A new case is opened and a new guest character comes with it in episode three of "The Good Wife", but they do more for the main plot and characters than act as a client. Tae-joon is briefly released from jail and his little excursion provides some dark revelations about his personality. There is a lot going on here and the pacing is starting to generate a lot of confusion by propelling everything forward.
Seeing Myeong-hee (Kim Seo-hyeong) and Joong-won (Yoon Kye-sang) revealed as siblings fathered by the always delightful Yoon Joo-sang as Seo Jae-moon is quite a fun outcome. Jae-moon is an interesting character and not only because he tips Hye-kyeong (Jeon Do-yeon) off on the trouble Tae-joon (Yoo Ji-tae) is in or for sensing his son's feelings for her. He is also in a similar situation to her. He is alone and carrying a huge weight on his shoulders. Unfortunately, his story goes by too fast.
The series seems to be rushing and since I have not watched the original, I cannot tell if they are trying to squeeze a multi-season work into one, which would be catastrophic. I feel as if the drama is being too vague about who knows what, who wants what and who has done or may have done what. Having mystery is a necessary part of this story, but the speed at which cryptic information comes out leaves no time to retain and process it.
So far this had been on the procedural side only, which is easy to look past due to the cases being standalone. I do find it contrived that Park Do-seop (Jeon Seok-ho) keeps popping up as the prosecutor in Hye-kyeong's cases, but perhaps he has somehow orchestrated it or he happens to be in the ones we see. The speed of the USB recovery containing Tae-joon's alibi, however, feels too convenient. A combination of confusing writing and rushed resolutions is a bad one.
I can handle some level of confusion for now. It may simply be a creative decision to slowly explain what has been, is and will be happening. The bigger problem with the hasty plot progression is that it hinders character development. Tae-joon is clearly a narcissist and has a dark side, but I feel as if the latter, new revelation would have more impact if we knew his clean surface personality better.
As much as I want to have more information, I wish episode four will take a break and focus what we have so far. Joong-won's crush is cute, but his timing is awful. I am curious if Hye-kyeong's relationship with Tae-joon is dysfunctional both ways. Would she use Joong-won to punish her husband? She already has a lot to deal with and now her mother-in-law is meddling. Hang in there, Hye-kyeong.
"The Good Wife" is directed by Lee Jeong-hyo, written by Han Sang-woon and features Jeon Do-yeon,Yoo Ji-tae, Yoon Kye-sang and Kim Seo-hyeong.
Source:HanCinema
