This is my first review ever. I felt the urge, the need to put my two cents. I have been a huge show lover from day one, but this finale was such a disappointment. And not for the reasons most people are complaining about.
Throughout the series, Alicia has grown from being a submissive wife to becoming a mature, independent and empowered woman. That is, up until the very last episode, where she betrays herself and her values in two major ways.
First, she throws partner and friend Diane Lockhart under the bus in order to save a guilty husband she doesn't love anymore. Without a second thought. This is so out of the blue! Show creators Michelle and Robert King justify this as a sort of "Walter Whitesque" character arc. They claim to always have envisioned Alicia going all the way from victim to executioner. And I guess that's true, that was their initially intended way to wrap up when they outlined the show seven years ago. Then the show came its own way over time and they didn't want to let go of their originally envisioned ending. The problem here is nothing in Alicia's behavior has been building up to that. Then, overnight, she goes all the way from ethically concerned lawyer and friend to cold and manipulative puppet of her husband's interests.
(About the slap: I can't understand the controversy. The slap is well earned. Diane is more than justified. Period.)
But, the real betrayal, the undoing of the show as a whole was Alicia running after Jason (or the idea of Jason) like a teenager. I first feared the worst after Will told her "Do you imagine yourself living alone in this house? You'll go crazy", which translates as "You can't live alone! You need a man, or else you'll end up old and crazy, and your cats will feast on your corpse". Seriously, WTF? These last episodes have been about Alicia the Independent Woman, who can be OK with a casual relationship with an independent man. Or without a man in her life! That's where the real empowerment comes from. Seeing her so dependent she has to literally run after a shadow of her lover is embarrassing to see and plain bad writing.
It'd be OK that she decides to abandon her husband on camera IF that was some kind of meditated statement. But leaving Peter hanging just as collateral damage of a childish crush? Unacceptable.
Bottom line, the writers have sold us "Alicia grows and can now betray a friend in order to get what she wants. She can finally ditch her husband to pursue another love interest". What I was expecting was "Alicia grows into a mature, independent woman who won't submit to other people's will. She'll respect her own values and lead the life coming from that principles, be it with or without a lover".
We'll always have a handful of brilliant seasons to remember Alicia by.
Throughout the series, Alicia has grown from being a submissive wife to becoming a mature, independent and empowered woman. That is, up until the very last episode, where she betrays herself and her values in two major ways.
First, she throws partner and friend Diane Lockhart under the bus in order to save a guilty husband she doesn't love anymore. Without a second thought. This is so out of the blue! Show creators Michelle and Robert King justify this as a sort of "Walter Whitesque" character arc. They claim to always have envisioned Alicia going all the way from victim to executioner. And I guess that's true, that was their initially intended way to wrap up when they outlined the show seven years ago. Then the show came its own way over time and they didn't want to let go of their originally envisioned ending. The problem here is nothing in Alicia's behavior has been building up to that. Then, overnight, she goes all the way from ethically concerned lawyer and friend to cold and manipulative puppet of her husband's interests.
(About the slap: I can't understand the controversy. The slap is well earned. Diane is more than justified. Period.)
But, the real betrayal, the undoing of the show as a whole was Alicia running after Jason (or the idea of Jason) like a teenager. I first feared the worst after Will told her "Do you imagine yourself living alone in this house? You'll go crazy", which translates as "You can't live alone! You need a man, or else you'll end up old and crazy, and your cats will feast on your corpse". Seriously, WTF? These last episodes have been about Alicia the Independent Woman, who can be OK with a casual relationship with an independent man. Or without a man in her life! That's where the real empowerment comes from. Seeing her so dependent she has to literally run after a shadow of her lover is embarrassing to see and plain bad writing.
It'd be OK that she decides to abandon her husband on camera IF that was some kind of meditated statement. But leaving Peter hanging just as collateral damage of a childish crush? Unacceptable.
Bottom line, the writers have sold us "Alicia grows and can now betray a friend in order to get what she wants. She can finally ditch her husband to pursue another love interest". What I was expecting was "Alicia grows into a mature, independent woman who won't submit to other people's will. She'll respect her own values and lead the life coming from that principles, be it with or without a lover".
We'll always have a handful of brilliant seasons to remember Alicia by.