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“The Good Wife” continues to shine in its sixth year

Fresh writing and strong acting keep CBS’s political drama at the forefront of network television

<p>“The Good Wife” boldly goes where no other show is willing to go.</p>

“The Good Wife” boldly goes where no other show is willing to go.

After a long, grueling summer, “The Good Wife” returned to air Sept. 21 — coming off the critically acclaimed fifth season, the sixth season premiere of this series had a lot to live up to.

Many critics considered the show's fifth season a renaissance year, with the classic tone and sharp story from earlier seasons making a comeback. With another Emmy win for lead actress Julianna Margulies, expectations were high coming out of the summer. And the season premiere met and surpassed these expectations with gusto — introducing a season-long story arc with classic "Good Wife" brilliance. Season six quickly leaves behind the season five cliffhanger, retooling its focus on Cary Agos, Alicia’s business partner, who is arrested on helping aid a client with drug transportation.

          

The show is built on a reputation as a fast-paced political and legal drama, centered around Alicia Florrick — a character based on the likes of Hillary Clinton — who sticks by her husband’s side as he is caught in a massive political scandal. Alicia turns from housewife to lawyer, a profession she left 13 years prior, and spends five seasons developing as a woman outside of her husband's shadow. “The Good Wife” still has elements of the procedural, case-of-the-week style CBS tends to favor, but with a strong overarching plotline which guides the characters' actions.

Margulies is the show’s deadly weapon. Her brilliant portrayal of Alicia elevates the show beyond the clichés of most modern dramas. Christine Baranski and Chris Noth play senior lawyer Diane Lockhart and Alicia’s husband Peter Florrick, respectively, marking just two of the standout performances among the stellar ensemble cast.

“The Good Wife” is one of the strongest shows on network television right now — perhaps even the best show on the air in general. Its lack of recognition in the "Outstanding Drama" category at the Emmys is infuriating.

In a television landscape of bland dramas and stale sitcoms, “The Good Wife” boldly goes where no other show is willing to go. It constantly pushes boundaries while smartly balancing reality and drama.  The beauty of this series is that even though the show is entering its sixth year on air, the writing is as fresh as ever.

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