Top 10 Memorable The Good Wife Moments

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#10: Alicia Slaps Peter

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The show is called “The Good Wife” for a reason. From the very first episode, Alicia Florrick loyally stands by her husband, Peter, who resigns as State’s Attorney following a sex scandal. On camera, Alicia appears calm and supportive. Behind the scenes, however, she’s furious with her cheating husband. Alone in a hallway, Alicia unleashes her emotions by slapping Peter across the face. While no dialog is spoken, this action epitomizes the complex nature of their marriage. In the final episode, Alicia finds herself back where she started. She’s the guilty party this time, though, having betrayed friend and colleague Diane Lockhart. Diane retaliates by slapping Alicia, sending the good wife down on uncertain path.

Although initially reluctant to get involved in politics, Alicia is encouraged to run for the same office her husband once occupied. After years of climbing up the career ladder, it’s a truly triumphant moment when Alicia wins the election. Alas, her rein as Cook County State’s Attorney is short-lived. She soon finds herself at the center of a voter fraud scandal and is forced to resign. The good wife and her husband essentially switch places, as Alicia speaks before a swarm of journalists while Peter stands by her side. Harking back to the pilot, this scene demonstrates just how far these characters have come and how nothing has really changed.

While she’s obligated to play the role of the good wife, Alicia can’t deny her attraction to Will Gardner. The chemistry between these two continues to blossom throughout the first season, amounting to a passionate kiss. Alicia flees before things get steamy, but she inevitably gives into temptation and returns to Will’s office. Having the worst timing, Alicia just misses him. In order to preserve her marriage and let out her pent-up sexual feelings, she turns to Peter. As Alicia makes love to her husband, it’s safe to assume that she’s thinking about someone else. Juicy, complicated, and dramatic, this was a major turning point for one of television’s best love triangles.

Season six opens on a high note, as Cary Agos is arrested for drug trafficking. Cary appears prison bound upon pleading guilty, although the ever-resourceful Kalinda refuses to give up on him. After hitting a dead end, Kalinda falsifies evidence to clear her on-again, off-again lover’s name. Coming to her senses, Kalinda decides to abandon her plan. The evidence accidentally falls into Diane’s lap, however, and she presents it to the judge. Cary’s case is dismissed, but his release comes at a price, as Kalinda’s own freedom is now at risk. Filled with mixed emotions, the audience isn’t sure whether to be relieved for Cary or concerned for Kalinda. All we truly know is that this is first-rate drama.

As Alicia attempts to keep her family together, she forms a meaningful friendship with coworker Kalinda. Alicia’s world comes crumbling down once again, however, upon learning Kalinda slept with Peter. While Alicia didn’t know Kalinda at the time of the affair, this bombshell still comes as a massive blow. Being the good wife, Alicia doesn’t loose her cool in public, although she later asks her husband for a separation. In the privacy of her home, Alicia takes a brief second to cry before pulling herself together and going into work. It’s equally devastating when Alicia confronts Kalinda, telling her former friend that their relationship is now strictly professional. Kalinda might seem unbreakable, but even she has her limits.

Despite eventually reconciling, Alicia and Kalinda never fully mend their friendship. Halfway through season four, stars Julianna Margulies and Archie Panjabi virtually stopped sharing scenes together. As Panjabi prepared to exit the show towards the end of season six, Kalinda was reunited with Alicia for one last drink… well, sort of. Margulies and Panjabi reportedly weren’t in the same room when this scene was shot. Rumors suggest this was because of a feud between the two actresses, but that’s never been confirmed. While the reported use of CGI lead to some controversy, the final conversation between these characters is still poignant and offers a bittersweet farewell to a fan favorite. Now can we please get a Kalinda Sharma spinoff?

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#4: Eli Deletes Will’s Message

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Leaving a voicemail, Will decides to end things with Alicia before they even get started. Will immediately changes his mind, confessing his true feelings for her via another voicemail. Unfortunately, Alicia’s phone has fallen into the possession of Peter’s campaign manager, Eli Gold. Looking out for Peter and himself, Eli erases the second voicemail before Alicia can hear it. Over the next few years, Eli faces no consequences for his actions. Sometime after Will’s death, though, Eli’s conscience gets the best of him and he confesses the truth to Alicia. Thus ensues one of the show’s most powerful and overdue moments, as Alicia takes out her rage on Eli and her fine china.

This game changing moment had been building up for several episodes and it more than delivered. Deciding to start a law firm with Cary, Alicia prepares to leave Lockhart/Gardner and take their top clients with her. Given his intimate history with Alicia, this betrayal hits Will especially hard. Josh Charles gives one of his best performances in this explosive scene, playing a man suddenly overcome with confusion, fury, vengeance, and heartache. Will pulls no punches upon facing his former lover, swiping Alicia’s desk clean before firing her. This not only marks the end of Alicia’s time at Lockhart/Gardner, but the end of her friendship with Will, seemingly demolishing any hope they might get back together.

As season two winds down, Alicia is left almost completely isolated. Having separated from Peter and having lost Kalinda as a friend, she wants nothing more than to seek out Will for comfort. Booking an expensive suite, Alicia and Will get ready to take their relationship to the next level. The two are given multiple opportunities to turn back, as the elevator stops at several floors on the way up. Alicia ultimately locks lips with her boss, though, and this time she doesn’t walk away. Taking a break from being the good wife, she leads Will into the hotel room. Intense, sexy, and romantic, this scene sums up everything we love about Willicia which, sadly, wasn’t meant to be.

Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:

The End of an Affair

One Last Favor

Kalinda at the Bat

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1: Will Gets Shot

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Season five was a rollercoaster of emotion that kept topping itself. During a seemingly run-of-the-mill trial, the show boiled to its most shocking moment yet. Cracking under pressure, Will’s client snatches a gun and fires. Most of the shooting occurs off-screen, but that doesn’t make the aftermath any less jaw-dropping. Pushing through the crowd, Kalinda finds Will bleeding on the floor. Our worst fears are confirmed at the hospital, as Kalinda and Diana stumble upon Will’s motionless body. This unthinkable moment had viewers in denial at first, but they were soon forced to accept the sad truth that Will Gardner was dead. As Will’s passing settled in, audiences couldn’t help but think about Alicia and how she’d react to this tragic news.

Do you agree with our list? What’s your favorite moment from “The Good Wife”? For more entertaining Top 10s published every day, be sure to subscribe to MsMojo.