Review: The Good Wife (CBS Fall 2009)

"Things will never be normal again."

Alicia Florrick (Julianna Margulies) is struggling to put her life back together after her husband Peter (Chris Noth) is caught up in a political scandal; a scandal that involves abuse of power in his State Attorney's position and prostitutes, that ultimately lands him in prison.

While Alicia plays a role she never dreamed she could - or even would - that's reminiscent of Hillary Clinton during the Monica Lewinski ordeal, she's re-entering the legal workforce she'd left behind while supporting her husband's career and raising her children.

Unfortunately, Peter's reputation follows Alicia. So she must not only overcome the grief she feels from her husband's public affairs, juggle the struggles of two teenagers and an intrusive mother-in-law, but she must also wage a war who want to punish her for guilt by (marital) association.

But Alicia is a strong woman and she will overcome and prove herself to those who doubt with her first criminal case at her new law firm: a woman who is charged with murdering her ex-husband.

Alicia may be standing by her man, but she's learning everyday how to stand on her own too.

Should we expect any less? She's The Good Wife.

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Take a little Law & Order, blend it with a pinch of CSI, and large helping of CNN's headlining political scandals, mix them together and you've got The Good Wife.

When first offered the opportunity to review the pilot episode for the The Good Wife, I was a bit hesitant.

After all, Julianna Margulies will always be Nurse Carol Hathaway from ER; and Chris Noth would always stick in mind as Mr. Big from Sex and The City (despite my being a huge Law & Order fan and his starring in several seasons).

Or so I thought.

Chris Noth plays but a minimal part in the pilot episode of The Good Wife as it centers on its namesake character played by Margulies; who, in the years since leaving ER, has aged very gracefully, made slight but beautifully done cosmetic changes that allow viewers to easily slip into her role as an attorney versus nurse.

Despite my hesitation, I now find myself anticipating this Fall's episodes.

And as medical-based shows are now running their course with viewers and legal dramas again take the forefront, I anticipate that this will be a show that last for many, many seasons.

The Good Wife premieres Tuesday, September 22, 2009 on CBS. Check your local listings for more information.

In the meantime, enjoy this exclusive clip from the pilot episode: