The Good Wife - Bang, S01E15

The Good Wife is one of the best shows on television, and as such does not necessarily generate as many comments as the worst. It is far easier to pinpoint and mock shows that are abysmally bad than to intelligently express why one is such a success, but I will endeavor to do it nonetheless.

Julianna Margulies.

Does that sum it up well for you? While there can be no denying (thanks to a SAG award) that the ensemble of the Good Wife is excellent, Margulies is the focal point of that talent, and she is able to bring out the best in everyone she works with.

In Bang, when Alicia (Margulies) and Will (Josh Charles) have their brief...discussion, let's call it, about why he removed her from the case she was working, the chemistry and tension between the two was so potent and powerful that I immediately wanted to cast my chips in with the Alicia/Will shippers. But then Peter (Chris Noth) has a scene with Alicia, and I'm right back to wanting the couple to properly reconcile. Must be nice to be able to generate those kind of emotions with two such attractive men, and then go home to your real-life husband at the end of the day.

While I could go on about Margulies' portrayal of Alicia for a good longtime, there were some terrific moments for the other cast members in this episode which I cannot neglect.

First of all, Cary (Matt Czuchry) had a very small, but unforgettable moment with Santa Claus on the stand. That's right, an old man named Nick was testifying, and he was making the prosecution look good because who doesn't love a man who looks like Santa and plays him at malls. But Cary, in a brilliant delivery at the court room, managed to make Santy go from resembling Kris Kringle at the end of Miracle on 34th street to the man Kris replaced as Santa Claus in the parade. Bad on the prosecution for putting someone who couldn't take the heat up on the stand.

I also cannot neglect the appearance of a new character, Eli Gold. Portrayed by the delightful Alan Cumming, Gold immediately set the stage for the kind of character he is - efficient and not willing to put with with any bs - but pulling his pants down so that someone who was pissing him off could kiss his ass. I am very excited about his appearance because it certainly looks like it will be a lot of fun.

Finally, my favourite subplot of the night was between Diane (Christine Baranski) and the ballistics expert, Kurt McVeigh (Gary Cole). The play between their two attitudes and personalities was simply wonderful. And the gifts they sent each other at the end, Going Rogue for Diane; Going Rouge for McVeigh...perfect. Absolutely perfect.

The writers are giving something solid to terrific actors who continue to hit it out of the park. Do you love it?