I’m in the middle of watching The Good Wife and finding it compelling for a number of reasons.
Like much American TV, it’s a twisted morality tale. The series follows Alicia, the wife of a disgraced politician who returns to practising law to support her family when her husband is sent to prison on a corruption charge. Peter appeals and is cleared of corruption, but there is no doubt that he slept with the prostitutes provided by those who sought to gain political favours.
Alicia stands by Peter whilst he rebuilds his career – hence “the good wife”. But the real story is of her gradual corruption as her career as a lawyer goes from strength to strength. Or you could see it another way: she sheds her naivety and comes to recognise that, in the real world, it’s not about moral principles and how you behave – it’s about winning for your client. It’s about making money for your firm and it’s about public perceptions.
