The Good Wife



The Good Wife is an American television legal and political drama that premiered on CBS on September 22, 2009.[1]  The series was created by Robert King and Michelle King. It starsJulianna Margulies, Christine Baranski, Archie Panjabi, Matt Czuchry, and Josh Charles, and features Chris Noth in a recurring role. The current executive producers are Ridley Scott,Charles McDougall, and David W. Zucker.[2]  It is a heavily serialized show with season-long story arcs that also features stand alone procedural story lines that will be resolved or concluded by the end of each episode. This is a rarity among The Good Wife ' s broadcaster CBS as most of their shows are procedural.[3]

Contents
[hide]  *1 Plot ==Plot[edit] == The series focuses on Alicia Florrick (Julianna Margulies), whose husband Peter Florrick (Chris Noth), a former Cook County state's attorney, has been jailed following a very public sex and corruption scandal. Alicia returns to her old job as a litigator (having taken 13 years out to be a stay-at-home mother) to provide for her two children.[4]  The series was partly inspired by the Eliot Spitzer prostitution scandal,[5]  as well as by other prominent American political sex scandals, particularly those of John Edwards and Bill Clinton: Michelle [King]: We came up with the idea about a year and half ago. There had been this waterfall of these kinds of scandals, from Bill and Hillary [Clinton], to Dick Morris, to Eliot Spitzer, to name just a few. I think they're all over our culture. And there was always this image of the husband up there apologizing and the wife standing next to him. I think the show began when we asked, "What are they thinking?" And Robert and I started talking about it from there. ... You know, what's interesting about a lot of these political scandals is that the women are lawyers, too. Hillary [Clinton] is a lawyer. Elizabeth Edwards is a lawyer. I think that got us thinking along those lines. That is, we knew she had to go back to work, and we had so many female lawyers to draw on.[6] ==Cast[edit] == ===Main cast[edit] === ===Recurring cast[edit] === ==Crew[edit] == The series was created by Robert King and Michelle King who also serve as executive producers and show runners.[2]  The pair had produced the short-lived legal drama In Justice that aired as a mid-season replacement in early 2006.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-NYT2_14-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[14]  The creators had previously worked extensively in feature films. Scott Free productions helped to finance The Good Wife and Ridley Scott, Tony Scott (till his death) and David W. Zucker are also credited as executive producers.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-NYT1_15-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[15] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-The_Star_16-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[16]  Executive producer Dee Johnson added television writing experience to the team.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-NYT2_14-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[14] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-The_Star_16-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[16]  Charles McDougall directed the pilot episode and was the pilot's other executive producer.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Pilot_17-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[17]  McDougall had previously enjoyed success as the director of the pilot for Desperate Housewives. All seven executive producers returned when a full series was ordered and they were joined by executive producer Brooke Kennedy.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Stripped_18-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[18]  McDougall left the crew after directing and executive producing the second episode.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Stripped_18-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[18] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Home_19-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[19]  The series is produced by Bernadette Caulfield who had previously worked on the HBO polygamy drama Big Love. Co-producer Ron Binkowski added post production experience to the pilot and returned for the first season.
 * 2 Cast
 * 2.1 Main cast
 * 2.2 Recurring cast
 * 3 Crew
 * 4 History
 * 5 Episodes
 * 6 Reception
 * 7 TV Ratings
 * 8 DVR ratings
 * 9 AD Prices
 * 10 Awards and nominations
 * 11 Syndication
 * 12 International broadcasts
 * 13 References
 * 14 Further reading
 * 15 External links
 * Julianna Margulies as Alicia Florrick: The titular character of the show, and the wife of Peter, a disgraced State's Attorney; Alicia returns to work as a junior litigator at the law firm Stern, Lockhart & Gardner in part through her old law school friend Will Gardner, whom she has feelings for. Having spent so many years as "the good wife", Alicia finds herself at the bottom of the career ladder, trying to juggle both home and professional life with the ongoing scandal surrounding her husband with whom she has two children, Zach and Grace. Alicia is smart, independent, and fiercely protective of her children. She excels at keeping a cool exterior. She is rarely ruffled and almost always thinks through what she is going to say, choosing her words for maximum impact or sting. Alicia graduated top of her class from Georgetown University Law Center 15 years ago in the mid-1990s. After graduation she worked at Crozier, Abrams & Abbott for about two years and had the most billable hours of any associate, but left due to her kids and her husband's career. Her maiden name is Cavanaugh and she has a brother, Owen, who is gay and the polar opposite of Alicia personality-wise. Her mother's name is Veronica Loy. In season 3, Alicia is a third-year associate at the firm. She and Peter are separated, and she has a sexual affair with Will but by mid-season she breaks it off. Alicia struggles with her feelings for Peter. She is deeply hurt and has not entirely forgiven him, but still loves him. Toward the end of season three, Peter announces his candidacy for governor of Illinois; Alicia stands at his side as he makes the announcement. In season 4, Alicia gets and takes a promotion as an equity partner of the firm and begins planning to start a new firm with Cary.
 * Josh Charles as Will Gardner: An old friend of Alicia from Georgetown University and a name senior partner at the law firm. Will generally has a good working relationship with Diane Lockhart, his partner at the firm, and the two demonstrate a shrewd ability to guide their business, even through difficult times. Will plays in a regular pick-up basketball game with other attorneys and judges, and has friendships with the players that are eventually scrutinized. In season 3, Will and Alicia have an affair. Will is suspended from practicing law for six months as punishment stemming from an old bribery scandal. In season 4, he returns to the firm. Will and Alicia knew each other when they attended law school at Georgetown University and he helped her get her job with the firm and is constantly trying to avoid appearing as if he favors her. This is complicated by the fact that he has feelings for her.
 * Archie Panjabi as Kalinda Sharma: The firm's in-house private investigator. Kalinda previously worked for Peter for two years. He fired her after accusing her of working two jobs. Kalinda is unflappable, inscrutable, fiercely private, and occasionally physically violent. She is exceptionally good at her job, although her tactics are not always strictly legal. She is often the key to the firm winning whatever case they are working on, usually at the 11th hour. She generally does not work well with others, most notably Alicia Florrick. Although Kalinda doesn't let many people close to her, she becomes good friends with Alicia, with the aid of tequila shots, and she feels protective of Alicia. After becoming good friends, Alicia finds out Kalinda had a one-night stand with Peter before she knew Alicia, damaging their friendship but over time, the two start to reconcile. Kalinda has a cynical, misanthropic outlook on human behavior. She is bisexual and has a series of relationships through the show, mostly with women and often because they can help her with a case. She often plays a major part in winning cases for Lockhart & Gardner, although not always ethically or legally. Very little is known about her when the series begins, and she is incredibly secretive about her past. The character's signature wardrobe piece has become a pair of knee-high boots;<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-7" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[7] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-8" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[8] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-9" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[9] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-10" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[10]  the character initially wore pumps but Panjabi felt that boots "grounded her in the character."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-11" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[11]  In season 4, it is revealed that Kalinda has a husband.
 * Christine Baranski as Diane Lockhart: A name senior partner at the firm, she supports other female lawyers. She is liberal and is a champion of women's causes, thus having strong opinions on many issues, including an extreme dislike of guns and violence, although in one plot line she had a romantic relationship with a conservative ballistics expert. She speaks fluent French and although she is not married, seems to have an active social life. Among her paramours is Kurt McVeigh, a firearms expert and conservative Republican, whom Diane is drawn to despite their political opposites and her dislike of guns. Although she is initially skeptical of Alicia Florrick's abilities as a lawyer when she joins the firm, Diane becomes a sort of mentor to her. But she is a mentor at a distance, and her support often comes by way of cryptic advice that only points Alicia in the right direction. She does not hesitate to tell anyone when she thinks they are wrong. Diane is often torn between supporting Alicia and Cary Agos when the two are in competition.
 * Matt Czuchry as Cary Agos: A young lawyer who, in the first season, begins as a first year associate at Lockhart Gardner with Alicia Florrick. Now, Cary is a junior associate at Lockhart Gardner. In the first episode, it is established that there is only one permanent position, putting Cary into competition with Alicia. At the end of first season, the firm selects Alicia, and Cary goes to work for the state attorney's office. In season 3, Cary is appointed Cook County Deputy State's Attorney. Cary is subsequently demoted. Dissatisfied with the demotion, he accepts an offer to return to Lockhart Gardner. He is often placed in rivalry with Alicia and sometimes resents her for this and her political connections thanks to her husband, Peter Florrick, the disgraced State's Attorney. His own career trajectory takes many twists and turns, often because of bad luck, but Cary maintains his integrity and loyalty to individual relationships he has formed. He seems to have a crush on Kalinda Sharma, the firm's investigator. It is later revealed that Cary has a very difficult and distant relationship with his father, Jeffrey Agos, a lobbyist in Washington, D.C., who does not ever seem to think Cary is good enough. As season 4 ends he forms a new firm bringing with him the other fourth year lawyers at the firm, including Alicia.
 * Alan Cumming as Eli Gold: Peter Florrick's campaign strategist and crisis manager, Eli consults for Peter when he considers a return to office. His style of management is to be blunt, often rude. Eli is politically astute and doesn't waste time with niceties. Eli is separated from his wife, Vanessa Gold (played by Parker Posey), who has political aspirations of her own, and has a daughter, Marissa (played by Sarah Steele), who is similarly outspoken like her mother and shares a healthy relationship with her father. Eli believes that securing the support of Peter's wife Alicia is crucial to any ambitions he may harbor, and he quickly realizes that Alicia is no pushover and his usual wife-coddling techniques will not work. He mostly seems to respect the boundaries Alicia sets up, particularly where they concern her children Zach and Grace. As a top political consultant who is also an expert in damage control, Eli has talks with Diane Lockhart and Will Gardner about joining their firm in some way. Eli seems genuinely invested in Peter Florrick and respects both he and Alicia, although she is often a frustrating enigma to him. He has a brief shot at romance with Natalie Flores (played by America Ferrera), a student who worked in the past as a nanny for Wendy Scott-Carr. Eli leaks details to the press of Natalie's status as an illegal immigrant but as he comes to know her he is seen to regret this and later helps her get a job as an intern at Lockhart & Gardner. Cumming's portrayal of Gold has been compared to Rahm Emanuel.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-12" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[12]  He was promoted to the main cast in season two.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-13" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[13]  Eli is Jewish, but not very religious.
 * Graham Phillips as Zachary "Zach" Florrick: The teenage son of Alicia and Peter Florrick, the eldest of the Florrick’s children, the older brother of Grace Florrick, grandson of Jackie Florrick and Veronica Loy (Alicia’s mom), and nephew of Owen Cavanaugh. Zach has an interest in politics, at one point joining Peter's campaign as an intern. Zach is smart, stubborn and also has a strong sense of right and wrong, which has led to not be afraid of his questioning authority figures at times. Zach's computer skills and technical know-how also expose lies that are being spread about his dad. Beyond his computer skills, he shows an aptitude for using the law like his mother. He is protective of his mom because of what his father has put her through. Zach is coping with his parents' separation and starting at a new school and also starting to date. Throughout the series, Zach dates the scheming Becca and later a girl named Neesa who happens to be African-American and whose race and religion are occasionally brought into his father's campaign, which causes some issues. This becomes complicated when his father is released from prison and contemplates a run for office, making his children's life political fodder, despite their mother's best efforts.
 * Makenzie Vega as Grace Florrick: The teenage daughter of Alicia and Peter Florrick, the youngest of the Florrick’s children, the younger sister of Zach Florrick, granddaughter of Jackie Florrick and also Veronica Loy (Alicia's mom), and niece of Owen Cavanaugh. Although pretty and compassionate, she is friendless, which is most likely due to her outwardness. She begins to become deeply religious, thanks to a friend at school, much to Alicia's bemusement, and question her faith and read the Bible, which Alicia doesn't understand, but tries to support. She is naïve and young for her age. She has a tutor, Jennifer, who likes to bust out dancing in public. She has many questions about her father's infidelity, which she does not understand. She previously idolized her father and despite his sins, she wants her parents to get back together. Grace was not happy about the move from their house in Highland Park to their apartment and initially struggles to make friends in school.
 * Zach Grenier as David Lee: Head of Family Law, a divorce lawyer, and an equity partner at Lockhart/Gardner. He is the head of the family law division, which is responsible for a sizeable chunk of the firm's income so he has more sway than Diane Lockhart or Will Gardner would like. David is generally in a bad mood. He scowls, pouts, whines, complains and connives when he doesn't think things are going his way. More than anything, he is concerned with making money. He particularly hates Julius Cane, the firm's head of litigation and an equity partner. Nevertheless, at rare moments, Alicia Florrick turns to him for help and he comes through. After recurring in the first four seasons, he was promoted to a series regular for the fifth season.
 * Chris Noth as Peter Florrick: Alicia's husband and Governor of Illinois. He was imprisoned for political corruption. During his trial, it was revealed he had patronized prostitutes numerous times. In season one, he was released from prison to house arrest using electronic monitoring. However, he was later cleared when a court dismissed the corruption case against him. In season one's finale, Peter launched an ultimately successful campaign for his old job. At the end of season 3, he launches his campaign for governor of Illinois, winning the governorship as Season 4 concluded.
 * Mary Beth Peil as Jackie Florrick: Peter's mother. She is reluctant to believe in her son's corrupt behavior and is hopeful Alicia and Peter will reunite and once again become a family. Jackie's meddling in Alicia's and the children's lives annoys Alicia.
 * Titus Welliver as Glenn Childs: The former Cook County State's Attorney. Childs was responsible for leaking Peter Florrick's sex tape to the media. He is Peter's arch rival and will do anything to keep Peter from emerging from disgrace. After Peter's fall, he became the new state's attorney. During Peter's campaign for the top spot, Glenn is forced to withdraw his candidacy after Peter finds out about his son's previous nanny being an illegal immigrant, which he then tried to cover up to protect his campaign. He now works as an AUSA (Assistant United States Attorney).
 * Michael Boatman as Julius Cain: Head of Litigation at Lockhart/Gardner.
 * Scott Porter as Blake Calamar: A private investigator for the firm who competes with Kalinda. He tries to frame Kalinda for putting a doctor in a coma but fails. He finds out that her former name was Leela Tahiri and Peter helped her change it. In return, she slept with Peter. After this revelation, he disappears after Bond is removed as name partner.
 * Anika Noni Rose as Wendy Scott-Carr: Ran unsuccessfully against Peter for state's attorney. Scott-Carr reappears in season 3 as a special prosecutor hired by Florrick.
 * Michael Ealy as Derrick Bond: A new partner in season 2. He plays Will and Diane against each other, forcing Diane to plan a new firm. He fails when Will and Diane find out his scheme and turn on him. In "Great Firewall", he is removed as a named partner.
 * Joe Morton as Daniel Golden: A member of Peter's legal team who now works in the State Department.
 * Chris Butler as Matan Brody: A prosecutor. After Blake confronts Kalinda in "Ham Sandwich" about her one-night stand with Peter, Blake leaves after giving one last interview to Matan.
 * Renee Goldsberry as Geneva Pine: Another assistant state's attorney in Florrick's office.
 * Jill Flint as Lana Delaney: A lesbian FBI special agent who is Kalinda's on-again off-again love interest.
 * Monica Raymund as Dana Lodge: An assistant state's attorney in Florrick's office.
 * Anna Camp as Caitlin D'arcy: A junior associate at the firm. She is the niece of David Lee and Alicia acts as her mentor. She leaves Lockhart & Gardner in the third season to become a stay-at-home mother.
 * Michael J. Fox as Louis Canning: Canning is a rival attorney who has been opposing counsel to Alicia in various cases. Canning is afflicted with tardive dyskinesia, which he often uses to curry sympathy with judges, juries, and witnesses. He offers Alicia a job in "Wrongful Termination", which she rejects.
 * Martha Plimpton as Patti Nyholm: Nyholm is a rival attorney who recurrently opposes to the Lockhart & Gardner crew. She is a strong, scheming lawyer who mostly represents big companies. She has two kids whom she often uses to win time or the affect of judges and witnesses.
 * Carrie Preston as Elsbeth Tascioni: A quirky lawyer introduced in the episode "Mock" as part of Peter's team. She returns in the third season to help Alicia when she gets in trouble with the Treasury Department. Later in that season, Will hires her to help him when Wendy Scott-Carr investigates him for judicial bribery.
 * Maura Tierney as Maddie Hayward: A feminist who initially supported Peter's campaign for governor, but upon hearing about Peter possibly sleeping with a campaign worker, pulled out and ran for the Democratic nominee herself, eventually losing to Peter.
 * Dallas Roberts as Owen Cavanaugh: Alicia's mischievous, gay younger brother.
 * Stockard Channing as Veronica Loy: Alicia's mother who has been absent and detached from her.
 * Nathan Lane as Clarke Hayden: A court-appointed trustee in charge of getting the firm out of bankruptcy in the fourth season.
 * Amanda Peet as Captain Laura Hellinger: A former Army captain and military lawyer. While in Afghanistan, a contractor attempted to rape her. She is now an assistant state's attorney in Florrick's office.
 * Marc Warren as Nick Saverese, Kalinda's abusive ex-husband, whom she had been avoiding by changing her name. He appears in season 4, after being revealed as the unseen person entering Kalinda's apartment in a cliff-hangerat the end of Season 3.
 * Gary Cole as Kurt McVeigh: A ballistic expert that helps the firm on several cases, and an on-and-off love interest for Diane.
 * Matthew Perry as Mike Kresteva: An attorney who leads a blue ribbon panel that Alicia is appointed to in Season 3; and later becomes Peter's Republican rival in the general election for Illinois governor during Season 4.
 * Jess Weixler as Robyn Burdine: The firm's second in-house private investigator, hired during season 4.
 * Mamie Gummer as Nancy Crozier: Crozier is a young and female rival attorney who has been opposing counsel to Alicia in various cases. She pretends to be a bumbling, innocent country girl when she is, in fact, a skilled attorney.

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">Several new producers were added to the crew once CBS ordered a full season. Angela Amato Velez joined the crew as a consulting producer and writer bringing legal experience from her careers as a police officer and legal aid attorney and writing experience from the police dramas Third Watch and Southland. Todd Ellis Kessler, who had recently completed production on The Unit and had previously worked on legal drama The Practice, joined the staff as a co-executive producer and writer.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-NJ_SL_1_20-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[20]  Kessler's fellow The Unit producer Ted Humphrey served as a supervising producer and writer and then as co-executive producer and writer. Corinne Brinkerhoff completed the production team as a writer and co-producer. Brinkerhoff had previously worked as a writer and story editor on Boston Legal. David W. Zucker is an executive producer on the show, having been nominated for four Primetime Emmys and one PGA Award. His credits included Judging Amy, The Pillars of the Earth, and Law Dogs.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-21" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[21] ==History<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[edit] == <p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">On October 7, 2009, CBS gave the series a full-season pickup, extending the first season from 13 to 22 episodes,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-22" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[22]  later extended to 23 episodes.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-23" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[23]  On January 14, 2010, CBS renewed the drama for a second season,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-24" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[24]  which premiered on September 28, 2010.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-25" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[25]  On May 18, 2011, CBS renewed The Good Wife for a third season, airing Sundays at 9:00 pm<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-26" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[26]  On March 14, 2012, CBS renewed the show for a fourth season.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-27" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[27]  On March 27, 2013, CBS renewed The Good Wife for a fifth season.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-28" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[28] ==Episodes<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[edit] == Main article: List of The Good Wife episodes==Reception<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[edit] == <p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">The Good Wife has also received critical acclaim among technology enthusiasts due to the show's accurate depiction of social media and the internet.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-43" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[43]  Many of the story lines on the show are technology related including Bitcoin,Anonymous, The use of viral internet content in marketing and defaming in political campaigns, Voice control software, Virtual conferencing robots and the NSA spying on both internet companies and eventually, the law firm Lockhart & Gardner. Many story lines include a Google type company called 'Chumhum' and revolves around privacy lawsuits like Chumhum selling users' personal data to the Chinese and Syrian government. The Good Wife was the first TV show to feature Bitcoin, the virtual internet currency, with an episode featuring Bitcoin first broadcast in January 2012.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-44" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[44]  This led to it achieving a high level of fame amongst the Bitcoin community.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-45" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[45] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-46" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[46] ==TV Ratings<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[edit] == ==DVR ratings<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[edit] == <p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">Season Averages in Live plus 7 DVR Ratings:
 * The first season of the show received generally favorable reviews. It scored a Metacritic rating of 76 out of 100 based on the views of 26 critics. Season 2 scored an 89. <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-29" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[29]  Season 3 <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[30]  Season 4 <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-31" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[31] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-32" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[32]  In reviewing the first early episodes many critics praised the acting talents of the cast. The Chicago Tribune commended the show saying "one of the best parts of the show is Alicia's complicated relationship with her husband, who humiliated his family with a sex scandal but also appears to be a pawn in a larger game being played by high-level politician".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-33" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[33]  The second season of the show was generally better received than the first. It currently sits at 89 out of 100 on Metacritic indicating "universal acclaim".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-34" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[34]  The 4th season also received critical acclaim, with a 86 out 100 on Metacritic, indicating "universal acclaim".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-35" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[35]
 * Chicago Sun-Times; Paige Wiser: Alicia's cases are intriguing, and the background drama would be melodramatic if it weren't such a common story these days.
 * Newark Star-Ledger; Alan Sepinwall: The Good Wife is confident and polished, and a much better showcase for Margulies than her last legal drama.
 * The New York Daily News report, in a review of the lead character's performance said "Margulies puts a powerful combination of cold fury, bewilderment and tenacity into Alicia Florrick, the wife of a disgraced Chicago politician in a new series that readily admits it ripped itself from the headlines"<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-36" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[36]  while The Baltimore Sun predicted that "With all four [actors] bringing their 'A' games to the pilot, it looks as if CBS could have another winning 10 o'clock drama."<sup class="Template-Fact" style="line-height:1em;white-space:nowrap;">[citation needed]
 * There were a few reservations as to the long-term success and plot of the show, with the San Francisco Chronicle concluding that "There's nothing inherently wrong with The Good Wife other than it's a legal series with too many close-up shots of knowing glances and 'attagirl Alicia' moments of empowerment that you saw coming 20 minutes prior".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-37" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[37]
 * Time magazine's James Poniewozik named it one of the Top 10 TV Series of 2010<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-38" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[38]  and 2011, saying, "The ability to keep growing: that's what makes a good Wife great".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-39" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[39]  The Salt Lake Tribune in its list of the Top 10 series of 2011 ranked The Good Wife No. 3, explaining "The mix of fascinating legal drama and even more fascinating personal drama is superb."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-40" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[40]
 * AOL named Alicia the 19th Most Memorable Female TV Character.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-41" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[41]
 * Newsday (Verne Gay): "Like "Mad Men," Wife has an obsessive attention to detail; it's a hurricane of detail, in the visual touches, legal patter and the actors' unspoken flourishes. Nothing seems extraneous or out of place. Also like "Men," this show cares as much about silence as words, or that which isn't said (also a form of eloquence)."
 * TV Guide (Matt Roush): "It raises its emotional game almost instantly, as Alicia (the enigmatic and compellingly subtle Julianna Margulies) makes a fateful choice between her disgraced husband Peter (Chris Noth) and amorous boss Will (Josh Charles), though the decision is clouded by another character's manipulative deceit."
 * Entertainment Weekly (Ken Tucker): "The Good Wife will settle into a case-of-the-week lawyer show. I'd also bet it'll have a rotating bunch of colorful judges with whom Alicia can debate. And you know what? Given the caliber of the acting and writing, that suits me --and, I'll wager, millions of viewers--just fine."
 * The New York Times (Alessandra Stanley): "Alicia’s shock and her sense of surreal detachment, is as vivid a depiction of personal crisis as any on television. But after this cleverly written series deconstructs the exact moment when everything falls apart, it imaginatively explores how one scorned spouse struggles to get past a life-shattering scandal."
 * Salon (Heather Havrilesky): "Each week the show is both intriguing and satisfying, as we watch Alicia piece together little victories while comforting her kids and confronting lurking demons from her old life. Despite the usual familiar courtroom shenanigans, the show's full, multilayered episodes keep us interested."
 * Miami Herald (Glenn Garvin): "It may not be entirely fair to call a show as complexly layered as The Good Wife a crime drama, though at some basic level it is, with a bleakly luminous Juliana Margulies playing a novice criminal defense attorney who's painfully learning the sport of judicial hardball."
 * Todd VanDerWerff of AVClub: "The series also feels impeccably researched and lived-in, just as The Wire did. The Good Wife may not seem like the logical successor to The Wire on the surface, but it’s revealed itself to be a series nearly as complex, humane, and deep as that earlier show, and all in reduced network running-times with heightened restrictions on content." <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-42" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[42]

==AD Prices<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[edit] == ==Awards and nominations<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[edit] == Main article: List of awards and nominations received by The Good Wife<p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">The series and its cast have won a number of awards. Julianna Margulies has been widely recognized for portrayal in the lead role, winning a Primetime Emmy, a Golden Globe, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and a TCA Award for Individual Achievement in Drama. Archie Panjabi won a Primetime Emmy Award in 2010 for her portrayal as Kalinda Sharma. In 2012, Martha Plimpton won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Seriesfor her portrayal as Patti Nyholm. In addition, the series has won a Peabody Award, and has been twice nominated for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series and the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series. In total, the series and its cast have been nominated for 24 Primetime Emmy Awards in its first three seasons. ==Syndication<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[edit] == <p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">The Good Wife has been sold in a complex multi-window deal that involves two streaming partners, Amazon and Hulu; a basic cable network, Hallmark Channel; and broadcast syndication, for a combined license fee of nearly $2 million per episode. "This is an off-network model for a unique serialized show in today's television ecosystem,” said Leslie Moonves, President and CEO, CBS Corporation.
 * season 1: 14 million viewers|DVR ratings: million <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-53" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[53]
 * season 2: 14.059 million viewers|DVR ratings: 2.257 million <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-54" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[54]
 * season 3: 12.100 million viewers|DVR ratings: 1.880 million <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-55" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[55]
 * season 4: 11.523 million viewers|DVR ratings: 2.075 million <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-56" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[56]
 * season 5: million viewers|DVR ratings: million <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-57" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[57]
 * 2009: $89,000 per 30-second spot
 * 2010: $88,000 per 30-second spot
 * 2011: $82,000 per 30-second spot
 * 2012: $80,000 per 30-second spot
 * 2013: $78,500 per 30-second spot <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-58" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[58]  & <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-59" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[59]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">Under the deal, the first three seasons of The Good Wife are available on Amazon Prime, with the current Season (4) coming later this year. Hulu Plus will roll out previous seasons of the show in September 2013, while Hallmark Channel will begin airing The Good Wife in January 2014. A weekend broadcast syndication run is scheduled to begin in September 2014, with the series sold in 85% of the country.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-60" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[60] ==International broadcasts<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[edit] ==