The Good Wife: 5 Best Main Characters (& 5 Worst) | ScreenRant
How would the pubic view another lawyer show? This had to be the question on the minds of CBS executives as the idea of The Good Wife was pitched to them. However, unlike others, this one has a bit of a unique spin to it. Yes, there was courtroom drama, love triangles, and enough lawyer mumbo-jumbo to keep the law geeks thrilled. But what about the storylines and characters?
With a large and diverse cast, characters came and went as frequently as week-to-week court cases. But the main ones, they were the characters that provided the essence of what the show was about. Here are the five best main characters and the five worst from The Good Wife.
10 Cary Agos (Best)
In the beginning, it was a competition. It wasn't their fault, that blame belongs to the firm. Cary was a complete a-hole to Alicia and almost everyone else that you wanted to hate him so bad. But as time went on, he became one of the good guys.
Did Cary have his hands in a few things questionable? Yes, just as much as everyone else on the show. But Cary wanted more. He wanted to run things his own way and when he and Alicia started their own Firm, it gave clear, me all Mr. Cargo pegged all wrong.
9 Peter Florrick (Worst)
The cheating husband. Peter had too many skeletons in his closet to be considered a good guy. He out his family in the spotlight by placing his personal interest first. Alicia was willing to stay but the pain was just unbearable to stay put. While the family was suffering, Peter didn't abandon his position in the political race, instead of falling back, he went harder.
While a big piece of that was due to Eli Gold whispering in his ear, Peter didn't fight back as he should have. Most fans have no sympathy for Peter even as he begged got Alicia's forgiveness and couldn't figure out why his kids were giving him the cold shoulder. To put it plainly, Peter Florrick was the villain of The Good Wife.
8 Colin Sweeny (Best)
This may not go over well with some but Colin Sweeny was such a great character to have on The Good Wife. At least once per season, he found himself in some sort of trouble. Normally, it involved murder. But it was his demeanor that made his character so beloved.
Despite the bad deeds he was accused of, Sweeny was so unbothered by what anyone thought of him except Alicia. There was a game of Cat and Mouse between the two that was more brother and sister like that lawyer and client. Was he a killer? Well, the jury is still out on that.
7 Kalinda Sharma (Worst)
This is a hard one here. There were times you disliked Kalinda and others where you praised her efforts. What had so many on the fence regarding her was that it was all about the job. As a private investigator, it was her job to find the problem and make things disappear.
Kalinda was good. But she did have her demons. And one of them was a quick affair with Peter Florrick. At that moment, Alicia had to and their friendship. Should Kalinda had said something in the beginning? Despite her valiant efforts to amend their relationship, Kalinda lost what respect many viewers had for her.
6 Elsbeth Tascioni (Best)
The lawyer we all wish we had on our side. What made Elsbeth so good was how worried she was. She practiced and studied the same law like everyone else but her tactics were, well, different. Where most saw only black and white, Elsbeth saw the beginning, middle, and end with unicorns in between. When Alicia needed her, Elsbeth was always there.
She didn't hold judgment against anyone until she learned the truth. She was fearless and would take on the biggest lawyer or corporations without breaking a sweat.
5 Eli Gold (Worst)
The Master of Spin is what Eli Gold should have been nicknamed. A political strategist, Eli was always out for one thing-- his image. While it was his job to made a candidate look good to the public even after an earth-shattering scandal, Eli was often thrown into the cave with no flashlight. He fought his way out but his armor had too many holes and dents. It was often hard to like him.
To give his character some sort of moral compass, the writers for The Good Wife decided to throw his daughter into the mix. It almost worked but we fell in love with her more than we did Eli.
4 David Lee (Best)
What made David so special was that he was a straight shooter. In a field where so many lied and manipulated the system, David Lee gave it to everyone straight. He wanted to be the best and wasn't shy about his position or lack of respect he was receiving. There were always punches thrown when David was around because he wanted to make his presence felt at all times.
Although not known as a comedy, David provided the laughter for the show whenever he was onscreen. By far, one of the best personalities during its run.
3 Diane Lockhart (Worst)
It took a while for most viewers to understand the plight of Diane Lockhart. While her character has grown on The Good Fight, she was not always like that. In the beginning, she appeared to be threatened by Alicia. For whatever reason, it made no sense at all. While Will was alive, it was a two-man show at the firm. Even so, Diane often brought much of her personal life into the office.
She was a great lawyer but held this chip on her shoulder that gave off an impression as stuck up. Her hands were just as dirty as others but I always felt that the writers should have forced a stronger bond between her and Alicia.
2 Alicia Florrick (Best)
It all began rough for Alicia played by Julianna Margulies. She took everything head-on and never backed down. The challenges she faced in the courtroom still couldn't match what she had to face at home. So, while many of the other characters took the easy way out, Alicia was forced to earn her respect the hard way.
Her husband was involved in a major scandal and just like that, she was a single mom, with no job but had a law degree she could fall back on. What I admired about her with the decision to get back into law was the unknown.
1 Will Gardner (Worst)
For some, Will was the knight in shining armor. However, his character was a bit on the dry side. Will always had a thing for Alicia and by admitting that, he often put her in tight situations which is one of the reasons why Alicia and Diane had their problems. While his death was tragic, it was needed in order for the show to grow.
Will knew that Alicia was vulnerable but still went after her knowing she wasn't quite ready to love despite what she said. While there was chemistry, the majority of their relationship was built on what was in the past. They both used each other but Will had the power to shut it down.