14 DAY TRIAL // The latest episode of season 5 of “The Good Wife” brought fans the biggest surprise so far in the series, in the form of the death of one of the leading characters. Speaking with Deadline, showrunners Michelle and Robert King explain how this exit was planned and why it was necessary.
This isn’t the first time that the hit series surprises fans with a major plot twist, but it’s definitely the first that it’s killing off a major player. Many fans are still in shock from what they’ve seen but the Kings assure them that it was all necessary.
*Those who have not seen the episode in question from season 5 are encouraged not to read any further, because major spoilers are included.*
Will Gardner (Josh Charles), a series regular since day 1, was shot dead in the courtroom by a deranged client. The Kings explain for the trade publication that Charles had actually wanted to leave the show at the end of the fourth season, when his contract ended, but he was convinced by co-star and producer Juliana Margulies to do another one so that the writers were able to give him an exit he deserved.
Everybody involved knew at the start of season 5 that this would be the actor’s last, and extra caution was taken to prevent any leaks on the topic to the press.
The Kings say that the option to have Will go away to some remote country for one reason or another was considered before having him killed off, but they didn’t feel that this would have done justice to the story as a whole.
“(Will) could get disbarred or run off to Borneo to do good works. But it didn’t do much for us dramatically. It was the softer blow, but at a certain point the show wasn’t looking for the softer blow. We wanted there to be a painful turning point in Alicia’s life,” the Kings say.
“Also there are major story hubs you’re always looking for in building a season: points in the narrative where it changes every character’s trajectory. It keeps the show from feeling stale. Earlier this season that turning point was Alicia and Cary leaving the firm and starting their own offices. This is the second hub. The death of Will will impact the show down to its core, it spins every character off in a new direction. And we were excited to see where everybody landed,” they add.
But no other character will suffer as much from Will’s death as Alicia.
“She will find herself shattered: not just because she’s lost her sometimes-lover but also because Will left her on such ambiguous terms. That’s what the next episode is about: sudden death being irredeemable. Whatever your last moment was with a loved one, it can never be changed,” the Kings say.
Did you catch last night’s episode of “The Good Wife”? What did you think of Will’s death and how it was handled? Let us know in the comments section below.