The Good Wife is a serialized show, featuring several story arcs that play out over multiple episodes, as well as standalone storylines that are concluded by the end of each episode. The serial plotsβa rarity on CBS, a network where most of the programming at that time was procedural βwere especially showcased in its highly praised fifth season.
The Good Wife was acclaimed during its run and considered by several critics to be network television's "last great drama". The performances of the show's cast have been particularly recognized, with Julianna Margulies, Archie Panjabi, Christine Baranski, and Josh Charles each receiving widespread acclaim.
It received recognition for producing full episode seasons while other similarly acclaimed dramas often produce only 6 to 13 episodes per season. CBS announced on February 7, , that the show was ending with its seventh season. The final episode aired on May 8, Set in Chicago , the series focuses on Alicia Florrick Margulies , whose husband Peter Noth , the former Cook County, Illinois State's Attorney , has been jailed following a notorious political corruption and sex scandal.
After having spent the previous 13 years as a stay-at-home mother , Alicia returns to the workforce as a litigator to provide for her two children. Writers Michelle and Robert King wanted to create a series that focused on the wife of a high-profile politician following a public sex scandal. They got the idea after they observed prominent American scandals of this nature, such as those involving President Bill Clinton and North Carolina Senator John Edwards.
They were further intrigued by the fact that many of the wives were lawyers who had halted their personal careers for the sake of their husbands' professional ambitions. You know, what's interesting about a lot of these political scandals is that the women are lawyers, too. Hillary is a lawyer. Elizabeth Edwards is a lawyer. I think that got us thinking along those lines.
