The Good Fight 1.04
Which is probably the most 2017 story yet.
Lies being the shared theme that binds both Diane's and Maia's plot together. In Maia's case it's the fake news variety (plus fake Twitter account), started by a vengeful ex. And for all that it's played mostly for the comedy and to showcase Marisa (and then more people at the new firm, including one of the bosses, Adrian) teaming up with Maia in solidarity, and for all that it's satisfying when the vengeful ex get hoisted on his own petard, this subplot makes a not-funny-at-all point: the advice Maia is given at the end - to ignore the fake articles about her which have been picked up by Reddit even after her ex has stopped his activities - doesn't actually solve the basic problem. Those lies about her are now out there, and "everyone who knows you knows they're wrong" doesn't stop the rest of humanity believing them, which can have serious legal consequences.
I have to confess I don't recall Mike Kristeva from The Good Wife, so he either showed up after I stopped watching, or I blotted him out mentally. In this episode, he at first seemed like a poor man's Louis Canning, but come Diane's scene in front of the Grand Jury, I realised the point was something else. Canning and his ilk of adversarial characters had no problems twisting the truth, putting a spin on it. But Kristeva, in a very fitting embodiment of The Age Of 45, doesn't bother with spin anymore. He simply lies, without shame, because it suits his agenda. And as in Maia's subplot with the internet trolling, there are enough people out there believing what he says that this can have very serious consequences for Our Heroes. They're living in the post factual world now with the rest of us, where cleverly finding that key piece of evidence or, as Diane does in the case of the week, recalling a useful legal clause in a different country, might win a temporary victory but doesn't help with the basic rottenness that spreads and spreads and spreads.
Speaking of the case of the week: had Salomon's judgment overtones in its solution and also offers Diane a good opportunity for a longer conversation with Barbara. I approve. And there's an almost phonecall to Kurt. I like both the impulse and that she doesn't go through with it yet; if and when she contacts him again, it shouldn't be because of the mood of the moment with her regretting it soon after, but having made the clear decision to do so. Otoh as I still ship them I of course I'm glad she still feels for him.
Lucca & the state attorney: has some overtones of Kalinda and Cary in s2, or maybe I'm projecting. That he (temporarily) foils Kristeva for her not by a moral argument but by pointing out to his boss how it looks like if you go after an all black law firm when the bigger issue is police brutality is typical for this 'verse.
This entry was originally posted at http://selenak.dreamwidth.org/1219260.html. Comment there or here, as you wish.
Lies being the shared theme that binds both Diane's and Maia's plot together. In Maia's case it's the fake news variety (plus fake Twitter account), started by a vengeful ex. And for all that it's played mostly for the comedy and to showcase Marisa (and then more people at the new firm, including one of the bosses, Adrian) teaming up with Maia in solidarity, and for all that it's satisfying when the vengeful ex get hoisted on his own petard, this subplot makes a not-funny-at-all point: the advice Maia is given at the end - to ignore the fake articles about her which have been picked up by Reddit even after her ex has stopped his activities - doesn't actually solve the basic problem. Those lies about her are now out there, and "everyone who knows you knows they're wrong" doesn't stop the rest of humanity believing them, which can have serious legal consequences.
I have to confess I don't recall Mike Kristeva from The Good Wife, so he either showed up after I stopped watching, or I blotted him out mentally. In this episode, he at first seemed like a poor man's Louis Canning, but come Diane's scene in front of the Grand Jury, I realised the point was something else. Canning and his ilk of adversarial characters had no problems twisting the truth, putting a spin on it. But Kristeva, in a very fitting embodiment of The Age Of 45, doesn't bother with spin anymore. He simply lies, without shame, because it suits his agenda. And as in Maia's subplot with the internet trolling, there are enough people out there believing what he says that this can have very serious consequences for Our Heroes. They're living in the post factual world now with the rest of us, where cleverly finding that key piece of evidence or, as Diane does in the case of the week, recalling a useful legal clause in a different country, might win a temporary victory but doesn't help with the basic rottenness that spreads and spreads and spreads.
Speaking of the case of the week: had Salomon's judgment overtones in its solution and also offers Diane a good opportunity for a longer conversation with Barbara. I approve. And there's an almost phonecall to Kurt. I like both the impulse and that she doesn't go through with it yet; if and when she contacts him again, it shouldn't be because of the mood of the moment with her regretting it soon after, but having made the clear decision to do so. Otoh as I still ship them I of course I'm glad she still feels for him.
Lucca & the state attorney: has some overtones of Kalinda and Cary in s2, or maybe I'm projecting. That he (temporarily) foils Kristeva for her not by a moral argument but by pointing out to his boss how it looks like if you go after an all black law firm when the bigger issue is police brutality is typical for this 'verse.
This entry was originally posted at http://selenak.dreamwidth.org/1219260.html. Comment there or here, as you wish.