Image Credit: David M. Russell/CBS
Between now and June 28, the deadline for Emmy voters to return nomination ballots, EW.com is running a series called Emmy Watch, featuring highlight clips and interviews with actors, producers, and writers whom EW TV critic Ken Tucker has on his wish list for the nominations announcement on July 19.
In each of its first two seasons, CBS’ The Good Wife earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Drama Series. Last year, it was the only network show in the category and produced at least 10 episodes more than each of its competitors. Should the length of a season be something Emmy voters take into account? “No,” says Robert King, cocreator of The Good Wife with his wife Michelle King. “Look, we gripe about it because it’s hard work and we get two weeks a year off. But the bottom line is, it still comes down to the show. Do you enjoy the show or do you not? I’m kinda thrilled that there’s a paradigm changing, that you can do 10 episodes or 13 episodes. I’m a TV fan. Really, they should judge it on the quality of the episodes, no matter how many episodes were written or shot.”
To that end, if Emmy voters need to be reminded why The Good Wife, which wrapped its third season in April, is still one of TV’s best dramas, they need only revisit one episode, “Blue Ribbon Panel.” It’s an hour written by the Kings that masterfully weaves together office politics, as Eli (Alan Cumming), Julius (Michael Boatman) and David (Zach Grenier) maneuver to replace suspended Will (Josh Charles) as name partner and fail; the ongoing investigation into Kalinda’s (Archie Panjabi) finances, which leads back to FBI agent Lana Delaney (Jill Flint); Alicia (Julianna Margulies) serving as the token woman on a panel investigating a police shooting alongside Mike Kresteva (guest star Matthew Perry), the man who would later announce he was running for governor against her husband, Peter (Chris Noth); and flashbacks to moments in the Florricks’ old house, which Alicia was trying to buy back (only her mother-in-law Jackie, played by Mary Beth Peil, outbid her). Watch a clip below as the Kings take us inside the episode. READ FULL STORY »
