Rowby Canton Returns To The Good Wife To Get The Old Band Back Together

St. Alicia Hasn't Won Over Absolutely Everyone

I'm Not Like The Other Dads, I'm A Cool Dad

Alert Type: Record Company Dispute Alert.

Issue: That guy Rowby from two seasons ago has sought out Alicia (first stopping at Lockhart Agos Lee, not knowing she's left) for help with a new matter: since we saw him last, he's had a son, and gotten into writing songs for kids, but his old record company has sent him a cease-and-desist letter regarding the somewhat viral "ChummyVideo" he posted of himself singing "Good Morning Magic Sunshine" to his little boy; they claim the song is theirs.

Complicating Factors: Rowby wants to work with Alicia and Cary, so they're teaming up to fight the case (though at least the two of them are pretty cordial these days). When the judge dismisses the argument by Andrea Stevens -- who's representing the record company -- that Rowby had to have composed the song when he was still under contract, she pivots to say that actually Rowby ripped off another kids' song they own.

Resolution: The judge is convinced by that argument and rules for the plaintiff.

Spoiler: That's not the only thing Rowby loses in this episode.

This Is The Kind Of Sneaky Behaviour That Could Give Lawyers A Bad Name!

Who called the meeting? Monica.

What's it about? She had lunch with Bea Wilson, who seems to have been a mentor to her when she was looking for a job, during the course of which Bea tells her about her run-in with Alicia's rude-ass neighbour and also seemed a little put off that Alicia's operation's so small-time that she's working out of her apartment.

How'd it go? David Lee and Diane are basically slavering at Monica's report about Bea's dissatisfaction with Alicia and the possibility that they could get her back as a client. David tells Diane that she will have to apologize, since it was Diane's involvement in that scummy anti-choice video that had caused Bea to consider leaving the firm in the first place. When Monica notes that she told Bea "how diverse you are here" with only the tiniest eye-roll, David excitedly adds, "We should bring the cripple to the next meeting," which is both a terrible thing to say and classic Lee. Diane asks Monica whether she can get Bea in for a meeting, and when Monica demurs since Bea has never been her client, Diane dangles the possibility that she could be if Monica can pull this off. And since she does (spoiler alert), it sure seems like it didn't take her long to fit in!

Mutual Grudging Respect Society

Peter having rather decisively lost the primary in Iowa, it's time for Ruth to move on, and Eli stops in as she packs up the big, nice office that used to be his and is about to be again. Ruth still seems shocked that things diverged so wildly from her expectations, but when she comments that their polling was off and asks if Eli was behind that sabotage too, he says he wasn't, and she doesn't really seem interested in speculating about why the polling shit the bed, so, good luck to her next clients in Congressional races, I guess! Eli notes that Peter needs to get back to governing and Eli needs to get back to helping him do that, whereupon Ruth warns Eli that Peter will be in trouble: "A governor who returns home after a loss has a target on his back. Someone is going to take a shot at him....Watch out for friends."

This rather dark forecast delivered, Ruth and Eli exchange respectful goodbyes. "I wish I had been better to you," Eli tells her. "I wish you had been too," says Ruth, who maybe never married the love of her life in part because she's more interested in being right than happy. "I wish I had been to" would have cost you nothing, RUTH.

But A Good Wife's Place Is In The Home!

Situation: Alicia's running her law firm from her condo.

What makes it awkward? Crystal has received one too many misdirected clients and packages and has decided to take action: she's narced on Alicia to the homeowners' association and brought Grace an official letter: Alicia has a week to answer it or she'll be evicted.

How is order restored? Grace seems to think it's hopeless (and Alicia, weirdly, is not really part of this storyline at all?) until Marissa stops by and tells her that Alicia can't possibly be the only one in the building who has a home office: she suggests that Grace stake out the lobby, watch for courier deliveries, follow them to their units, and look into whether their occupants are running businesses.

Sure enough, when the time comes for the homeowners' association to meet on Alicia's violations, Grace -- representing her absent mother, the actual homeowner -- is all set. One guy on the board is a day trader whose loan-out corporation is registered with his condo as its address. Though sublets aren't permitted, Crystal herself rents a room in her condo to her mother-in-law; when Crystal snaps that there's an exception for family members, Grace calmly says there isn't. She also mentions a Mr. Loring on the 8th floor who "frequently hosts high-priced call girls." At this point, the president of the association decides maybe they'd better table the matter. "I think that'd be good," says Grace. "My mother's a great lawyer. She usually stands up well for herself." Uh, except for right now? Sure.

Alicia's Not Investing In Gold

Who called the meeting? Marissa.

What's it about? She needs a job, and when Eli told her he didn't have any to give her, he suggested that she go find out if Alicia needed help.

How'd it go? It starts out great: Alicia is pleased to see Marissa and interested to hear about what she's been doing. When Marissa generously tells her, "I wanted to give you first shot at hiring me!" (hee) and Alicia says she's not looking to bring anyone on at the moment, Marissa makes the mistake of replying, "Dad said you were taking on all these new clients." Alicia:

As soon as Marissa mentions Eli's name, Alicia ices over. Marissa, sensing her change of mood, hesitantly asks Alicia to keep her in mind if anything changes, and asks if something's wrong. "Tell Eli to stop it," Alicia snaps. Marissa, of course, doesn't know what that's about, and only gets more confused when Alicia adds, "Visit me because you want to, not because your dad wants you to." Alicia has to get back to court, she says, and dismisses Marissa with the bare minimum of civility. And look, it's not like we haven't seen Alicia being bitchy before (in every episode), but this is out of character even for her. Alicia has been very close to Marissa and obviously cares about her; she has no reason to think that Marissa, if she knew all the facts, would let Eli use her this way and act all chirpy while doing it, and while she certainly has every right to be mad at Eli until one of them dies, she should have more grace than to hold her anger at Eli against Marissa just because she happens to be his daughter. Badly done, St. A.

Alicia's Divesting Herself Of Literally All Gold Holdings

Who called the meeting? Marissa.

What's it about? Having no fucking clue what just happened with Alicia.

How'd it go? Real bad. All Marissa knows is that (a) Alicia is on a holy crusade against all Golds and (b) she's not trying to tell Marissa why, so Marissa has to go back to Eli for answers. When Marissa reports what Alicia told her to relay to Eli, he asks, "Stop what?," and Marissa replies, "She made it sound like she didn't have to say. Eli closes the door and says, "Alicia and I are having some issues." Marissa guesses that they're sleeping together and, when he denies it, that he wants to be. He denies that too...and then sits down at his desk and reluctantly tells her the truth about his confession. "So," Marissa summarizes, "So he called her and said 'I love you,' and you erased it. And now Will's gone and it's something she can never make right." Eli: "...Yes." Yeah, when you put it that way, Eli doesn't look really great.

Once it's established that Lucca likes artists but loses interest quickly, and that he lives in an artist's hovel, it's back to her place to bone until Magic Sunshine peeks through the window. Or for one hour, after which she will kick his ass out.

Lucca and Alicia having figured out that Lockhart Agos Lee is courting Florrick & Quinn clients when Lucca spotted one of them at LAL when she was there for a meeting on Rowby's case, Alicia's been on the phone for hours trying to shore up support with the 30% of their client base that hasn't engaged them to handle DUIs when Grace enters and offers to share the workload -- she's even finished all her homework! Alicia says that, in that case, she should sit down so they can talk. "Is it one of those talks?" Grace asks. Alicia says it is. Grace promises that she can bring her grades up, and Alicia says she should, which will mean she needs to stop working at the firm. Grace says that's not fair -- she's been doing such a good job! Alicia agrees, but says Grace needs to start focusing on her own future and stop trying to look after Alicia, since looking after Grace is supposed to be Alicia's department. It's cute when that occurs to her every six episodes or so. Grace pouts that Alicia wants her to butt out of Alicia's life, but Alicia just wants her out of the business, and pulls her in for a hug. "Mom, you can't fire me and hug me at the same time," crabs Grace. "Ohhhh yes I can," says Alicia. Hey, you know what would have been a nice thing to mention somewhere in this scene? THAT GRACE KEPT THEM FROM BEING HOMELESS.

Rowby is playing Lucca a new song when she asks if he's sad. He says he is, kind of; he doesn't like losing. She doesn't either. She seems moderately amused and touched by his song, but that's not really enough to hold her interest, and she tells him he should sell it -- but first, she says as she strides toward the door, he should change the name in the song to something other than "Lucca." "Where are you going?" he asks. "Back to real life," she tells him. Rowby: "...What was this?" I guess guitar guys are used to being the ones ditching girls and not the other way around.

Cary shows up at Alicia's apartment, and when she accuses him of trying to poach their clients, he's like, right -- kind of like you did? Lucca rolls up just in time to hear that LAL's efforts were for naught, as Cary explains, "They want you as lawyers but they want our infrastructure, and if they can't have both, they're going to keep looking." The upshot is that he wants to ask her to come back to Lockhart Agos. "No," says Alicia. "We want you back," Cary tells Alicia, and then turns to Lucca: "And we want you to come with her." "...Diane does?" asks Alicia, and it makes me like her more than I have almost this whole season that the thought of repairing her relationship with Diane is a possible inducement. "Well, she understands the situation," Cary hedges. Alicia: "Thank you, but I'm not interested." Lucca:

Cary's like, "If you change your mind," but Alicia says she won't. When he leaves, her PARTNER is like, "Shall we at least discuss this?" She points out their dire financial situation and the fact that they can't hang on if clients like Bea leave them. Alicia defaults to saying how great it is not to have to answer to anyone, but Lucca shoots back, "Because no one else wants us." "Do you want to go and work for a big firm?" asks Alicia. Lucca doesn't know, but it sure seems like she's interested in seeing how she likes it. "Well, I can't," says Alicia decisively. Being Alicia's partner seems like a really great time.

Lucca's getting ready to stomp out in frustration when Marissa shows up to tell Alicia she has to forgive Eli -- and stresses that she's there for herself, not on his orders. Once Lucca's left, Marissa tells Alicia that Eli told her what the fight is about: "He cares about you, and he doesn't care about many people." She thinks Alicia should let Eli apologize. Alicia:

"You're looking at me like you want to tell me something," says Marissa. "'Get lost'? 'Go to hell'?" After a long moment, Alicia chokes, "I hurt." Marissa can tell what this took out of Alicia to admit, and says she's sorry. "It hurt me," Alicia adds. "He knows that," says Marissa. "Then he can't expect anything more of me," says Alicia, barely keeping herself from crying. "It would be unfair of him to expect anything more." Marissa pushes her luck by suggesting that Alicia let Marissa call him and say he's forgiven but that Alicia needs not to see him for a while. Alicia refuses...and I kind of don't blame her. Eli did something horrible, and then compounded how horrible it was by unburdening himself when this was terrible knowledge that did NOT need to be shared. Alicia's allowed to treat him whatever way she wants. "Please?" Marissa begs. "Marissa, I-- No." Everyone is heartbroken. Eli should have a live feed to watch this conversation and SEE WHAT HE DID.