The Televangelist: ‘The Good Wife,’ Season 3, Ep. 7

How often can a show mix in the U.S. Department of the Treasury, torture, 9-11, corporate rights, drugs, Homeland Security, sexual harassment, racial profiling and the deliciousness of Red Velvet cake into one episode?

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  • CBS
  • ... Crazy good


Without doubt, “Executive Order 13224” has been the best episode of this season so far. It was action-packed yet full of subtle looks and building tensions. How often can a show mix in the U.S. Department of the Treasury, torture, 9-11, corporate rights, drugs, Homeland Security, sexual harassment, racial profiling and the deliciousness of Red Velvet cake all in one splendidly woven episode and not be “The Wire”? “The Good Wife” has cribbed many an actor from my favorite show, and I’m thrilled to see it stealing some of its narrative finesse.

Where to begin with the complexities? Forget it, I’ll just start with Glenn Childs, only because I clapped when I saw him appear onscreen. From “Deadwood” to “Lost” (and about 45 small film and TV roles before, after and in between), Titus Welliver has always been a scene-stealer, and his portrayal of Childs (though subdued this season) is no exception. But I can’t imagine why he would have returned this week except to remind us of him - and that he’s still working for the government as an AUSA - for when Peter presumably assigns him as the Special Prosecutor to aid Cary and Dana with their case against Lockhart Gardner (mostly against Will Gardner and the firm’s drug-slinging Stringer Bell-type client Lamont Bishop, that is). “Executive Order” had quite a few nice cameo turns, from Carrie Preston’s fantastic return as Elsbeth Tascioni (and the ensuing hilarity) to Bob Balaban as the dessert-loving Treasury monitor. As I’ve said in the past, of the many things “The Good Wife” does well, casting may well be paramount.