What I’m Watching: The Good Wife (Season Premiere)

The Good Wife: Season 3, Episode 1 “The New Day” (B+)

This show is back and determined to be just as edgy and entertaining as ever. We launch right in with an extremely hot-button topic that puts Alicia on the side of a Palestinian young man accused of murdering a Jewish student, with Omar Metwally guest-starring as a big-time Palestian donor to the firm. When Eli is the one questioning the moral standards of those involved, you know things have gotten to a low point. Fred Melamed was a strong choice to play the judge assigned to the case, and even if the nature of the plot veered a bit towards the political and controversial at times, it was ultimately engaging. The fact that it turned out to have nothing to do with Arab-Israeli relations or video games came as somewhat of a surprise, but this episode was very deft in the way it handled the denouement. I’m most excited by the presence of Kelli Giddish as Sophia, getting along swimmingly with Cary and then pairing up with great success with Kalinda. She’s so much better here than she ever was on “Past Life” and “Chase,” and I hope that she’s able to stick around with her new “Law & Order: SVU” gig. Peter and Alicia going head-to-head makes for great drama, and I like how Will is being purposely cold to Alicia to throw everyone off the scent, leaving Diane to question how she seems to be the only adult left. I’m not quite sure what to think of Grace’s new tutor, but I suppose it will give her something to do.