Our Condolences to Loyal Fans of ‘The Good Wife’
I’m so sorry for your loss. Shocking deaths on our favorite TV shows aren’t something loyal fans take lightly, and I completely understand the pain you’re currently in. The passing of characters we’ve grown to know and love is certainly not the same as losing people we know in real life, but it also isn’t something we can shake off with a night of sleep or a palette-cleansing sitcom. There will be confusion, denial, and sadness in the days ahead, and absolutely no judgement if you need some Ben & Jerry’s to get you through this difficult time.
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!
Fans of The Good Wife felt a devastating blow when the latest episode featured fan favorite Will Gardner getting fatally shot in a courtroom by murder suspect, Jeffrey Grant, during his trial. We also saw an almost-always-composed Kalinda bravely rush in to check on Will and stay at the hospital by Diane’s side. The promos for the episode leading up to Sunday indicated that it would be an unforgettable event – but this? Immediately following the episode, fans expressed their overwhelming grief on social media and the response was so strong that showrunners Robert and Michelle King wrote a letter to fans explaining why they did it.
Basically, Josh Charles (who plays Will) was looking to move on to other projects and they needed to figure out the best way to see him off. Since the show has been about the “Education of Alicia Florrick”, they felt “there always was a tragedy at the center of Will and Alicia’s relationship: the tragedy of bad timing.” They went on to say, “We could “send him off to Seattle,” he could be disbarred, or get married, or go off to Borneo to do good works. But there was something in the passion that Will and Alicia shared that made distance a meager hurdle. The brutal honesty and reality of death speaks to the truth and tragedy of bad timing for these two characters. Will’s death propels Alicia into her newest incarnation.”
Robert and Michelle King also wanted to use this as a major turning point in the show in order to “spin everyone’s lives in new directions.” Which makes a lot of sense, when you think about it. This is a drama, after all. And it also keeps you guessing as a viewer. Nobody is safe and you never know what they’ll throw at you next. Especially with the montage towards the end of the episode, we’re clearly about to see the major impact his death has had on everyone around him.
Still, this is a time for mourning. And I’m sending out a million air hugs to all of you.
In the days to come, you will no doubt find yourself coming back to this major plot twist and wondering how it could’ve ended differently. You might be running errands or in a meeting and think, BUT WHY HIM? Why now?! Did it really have to happen like that? And until the next episode airs, and possibly for the remaining life of the show, your questions might go unanswered (or at least, not addressed to your level of satisfaction). But remember that this is a story – one that is still unfolding. We have more to look forward to. And as fans, we can grieve together.
RIP Will Gardner
