Originally, CBS was hoping that both its Good Wife spinoff The Good Fight and its new Star Trek series would both premiere together in order to anchor its CBS All Access streaming platform. But after several delays and some uncertainty, Star Trek has left The Good Fight all alone. Even as a Good Wife fan, I wasn't sure if the spinoff would seem like an essential watch, especially on (yet another) pay platform for a broadcast network whose other programming I don't typically watch. But after the show's TCA panel (which featured executive producers and creators Robert and Michelle King as well as the series' stars) and its new trailer, I'm sold.
The series will follow Christine Baranski's character Diane Lockhart, who is on the brink of retirement until a Ponzi scheme-level financial crisis wipes her out. Her old law firm won't take her back, and she's left with nothing and an uncertain future. Diane's young protege, Maia (Rose Leslie), is the daughter of the scam artist and whose reputation is now ruined, so the two join forces -- along with Lucca Quinn (Cush Jumbo) -- at a new law firm. Check out the trailer below:
It looks good, right? Because it's online, it also has some relaxed rules about language and other aspects of the series, allowing it to be a little edgier. The Good Fight will also only be 10 episodes, which the Kings were happy about, and will feature cameos from plenty of Good Wife characters (including from Carrie Preston, Sarah Steele, Matthew Perry, John Benjamin Hickey, Rita Wilson). But, don't expect to see Alicia Florrick pop up anytime soon -- the Kings said that in discussions they've had with Julianna Margulies they all agreed that Alicia's journey ended with The Good Wife, and this show is taking on a new perspective.
The Kings also spoke about how they felt like The Good Wife was a reaction to the Obama years and the 2008 election, whereas The Good Fight will be unique because it will be reacting to the 2016 election. While the show does broach politics frankly (and has done so very, very well), the desire is to keep a critical eye to every party, especially in this uncertain new world.
But the most exciting thing about the new series is mainly that it's about a cast of powerful women and includes a lot of organic diversity -- racially, sexually, and otherwise. And because the Kings are still so involved, it will undoubtedly have the same quirky tone and sly comedy that The Good Wife always did.
The Good Fight also stars Delroy Lindo, Erica Tazel, and Justin Bartha, and premieres Sunday, February 19th on-demand on CBS All Access and with a special broadcast of the premiere episode on CBS.
