh Charles never gave this reason, and you might make up your own mind what's true and what's not. 

Alicia to me, I dunno, why is this show called 'the good wife?'? I don't like Alicia. [...] But Alicia, no, I don't like her one bit.

The remarkable thing is that here on this IMDb board we had many posts/threads about this topic of not liking Alicia during the course of the show, especially in the later seasons. But in all 4 TGW Fandom Surveys the fans who were willing to answer the question about their favourite character on the show voted Alicia as their most beloved of the regular cast (for reference, here's the result from survey 4: http://tgwfandomsurvey.tumblr.com/post/146271464583/question-which-series-regular-is-your-favorite). I never understood the difference between these two groups of fans who watch the same show. I wish I had an explanation for that; it's mind-boggling.

My personal opinion: I never saw the character Alicia written as someone who had to be liked as a character by the audience; she was never the heroine other viewers like you and many of the other characters in the show made her out to be ("Saint Alicia"). For me, the show was fascinating for the first 5 seasons because Alicia was presented as someone who was flawed and made decisions that I thought were wrong or that I would've done differently. This journey was interesting to watch for me, no matter how much I liked or disliked Alicia. Sadly, during season 5 the show changed from an ensemble show to a one woman show and - little by little - I lost interest following her journey.

So here I am, ready to be spoiled. Because I will have to wait for the final season and I don't care enough to evade any spoilers.

Sorry, can't help you out; still haven't watched season 7 because I was so disappointed of season 6 ... 

Best wishes,

janar

"Love [...] is the most incredible gift to give and to receive as a human being." - Ellen Page

[–] justabitofeverythingplease 8 years ago

Awesome detailed reply, thank you! I'ma watch those interviews later today.

[–] fabarod 8 years ago

Yes. I agree. I came to the message board to start a new topic but saw yours and clicked on it instead because you mention the the matter i wanted t bring out.
I get your reasoning, I dont understand how Alicia was the good wife .
To me I felt like Diane Lockhart was in reality the good wife throughout the entire series.
In the season finale, Alicia concluded portrayed as a weak woman who was still willing to go unethical to save her cheating husband and ended up losing her best long friend Diane and boyfrien Jason and in the end empty-handed.