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The Good Wife: Season 1

The Good Wife: Season 1 (2009-2010)

Seasons: 1 2 3 4 5

tomatometer

85

Average Rating: 7.8/10
Reviews Counted: 20
Fresh: 17 | Rotten: 3

Along with Julianna Margulies and a fine cast, the gripping drama The Good Wife, boasts hook-heavy plotlines torn from the headlines.

100

Average Rating: 8.2/10
Critic Reviews: 10
Fresh: 10 | Rotten: 0

Along with Julianna Margulies and a fine cast, the gripping drama The Good Wife, boasts hook-heavy plotlines torn from the headlines.

Where's audience score?

Season Info

Alicia Florrick (Julianna Margulies), the disgraced wife of a scandal-ridden politician, returns to work as a defense lawyer in the first season of "The Good Wife." With her husband Peter (Chris Noth) in jail, Alicia is forced to leave behind the luxury of suburban life and relocate the family to an apartment in Chicago as she goes to work for college friend Will Garner (Josh Charles). Her new job comes with an intriguing twist in the form of a competition with younger associate Cary Agos (Matt

Genre: Drama

Network: CBS

Cast

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Episodes

1
Air date: Sep 22, 2009

Pilot

In the series premiere, Alicia Florrick (Julianna Margulies), a politician's wife, resumes her career as a defense attorney after her husband is jailed for corruption. Her first case is the retrial of a woman accused of murdering her spouse. The first trial ended with the jury deadlocked. Alicia is told by her new boss to stick with the firm's original strategy, but she decides not to do so when more evidence surfaces.

2
Air date: Sep 29, 2009

Stripped

A stripper claims she was raped at a prominent businessman's bachelor party, and Alicia represents her in a civil trial after the state's attorney refuses to pursue criminal charges. At home, Alicia's kids receive compromising photos of their dad with another woman.

3
Air date: Oct 6, 2009

Home

Alicia returns to her old upscale neighborhood to defend a former friend's teen son, who is accused of murdering a security guard at a friend's house. The 18-year-old man admits he was at the home but claims he's innocent of the crime. Cary is assigned to help Alicia with the case, even though he has never tried one in court.

4
Air date: Oct 13, 2009

Fixed

Alicia discovers evidence that a juror may have been bribed with $35,000 in a class-action lawsuit against a major pharmaceutical company. Alicia's client was paralyzed after taking one of the company's drugs. Meanwhile, Peter's lawyer tries to get Alicia to help in her husband's defense and attempts to bribe her with gifts.

5
Air date: Oct 20, 2009

Crash

Alicia defends the widows of three train engineers who are blamed by their company for a deadly crash. She has 72 hours to prove that the train company is at fault or the women will lose their husbands' pensions. Meanwhile, Kalinda digs into the background of a potential partner in the firm who is seeing Diane, and Peter suspects that Alicia is being unfaithful. Martha Plimpton guest stars.

6
Air date: Nov 3, 2009

Conjugal

Alicia works on an appeal for a death-row inmate jailed six years ago for killing an off-duty police officer during the robbery of a grocery store. Peter has vital information about the case and Alicia agrees to a conjugal visit with him to obtain it. But things don't go quite as Peter planned.

7
Air date: Nov 10, 2009

Unorthodox

Alicia serves as co-counsel to a handsome storefront lawyer (Chris Bowers) who is defending an Orthodox Jewish couple being sued in a slip-and-fall case. Alicia is assigned because one of the defendants is a law partner's daughter. The victim claims she was badly injured when she tripped on a wire outside of the couple's house, but Alicia believes the incident may be a scam. Meanwhile, Will and Diane make a round of layoffs at the firm.

8
Air date: Nov 17, 2009

Unprepared

Alicia defends a scientist accused of arson after the lab the woman works in is torched. It's soon learned that the scientist is the target of a hate group. Meanwhile, Alicia is asked to testify on her husband's behalf at his bail hearing, but she is uncertain if she wants him to return home; and Zach becomes determined to uncover the identity of the person who is leaving damaging photos and DVDs at the Florrick's front door.

9
Air date: Nov 24, 2009

Threesome

Alicia represents the firm's senior partner after he is arrested for DUI and assaulting a police officer, and she must deal with the murky office politics that come with the case. Meanwhile, Chelsea Handler interviews Peter's mistress, who is promoting a tell-all book about her affair with Peter.

10
Air date: Dec 15, 2009

Lifeguard

Alicia investigates a judge's questionable motives after he overturns a simple plea bargain she arranged and sentences her juvenile client to nine months in detention. Her investigation reveals the judge has a history of unusual sentences and may be a racist. Meanwhile, Diane is offered a judgeship and considers leaving the firm.

11
Air date: Jan 5, 2010

Infamy

Alicia represents the state attorney general's wife in her divorce case and becomes a pawn in the negotiations. She also learns more about Peter's legal troubles. Meanwhile, a sarcastic TV commentator goes on trial for slander after he accuses a woman of murdering her missing daughter.

12
Air date: Jan 12, 2010

Painkiller

A star high-school quarterback dies from an overdose of painkillers, and Alicia defends the family physician who is charged with murder for prescribing the medication. The doctor claims he is innocent, and Alicia attempts to uncover the truth. Meanwhile, Jackie suffers a stroke, and Childs asks Kalinda to work for him to help undermine Peter's appeal.

13
Air date: Feb 2, 2010

Bad

Alicia defends a wealthy man in civil court who is accused of murdering his wife. He was found not guilty in his criminal trial but even Alicia believes he committed the crime. Meanwhile, Peter's appeal begins, and Diane buys a gun for protection when a drug dealer threatens to kill her.

14
Air date: Feb 9, 2010

Hi

Alicia represents a man accused of murdering a babysitter who worked for his family and with whom he had a secret personal relationship. Meanwhile, Childs forces Kalinda to testify at Peter's appeal hearing, and she shocks the judge with her testimony.

15
Air date: Mar 2, 2010

Bang

Alicia defends a man accused of murdering a financial adviser who lost the man's life savings in a Ponzi scheme. At home, Peter adjusts to house arrest and begins his comeback strategy with his legal team after his son shows him incriminating photos that were left at their door weeks earlier.

16
Air date: Mar 9, 2010

Fleas

Alicia and Will defend an attorney arrested for murdering a witness against a drug dealer he represents; and Alicia discovers that someone is slandering her on the Internet with postings that claim she is sleeping with Will to advance her career.

17
Air date: Mar 16, 2010

Heart

An emergency courtroom is set up in a hospital, where Alicia and Will attempt to force an insurance company to pay for lifesaving in-utero surgery. At the apartment, Alicia gives Peter a proper homecoming.

18
Air date: Apr 6, 2010

Doubt

Alicia and Will defend a college student accused of killing her roommate while under the influence of a sleep aid. The two also deal with the mounting sexual tension between them. Meanwhile, Diane continues her flirtatious relationship with a conservative ballistics expert.

19
Air date: Apr 27, 2010

Boom

Alicia goes head-to-head in court with her former boss Jonas Stern and considers using personal information about him to aid her case. Meanwhile, Peter turns to religion to help with his appeal.

20
Air date: May 4, 2010

Mock

Peter's electronic monitor sounds off when he chases after Alicia, and their kids try to figure out a way to cover for him so he won't be arrested and sent back to prison. Meanwhile, Alicia defends an illegal immigrant who is threatened with deportation after 27 years in the U.S., and Will serves as a judge in a mock trial designed to train aspiring lawyers.

21
Air date: May 11, 2010

Unplugged

Alicia and Cary work overtime to keep their jobs when they learn that Will and Diane will soon announce their decision about who will be the firm's junior associate. Meanwhile, Alicia represents the wife of a rock star in a divorce case that takes an unusual turn when the singer is involved in a serious accident that puts him on life support.

22
Air date: May 18, 2010

Hybristophilia

Alicia once again defends accused wife killer Colin Sweeney (Dylan Baker), when he's found handcuffed to a dead woman. Sweeney claims self-defense. Meanwhile, Eli Gold tries to get the charges against Peter dropped.

23
Air date: May 25, 2010

Running

The first season concludes with Alicia contemplating whether to support Peter in his new political campaign or pursue a relationship with Will. Meanwhile, an undercover detective who was gathering information on dirty cops is killed, and his widow believes he was set up, so she sues the police department.

Critic Reviews for The Good Wife: Season 1

Throughout, Margulies displays the combination of bright-eyed intelligence and husky-throated emotionalism that made her a star on ER.

September 8, 2009 Full Review Source: Entertainment Weekly
Ken Tucker
Entertainment Weekly

The Good Wife is hands-down the best new drama of the season.

September 8, 2009 Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times
Mary McNamara
Los Angeles Times

There's a lot of potential here (I especially enjoyed Panjabi), but it failed to win me over completely.

September 23, 2009 Full Review Source: Television Without Pity
Angel Cohn
Television Without Pity

The stuff in the pilot may not be good, but there's tremendous potential to the dynamic between Alicia, Kalinda and Diane, three hard-nosed women attempting to fill traditional male power roles however they can.

September 7, 2009 Full Review Source: HitFix
Dan Fienberg
HitFix

There's no sure-fire path to TV success, but giving a good actress good material is an awfully good place to start.

September 8, 2009 Full Review Source: USA Today
Robert Bianco
USA Today

[The] series... is appealing -- even compelling -- in a variety of ways.

August 22, 2013 Full Review Source: Hollywood Reporter
Barry Garron
Hollywood Reporter

If the show can stay focused on maintaining Alicia's believability as more than just a plot device in a weekly case then The Good Wife could be actually be great.

September 22, 2009 Full Review Source: HollywoodChicago.com
Brian Tallerico
HollywoodChicago.com

Nothing about the trial is particularly distinguished ... but watching Margulies - stately, beautiful, but showing some signs of age and vulnerability since her "ER" days - it holds together well enough.

September 8, 2009 Full Review Source: Variety
Brian Lowry
Variety

With the drama so thin, it must be the richness of Alicia's situation that makes 13 million people a week want to enjoy her company.

September 8, 2009 Full Review Source: Slate
Troy Patterson
Slate

Margulies puts a powerful combination of cold fury, bewilderment and tenacity into Alicia Florrick.

September 8, 2009 Full Review Source: New York Daily News
David Hinckley
New York Daily News

The Good Wife sets itself apart from other legal dramas because it's set within the backdrop of real-life political/sex scandals that have been sensationalized in the media.

September 8, 2009 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media
Melissa Camacho
Common Sense Media

It doesn't hinge on headlines and it isn't restricted by what we can see from the outside-the merely poignant, infuriating, sad awfulness of it all.

September 8, 2009 Full Review Source: New Yorker
Nancy Franklin
New Yorker

One of the best parts of the show is Alicia?s complicated relationship with her husband.

September 8, 2009 Full Review Source: Chicago Tribune
Maureen Ryan
Chicago Tribune

There are many enjoyable performances by many wonderful actors, including Baranski, Panjabi and, the nicest surprise of all, David Paymer, who plays a judge.

September 8, 2009 Full Review Source: Newsday
Verne Gay
Newsday

The Good Wife manages to build on its from-the-headlines premise-and its rather ordinary legal-procedural format-to become something different and compelling.

September 8, 2009 Full Review Source: TIME Magazine
James Poniewozik
TIME Magazine

The CBS drama remained true to the formula that's gotten it this far: strong storytelling and powerful performances.

August 28, 2009 Full Review Source: TV Fanatic
Matt Richenthal
TV Fanatic

At the very least, you ought to call up your mom and suggest she check it out. This show deserves it.

September 4, 2009 Full Review Source: IGN Movies
Amanda Sloane Murray
IGN Movies

Really delicious on-going storyline.

September 22, 2009 Full Review Source: Zap2it.com
Andrea Reiher
Zap2it.com

It's ages since I've seen anything followable with one eye and yet also quite satisfying, so I was happy to stumble upon The Good Wife.

August 20, 2013 Full Review Source: Observer [UK]
Phil Hogan
Observer [UK]

At least The Good Wife asks substantive questions.

August 22, 2013 Full Review Source: Huffington Post
Catie Lazarus
Huffington Post

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