Source: TV Guide [follow link for complete column]
TV GUIDE: The Weekend Playlist: A Great Wife, Pacino as Phil Spector, Kristin Sings
Mar 22, 2013
by Matt Roush
When a terrific series is truly on its game, some episodes can feel like absolute perfection. Happened Tuesday with a thrillingly entertaining and pivotal episode of FX's Justified, and the same feeling applies to Sunday's sensational The Good Wife (9/8c, CBS). It has everything: sex, suspense, surprise, humor, emotion — and as usual with this sophisticated standard-bearer for network drama, a dazzling array of guest performances.
Set against the elegant backdrop of a St. Patrick Day's society party where political candidates, including Alicia's husband Peter, vie for the favor of a powerful cardinal (a sly John Cullum), this episode is an especially fine showcase for Fringe's much-missed John Noble. He shines in a series of tantalizing flashbacks as Alicia's mysterious, mischievous and deeply litigious client, who's so paranoid he brings a soundtrack of Bach along with him to drown out his conversations. His sudden murder, which pulls the beautifully be-gowned Alicia from the party into a rowdy police precinct, also sets off steamy memories from the time when Alicia was still deeply involved with Will.
While Alicia frets over how much she can share with the police about the long list of potential suspects, she begins to believe this case could blow back dangerously on her own family. Not the sort of distraction hubby Peter needs as he spars with his malicious rival Mike Kresteva (Matthew Perry, having a field day). Worse yet, the Florricks have left their kids in the care of Alicia's irresponsibly flighty mother (the wonderful Stockard Channing). On St. Patrick's Day in Chicago!
The brilliantly twisty script, by show creators Robert and Michelle King, also dangles the possibility of turning points in several key personal and professional relationships. Fans won't want to miss it, and those who've wondered what all the fuss is about are encouraged to check in. It doesn't get much better than this...
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