"Stripped" is the second episode of the first season of The Good Wife. It was written by Robert and Michelle King, and directed by Charles McDougall.
Summary
Alicia and Will represent a stripper who was raped at a bachelor party by the groom, a wealthy young man from a moneyed Chicago family. On the personal front, Alicia confronts Peter over his indiscretions; debates whether or not the children should visit him in prison and finds doctored photos of Peter's indiscretions that the kids hid from her.
Cast
Starring
Special Guest Star |
Guest Starring
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Plot
Alicia still sleeps badly because of what her husband did, but is slowly settling into work at Stern, Lockhart & Gardner. Cary Agos keeps bugging her about Peter's trial, but she ignores him, enjoying the fact that the success at her first trial has won her the position as Will Gardner's second chair in an important case: a young woman named Christy accuses Lloyd McKeon, a son of the powerful McKeon family, of raping her at his bachelor party, where she worked as a stripper. Will sets up a meeting with the family's lawyer, an old friend named William Ericcson. At dinner, Ericcson tells them that they have no case, but offers 450 000 dollars to keep Christy silent; however, when Christy understands that she could never tell anyone about the settlement, she wants to go to court.
Christy tells Alicia and Kalinda about the details of the night of the rape, and that she also worked as a call girl for a year. They then investigate at the State Attorney's office, but Glenn Childs keeps them out of the loop. They try the stripper agency instead, where Alicia learns more about the business, and also that the other stripper quit right after the rape. They also find the driver, who tells them that Christy is lying.
At the same time, Grace and Zach receive an envelope with photos of their father with another prostitute, taking drugs. Zach says they should keep them hidden from their mother.
Alicia visits Peter in jail, where she learns that Peter is the one who sent Christy to her when she searched for a lawyer. They get into a huge fight and Alicia tells him that she will never be able to forgive him until he is completely honest with her.
On the first day at court, they learn that their case will be tried by Charles Abernathy, the newest and most liberal judge around. Cary and Alicia also learn that the driver who said that Christy is lying has a wife working for TZK Industries, a furniture company owned by the McKeon family. However, this information blows in their face in court when it turns out the couple is divorved. Also, the sperm found with Christy is not from McKeon; she, however, insists on having been raped, and not having had sex with anyone else.
At the Florrick home, Zach tells Grace that he has taken a closer look at the photos they got, and it turns out that they have been photoshopped. Alicia also tells Jackie to not go around her with the kids, and catches a glimpse of Zach looking at photos she suspects to be porn. Kalinda shows up and shows Alicia that the sperm found with Christy belongs to a convicted rapist who was sitting in his cell in a maximum security prison at the time. Further investigation shows that the DNA was mixed up at the genetic laboratory; the rape kit should be tested again. However, Ericcson points out that the contamination makes the rape kit unfit to serve as evidence for anything. Judge Abernathy agrees, and Will tells Alicia that they have to find the second stripper.
Alicia and Will go to the hotel where the rape occured, and the receptionist helps them get the phone number of the other stripper, Maura. She is interviewed at court, and testifies that Christy was raped and McKeon tried to silence them. Christy and her lawyers are hopeful again, but Judge Abernathy dismisses the case as a he-said-she-said situation. McKeon happily leaves the courtroom, just to be arrested by the police, as Glenn Childs has found an untainted DNA sample and decided to press charges against him after all.
Alicia comes home to "relieve" Jackie, who watches a news report saying that McKeon is sure to go to prison for a long time. Alicia finally decides to finally listen to the sex tape of Peter and Amber -- no matter how much it hurts.
Background Information
Broadcast
- This episode first aired in on September 29, 2009.
- On its first airing this episode attracted 13.69 million viewers.
References
Goofs, Bloopers & Continuity Errors
-the final few seconds of the episode show the camera pulling back from a shot of Alicia sitting on her bed. A dresser comes into view on the left, with the hand of someone outside the shot resting on top. Very creepy.
Quotes
- Glenn Childs: I understand the need to blame someone for your husband's downfall, but I wouldn't release that sex tape to hurt you or your family. I have kids too. You should know, I was holding back. I had more to release about your husband. A lot more. Disturbing things. But out of compassion, I held back.
- Judge Charles Abernathy: Well, see you all back here... Let's see... My docket is clear. Five days? How's that for expedited? And as a side note, I would like to ask for a moment of silence for the recent mass killings in Darfur.
References