Chris Harnick: 'The Good Wife' Recap: Passions Erupt In 'Red Team/Blue Team'

Note: Do not read on if you have not yet seen Season 4, Episode 14 of CBS' "The Good Wife," titled "Red Team/Blue Team."

Welcome back to greatness, "The Good Wife." After what felt like many weeks of missteps and episodes that were thisclose to hitting a home run, "Red Team/Blue Team" knocked it out of the park. Everything worked, even Eli Gold's storyline -- thank Carrie Preston's Elsbeth Tascioni for that.

The episode opened with a joyous Lockhart/Gardner. In one month, they've eliminated their debt ... and ended up turning some profit. And just like that, half a season's story came to an end.

The main case: The makers of an energy drink want Lockhart/Gardner to test their case with a mock trial. Will and Diane tap Alicia and Cary to be their opposing counsel. All is fine and dandy ... until Alicia and Cary found out the partners have withdrawn their equity partnership offer. The gloves came off and the claws came out. Alicia and Cary really go after Will and Diane, poking giant holes in their case. Good for them, Will and Diane need to be taken down a peg. However, Will takes it a little too personally and a late night confrontation with Alicia turns into a shout match ... then a makeout session. Wilicia fans, react! It's like we're back in Season 1, both with the relationships and fantastic storytelling.

Alicia and Cary beat Will and Diane in mock trial and the Thief energy drink people decide to settle their wrongful death suit.

I really enjoy the relationship Cary and Alicia have developed. After they both realized their deals were taken away, I couldn't help but feel like Alicia put on her iPod and listened to Dixie Chicks' "Not Ready to Make Nice." The fourth years who had their deals delayed for a year meet at Alicia's -- of course, Zach and Grace annoyingly try and get the 411. Sorry guys, haven't missed you -- and decide to meet with their big clients to try and scare the partners into thinking they're bailing. Cary wants to take it one step further and actually create Florrick, Agos & Associates. "We can change the world," he tells Alicia.

Honestly, I think it might be in the future. Maybe not that combo, but shifting some people off to a different firm to spice things up. If only Michael J. Fox didn't land a new NBC series ...

In order to split up the fourth years, the partners decide to offer equity partnership to just one of the pissed off people: Alicia. It's called "The Good Wife," after all. She takes the spot, but not without consulting Cary. Hello, future conflict.

Meanwhile, Carrie Preston returned as the wonderfully looney Elsbeth Tascioni. The writers made a smart move in pairing her with Alan Cumming's Eli Gold. This let Eli get back to his kooky roots and gave him something to do besides scowl and hang out in Alicia's office. Kyle MacLachlan made his first appearance as Josh, Elsbeth's new nemesis in the Justice Department. He's a little more balanced in the weird department, but the two certainly had sparks. Josh fudged records in the case against Eli, but in the end, Elsbeth got his trickery on record. And she rejected his biscotti. Cannot praise Preston's performance enough. "The Good Wife" struck gold when they created this character and tapped Preston to bring her to life.

"Red Team/Blue Team" will go down as one of the best episodes of the series.

Gasp count: Two! The gasps are back!

Some other things:

Diane's broach during day one of the mock trail was very elegant.

"Eli, there's a weird lady here to see you."
"Elsbeth, come on in."

"Why yes, I would. I love biscotti!" Elsbeth, before realizing what a scumbag Josh is.

• "Going for the Gold"

  "Going for the Gold"

• "Going for the Gold"

  "Going for the Gold"

• "Going for the Gold"

  "Going for the Gold"

• "Going for the Gold"

  "Going for the Gold"

• "Going for the Gold"

  "Going for the Gold"

• "Going for the Gold"

  "Going for the Gold"

• "Going for the Gold"

  "Going for the Gold"

• "Going for the Gold"

  "Going for the Gold"

• "Red Team/Blue Team"

  "Red Team/Blue Team"

• "Red Team/Blue Team"

  "Red Team/Blue Team"

• "Red Team/Blue Team"

  "Red Team/Blue Team"

• "Red Team/Blue Team"

  "Red Team/Blue Team"

• "Red Team/Blue Team"

  "Red Team/Blue Team"

• "Boom De Ya Da"

  Democratic strategist Frank Landau (Mike Pniewski, right) forces Eli (Alan Cumming, left) to work with a second campaign manager.

• "Boom De Ya Da"

  Eli (Alan Cumming, right) is forced to work with Jordan Karahalios (T.R. Knight, left) a savvy campaign manager.

• "Boom De Ya Da"

  Alan Cumming as Eli Gold.

• "Boom De Ya Da"

  Eli (Alan Cumming, right) is forced to work with Jordan Karahalios (T.R. Knight, left) a savvy campaign manager.

• "Boom De Ya Da"

  T.R. Knight as Jordan Karahalios.

• "Boom De Ya Da"

  Julianna Margulies as Alicia Florrick.

• "Boom De Ya Da"

  Eli (Alan Cumming, right) is forced to work with Jordan Karahalios (T.R. Knight, left) a savvy campaign manager.

• "A Defense of Marriage"

  Alicia (Julianna Margulies, left) and Zach (Graham Phillips, right) are in for a long evening when both her and Peter?s mothers are in attendance.

• "A Defense of Marriage"

  Peter (Chris Noth, right) speaks with his mother?s caretaker, Cristian (Yul Vazquez, left).

• "A Defense of Marriage"

  Stockard Channing as Veronica, Chris Noth as Peter Florrick.

• "A Defense of Marriage"

  Jackie (Mary Beth Peil, right) speaks with her caretaker, Cristian (Yul Vazquez, left).

• "A Defense of Marriage"

  Alicia?s (Julianna Margulies, left) mother, Veronica (Stockard Channing, right) shows up requesting moral ? and legal ? support.

• "A Defense of Marriage"

  Jackie (Mary Beth Peil, left), has a tense conversation with Alicia?s mother, Veronica (Stockard Channing, right).

• "A Defense of Marriage"

  Alicia?s mother, Veronica (Stockard Channing) shows up requesting moral -- and legal -- support.

• Here Comes The Judge

  Nick?s (Mark Warren. right) latest actions make Kalinda (Archie Panjabi, left) suspicious.

• Here Comes The Judge

  Nick?s (Mark Warren. right) latest actions make Kalinda (Archie Panjabi, left) suspicious.

• Here Comes The Judge

  Nick?s (Mark Warren) latest actions make Kalinda (Archie Panjabi) suspicious.

• Here Comes The Judge

  Alicia (Julianna Margulies, left) and Diane (Christine Baranski, center) help during a hearing to determine if the judge on Will?s (Josh Charles, right) latest case should be removed for bias.

• Here Comes The Judge

  Laura (Amanda Peet, left) must scramble when Will accuses the judge (Judd Hirsch, right) in their case of being biased.

• Here Comes The Judge

  Will (Josh Charles, center) runs into Judge Creary (Judd Hirsch, right) and Giada (Karen Olivo, left).

• Here Comes The Judge

  Laura Hellinger (Amanda Peet. left) questions Will (Josh Charles, right) during a hearing to determine if the judge on Will?s case is biased and should be removed.

• Here Comes The Judge

  Judge Dunaway (Kurt Fuller) hears arguments on whether another judge should be removed from a trial.

• Here Comes The Judge

  Julianna Margulies as Alicia Florrick.

• Here Comes The Judge

  Alicia (Julianna Margulies, right) and Laura Hellinger (Amanda Peet, left) argue whether or not Judge Creary (Judd Hirsch, center) should be removed from hearing a case.

• Here Comes The Judge

  Josh Charles as Will Gardner

• Here Comes The Judge

  Alicia (Julianna Margulies, left) and Diane (Christine Baranski, right) help during a hearing to determine if the judge on Will?s latest case should be removed for bias.

• Here Comes The Judge

  Amanda Peet as Laura.

• Here Comes The Judge

  Christine Baranski as Diane Lockhart

• Anatomy Of A Joke

  John Shea as Nestor Agos.

• Anatomy Of A Joke

  Cary (Matt Czuchry, left) has an uneasy reunion with his father (John Shea, right) during a business trip to Washington, DC.

• Anatomy Of A Joke

  Cary (Matt Czuchry, right) has an uneasy reunion with his father (John Shea, left) during a business trip to Washington, DC.

• Anatomy Of A Joke

  Cary (Matt Czuchry, right) has an uneasy reunion with his father (John Shea, left) during a business trip to Washington, DC

• Anatomy Of A Joke

  L to R: Matt Czuchry as Cary, Christina Ricci as comedienne Therese Dodd, Julianna Margulies as Alicia and F Murray Abraham as Burl Preston.

• Anatomy Of A Joke

  Cary (Matt Czuchry, left) with comedienne Therese Dodd (Christina Ricci, right), who is being sued by a television network for indecency.

• The Art of War

  Alicia (Julianna Margulies, left) represents Laura Hellinger (Amanda Peet, right), an Army captain who accuses a civilian contractor of attempting to rape her in Afghanistan

• The Art of War

  Brian Dennehy as Bucky Stabler, who represents a civilian contractor who is accused of trying to rape an Army captain in Afghanistan.

• Anatomy of a Joke

  Cary (Matt Czuchry, left) talks with comedienne Therese Dodd (Christina Ricci, right), who is being sued by a television network for indecency.

• Anatomy of a Joke

  Alicia (Julianna Margulies, left) speaks with Burl Preston (F Murray Abraham, right) who represents a television network where a comedienne got on trouble for televised indecency.

"The Good Wife" airs Sundays at 9 p.m. EST on CBS.

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Follow Chris Harnick on Twitter: www.twitter.com/chrisharnick

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-harnick/the-good-wife-recap-red-team-blue-team_b_2648285.html

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