The Good Fight
The Good Fight is an American legal television series produced for CBS's streaming service CBS All Access. It is CBS All Access's first original scripted series.[1] The series—created by Robert King, Michelle King, and Phil Alden Robinson—is a spin-off and sequel to The Good Wife, which was created by the Kings. The first season consists of 10 episodes[2] and premiered on February 19, 2017, with the first episode airing on CBS and the following nine episodes on CBS All Access.[1] The series was initially scheduled to air in May 2017 but was moved up after production delays forced CBS to postpone the premiere of the new series Star Trek: Discovery.[3]
| The Good Fight | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | |
| Created by | |
| Starring | |
| Composer | David Buckley |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 4 |
| No. of episodes | 40 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Running time | 49–53 minutes |
| Production companies |
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| Distributor | CBS Media Ventures |
| Release | |
| Original network | CBS All Access |
| Picture format | 1080p (HDTV) |
| Audio format | 5.1 Dolby Digital with DVS on SAP |
| Original release | February 19, 2017 – present |
| Chronology | |
| Preceded by | The Good Wife |
| External links | |
| Website | |
The series follows Christine Baranski as Diane Lockhart, as she loses her employment after an enormous financial scam destroys the reputation of her goddaughter Maia (Rose Leslie) and Diane's savings, leading them to join Lucca Quinn (Cush Jumbo) at one of Chicago's preeminent law firms. The series stars Baranski, Leslie, Jumbo, Erica Tazel, Sarah Steele, Justin Bartha, Delroy Lindo, Nyambi Nyambi, Michael Boatman, and Audra McDonald, and features Paul Guilfoyle and Bernadette Peters in recurring roles. It is executive produced by Robert King, Michelle King, Ridley Scott, David W. Zucker, Liz Glotzer, Brooke Kennedy and Alison Scott, with Phil Alden Robinson producing and co-writing the first episode.[1]
The Good Fight's fourth season premiered on April 9, 2020, and concluded on May 28, 2020. The series has been renewed for a fifth season.[4]
Premise
A year after the series finale of The Good Wife, an enormous financial scam destroys the reputation of young lawyer Maia Rindell and wipes out the savings of her mentor, Diane Lockhart. The two are forced out of Lockhart, Deckler, Gussman, Lee, Lyman, Gilbert-Lurie, Kagan, Tannebaum, & Associates and join Diane's former employee Lucca Quinn at Reddick, Boseman, & Kolstad, a prestigious African American–owned firm making waves by taking on Illinois police brutality cases. In season two, Diane becomes a named partner at the firm, which takes the name Reddick, Boseman & Lockhart.
The show deals primarily with the storylines of its three female leads – Diane, Lucca, and Maia – and contains considerable political and social commentary, exploring topical issues such as the alt-right, the Me Too movement, online harassment, and fake news. As well as starting again in a new firm with its own office politics to deal with, longtime Democrat Diane must navigate a world she hardly recognizes, becoming increasingly troubled by Trump-era politics and the actions of his administration. Lucca Quinn, a former employee of Diane's, has found firm footing at Reddick, Boseman & Lockhart and is a rising star on the partner track, balancing her dedication to her work and a romantic entanglement with US Attorney Colin Morello, a frequent opposing counsel. Meanwhile, Maia, Diane's goddaughter, is trying to get her legal career off to a good start, while coming under pressure from the FBI over alleged involvement with her father's Ponzi scheme. The firm is also joined by Marissa Gold, a recurring character on The Good Wife, an intelligent and self-assured young woman with Democratic Party connections who becomes their newest private investigator.
Like The Good Wife, the show makes use of an extensive cast of supporting characters, including a recurring stable of opposing counsel, clients, police officers, FBI agents, judges, and politicians. Many are played by well-known guest stars.
Cast and characters
Main
- Christine Baranski as Diane Lockhart, who loses her savings after an enormous financial scam and joins Reddick, Boseman & Kolstad, one of Chicago's pre-eminent law firms.[5] In season two, Diane becomes a name partner in the renamed Reddick, Boseman & Lockhart.
- Rose Leslie as Maia Rindell (seasons 1–3),[6] Diane's goddaughter, who joins Reddick, Boseman & Lockhart as an associate just after passing the bar exam[7]
- Erica Tazel as Barbara Kolstad (season 1; guest season 2), a name partner at Reddick, Boseman & Kolstad who leaves the firm at the beginning of the second season[8]
- Cush Jumbo as Lucca Quinn, an associate who works with Diane and Maia at Reddick, Boseman & Lockhart. She was made the head of divorce law at RBL in season 3.[9]
- Delroy Lindo as Adrian Boseman, an attorney who offers Diane a job at his law firm following her financial troubles,[10] and a name partner at Reddick, Boseman & Lockhart
- Sarah Steele as Marissa Gold, Diane Lockhart's assistant, who finds she has a knack for investigating[11]
- Justin Bartha as Colin Morrello (seasons 1–2), a successful lawyer in the US Attorney's office who later becomes the father of Lucca's son and a United States congressman for Illinois' 1st district[12]
- Nyambi Nyambi as Jay DiPersia (season 2–present; recurring season 1), an investigator for Reddick, Boseman & Lockhart[13]
- Michael Boatman as Julius Cain (season 2–present; recurring season 1), a managing partner for Reddick, Boseman & Lockhart, and Diane's former partner at Lockhart/Gardner
- Audra McDonald as Liz Lawrence (née Reddick) (season 2–present), a former United States Attorney and the ex-wife of name partner Adrian Boseman, who comes to the firm as name partner following her father's death[14]
- Michael Sheen as Roland Blum (season 3), a new attorney working with Maia on a murder trial. The character purports to be a protégé of Roy Cohn[15] and is inspired by Cohn and his acolyte, Roger Stone. Sheen describes him as "devilish," saying "he wants to eat and disrupt and fuck, and poke people."[16]
- Zach Grenier as David Lee (season 4; guest season 1), the sardonic former head of family law at Diane's previous firm, Lockhart Gardner. He is now a partner at STR Laurie, an international firm that has bought Reddick, Boseman & Lockhart.[17]
- John Larroquette as Gavin Firth (season 4), "a top partner at the powerful, multi-national law firm STR Laurie, which has acquired Reddick, Boseman & Lockhart."[lower-alpha 1][17]
Recurring
- Zachary Booth as Jerry Warshofsky (seasons 1–2), a funder, along with Tom Duncan, for Reddick, Boseman & Lockhart, who uses computer algorithms to determine which cases get dollar support
- Gary Cole as Kurt McVeigh, Diane Lockhart's estranged husband[18]
- Corey Cott as Tom C. Duncan (seasons 1–2), a funder, along with Jerry Warshofsky, for Reddick, Boseman & Lockhart, who uses computer algorithms to determine which cases get dollar support
- William M. Finkelstein as Simon Kassovitz, a conservative Jewish judge
- Paul Guilfoyle as Henry Rindell (seasons 1–2), Maia's father, who is a wildly successful financial advisor, phenomenally wealthy and universally loved. He, Lenore, and Maia are the unofficial First Family of Chicago.[19] He is arrested for running a giant Ponzi scheme with Diane as one of his victims.
- Adam Heller as Wilbur Dincon (seasons 1–2, 4), the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois
- Chalia La Tour as Yesha Mancini (season 1), an attorney who represented Maia in her legal issues stemming from her father's arrest[20]
- Jane Lynch as Madeline Starkey (seasons 1–2), a relentless FBI agent with a quirky personal style who believes Maia to be complicit in her father's scheming
- Andrea Martin as Francesca Lovatelli, Colin Morello's mother and a controlling influence in his bid to join Congress
- Tom McGowan as Jax Rindell (season 1), Maia's uncle
- John Cameron Mitchell as Felix Staples (seasons 1, 3–present), an alt-right gadfly
- Matthew Perry as Mike Kresteva (season 1), a lawyer who, after losing the 2012 Illinois gubernatorial election to Peter Florrick, now works for the US Department of Justice, in charge of an investigation encompassing Diane Lockhart and senior staff at Reddick, Boseman & Lockhart[21]
- Bernadette Peters as Lenore Rindell (seasons 1–2), Maia's mother who comes from a tough working-class background and is a natively brilliant financial whiz. She, Henry, and Maia are the unofficial First Family of Chicago.[19]
- Carrie Preston as Elsbeth Tascioni (seasons 1–2), a quirky yet smart lawyer[22]
- Fisher Stevens as Gabriel Kovac (season 1–2, 4), an incompetent small-time lawyer.
- Heléne Yorke as Amy Breslin (seasons 1–2), an assistant state attorney and Maia's girlfriend[23]
- Alan Alda as Solomon Waltzer (season 2–present), a renowned lawyer at a national firm who uses dishonest tactics to achieve his aims
- Wendell B. Franklin as Captain Ian Lawrence (season 2–3), Liz's husband, a CPD officer. They begin divorce proceedings in the third season.
- Taylor Louderman as Tara Strokes (seasons 2–3), a porn star who claims to have had a relationship with Donald Trump
- Margo Martindale as Ruth Eastman (season 2), consultant for the Democratic National Committee
- Tim Matheson as Tully (season 2), a left-wing protester who has a sexual relationship with Diane
- Rob McClure as Trig Mullaney (season 2), an unintelligent recent Trump-appointed judge with very little understanding of the law
- Mike Pniewski as Frank Landau (season 2–present), a Democratic boss in the Chicago area
- Keesha Sharp as Naomi Nivola (season 2–present), a news anchor investigating #MeToo allegations who has a history with Adrian. She dates Jay in the third season.
- Lauren Patten as Polly Dean (season 3), a member of Diane's resistance group
- Tamberla Perry as Charlotte Hazlewood (season 3–present), a judge who serves as adjudicator of the Lawrences' divorce trial and who enters into a relationship with Adrian
- Kate Shindle as Rachelle Max (season 3), a member of Diane's resistance group
- Hugh Dancy as Caleb Garlin (season 4), a junior lawyer at STR Laurie with a photographic memory, sent down to RB&L as the multinational firm's "eyes and ears"
- Chasten Harmon as Bianca Skye (season 4), a wealthy client of Reddick, Boseman & Lockhart who befriends Lucca
Guest
- Jerry Adler as Howard Lyman (seasons 1–2),[24] a geriatric partner at Diane Lockhart's former firm, and now judge, who shows chauvinistic and stereotyping tendencies[25]
- Jane Alexander as Suzanne Morris (seasons 1–2), a judge
- Becky Ann Baker as Alma Hoff (seasons 1–2), a principled lawyer at a rival firm
- Dylan Baker as Colin Sweeney (seasons 1–2), a client of the firm and a likely serial killer who has gotten away with many of his crimes
- Mark Linn-Baker as Don Linden (season 1), a judge
- Jason Biggs as Dylan Stack (season 1), a wealthy tech entrepreneur involved in the creation of Bitcoin, wanted by US officials
- Louis Gossett Jr. as Carl Reddick (season 1), a name partner at Reddick, Boseman who has semi-retired. He dies before season two. In season three, it is revealed that he raped his secretary, the firm transcriptionist and many others.
- John Benjamin Hickey as Neil Gross (season 1), owner of Internet firm Chumhum
- Jayne Houdyshell as Renee (seasons 1–2), a friend of Diane's at a rival firm who cuts ties with Diane after the Rindell scandal
- Christine Lahti as Andrea Stevens (seasons 1–2), a high-powered lawyer from Los Angeles who often appears opposite Reddick, Boseman in cases involving film and television
- Greta Lee as Amber Wood-Lutz (seasons 1–2), a young lawyer at a rival firm whose beaming smile obscures her sneaky tactics in court
- Denis O'Hare as Charles Abernathy (seasons 1–2), a judge whose strong liberal and socialist leanings lead him to overcompensate in favor of conservative litigants
- Kevin Pollak as Kyle Gallo (season 1), a judge
- Aaron Tveit as Spencer Zschau (seasons 1, 3), an assistant United States attorney
- F. Murray Abraham as Burl Preston (season 2), a condescending LA lawyer who mainly represents film studios and the rich and famous
- Obba Babatunde as Danny Quinn (season 2), Lucca's father
- Christian Borle as Carter Schmidt (season 2), a challenging rival attorney
- Mike Colter as Lemond Bishop (season 2–present), Chicago's top drug lord and a kingpin of crime, who retains Diane as his lawyer after he is released from prison
- Kurt Fuller as Peter Dunaway (season 2–present), a stern but fair judge who had little time for Diane's partners at her old firm
- Mamie Gummer as Nancy Crozier (season 2), a tough rival trial attorney who charms judges with her sweet-as-pie trial routine
- Megan Hilty as Holly Westfall (season 2), a ballistics expert and Kurt's former protégée with whom he had an affair while married to Diane
- Nikki M. James as Monica Timmons (seasons 2 & 4), a young African American lawyer who sued Diane's old firm for racial bias in hiring
- Judith Light as Deidre Quinn (season 2), Lucca's mother
- Richard Masur as Geoffrey Solomon (season 2), a relaxed arbiter
- Bebe Neuwirth as Claudia Friend (season 2), a no-nonsense judge with a pragmatic approach
- Rob Reiner as Josh Brickner (seasons 2 & 4), a judge
- Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut as Rachelle Dabrezil (season 2), former Miss Haiti and friend of Dominika Sokolov.
- Wallace Shawn as Charles Lester (season 2), Lemond Bishop's terrifying personal lawyer and fixer who is known for making witnesses disappear
- Matt Walsh as Oliver Walenstadt (season 2), a judge
- Tituss Burgess as Wade V. (season 3), a stylist for the stars
- Chris Butler as Matan Brody (season 3), a Chicago ASA
- Gary Carr as himself (season 3), an actor who observes Lucca at work as research for a role
- Jane Curtin as Pamela Farley (season 3), a judge
- Katie Finneran as Valerie Peyser (season 3), the leader of a resistance group in Chicago
- Gina Gershon as "Melania Trump" (season 3)
- Cheryl Hines as Brenda DiCarlo (season 3), an investigator hired by ChumHum to investigate sexual misconduct at the firm
- Vernon Jordan as himself (season 3)
- Richard Kind as Alan Davies (season 3), a judge
- Kathy Najimy as Gayle Eno (season 3), a judge
- Linda Emond as Leora Kuhn (season 4), the rule-abiding judge of a military court
- Raul Esparza as Brian Kneef (season 4), a contemptuous associate at STR Laurie.
- Erik King as Jonah (season 4)
- Lorraine Toussaint as Nia Rogers (season 4), a lawyer representing the Olympic Committee
Notes
- Credited among main cast from season 4, episode 5 on.
Episodes
| Season | Episodes | Originally released | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First released | Last released | ||||
| 1 | 10 | February 19, 2017 | April 16, 2017 | ||
| 2 | 13 | March 4, 2018 | May 27, 2018 | ||
| 3 | 10 | March 14, 2019 | May 16, 2019 | ||
| 4 | 7 | April 9, 2020 | May 28, 2020 | ||
Season 1 (2017)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Inauguration" | Brooke Kennedy | Phil Alden Robinson and Robert King & Michelle King | February 19, 2017 | |
| Diane Lockhart, motivated by the inauguration of Donald Trump, plans for her retirement. Her goddaughter, Maia Rindell, secures an associate position at Diane's firm, having passed the bar examination. Maia accompanies Diane in the latter's final case regarding police brutality, going head-to-head with Adrian Boseman, a name partner of an African-American-owned firm, and Lucca Quinn, Diane's former employee. Maia's father, Henry Rindell, is arrested for orchestrating an elaborate Ponzi scheme, leaving Diane, one of his investors, broke and unable to follow through with her retirement; having already signed an exit agreement with her firm, and having invited her colleagues and clients to invest in Henry's fund, she is unable to secure a job at any other firm. To prevent hers and her husband Kurt McVeigh's assets from being seized as evidence, she is advised to divorce Kurt, given their separation after the discovery of his affair, but he refuses, still hoping for a reconciliation. Adrian offers Diane a junior partner position at his firm, which she accepts, and when Maia is fired in part due to her father's financial scandal, Diane brings her along. | ||||||
| 2 | 2 | "First Week" | Allan Arkush | Ryan Pedersen & Joey Scavuzzo | February 19, 2017 | |
| Hounded by her father's angry clients, Maia arrives at her new firm, meeting managing partner Julius Cain and third-year associate Lucca Quinn. Maia takes the case of Frank Gwynn, whose wages are being unfairly garnished by his employer after charges of theft. Diane is visited by Maia's mother Lenore, who asks Diane to meet with Henry; Lenore blames Jax, their business partner and Henry's brother. Maia loses her case in arbitration, but Lucca steps in to accuse the company of false imprisonment for detaining Frank over the theft. Lucca proposes the firm open a class action lawsuit for employees in Frank's predicament. Diane moves into her new office, assisted by Marissa Gold, who tracks down multiple employees to join the suit and becomes Diane's assistant. Diane meets Henry in jail, who claims that Jax framed him, and mentions that Lenore has terminal cancer. At Frank's trial, the prosecution uncovers evidence of theft at his previous job. Frank loses his case, and the firm pulls out of the suit. Maia discovers her mother lied about the cancer so Maia would visit. On Diane's advice, Maia returns to make amends with her mother, but discovers her carrying on an affair with Jax. | ||||||
| 3 | 3 | "The Schtup List" | Marta Cunningham | Tegan Shohet | February 26, 2017 | |
| Barbara forces Diane and Lucca to work together on a case against assistant district attorney Colin Morello. The case involves a doctor who was arrested for performing surgery on a known terrorist. The partners have a meeting about their financial status, learning that a significant client has not paid that year's retainer, and fear he may move firms with Trump in office. The firm investigator introduces himself to Marissa, upset that she took it upon herself to round up the class action members. Maia visits her father in prison to warn him about her mother and Jax. The partners rush to find who in their office voted for Trump. Lucca has an unexpected run-in with Colin. Marissa works with the investigator to track down a crucial witness. The court rules in Diane and Lucca's favor, but the doctor is immediately arrested again. The partners make the individual who voted for Trump bid to the client. Maia visits her uncle and finds evidence that could help her father. The court case turns again when a terrorist on the most wanted list becomes involved. | ||||||
| 4 | 4 | "Henceforth Known as Property" | Alex Zakrzewski | Joey Hartstone | March 5, 2017 | |
| Strange comments in elevators make Maia suspicious. She and Marissa discover someone has made a fake Twitter profile for her. Diane handles a fertility case with a clinic that closed and donated 11 of 12 eggs for research. The 12th egg has been fertilized and is being prepped for implantation. Diane brings suit before that can happen. Mike Kresteva, the head of a task force hoping to curb police brutality, meets with Adrian. Diane warns Adrian that Kresteva is not always straightforward. Maia and Marissa track down an old boyfriend of Maia's, who they think is responsible for the Twitter impersonation. Adrian, Diane and Lucca are served with subpoenas to testify before a grand jury being prosecuted by Kresteva. At Lucca's request, Colin speaks with his boss about Kresteva. With Marissa's help, Maia finds a way to retaliate against her old boyfriend. The fertility case leads Diane and Barbara to bond for the first time, and Diane considers reaching out to Kurt. Kresteva is undeterred and pushes forward. The judge rules on the owner of the embryo. | ||||||
| 5 | 5 | "Stoppable: Requiem for an Airdate" | Ron Underwood | Marcus Dalzine | March 12, 2017 | |
| Adrian wants to take on another anti-Trump case, to attract clients from the entertainment industry. Kresteva approaches Maia about the fake news stories that were started about her. Surprisingly, he knows about Maia's visits to her father. Barbara asks Diane for her capital contribution, forcing Diane to reevaluate her expenses. Kurt visits Diane, who helps him rewrite public remarks and supports him by attending the speech. The firm's partners interview attorneys to defend them against Kresteva. Lucca suggests Adrian employ an unorthodox lawyer. Diane runs into Neil Gross, who has some interesting news for her. Kresteva visits the prison, and soon after, Henry is out on bail. Maia happily meets him at home until she sees her parents acting as if nothing has happened. Later, an attorney makes her question whether her father would turn on her. A potential attorney for the firm confronts Kresteva, then again in a very personal way that scares him. Colin stops by the courtroom to see Lucca in action. The two of them finally go on their date, where Lucca opens up about Alicia. | ||||||
| 6 | 6 | "Social Media and Its Discontents" | Jim McKay | Robert King & Michelle King | March 19, 2017 | |
| Neil Gross puts the firm to work to remove hate speech, and the online users responsible, from his websites, an assignment Maia takes personally. Colin talks to his supervisor again about Kresteva. Marissa considers becoming an investigator. Maia's uncle warns her that her father is up to something, and she reaches out to Elsbeth for advice. Things heat up between Colin and Lucca until he asks her to dinner. After the firm implements an appeals process for banned users, one user has a field day presenting his narrative. Information from the firm's discussions about the appeals process is leaked, which users use to their advantage. Lucca arranges a date so she can run into Colin, but without the results she expects. She confronts him later and is surprised again. Maia shows up for a meeting with her father and finds a party in progress, and is nervous when he tries to speak with her in private. Marissa steps in when the investigator needs help tracking down a specific kind of online user, and discovers her talent for investigating. Elsbeth warns the firm about the newest fake news story. Julius makes a surprising decision about his future with the firm. | ||||||
| 7 | 7 | "Not So Grand Jury" | So Yong Kim | William Finkelstein | March 26, 2017 | |
| Lucca tells Maia about Colin's warning. Kresteva introduces his case to a Grand Jury. Evidence is seized from Elsbeth's office. Henry is approached by Kresteva about Maia lying to him. Henry wants to talk to his daughter and the two of them finally have an honest conversation. Elsbeth figures out a strategy and tries to get the firm on board. Mike scrambles to change course. The investigator takes a look at the schtup list Henry asked Maia to get for him. Colin is asked to represent Kresteva in a civil lawsuit brought by the firm. Things get awkward when Lucca takes second chair. The firm investigates and discovers who the real target of Kresteva's wrath is. Maia confronts her father about some new information. Colin and Lucca discuss the consequences of their relationship. Marissa and Jay analyze the schtup list, the former making a startling discovery. Diane faces her day in court but is surprised when an important witness' testimony is not what she is expecting. | ||||||
| 8 | 8 | "Reddick v Boseman" | Michael Zinberg | Keith Josef Adkins | April 2, 2017 | |
| Carl Reddick returns to the firm and immediately criticizes Adrian and Barbara's leadership. An old friend needs help with an eviction and Diane steps up. Lucca and Colin make plans at an art gallery where they run into an unexpected female. What was supposed to be a simple eviction goes in a completely different direction when Diane shows up at Paul Johnson's door and he makes some shocking allegations, and his attorney contacts the firm. Marissa helps Jay investigate the allegations and finally wins him over. Henry tries to talk to Maia, calling her and Amy multiple times and even showing up at the office. Worried, Maia and Amy rush to find him. Lucca joins Colin at a birthday party. Things get complicated fast and Lucca bolts, as she tends to do. Maia is upset when Henry ends up in the hospital and Lenore shows up with Jax. Diane goes toe-to-toe with Paul's attorney until Marissa and Jay find the evidence they need to expose him. The firm votes on who should be managing partner – Carl or Adrian. Lucca makes a decision about her relationship with Colin. | ||||||
| 9 | 9 | "Self Condemned" | Jim McKay | William M. Finkelstein | April 9, 2017 | |
| Lucca and Maia have a meeting with the FBI. Maia has offered to tell them everything she knows about the Ponzi scheme as long as she's granted immunity. Diane and Adrian get wind of a new police brutality case but are surprised when they see the victim. Maia works with the FBI agent to recover memories from her teenage years that may shed light on who is behind the scheme. Diane and Adrian's victim is having a hard time finding sympathy in the justice system given his criminal history. Jay finds evidence to show that the police officer has a history of bad conduct. Maia struggles to remember key moments in her life and possibly the Ponzi scheme. Diane and Adrian grow closer as friends and colleagues. Lucca offers guidance as Maia is confronted with uncomfortable truths about her past. | ||||||
| 10 | 10 | "Chaos" | Robert King | Robert King & Michelle King | April 16, 2017 | |
| The time for bi-annual reviews arrives at Reddick, Boseman & Kolstad. Lucca gets good news while Maia has some mixed reviews. Diane gets a call that Kurt has been in an accident. A former client, Dylan Stack, returns. Henry meets with the Department of Justice but is not offered the deal he was hoping for. He reaches out to a mysterious old friend for help. The firm finds out about a potential attack on the power grid and goes to the DOJ looking for immunity. Things go awry when Lucca is arrested. Maia wants to be more assertive and picks a partner to shadow for the day. Colin tries to resign but ends up being promoted. Marissa works with Jay to find the real person behind the cyber terrorism, and he continues to be impressed by her investigative skills. Mr. Staples returns to cause more destruction. The city of Chicago has a blackout. Maia, Lenore and Henry enjoy a last meal together as a family, at least for a while. Diane and Kurt reconcile. Maia's dad flees after agreeing to a 35-year plea deal, and Maia is arrested in connection with the Ponzi scheme. | ||||||
Season 2 (2018)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 1 | "Day 408" | Brooke Kennedy | Robert King & Michelle King | March 4, 2018 | |
| After founding partner Carl Reddick dies, the partners work to ensure that all their clients remain on board and are surprised when they learn that a lucrative project involving the Obamas is in jeopardy after his death. At the end of her tether with politics and professional strains, and feeling her mortality following the deaths of several Chicago lawyers, Diane accepts the offer of psilocybin from a bartender, and starts microdosing to relax. Justice Department lawyer Liz Lawrence, Reddick's daughter and Boseman's ex-wife, leaves her job at the Department of Justice after she tweets a criticism of Donald Trump, and is criticized for it. To preclude Liz taking the Reddick name away and becoming a competitor, Diane recruits her to the firm. Maia learns some surprising facts about her father's past. | ||||||
| 12 | 2 | "Day 415" | Jim McKay | William Finkelstein | March 11, 2018 | |
| Another Chicago lawyer is murdered, causing tensions at Reddick Boseman. Liz has her first day at Reddick, Boseman & Lockhart and goes for a drink with Diane, where Diane confides that she feels as if she is going insane with all the problems of the world. Maia's trial takes an unwelcome turn when a surprise witness is called to testify against her. Lucca and Colin go head-to-head in court in the Rindell trial. | ||||||
| 13 | 3 | "Day 422" | James Whitmore Jr. | Joey Hartstone | March 18, 2018 | |
| Marissa and Maia open an envelope addressed to Diane, only to find a letter reading "Kill all lawyers" and a sample of deadly ricin. Diane fears she is the next target, causing her to microdose even more. Alone at home, she watches TV, only to find that every single channel is about Trump. She hears a story about the president adopting a pot-bellied pig named Petey. The firm represents a young woman who was assaulted while a contestant on a reality dating show. In court, Diane starts laughing hysterically. Adrian asks her how she is coping, after Liz told him that Diane is thinking of quitting the law, due to her inability to process the constant barrage of current events. | ||||||
| 14 | 4 | "Day 429" | Ron Underwood | Jonathan Tolins | March 25, 2018 | |
| Liz learns that her son's favorite teacher has been fired from his charter school. The case goes to arbitration, and though Liz initially suspects racism, she learns the firing has more to do with standardized test scores. Lucca learns her younger brother is in trouble with the law again, and is surprised to learn it is because he has created an app to help convicts with their appeals process. After a party, Diane believes that she is going insane after she sleeps with the bartender. She tearfully collapses into Kurt's arms, repeatedly apologizing to him but not saying what she has done, out of fear that he will leave her forever. Kurt tells her that he does not want to remain separated anymore, and is ready to move back in with her. | ||||||
| 15 | 5 | "Day 436" | Jim McKay | Marcus Dalzine | April 1, 2018 | |
| Lucca and Maia are assigned separate ride-alongs with the police. Lucca's night turns surprisingly eventful after she realizes that the person behind a DUI is Francesa Lovatelli, Colin's mother. She calls Colin to the police station. There, Lucca tells him that she is 3 months pregnant with his child. Diane and Adrian advise clients who are about to be sued over running a story about sexual harassment. In the course of the case, Adrian bumps into a former student and is surprised by what she tells him about himself. | ||||||
| 16 | 6 | "Day 443" | Brooke Kennedy | Jacquelyn Reingold | April 8, 2018 | |
| Adrian becomes a minor celebrity by appearing as a pundit on a local talk show, but his tenure on air is short-lived. Lucca officially informs the partners of her pregnancy, and insists it will not impact her work. Lucca and Colin argue over the start date for a trial after Colin moves for a continuance to the week of Lucca's due date. | ||||||
| 17 | 7 | "Day 450" | Frederick E.O. Toye | Tegan Shohet | April 15, 2018 | |
| Ruth Eastman, a Democratic National Committee consultant, films the firm's partners in highly confidential all-day sessions to find a law firm to take on the party's efforts to impeach Donald Trump should the Democrats take control of Congress. Liz and Diane's emotions run high, and their enthusiasm resonates with the DNC, who ultimately appoint Liz as co-counsel in any future proceedings. Diane argues with Julius, saying that the last few months have left her feeling deranged, as she is incapable of dealing with Trump. She angrily says that she has a gun in her desk and is very close to taking it to the streets. Adrian tries to talk to Diane, but they are interrupted by Liz. Marissa has bought a pack of cards from an Alt-Right website, which is called the Kill All The Lawyers Deck, featuring Chicago lawyers who are expected to be killed. Adrian, Liz and Diane are all on them. Meanwhile, Maia is allured by Ruth's assistant Carrine, and cheats on Amy. They sneak back to the office to have sex, and are unwittingly caught on tape by the DNC's cameras. | ||||||
| 18 | 8 | "Day 457" | Clark Johnson | Aurin Squire | April 22, 2018 | |
| The firm sues the Chicago Police Department for the shooting of a black undercover cop by his white colleague. Kurt's ballistics evidence paints an open-and-shut case, but the defence uses dirty tactics – including micro-targeting jurors with fake news about the plaintiff and his legal team via Facebook – to avoid a payout. Diane's marriage to Kurt is also tested as the defense exploits Kurt's affair and subsequent lies to Diane to undermine both Diane and the firm's evidence. While investigating a separate case for Jay's friend Craig, Maia and Lucca determine that Diane's client and his shooter worked together as crooked cops, planting guns to frame at least 30 suspects, including Jay's friend. The firm is offered a significant payout from the Chicago PD to stop the reopening of these cases, but amid the celebrations, Jay quits as lead investigator after the firm chooses the Chicago PD settlement over justice for Craig. | ||||||
| 19 | 9 | "Day 464" | Michael Zinberg | Robert King & Michelle King | April 29, 2018 | |
| The firm is contacted by Dominika, a student who fears she is being deported to Russia because she is one of the prostitutes from the golden shower tape mentioned in the Steele dossier, and her existence would prove that Vladimir Putin has compromising material on President Trump. Maia and Lucca bend ethical rules to support Craig's lawyer, but even with coaching he proves too inept to get the job done. When a white supremacist becomes the Republican Congressional candidate for Illinois's 1st congressional district, greater attention falls on Colin's campaign to become the Democratic candidate. The Democrats are concerned that Colin's prosecutorial history appears racially biased. Lucca suggests he use an investigation into police corruption to overturn several black convictions and change his statistics, and as a result, Craig's sentence is vacated. The FBI offer Dominika a deal, allowing her to stay in the U.S. if she admits the tape is a fake. | ||||||
| 20 | 10 | "Day 471" | Kevin Rodney Sullivan | William Finkelstein | May 6, 2018 | |
| Boseman is shot by an unseen assailant from the office elevator, prompting Liz to illegally hand over the firm's client list to her husband, CPD Captain Lawrence, who immediately goes after two of Diane's longstanding clients: Chicago drug lord Lemond Bishop, and wealthy killer Colin Sweeney. With the firm reeling from the attack, Diane's white shoe firm rival Solomon attempts to poach her clients, sharpening Diane's sense of purpose. She vows to make her corner of the world sane again, throws away her psychedelics and begins to retake control. She takes the fight to Solomon, winning back her clients and taking one of his; the Cook County Democrats. Jay returns to the fold when he learns of Boseman's injury. He and Marissa create a short list of angry ex-clients who might be responsible for the attack. Colin is selected as the Democratic candidate for congressman in Illinois's 1st district. | ||||||
| 21 | 11 | "Day 478" | Brooke Kennedy | Jonathan Tolins | May 13, 2018 | |
| The firm challenges a gossip website that shames men accused of non-criminal sexual impropriety, stirring debate within the office. Jay is formally rehired by Diane but struggles to reconcile their evidence about Boseman's shooter with the police's suspect profile; he determines that the shooter was Whitehead, the crooked cop who helped frame his friend Craig, and he is arrested. With firms in DC anticipating Colin's election, Lucca receives offers of employment, including an invitation to work for the Obamas. Diane learns her finances have made a full recovery, in part due to Trump's tax reliefs for the already-wealthy. Diane studies aikido in an attempt to calm herself. She asks Kurt whether or not he wants a divorce, and he says that they have never tried properly being married. He has taken a job with the FBI in Chicago and wants to move in with Diane, full-time. Diane accepts enthusiastically, and they kiss, just as Adrian returns to the office. He gives a speech about how Reddick, Boseman & Lockhart is a family and all stick up for one another. | ||||||
| 22 | 12 | "Day 485" | Ron Underwood | Jacquelyn Reingold & Marcus Dalzine | May 20, 2018 | |
| Jay is arrested for driving while black and immigration officers descend on his bail hearing to deport him to Nigeria. To shield him from federal powers under states' rights (Illinois is a sanctuary state), his sympathetic bail judge agrees to hold Jay in state court while the firm investigates. They learn that Jay's U.S. birth certificate is fake and that he was born in Nigeria and moved to the states as a baby. Citing Jay's artwork as grounds for an "Einstein" visa, as well as the fact that First Lady Melania Trump was granted one for her nude modelling, the firm helps him avoid deportation. Meanwhile, one of Julius' Republican connections offers to make Jay's problem go away in exchange for taking Diane's blue chip tech giant client ChumHum to a Republican-backed firm, hoping ChumHum can help them hurt the Democrats. He is rebuffed, leading him to threaten Julius with open war against his firm on behalf of the Republicans and federal government. | ||||||
| 23 | 13 | "Day 492" | Robert King | Robert & Michelle King | May 27, 2018 | |
| Diane is hounded by FBI officials over her connections to Tully – a radical left-wing activist she had been sleeping with – and her previous filmed remarks about President Trump on the DNC audition tapes. Diane thinks she is being bugged, after the prosecutor plays a tape of her and Tully talking in her bedroom. The FBI interrogate Kurt about the gun he gave Diane, ostensibly as part of his background check. Proving his love and loyalty to Diane, he orders them out of his house, but not before Patrick Baseheart tells him Diane will be indicted. It becomes clear the federal government are set on prosecuting her to make an example of the firm. Fighting fire with fire, Boseman leaks false information to a Fox News journalist concerning a porn star who slept with the President, alleging she instead was having an affair with the federal prosecutor targeting Diane; the President, who reliably watches Fox & Friends, will be sure to fire him via a tweet within minutes. Meanwhile, Lucca gives birth to a healthy baby boy, who she names Joseph Quinn-Morrello, but her mother sows seeds of doubt in her mind about Colin. | ||||||
Season 3 (2019)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | 1 | "The One About the Recent Troubles" | Robert King | Robert King & Michelle King | March 14, 2019 | |
| While interviewing law firm employees for a documentary on the deceased Carl Reddick, previous acts of sexual assault against the secretarial staff by Reddick are revealed. The firm is able to settle on both counts. covering up Reddick's crimes. Diane, having reconciled with Kurt, finds her happiness threatened when she begins to suspect Kurt of cheating again, but it turns out he is working for Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. Diane resumes investigating the extra-marital affairs of Donald Trump in hopes of finding something with which to impeach him. However, Tara, a porn star who claims to have had an affair with Trump, refuses to come forward out of fear of reprisals, so Diane reveals her story to a reporter. Maia begins acting out after she is photoshopped out of a picture of female employees for the website. The firm is forced to acknowledge their role in shutting down a feminist blog that names and shames men accused of sexual harassment. | ||||||
| 25 | 2 | "The One Inspired by Roy Cohn" | Frederick E. O. Toye | William Finkelstein | March 21, 2019 | |
| Maia clashes with a new character, lawyer Roland Blum. When he threatens to frame Maia for possession of narcotics, she argues for a separate trial for her client from Blum and his client. However, the judge refuses to allow this. Meanwhile, the firm struggles to find someone to run the divorce and family law department, with Liz asking Lucca to take the position. Lucca agrees, after much soul searching about the fact that it will require her to spend less time with her newborn child and after using dirt on the other candidate from Jay, to force her hiring. Kurt reveals that the Trump brothers got him a new job at the Bureau of Veterans Affairs in Chicago. Diane takes up hatchet throwing. Tara, the porn star who claimed Trump paid her to have an abortion, confronts Diane for leaking the story of her abortion after being told she would not come forward. Diane lies to Tara and the story goes public. | ||||||
| 26 | 3 | "The One Where Diane Joins the Resistance" | Brooke Kennedy | Jonathan Tolins | March 28, 2019 | |
| Diane joins an "anti-Trump resistance" meeting, being recruited by Valerie Peyser into a cabal of like-minded wealthy professional women. Liz's divorce goes to trial, with Lucca as her lawyer. Maia is bullied by Blum into demanding her own office so he can work in private. When Blum fails to show up at court, Maia cuts a deal with the DA. When an angry Blum confronts Maia, she refuses to back down. Julius prepares to run for a state judgeship, recruiting Marissa to help him select a campaign manager. | ||||||
| 27 | 4 | "The One with Lucca Becoming a Meme" | Nelson McCormick | Jacquelyn Reingold | April 4, 2019 | |
| Lucca is stalked and harassed by a white woman in the park, who accuses her of having kidnapped her own child. The incident is filmed and goes viral. While discussing the incident, Jay reveals to Lucca that the firm has been paying its recently hired white employees more than its black employees. After unsuccessfully confronting Adrian, Jay sends a company-wide email revealing the pay discrepancy, creating chaos. The partners are pressured into firing Maia over her drugs charge, to achieve the appearance of racial equality. Meanwhile, Julius is interviewed by a right wing think tank who may support his campaign to become a state judge. However, the think tank refuses to endorse unless Julius fires Marissa and Julius declines their endorsement. Liz is brought into Diane's resistance group as the group demands Diane get one of the firm's clients, an apolitical country singer, to denounce Trump and the Alt-right. Diane's group ultimately forces their target to come out against the Alt-right by outing her sister as transgender, then sending death threats to her while pretending to be members of the Alt-right. Diane and Liz are shocked, as the group took this move without informing them of their intentions. | ||||||
| 28 | 5 | "The One Where a Nazi Gets Punched" | Jim McKay | Tegan Shohet | April 11, 2019 | |
| Lucca and Jay are sent to a rural town in Illinois to serve as Democratic monitors for a local election, which has been subject to accusations of voter intimidation. Lucca and Jay immediately clash with their Republican counterparts, until they encounter a third group of "monitors" in the form of a group called "The Red Jackets." These begin intimidating people in line, spurring Jay to call in a reporter to try and scare them off. Ultimately the Democrats and Republicans work together against the Red Jackets. Meanwhile, Diane and Adrien are forced to contend with Blum when a client, a DNA Ancestry firm, is accused of selling people's DNA information to insurance companies so they can deny coverage to patients based on genetic/family based illnesses. The settlement involves letting Blum work at their offices. Maia, seeking employment, follows up several leads from Diane, but they prove empty and she angrily rejects Diane and Lucca. | ||||||
| 29 | 6 | "The One with the Celebrity Divorce" | Tess Malone | Davita Scarlett | April 18, 2019 | |
| Diane's anti-Trump group, now calling itself "The Book Club", find their recent cyber-harassment bearing fruit in terms of harming Trump's polling numbers. Blum moves into the law firm's office and Marissa is told to follow him. Lucca meets a new client, who turns out to be a hairstylist for a secret client looking for Lucca's help with a post-nup. The client turns out to be Melania Trump but the firm believes she may be a fake, in an effort to retrieve the "pee tape" (see "Day 464") from the firm. After much back and forth, Lucca is able to meet "Melania", who states that she has changed her mind about the divorce, citing her Catholic faith and admiration for Jackie Kennedy. It is left unclear whether it was the real Melania Trump. | ||||||
| 30 | 7 | "The One Where Diane and Liz Topple Democracy" | Brooke Kennedy | Aurin Squire | April 25, 2019 | |
| Roland Blum brings in actor Gary Carr of Downton Abbey to get experience in a law firm for a film role, but hides his status as an actor. After this is revealed he and Lucca clash, but she eventually lets him follow her for the role and their relationship takes a romantic turn. Meanwhile, a member of Diane and Liz's "book club" brings them a case involving malfunctioning voting machines in the 2016 presidential election. The club debates using the machine's software on the Democratic side of the election to make up for votes changed to Republican, with Diane firmly against this plan. Adrian is told the case's adjudicator is on the take; however, his confrontation with the judge causes her to rule against the plaintiff and dismiss the case with prejudice. After the court result, Diane is enthusiastically behind the plan to change votes. | ||||||
| 31 | 8 | "The One Where Kurt Saves Diane" | Felix Alcala | Laura Marks | May 2, 2019 | |
| When ChumHum, a major technology company and Reddick, Boseman & Lockhart client, is sued by Felix Staples over having censored his videos from their search results, Staples' lawyer reveals that ChumHum was testing a new censorship algorithm they were creating for China. The firm fails to successfully defend ChumHum and then tells them the truth about the firm's founder being a sexual predator out of fear that Blum might reveal the scandal. ChumHum informs the firm that they may sever ties over the impending scandal. Kurt stumbles upon a note from a disillusioned NSA agent spying on Diane, warning her off the planned hack of voting machines. Diane finds out about the note, but a text from Valerie convinces the "Book Club" to continue with the plan. After Kurt discovers the identity of the NSA agent, he solves the issue by contacting the elections board and having them retire the machines, supposedly on orders from Donald Trump Jr., which prevents the hack; however, when the NSA agent attempts to destroy all audio recordings of Diane talking about the plot, a newly hired agent catches him deleting the files. Meanwhile, Lucca struggles with her feelings for Gary Carr as he continues to shadow her at work. | ||||||
| 32 | 9 | "The One Where the Sun Comes Out" | Brooke Kennedy | Eric Holmes | May 9, 2019 | |
| To save their relationship with ChumHum, Reddick, Boseman & Lockhart agrees to undergo a third-party audit to determine if they correctly handled the revelation that Liz's father, the firm's founder, was a sexual predator. The auditor agrees to clear the firm even though she discovers that Marissa and Liz are covering up additional incidents of rape committed by Liz's father. Diane and Liz are expelled from "The Book Club" when they discover the group is now planning to swat a Trump official involved in the administration's immigration detention policy. The group threatens Diane if she tries to stop them, and the official is later killed in a SWAT raid. Reddick, Boseman & Lockhart loses ChumHum as its client, as Blum goes public with the scandal to try and bring down the firm. Maia has Blum's allegations confirmed in conversation with Marissa, but she fails to testify at his disbarment. Reddick, Boseman & Lockhart is censured for the cover-up of Liz's father's crimes but Blum is disbarred in the state of Illinois and he vows revenge on the firm. | ||||||
| 33 | 10 | "The One About the End of the World" | Brooke Kennedy | William Finkelstein & Jonathan Tolins | May 16, 2019 | |
| Kurt is asked to give a public speech praising Trump during an upcoming visit to Chicago, but he is not sufficiently fawning, so Diane ghost-writes it for him. She later watches Kurt being removed from camera view for not clapping enthusiastically enough when Trump speaks at the rally. Blum attempts to exact revenge on Reddick, Boseman & Lockhart, with Maia suing them on behalf of a client who claims they overcharged him on legal fees on his settlement in a police brutality case. When Diane learns the judge trying the case has a learning disability, she has the firm's expert witnesses at the trial use animal-themed graphs and ASMR-style presentations to reach him. But fearing that Maia could win the case, Diane tempts her to change sides with the offer of a 5-year partnership. The firm wins the case, and Diane is rebuffed by Maia, who reveals that she and Blum are relocating to Washington, D.C. Marissa and Jay confront the new head of "The Book Club", who realizes that Diane is trying to stop the group from killing another government official. Later, a SWAT team is seen entering Diane and Kurt's apartment. | ||||||
Season 4 (2020)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34 | 1 | "The Gang Deals with Alternate Reality" | Brooke Kennedy | Robert King & Michelle King | April 9, 2020 | |
| In an alternate reality, Diane is delighted that Hillary Clinton has beaten Donald Trump in the 2016 United States presidential election and is now serving as the 45th President of the United States. However, she quickly discovers that this alternative world is not the paradise she hoped it would be when she realizes that the #MeToo movement does not exist and Harvey Weinstein is still a respected movie producer. | ||||||
| 35 | 2 | "The Gang Tries to Serve a Subpoena" | Kevin Rodney Sullivan | Jonathan Tolins | April 16, 2020 | |
| Diane decides to defend a restaurant owner whose business is under threat from a wealthy developer. Julius is handed a mysterious memo during his first case as a federal judge. Reddick, Boseman and Lockhart adjust to their new environment as a subsidiary of the enormous, multinational law firm STR Laurie. Luca gets close to her client during a high profile divorce case. | ||||||
| 36 | 3 | "The Gang Gets a Call from HR" | Tess Malone | Davita Scarlett | April 30, 2020 | |
| When the DNC asks Reddick, Boseman and Lockhart to help the party engage African American voters ahead of the 2020 General election, the firm falls into a tense debate around the topic of reparations. Someone reports Adrian to human resources after he uses sensitive language. Diane becomes determined to find out what "Memo 618" is. | ||||||
| 37 | 4 | "The Gang is Satirized and Doesn't Like It" | Nelson McCormick | William Finkelstein | May 7, 2020 | |
| When a disgruntled employee writes a crude play inspired by Reddick, Boseman and Lockhart, Adrian becomes determined to stifle its growing popularity. Diane investigates STR Laurie's involvement with Memo 618. | ||||||
| 38 | 5 | "The Gang Goes to War" | James Whitmore Jr. | Tegan Shohet | May 14, 2020 | |
| Liz and Caleb defend a whistleblower in military court who testified against his superior. Lucca flies to St. Lucia to meet Bianca. Diane continues her investigation into Memo 618 despite bumps in the road. | ||||||
| 39 | 6 | "The Gang Offends Everyone" | Brooke Kennedy | Jacquelyn Reingold | May 21, 2020 | |
| Adrian receives an alluring offer from the DNC. Diane and Julius confront the mystery man who has been threatening them. Diane is able to track down Linda, a court stenographer who has figured out the purpose of Memo 618. | ||||||
| 40 | 7 | "The Gang Discovers Who Killed Jeffrey Epstein" | Fred Murphy | Laura Marks | May 28, 2020 | |
| At the request of the U.S. Attorney, Reddick, Boseman and Lockhart investigate the death of Jeffrey Epstein and examine the conspiracies relating to his life. Liz, Marissa and team toil between the evidence that it was a suicide, or a murder. Ultimately, it is the perfect example of Memo 618 in action. The name partners realize their overseer at STR Laurie is one step ahead. | ||||||
Production
Development
Promotional poster.
In February 2016, Michelle and Robert King, when asked about a spin-off, stated that there was a possibility for a spin-off series.[26] In May 2016, CBS was in final negotiations to set up a spin-off featuring Christine Baranski reprising her role as Diane Lockhart, but which would air on CBS All Access instead of the network.[5] The spin-off was officially ordered to series on May 18, with Cush Jumbo returning as well.[9] In September 2016, it was confirmed that the 10 episode spin-off would premiere in February 2017, with the story picking up a year after the final episode of the original series and seeing Diane pushed out of her firm after a financial scam involving her protégé wipes out her savings, resulting in her move to Lucca Quinn's firm.[2] The series was initially planned to air in May 2017, but was moved to February 2017 after production delays forced CBS to postpone the premiere of the new series, Star Trek: Discovery.[3] After months of speculation, CBS revealed the title for the spin-off series, which was revealed to be The Good Fight, on October 31, 2016.[27] It was announced that The Good Fight would premiere on February 19, 2017.[1] CBS released the first trailer for the spinoff on December 18, 2016, featuring footage from the premiere and later episodes.[28]
On March 15, 2017, CBS All Access renewed the show for a second season with an increased episode count of 13,[29][30] which premiered on March 4, 2018.[31] On May 2, 2018, the series was renewed for a third season.[32] In January 2019, it was announced that season 3 is set to premiere on the streaming platform on March 14, 2019.[33]
On April 23, 2019, the series was renewed for a fourth season which premiered on April 9, 2020.[34] Only 7 of the scheduled 10 episodes were fully completed before production came to a halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[35] On May 14, 2020, CBS All Access renewed the series for a fifth season.[4]
Beginning with the season 2 finale, and more prominently in season 3, episodes have increasingly featured animated music video segments written by Jonathan Coulton and produced by Head Gear Animation, that discuss subjects relevant to an episode. Coulton had been involved in the Kings' previous series BrainDead, which featured musical recaps performed by the singer. The segments have drawn comparisons to the series Schoolhouse Rock!, albeit discussing topics such as the impeachment process, non-disclosure agreements, and Russian trolls. Coulton remarked he shared the Kings' "sensibility of really liking to mess with the form itself and poke through the fourth wall a little bit", and has received a relative amount of creative freedom in regards to the content of these interludes.[36][37] However, CBS requested the removal of a segment from a season 3 episode that discussed censorship in China. The network agreed to allow the inclusion of a placard informing viewers of the removed content.[38][36]
Casting
Christine Baranski plays the lead role of Diane Lockhart.
In May 2016, CBS was in final negotiations with Christine Baranski to reprise her role as Diane Lockhart and Cush Jumbo to reprise her role as well.[5] After the series was picked up, it was announced that Jumbo would reprise her role as Lucca Quinn.[9] Deadline announced on September 17, 2016 that Sarah Steele had been added to the cast, returning as Marissa Gold and appearing as Diane Lockhart's secretary-turned-investigator.[11] On October 12, 2016, it was announced that former Game of Thrones star Rose Leslie had been cast to play a lead in the show, the role of Diane's goddaughter Maia who joins Diane's firm just after passing the bar.[7]
The day after, The Hollywood Reporter announced that Delroy Lindo had been cast as "Robert" Boseman, an attorney who starts poaching Diane's associates and clients.[10] The first name of Lindo's character was changed to "Adrian". Deadline reported on October 27, 2016 that the show had added Paul Guilfoyle and Bernadette Peters for recurring roles as Maia's parents. Guilfoyle would play Maia's father Henry, a wildly successful financial advisor who is phenomenally wealthy and universally loved. Peters' character Lenore was described as a woman who came from a tough working-class background and is a natively brilliant financial whiz.[19] It was announced on October 31, 2016 that Justified alum Erica Tazel had joined the cast as a series regular.[39]
On November 7, 2016, it was announced that Gary Cole would be reprising his role as Diane's husband Kurt McVeigh.[18] It was confirmed on November 11, 2016, that Zach Grenier, Jerry Adler, and Carrie Preston would be returning as guest stars, reprising their roles of David Lee, Howard Lyman, and Elsbeth Tascioni respectively.[24][22] On November 18, 2016, it was announced that Justin Bartha had been added as a series regular as Colin, a rising star in the US Attorney's office and love interest to Lucca.[12] On August 1, 2017, it was announced that Audra McDonald had been added to the main cast for season 2 as Liz Lawrence, reprising her role from The Good Wife season 4, and that Michael Boatman and Nyambi Nyambi had been promoted to main cast.[40] On November 7, 2018, it was reported that Michael Sheen had joined the main cast for season 3.[41] On February 20, 2020, Lindo announced he would be leaving the series as a regular following season 4.[42] Jumbo was also due to depart at the end of season 4.[43] However, due to the COVID-shortened season, the show was not able to develop the storyline that led to Lucca Quinn's or Adrian Boseman's departure. On January 27, 2021, Charmaine Bingwa was cast as a new series regular for the fifth season.[44]
International broadcast
On February 8, 2017, the series was picked up in Canada by Corus Entertainment to air on their cable channel, W Network; the American broadcast premiere of the series would be simulcast by Corus' broadcast system Global.[45]
On March 2, 2017, Channel 4 confirmed it had acquired the UK broadcast rights for the series for its More4 channel following the success of progenitor series The Good Wife on that same channel.[46] The series debuted on More4 on March 30, 2017.
HBO began airing all 10 episodes of the first season on June 1, 2017, in various European territories, while India's Zee Entertainment Enterprises obtained exclusive pay-TV rights to The Good Fight for its English-language general entertainment channel Zee Café, which also carried The Good Wife in India.[47]
Reception
Critical response
| Season | Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 98% (55 reviews)[48] | 80 (45 reviews)[49] |
| 2 | 96% (28 reviews)[50] | 70 (5 reviews)[51] |
| 3 | 96% (23 reviews)[52] | 83 (8 reviews)[53] |
| 4 | 100% (16 reviews)[54] | 84 (7 reviews)[55] |
The Good Fight has received widespread critical acclaim. Rotten Tomatoes awarded the first season with a rating of 98% based on reviews from 55 critics and an average rating of 8.18/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "An auspicious beginning for CBS All Access, The Good Fight solidly follows its predecessor while allowing for new storytelling styles, a wider narrative scope, and a chance for its lead to explore new territory with a relatable human struggle."[48] On Metacritic, the first season received a score of 80 based on reviews from 45 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[49]
The Los Angeles Times suggested that Good Fight creators Robert and Michelle King "still had the Good Wife magic" and though Good Wife "had already [run] its course" after seasons 6 and 7 had received mediocre reviews, "they just needed a clean slate" to allow them to continue to mine more stories from that fictional universe.[56] In addition, unlike Good Wife which was centered around "romantic tension" and got bogged down in Alicia Florrick's (Julianna Margulies) love life, Good Fight was considered "refreshing for steering the story the other way" as relationships are "not the plot points that drive the story".[57] Good Fight is regarded as a rare successful example of a TV series spin-off, as other contemporary TV series are either reboots or remakes.[58]
Writing for Vox.com, Emily VanDerWerff praised the show's deft use of political themes, commenting that while The Good Wife was a commentary on "liberal hypocrisy" and the nature of moral compromise, The Good Fight stands out as a much more earnest "defense of liberal values", giving the show a compelling "reason to exist".[59]
The second season has a 96% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 28 reviews, with an average rating of 9.43/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Angry but still fun, The Good Fight confidently elaborates on current political events with its deftly fictionalized plots."[50] On Metacritic, the second season received a score of 70 based on reviews from 5 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[51]
The third season has a 96% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 23 reviews, with an average rating of 9/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "The Good Fight's third season pulls no punches, doubling down on the social commentary while maintaining the show's sensational delights to create one of the best dramas on TV."[52] On Metacritic, the third season received a score of 83 based on reviews from 8 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[53]
The fourth season holds an approval rating of 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 16 reviews, with an average rating of 9/10. The site's critical consensus states, "The Good Fight remains in top form with an over-the-top and completely captivating fourth season that plays to the show's strengths."[54] On Metacritic, the fourth season received a score of 84 based on reviews from 7 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[55]
Accolades
References
- Littleton, Cynthia (December 7, 2016). "CBS All Access Sets Premiere Date for Good Wife Spinoff The Good Fight". Variety. Archived from the original on December 8, 2016. Retrieved December 7, 2016.
- Andreeva, Nellie (September 14, 2016). "'Star Trek: Discovery' Premiere Pushed, The Good Wife Spinoff Debut Moved Up On CBS All Access". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 16, 2016. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
- Birnbaum, Debra (September 14, 2016). "'Star Trek: Discovery' Delayed on CBS All Access Until May, Good Wife Spinoff Moved Up". Variety. Archived from the original on September 15, 2016. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
- Petski, Denise (May 14, 2020). "The Good Fight Renewed For Season 5 By CBS All Access; Sets Shortened Season 4 Finale Date". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 14, 2020. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
- Littleton, Cynthia (May 12, 2016). "The Good Wife Spinoff to Star Christine Baranski, Cush Jumbo in Negotiations at CBS All Access". Archived from the original on May 18, 2016. Retrieved May 18, 2016.
- Ausiello, Michael (July 18, 2019). "The Good Fight Season 4: Rose Leslie Leaving, Maia Not Returning". TVLine. Archived from the original on July 19, 2019. Retrieved July 19, 2019.
- Andreeva, Nellie (October 12, 2016). "The Good Wife: Rose Leslie Cast In Spinoff Series For CBS All Access". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 13, 2016. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
- "Meet the cast of The Good Fight". Archived from the original on January 10, 2017. Retrieved January 9, 2017.
- Andreeva, Nellie (May 18, 2016). "The Good Wife Spinoff A Go At CBS All Access". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 18, 2016. Retrieved May 18, 2016.
- Stanhope, Kate (October 13, 2016). "The Good Wife Spinoff Adds Delroy Lindo as Series Regular". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 2, 2020. Retrieved October 14, 2016.
- Andreeva, Nellie (September 17, 2016). "The Good Wife Spinoff: Plot Of New Show Revealed as Sarah Steele Joins Cast". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 6, 2016. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
- Pedersen, Erik (November 18, 2016). "Justin Bartha Lawyers Up As Romantic Lead In CBS' The Good Fight". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 21, 2016. Retrieved December 19, 2016.
- Andreeva, Nellie (February 25, 2017). "The Good Fight Adds Nyambi Nyambi As Recurring". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 26, 2017. Retrieved February 27, 2017.
- Grubbs, Jefferson (March 4, 2018). "Who Is Liz Reddick-Lawrence on The Good Fight?". Bustle. Archived from the original on March 10, 2018. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
- Tobias, Scott (March 21, 2019). "The Good Fight Recap: Disorder in the Court". Vulture. Archived from the original on April 26, 2019. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
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Some viewers saw the message as satire
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