The Good Wife

[aeu]

It's all about marketing and what you see vs don't see when catching previews. In the other show, I hadn't seen any of the previews, had no idea that a death might be coming and was caught completely off guard though in retrospect, it made sense for the character at that point. In this show, the whole marketing leading up to this episode was all about how the next three episodes (last two plus this one) will be an arc, that the show has never done anything like this before, and it'd be a game changer. With all the focus on Will, I was fairly sure something would happen to him so I wasn't really all that surprised. That and I just didn't care much about Will's character as much as I did the other character in the other show so the impact was different.

Still, The Good Wife did a good job keeping it under wraps and setting it up and I'm sure the aftermath will be amazing drama.

The previews play a big part, no doubt. Now that I think back, on that other show, I remember seeing all these promos with "A Hero will Fall" or something along those lines. Of course they kept showing a different person when the voiceover said this, basically ensuring that someone else will die :p

I was blissfully ignorant of any promos leading up to this episode. I literally did not have any idea that something major will happen.

I think there is another aspect, though: Thinking back to other deaths I can remember on TV shows, there is usually some indication to begin with so while the death may be unlikely or unexpected, on some level I feel like that it is reasonable. Either the characters are doing something dangerous, there is a big showdown, or maybe in a meta sense, some story line is concluding, the character played its part, etc...Again, without naming names, there was a death recently on a show which happened so quickly and suddenly that I was shocked but as I was shocked, I also knew that it made sense. It made sense within the story (the killer would definitely do it) and it made sense in a meta sense because the character did not really have an obvious part to play in the great scheme of things.

With this one. I probably would have been less surprised if it happened last year or the year before when the overall storyline became somewhat repetitive. But now, after they virtually rebooted the show, there was all this new ground to cover. Will was more prominent then ever this season and seemed poised to play a huge part in the voting scandal. I could never imagined them taking him out at any point, let alone at this point.

Apparently this was in the works ever since the last season ended. I suspect the writers deliberately made him more prominent / put him in the middle of the voting thing so that it would be even more shocking when they do this. If so, kudos to the writers, it definitely worked on me. Many shows dedicate an episode or a couple to a character to build him up before killing him, it seems like they did this over a season. Well done.

[Summah]

I had not seen any of the promos for this episode, but as soon as the shots were heard while Diane was in the courtroom I knew it was Will and I knew he would die. I liked that there wasn't a lot of foreshadowing. With the RW episode, even if you hadn't read the books, missed out on the Internet chatter about something big happening, it was obvious that something was going to happen because of music and overall tone and feeling of the episode.

[ithanos]

Let me chime in and say wow. It was well done. I was distracted because, in the lead up to the ending, Will had gotten Kalinda to laugh - twice even. I can't remember if we've ever seen her laugh - and her scenes with Will came across as genuine cherished moments between good friends, on & off screen.

[Datepalm]

I'm ok with Will dying - not from an in-story perspective, where I was happy to see more of his character, and more of a dynamic with Alicia outside the love-traingle, but it just worked for me on the meta-level. It doesn't feel cheap or a stunt or manipulative (the way it did on another show that also ramped up a character's prominence in the first half of a season and then killed them) but a shocking and effective sudden twist.

[Angalin]

I watched Josh Charles on Letterman and he was so adorable that I had to rewatch the last scene of Dead Poets Society, on the desks.

[Mexal]

I think the best part of the entire death sequence was that they didn't try to prolong Will's death. There was no scene of him laying in the arms of someone, saying his last words. There was no screaming or yelling at the body in the courthouse. They treated it like someone who got shot and died. I thought that was very effective.

[Iskaral Pust]

I think the best part of the entire death sequence was that they didn't try to prolong Will's death. There was no scene of him laying in the arms of someone, saying his last words. There was no screaming or yelling at the body in the courthouse. They treated it like someone who got shot and died. I thought that was very effective.

I very much agree, and with Mladen's comment about the contrast in Eli compared to the last time he held Alicia's phone.

Some of the early episodes this season were painful to watch with all of the bickering and bitterness, but it has changed the dynamic again.

[Datepalm]

Oooh, good catch with the phone call. I wonder if he'll ever tell her about the first phone call now, out of guilt or...something. Eli can't be blind to the parallel himself.

[Mexal]

Oooh, good catch with the phone call. I wonder if he'll ever tell her about the first phone call now, out of guilt or...something. Eli can't be blind to the parallel himself.

Why would he? Seems rather irrelevant given Will is now dead. It'd just add more hurt for no reason.

[Datepalm]

As this redemptive thing for Will, or himself, I dunno - he did love you, it was my fault you never heard it, etc. I agree it would be healthier for all involved for that phonecall to stay Eli's secret and that's that, but the recreation of the situation here seemed to hark back to it really strongly and I wonder if it won't be unearthed.

[Mladen]

Oooh, good catch with the phone call. I wonder if he'll ever tell her about the first phone call now, out of guilt or...something. Eli can't be blind to the parallel himself.

Didn't she heard that voice mail when she was working on some great National security case somewhere in Season 2? I remember when she told to Diane that Eli's phone is being tapped, and Diane used it to make Eli come with her to her new firm (she was plotting against Will and Bond). So, Alicia knows about the message, but I think she doesn't know Eli deleted it.

[Winterfell is Burning]

Didn't she heard that voice mail when she was working on some great National security case somewhere in Season 2? I remember when she told to Diane that Eli's phone is being tapped, and Diane used it to make Eli come with her to her new firm (she was plotting against Will and Bond). So, Alicia knows about the message, but I think she doesn't know Eli deleted it.

Yes, and she knew Eli deleted it- she figured out in that same episode, as Eli was the only one to have access to her phone to erase it.

[Lady Octarina]

I think the best part of the entire death sequence was that they didn't try to prolong Will's death. There was no scene of him laying in the arms of someone, saying his last words. There was no screaming or yelling at the body in the courthouse. They treated it like someone who got shot and died. I thought that was very effective.

I read a bunch of articles after last episode, and all of them say there will be further explanations to his death on the next one. It can't be just those who weren't in the courtroom being informed that he was shot by the guy he was defending, since the audience already knows that and whatever these explanations are will probably more elaborate. Not to mention the teasers show things from that scene we haven't seen yet. So, I guess his death will still be somewhat prolonged, but, being in a different episode, I don't think this will lessen the impact of the death itself. And I think there's still a chance there were last words, unless the shot affected his vocal cords, because, when Kalinda found him, it looked like he was trying to say something. Or maybe just gasping for air, who knows...

[Jaxom 1974]

On the first phone call, that was Will calling Alicia directly. This time it was Kalinda calling. He didn't take it once and he did the second time. I'm not sure if it was meant to be quite so parallel...

[3CityApache]

I didn't even realise it was Alicia's phone Eli was holding. I just assumed Kalinda decided to call Eli as she couldn't reach Alicia herself and she knew he would be somewhere around her. So I wouldn't say the parallel was so obvious either.

[Mexal]

I didn't even realise it was Alicia's phone Eli was holding. I just assumed Kalinda decided to call Eli as she couldn't reach Alicia herself and she knew he would be somewhere around her. So I wouldn't say the parallel was so obvious either.

It wasn't Alicia's phone. At least, I didn't think it was. When she got Eli on the phone, Diane asked Kalinda "did you get him?" or Kalinda said to Diane "got him". To me, the implication was clear that they were calling Eli.

I read a bunch of articles after last episode, and all of them say there will be further explanations to his death on the next one. It can't be just those who weren't in the courtroom being informed that he was shot by the guy he was defending, since the audience already knows that and whatever these explanations are will probably more elaborate. Not to mention the teasers show things from that scene we haven't seen yet. So, I guess his death will still be somewhat prolonged, but, being in a different episode, I don't think this will lessen the impact of the death itself. And I think there's still a chance there were last words, unless the shot affected his vocal cords, because, when Kalinda found him, it looked like he was trying to say something. Or maybe just gasping for air, who knows...

I'd be ok with this. Just happy that this didn't happen during the episode that announces his death.

[Lany Freelove Cassandra]

The previews play a big part, no doubt. Now that I think back, on that other show, I remember seeing all these promos with "A Hero will Fall" or something along those lines. Of course they kept showing a different person when the voiceover said this, basically ensuring that someone else will die :P

I was blissfully ignorant of any promos leading up to this episode. I literally did not have any idea that something major will happen.

I think there is another aspect, though: Thinking back to other deaths I can remember on TV shows, there is usually some indication to begin with so while the death may be unlikely or unexpected, on some level I feel like that it is reasonable. Either the characters are doing something dangerous, there is a big showdown, or maybe in a meta sense, some story line is concluding, the character played its part, etc...Again, without naming names, there was a death recently on a show which happened so quickly and suddenly that I was shocked but as I was shocked, I also knew that it made sense. It made sense within the story (the killer would definitely do it) and it made sense in a meta sense because the character did not really have an obvious part to play in the great scheme of things.

With this one. I probably would have been less surprised if it happened last year or the year before when the overall storyline became somewhat repetitive. But now, after they virtually rebooted the show, there was all this new ground to cover. Will was more prominent then ever this season and seemed poised to play a huge part in the voting scandal. I could never imagined them taking him out at any point, let alone at this point.

Apparently this was in the works ever since the last season ended. I suspect the writers deliberately made him more prominent / put him in the middle of the voting thing so that it would be even more shocking when they do this. If so, kudos to the writers, it definitely worked on me. Many shows dedicate an episode or a couple to a character to build him up before killing him, it seems like they did this over a season. Well done.

This was very much how I felt about it.

I have been a huge fan since day one, and this episode just renewed my love.

(I often have to watch the show on Mondays (actually watch most shows on different days), so I tend avoid entertainment threads/spoilers)

[Zorral]

I'm another one who was glad that the writers didn't have Eli's response to the news of Will's death be, "Joy, joy, joy for foiling the voter fraud case." It confirms that Eli is human first, a political operative second. It was the same with him deciding to bring Alicia from the dais to take Kalinda's phone call, particularly as Eli is such a great character whom you cannot help but like.

In contrast I often imagine President Thomas Jefferson doing a clandestine jig when the news is brought to him that both of his greatest political enemies were dead -- one politically forever, Aaron Burr, for shooting the other, Alexander Hamilton in their duel.

Eli isn't that sort of character.

[Lady Octarina]

In contrast I often imagine President Thomas Jefferson doing a clandestine jig when the news is brought to him that both of his greatest political enemies were dead -- one politically forever, Aaron Burr, for shooting the other, Alexander Hamilton in their duel.

Eli isn't that sort of character.

He wouldn't; I love Thomas Jefferson, but the guy was too much of a hypocrite to ever admit he was happy about something like that, even to himself when alone reading the papers or something.

I agree with you on Eli, though, and I was particularly touched by the way he looked at Alicia right after Kalinda told him that Will was dead, like he was reticent to call her, but not for any political agenda, but because he knew that would crush her, and there she was, bored, but relaxed and somewhat happy thinking the worst thing in her life at the moment was having to listen to a mediocre comedian and fake laughs at his jokes.

[Zorral]

I agree with you on Eli, though, and I was particularly touched by the way he looked at Alicia right after Kalinda told him that Will was dead, like he was reticent to call her, but not for any political agenda, but because he knew that would crush her, and there she was, bored, but relaxed and somewhat happy thinking the worst thing in her life at the moment was having to listen to a mediocre comedian and fake laughs at his jokes.

:agree:

As for TJ, sometime perhaps we can discuss :cheers: :)