Fist off, I’ve loved “The Good Wife” since it premiered in 2009. The story of Alicia Florrick, played by Emmy winner Julianna Margulies, as she tried to rebuild her life and law career after her husband Peter’s affair with a call-girl was exposed combined juicy family and political soap opera with weekly law cases (keeping with CBS’ staple of procedural dramas). But “The Good Wife” transcended any procedural drama on CBS or any other network quickly becoming the best drama on broadcast television.
Co-creators of “The Good Wife” Robert and Michelle King announced this week that they are leaving the series at the end of this season. They’re vision for the show was a seven season story arc and for them this is the end. It’s rumored that CBS is trying to negotiate deals for an eight season of the show, which means a new show runner and vision for “The Good Wife.”
I believe CBS should allow the Kings to complete their vision for “The Good Wife” at the end of this season and viewers should say farewell to Alicia Florrick and company. Alicia deserves her happy ending and be allowed to walk off into the sunset gracefully. However, “The Good Wife” is such a good brand that there is a way for CBS to evolve the show with new protagonists and stories.
Other networks have had success with anthology storytelling in recent years and “The Good Wife” could be a way for CBS to get into the game. The show should focus on a woman of color who is running to replace her late husband as Governor. Her only political experience has been that as First Lady of her state. She’s built a career as a successful Chief Financial Officer of a Fortune 500 company. Her opponents will of course use her lack of political experience against her. And even though she was able to turn her company’s financial turmoil around when she came on board, he opponents will spin things to make it look like it was her fault. And, because she’s had a success full career, they’ll call into question her dedication to her family because she wasn’t a stay-at-home mom. The show can focus on many themes including women in politics, race in politics, the effect of local politics on the community and the double standards when it comes to women and power. There could also be an umbrella mystery surrounding her husbanding dealing while in office and the circumstances surrounding his death.For continuity, CBS could enlist one or two, at most, of the current characters to make guest appearances on the new incarnation of “The Good Wife” as legal counsel, or old love interest from the new “wife’s” past.
“The Good Wife” in its current incarnation should go out while still in a good place creatively. This season hasn’t been its strongest, but it still stand out as one of the only quality dramas on broadcast tv. CBS should give the show the dignity of going out with the vision of its original creators, the Kings.
What do you think? Should “The Good Wife” wrap up at the end of season 7? Would you watch a new incarnation of the show in a new setting? Comment below.
