The Good Wife s06e13 Episode Script
Dark Money
You're hurting me, Bernard.
Well, it is a good hurt.
Is it not? Heh-heh.
Please, no.
Don't kill me.
Did you write that, Mr.
Tierney? - I did.
- You produced this show - Call It Murder? - I do.
Proudly.
Oh, I'm glad.
Is that Colin Sweeney? No.
No, that is a fictional character named Bernard Loomis.
You're aware that my client was found not guilty of murdering his wife? I am aware.
But again, this character is not based on him.
I see.
Uh, but you cast an actor who looks just like Colin Sweeney.
That's a coincidence.
Even though he has the same occupation, dresses identically, met his wife in a similar fashion.
And even though Mr.
Sweeney's wife, like the wife in your show, was strangled and found buried in an orchard and her decapitated head was discovered in Mr.
Sweeney's yard.
Despite all of these similarities, you still insist that Mr.
Loomis is not based on Mr.
Sweeney? - I do.
- Isn't the only difference between Mr.
Sweeney and your character that the latter killed his wife? I think there are many people who think Mr.
Sweeney did kill his wife.
So there's no difference between the two? He didn't say that.
Argumentative, Your Honor.
- This is galling - I will rephrase.
I don't wish to "gall" Ms.
Krause.
Mr.
Tierney, you were quoted by the Television Critics Association, saying: "All our episodes are ripped straight from the headlines.
" So which headline was this episode ripped from? I was exaggerating.
Not all the episodes.
This one was not.
I see.
The one episode in which your studio is being sued for defamation? Again, argumentative.
Your Honor, I wish you would admonish plaintiff's attorney.
And I wish you'd stop overdramatizing your objections, counselor.
I get it.
Sustained.
Talk about how he's ruining my reputation.
Mr.
Sweeney, please.
Trust me.
So, Mr.
Tierney, let's talk about the casting process for this role.
How many actors did you read for the part of Bernard Loomis? - Hi.
- Hello.
- Thanks for seeing me.
- No problem.
You're doing well.
- So are you.
- No.
I shouldn't have walked out on that debate.
I listened to my handlers.
Sometimes they're right, sometimes they're wrong.
I want to play something for you.
Are we back-channeling? Ah.
We are.
Hello, this is Brian Rogers.
I'm a Rainbow Brigade activist who just loves Frank Prady.
He's a great supporter of our cause, and I want to remind you to support him - What is that? - and not Alicia Uh, that's a robocall put out by your campaign.
- No.
- Yes.
That doesn't make sense.
Gays are your coalition, not ours.
Well, this robocall was sent only to suburban homes in Evanston.
You understand? It's a false flag.
It's intended to piss off conservatives so they'll send money.
- I didn't know.
- Didn't think you did.
That is why I have brought that knowledge to you.
Frank Prady is a great supporter of gay marriage.
He wants to focus resources on Boystown in Lakeview - and not in Evanston.
- You see? - Plays off all the worst stereotypes.
- Please come to our rally.
Excuse me, sorry.
Yes, hello.
Uh No, it's Frank.
No, we haven't released any robocalls.
Josh! It was disgusting.
The worst kind of politics.
A lisping voice.
Going out to conservatives.
We didn't do it, Alicia.
Hey, Josh, have we released any false-flag robocalls? Three weeks before the election? Are you kidding me? We'd wait until three days before.
Want anything, Alicia? Cookies Adults talking here.
Can you give us a minute? - No, Marissa, come in.
- Actually, Alicia, we need a minute.
- I'd like Marissa to stay.
- With adults? - You sure? - You in touch with the PAC? Am I? No, that would be illegal.
When I wanted the PAC to stop their attack ads, I told you, and they did.
Yes, because they knew it was wrong.
Right, Josh? Yes.
What's @TobyZiegler44? - Excuse me? - TobyZiegler44.
What is it? - It's a campaign Twitter account.
- How do you know about it? Of course.
The chatty body woman.
A dormant Twitter account.
We rarely use it.
And yet we used it last night.
"Fourth, 40/43-soft.
- Third, 44/44" Can I interrupt here? The candidate should not be talking about this.
It's our polling data, isn't it? It's a code? Fourth Ward.
We're soft there, It's a message to the PAC, telling them where to focus soft money.
- Awkward silence.
- It is a public Twitter account.
We release random data.
Anyone can access it.
It's not illegal.
It's a loophole in the campaign laws.
Okay, this is what I need.
Use your decoder ring and your West Wing tweets to tell the PAC to stop these homophobic robocalls.
That's all I ask.
You do know we're behind? No, polling has me within the margin of error.
Not polling.
Cash.
Prady got an influx of late campaign cash.
- From where? - No idea.
Maybe out of state.
He's popular in California.
Who's Redmayne? - What? - Redmayne.
I recognize the name, but I don't know who it is.
Guy Redmayne.
He's a Democratic mega-donor out of Phoenix, why? I can't tell you how I know this, but I know this.
Redmayne's in touch with Prady.
- How do you know this? - I can't tell you.
- Do you know this or do you suspect? - I know this.
- We're screwed.
- I'll get cookies.
Jerome Morris.
Actor, raconteur, teacher You played Bernard Loomis in Call It Murder? I did.
I like the small screen.
So many more challenges.
- Oh, my, he is a cartoon.
- What else have you done? Is that it? The casting tape? - Yes.
- You're a lifesaver, Kalinda.
I stood by for several roles Hello? Mr.
Bishop? Why does it take you eight rings to answer? I was in court, sir.
- Do you need something? - I do.
The favor.
The one you owe me.
Yeah, uh, look, if this has anything to do with Florrick/Agos, we could always just bill it through the firm.
No.
It doesn't.
What is it, sir? And in inhabiting Mr.
Loomis, were you ever directed to base your part on Mr.
Sweeney? No, I base my performance on life.
I build a performance from here.
Let the record reflect I was pointing to my ear.
Actually, Mr.
Morris, that's my job.
Apologies, Your Honor.
I did Inherit the Wind.
Would you admit that you bear a striking resemblance to Mr.
Sweeney? Heh.
He's, what, ten years my senior? We share a certain je ne sais quoi.
And don't you think that similarity suggests exactly to the audience - who you're portraying? - No, I created an entirely original character.
But your inflections in this episode are identical to Mr.
Sweeney.
I mean, it was masterful, the way that you copied him.
- Ah.
Well - Objection.
Your Honor, uh, counsel is attempting to trick the witness with flattery.
- Complimenting a performance.
- Sustained.
Ask the same thing without the compliment.
Were you directed to play the part like Mr.
Sweeney? - No.
Never.
- I am nothing like him.
- He's like my retarded brother.
- Shh.
Let me play you a tape, Mr.
Morris.
- You want it more serious? - No.
Do you know Colin Sweeney? Do it like Colin Sweeney.
- Like to revise your testimony? - What do you mean? You said you were never directed to base a performance on Sweeney.
Wasn't that the producer doing exactly that? That was an audition.
Nothing is very serious at an audition.
- Nothing further.
- Mr.
Morris, were you directed to base your performance on anyone else? - What do you mean? - Like Claus Von Bulow Objection, Your Honor.
Leading.
- Sustained.
- I'm sorry, Your Honor.
I was just trying to save some time.
Were you directed to base your performance on any other accused killers? Yes, I was.
That one.
Claus Von Bulow, for example.
Huh.
You have to be at the Shriners in one hour.
I just need to pick up a few things.
You're not answering my texts.
I'm a bit busy, Mr.
Sweeney.
I told you, she's campaigning.
She doesn't have time.
I'm unhappy.
Does it matter to you that I'm unhappy? Does it matter to me that you're unhappy? - Not so much.
- You prepped for this trial, Alicia.
Ten months ago, you swore to me - that you could win it.
- No.
- I didn't.
- Yes, when you wanted me - to stay on as a client.
- No.
In fact, I told you to drop it.
That defamation was hard to win, but that if you wanted to pursue it, we would do our best, and we did.
And we are.
No, you said, you would do your best.
And you are not.
- Hello.
- Hi.
Marissa.
I'm the body woman.
Really? The whole body? Or just parts? - Why don't you wait outside? - Just ignore him.
He likes unsettling people.
- Hi.
I'm Renata.
- Don't worry.
- I don't unsettle easily.
- Oh, don't tell him that.
It's a challenge.
Here, sit.
We take your business seriously, Mr.
Sweeney.
We have two name partners fighting for you in court.
Yes, but Diane and Cary don't like me.
- I don't like you either.
- Don't be silly.
This TV show makes me out to be a killer.
Herald Equity's stock has plunged 56 percent, and the board will fire me if I can't clear my name.
Israel? I was in the IDF.
- Oh.
The army.
- Yeah.
Two years.
Lone soldier.
So you carried a gun.
What kind? - TAR-21.
Assault rifle.
- Oh, my God.
- Did you kill anyone? Oh.
- No.
- But you wanted to.
- I wanted action.
Just so I could write about it.
A frustrated novelist.
- Me too.
- I will leave here.
I will leave your firm.
Go ahead, Mr.
Sweeney.
I don't care.
- You're heartless.
- No, I just know that you won't.
I know when you're bluffing.
Okay.
Try this bluff.
I know who finances your PAC.
Oh That brought you up short.
How would that sound? Me telling the press who's laundering his money through your PAC? Okay, Mr.
Sweeney.
I will consult with Diane and Cary.
I will look through the evidence.
But I won't be in court.
I won't be seen with you.
That's the best I can offer, and if you don't want to take it, go ahead, go to the press.
Come on, Marissa.
You're late.
Tell Marcus, wait on the delivery.
I need you at this address at 3 tomorrow.
And every day this week and next week.
You'll be picking someone up.
Look, I'm not really a bodyguard, sir, - but I can hire somebody - No.
I need someone who doesn't look like a bodyguard.
Why? Dylan's school doesn't like people who look like bodyguards.
- This is for Dylan? - Yes.
That's the address of his school.
I need you to pick him up and drive him home after school every day for the next two weeks.
- I don't mean to offend you, sir - Then don't.
My son means everything to me.
I am trusting you with the most valuable thing in my life.
You understand? What is this? The original casting breakdown.
I don't know what that is.
It's a breakdown of the characters, sent out to agents to get casting.
- Where did you get that? - You see, these are the original names of the characters, before the studio's legal department advised the production to change them.
Clearly the plaintiff has been diving into Dumpsters for this proprietary information.
But why is this bad, counselors? Instruct me.
The name of the murdered wife is Carolyn.
The name of the murderer is Colin.
The name of the detective is Rick Crowell.
These are all the names of the real people in the Colin Sweeney case.
I am outraged, Your Honor.
Well, you're welcome to your outrage, Ms.
Krause, but I am inclined to decide that the plaintiff has proved likeness.
I believe that this episode, though fictionalized, does defame Mr.
Sweeney.
Unless you have something else.
I do.
Your Honor, I do have something more.
The episode does not defame Colin Sweeney because it is, in fact, true.
Colin Sweeney killed his wife.
- This is crazy.
- Are you kidding me? The episode depicts something that actually happened.
Colin Sweeney was found not guilty by a jury of his peers.
Yes, but the threshold for truth is higher in a criminal court.
You ready to prove Colin Sweeney murdered his wife? Yes, Your Honor.
Well, I won't stop you.
We'll meet this afternoon to hear the defense's case.
Okay, Guy Redmayne, born in Dallas, 1942.
The oldest of three siblings.
Made his fortune in real estate.
- Pro-Israel.
- The player in Democratic circles.
The PAC he runs helped - Who's that, his wife? - No, that's his daughter, Crystal.
- You'll meet her at the club too.
- What time? Four o'clock and he's squeezing us in, so you'll have to move fast.
Which means you need to learn how to ask for things.
Let's hear it.
- What, now? - Yeah, why? Come on.
Ask me for money.
My name's Alicia Florrick.
Thank you for meeting me.
- I hope you'll consider - No.
No qualifiers.
You don't hope that someone will consider.
- I'd like your Ugh.
- No.
Own it.
I want your support.
I believe together we can influence Not influence, accomplish.
You're a doer, so do.
- Give me your money.
Now.
- That's closer, but it's not funny.
Think Bill Clinton.
Want to be a part of my movement? Give.
You'll be joining something bigger than yourself, you'll be helping the world.
It's to their benefit, not to yours.
The money's weighing them down, so relieve them of it.
Oh - This is ghastly.
- Mr.
Sweeney.
Shh.
Yes, 911.
Hello.
My name is Bernard Loomis, and I think something has happened to my wife.
Oops.
One second.
I'll call you back.
Detective Crowell, how accurate is that sequence? I worked the case, and I'm a technical adviser on the show.
That's exactly how Mr.
Sweeney covered up the murder.
There was a rug missing from Mr.
Sweeney's house.
Mr.
Sweeney had a receipt for a gallon jug of lye in his work shed.
His lawyer convinced the judge the warrants didn't cover detached dwellings.
Detective, did the actual Colin Sweeney make a 911 call when he buried his wife? I'm sorry.
When he discovered his wife was missing? - Yes, he did.
- I'd like to play it for the court.
Uh-oh.
Yes, รง11.
Hello.
My name is Colin Sweeney, and I think something has happened to my wife.
Oops.
One second.
- I'll call you back.
- Goodness.
That's very similar to the 911 call on the show.
- Yes, identical.
- Nothing further.
Detective, how many times have you testified against Mr.
Sweeney? Four times.
This is my fourth.
Each time you've lost, Sweeney was cleared of all charges? We call him the luckiest murderer on the planet.
I see.
And given this attitude, don't you have an ax to grind? - No.
- In fact, haven't you admitted - Sidebar, Your Honor.
- Let's go.
Come on up.
What's eating you, Ms.
Krause? Your Honor, plaintiff's counsel is preparing to introduce e-mails in which E-mails in which Detective Crowell insists that he will, quote, "Get Sweeney eventually," unquote, but their investigator hacked into the detective's account and obtained the e-mails illegally.
Counselors, is this true? Damn it.
How did she find out? David Lee.
No, he wouldn't do that.
Would he? Kalinda, who else knew about these Crowell e-mails? The judge is rejecting them as illegally obtained.
Only you and Cary.
Look, I'll look into it as soon as I get back, okay? Bye.
It's illegal to drive and talk on the phone.
It's a $75 fine.
But it's more with a child in the car.
Should we just try silence for a moment, Dylan? Hm? - Where are you going? - A different way.
This is the way to Brian's house.
He was my best friend, but he moved.
He moved to Las Vegas.
He's the only one whose parents let him come over to my house.
Dylan, I need you to do me a favor.
Scoot down in your seat.
- Why? - Just do it.
This is RL-567.
I want to check a license on an Illinois plate, RFI56TH.
I'll hold.
All-American Mike says that my dad killed my mom.
What? He's a kid at my school.
All-American Mike, he, uh, says my dad killed my mom.
- Well, why would he say that? - I don't know.
He said it was true.
Someone is leaking to the defense.
I don't like being undercut by my own firm.
Yeah.
That's too bad.
Do you trust Cary Agos? - What? - Cary Agos.
Is he leaking? - No.
- Who, then? If you lose your seat on the board, does your wife get to keep hers? Renata? - I guess.
What are you saying? - You've been married going on? Eight months.
Why? Do your homework.
I'll be right up.
No video games.
Bye, Kalinda.
- You got a plate? - A Jesse Raymond White, of Darien.
No priors.
Is that anyone you know? That might not mean anything.
Keep track if it's the same car tomorrow.
What did Dylan say? About the SUV? Nothing.
No.
About anything.
He said I shouldn't be on my cell when I drive.
- Nothing else? - Not really.
He didn't say anything about the kids at school? Yeah.
Someone named Brian, who moved away.
Did he say anything about Mike Zeiler? All-American Mike? Yes.
What did he say? He just mentioned him.
Part of your job, Kalinda, a big part, is to tell me what Dylan says.
You understand? I'm not really a kid person, sir.
- But maybe there is someone - No, no, no, there's nobody.
There's you.
Mrs.
Florrick.
Guy Redmayne.
My daughter and aide-de-camp, Crystal.
Alicia Florrick, thank you both so much for meeting me.
Sit, sit.
Double vodka.
Would you want a pick-me-up, Mrs.
Florrick? Oh, no, thank you, and it's Alicia.
Okay, Alicia.
Yeah.
Now, because I only have a few moments, let's cut to the chase.
You want my money, huh? Heh.
Yes.
- And let me tell you why I deserve it.
- Yeah? I will reduce the murder rate by aggressively prosecuting gun crimes.
Good.
It's a big problem.
And because I also believe in the swift administration of justice, I will make it a priority to double the speed of our prosecutions.
Yeah, well.
You're good on substance, but family values, it's critical to a guy like me.
How long have you been married? Oh, uh, 21 years.
Thirty-eight for me.
You know, till Sylvia died of ovarian cancer.
- I'm so sorry.
- We went through a lot, but we stayed together.
Like you and your husband.
It speaks volumes.
So do you, um, always demand this kind of privacy? Everywhere I go.
I hate people.
I love mankind, but I hate people.
Especially when they eat.
Now, why don't you sit back down, Alicia? Let me see those pretty legs of yours.
Heh.
You are pretty fresh, aren't you? It's my best feature.
I got the testicles of a 20-year-old.
Where? In your briefcase? You.
Isn't she great, Crystal? So, what do you think of my stance? Well, I'm going to support you, Alicia.
Yeah.
One million in dark money.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mr.
Redmayne.
It's not because of your pretty face or because you have the best eyes on a lawyer I've ever seen.
- Well, then, why is it? - Because I don't like fags.
I heard the calls your campaign is making to the suburbs.
It's a smart way to use it.
Well, actually, that's not us.
That's our PAC.
- I'm not even sure if it is our PAC - Hear about the two fags on safari? No, and just so you know, Mr.
Redmayne's married.
Mr.
Prady's married.
- Yeah? - Or he was married.
It's good meeting you, honey.
Keep up the good work.
Kick that fruitcake when he's down.
I love people who share my values.
Welcome back, everyone.
Ms.
Krause, you may call your next witness.
Defense calls Renata Ellard-Sweeney.
Your Honor, the witness is the plaintiff's wife.
We move to exclude her on the basis of marital communications privilege.
Which covers only communications made between spouses during marriage.
Hey, hey.
Darling.
Oh, dear.
I think she's mad at me.
Did your husband tell you that he buried the gloves he wore when he murdered Carolyn? - Objection.
Marital privilege.
- He tell you before you were married? - Yes.
- Overruled.
We had gone away for the weekend to Calistoga.
We were having sex in a supply closet.
I told him he was bad, he said I didn't know how bad.
So I asked him to tell me.
Did you have occasion to tell Detective Crowell about these gloves? Yes, that's how they got in the episode.
Guess I should move those gloves.
I don't understand what the problem is.
The problem is you need to tell us you were joking, Mr.
Sweeney.
- Why? - Because if we know you killed Carolyn, we can't elicit testimony from you that you didn't.
Which means that your wife's accusations go unchallenged.
So were you joking, Mr.
Sweeney? Yes, of course I was joking.
But I do need to talk to Alicia about something.
Your colleagues worry that I might perjure myself on the stand.
- Regarding what? - Whether I murdered dear Carolyn.
Now, speaking hypothetically, if I did perjure myself, could I be prosecuted? Mr.
Sweeney, why can't you be having this discussion with Cary or Diane? Because your ethical compunctions are much more pronounced, which means I'll get a more considered answer.
One more likely to keep me out of trouble.
Perjury prosecutions in civil cases are exceedingly rare.
- Good.
- But given your profile, I think the SA would jump at the chance to nail you.
- So you need to give yourself cover.
- Uh Show me.
Mr.
Sweeney, did you kill your wife? - Absolutely not.
- No.
Try this: "As I've said on numerous occasions, I did not kill my wife.
" Tricky, tricky, yes, yes.
Go on.
Sometimes you can't sidestep, so you evade completely.
Did you take drugs the day Carolyn disappeared? - A sleeping pill.
- Which can impact memory.
So if you don't want to answer, say you were under the influence of prescription medication.
And I don't recall anything that happened that day.
Yes.
Mrs.
Florrick, whatever will I do without you? Hey! What are you gonna do, you little baby? - Hey.
- Lower your fist or I'm gonna break your arm.
We were just We're friends, right, Dylan? You touch him again, and I'll be back.
Now, tell me you understand.
I understand.
Don't tell my dad.
What? I said, don't tell my dad.
About that kid? All-American Mike.
Don't tell him.
He'll just get angry.
You have a black eye.
I got it from tripping after school.
Please.
He'll do something.
He'll scare them.
Dylan, I'm gonna go a little bit faster here, okay? But don't worry, - I know what I'm doing.
- Fine.
Do you promise? - Where's your dad? - I don't know.
What do you want me to do? That's not what we talked about.
Dylan is home, sir.
All right, thank you.
What? I was very clear about how I wanted this to go down and what I wanted.
You're not listening to me.
Call It Murder depicts your character as engaged in a sexual practice called breath play, right? - That's correct.
- And did you engage - in this practice with your late wife? - Not as often as I would've liked.
So you would have liked to strangle Carolyn more? What a crass way to put it.
I meant, I miss my wife.
Okay.
As depicted in the show, you're also a practitioner of shibari, S & M and piquerism, all of which you engaged in with other partners.
What's piquerism? Deriving sexual satisfaction by stabbing or cutting your partner.
Objection, this questioning is irrelevant as to whether Mr.
Sweeney killed his wife.
It's not about whether he killed his wife.
It's whether the overall portrayal of Mr.
Sweeney is accurate.
Details of his sexual practices Are repugnant, but in this instance, salient.
Overruled.
I won't apologize for my sexual proclivities, Ms.
Krause.
I like to experiment.
The unexamined life, after all Yet each of these practices demonstrates a tendency towards violence, wouldn't you agree? The genetic fact is that women respond to male domination.
And the role of the male is to dominate his mate and to discipline her when she steps out of line.
It's biblical.
Wives, submit to your husbands.
That's all I'm here to do.
Dominate.
Judge, plaintiff will stipulate that the sexual practices Your Honor, the defense The plaintiff is trying to interrupt Hello, sir.
I need to see you right now.
About what? We'll discuss it when you get here.
Guy Redmayne.
Frank Prady.
Thank you for meeting with me Sit.
I know you don't have much time, so let me just say your support, and the support of your PAC, would mean a lot to my campaign.
- Together, we can - Full disclosure.
I already sat down with Alicia Florrick.
Okay.
Uh, well, that makes sense.
It's important to meet both candidates and hear our visions for the office.
I'm thinking more about my vision.
Did you see the ass on that broad? Heh-heh.
I'm telling you, my eyes were popping out.
Uh Uh, well, I think the key difference in our approaches I figure that she's a tigress in the sack too, right? Those buttoned-up types almost always are.
Let me start again.
Give me an hour with her and she wouldn't be walking straight for a week.
I'd split that little missy in half.
What's wrong, Mr.
Prady? You got an issue? Uh, no, I wouldn't exactly say an issue, more a request.
- Yeah? - Mrs.
Florrick may be my opponent, but I don't really need to denigrate her.
I'm not talking about denigrating.
I'm talking about banging that bitch till she screams like a $5,000-a-night whore.
Okay.
This was interesting.
You leaving? Mr.
Redmayne, I don't know if this was some kind of test, but my issues with Mrs.
Florrick are all intellectual, not personal.
Huh.
Just as I thought.
Just as I thought, Crystal.
Get the hell out of here.
You're disgusting.
Right, but I'm rich, so it really doesn't matter, does it? Like I told you, fag.
Big fag.
I hope I'm not interrupting.
No.
We were just basking in the musk of each other's pheromones.
Renata, could we have a moment? A moment.
But then I need more.
- So I see you've made up.
- Yes.
With an additional 2 million holding deal on her board seat.
I was genuinely moved by the depths to which she would go to show I was neglecting her.
Do you think you could be moved again in court? Why? I hear you've lost the judge.
Maybe it's time to show him another side.
A sensitive side.
We were married for seven wonderful years.
And at the time of Carolyn's disappearance, how would you describe the state of your marriage? We were deeply in love.
Can you explain why, seven years after Carolyn's death, a show like Call It Murder would choose to portray you as a killer? I'm notorious.
The white O.
J.
And no matter what happens, people will believe the worst.
It's a good story.
I, uh, was acquitted.
I prevailed in a wrongful death suit.
There's someone now in prison for Carolyn's murder.
Her daughter.
And no one will allow me to be vindicated.
No one seems to consider how much I How much I miss her.
How much pain I still feel.
I know I'm not a perfect man, but I loved Carolyn.
And they shouldn't be allowed to tell 15 million people that I did this.
I'm sorry.
Dylan has a black eye.
- I saw.
- How did he get it? Well, what did he tell you? He tripped while leaving school.
Yeah, that's what he told me too.
You know how hard it is to fall on your face? It's very hard.
Because your arms instinctively shoot out to protect your head.
That's how you can tell when someone's a drunk.
But my son doesn't drink.
So, what happened to my son? - A bully hit him.
- I needed to be made aware of this.
Look, I took care of it, sir.
I scared the kid off.
And what did this kid look like? Mr.
Bishop, I really don't think How hard is it to answer one simple question?! On the heavy side? Maybe half a foot taller than my son? Dark hair? Could use a comb? Mike Zeiler? What are you gonna do? You can go now.
- Look, there's no need to be hasty - I said, you can go.
Mr.
Zeiler, it's Dylan's dad.
Do you have a minute? Your son's been bullying my son.
Yes, hitting him.
I I'm sure you didn't.
But you will speak to him? Good.
That's all I ask.
Okay.
Good evening.
Hardest thing I've ever had to do.
Be a parent.
Do you want me to go, sir? My dad didn't give a rat's ass about me.
He ran off when I was 6.
I told myself I'd never do that to Dylan.
Never.
He's the only thing I'm proud of.
The only thing.
Then this little nothing of a kid makes his life hell.
Not a mule from Colombia or a Guatemalan assassin.
Just a little kid, with his day-trader parents.
What do I do with that? You did it.
- I have to go.
- Yeah.
- Your Honor.
- Hold it.
Hold it! One at a time.
We renew our motion for a directed verdict.
The defendant has not carried its burden of showing that Mr.
Sweeney killed his wife.
But we have proven that the show's depiction of Mr.
Sweeney's crime is littered with falsehoods.
We don't have to establish all the particulars are true.
Only that they are substantially true.
A circumstantial case with no eyewitnesses, judge.
Even the show can't manufacture that.
Yes, and if the standard were beyond a reasonable doubt, then I'd be unconvinced.
But the standard is a preponderance of the evidence.
A low bar, which the defendant has met.
He denied your motion? Yes.
We have to put on our rebuttal tomorrow.
What's the strategy? Well, as of now, we don't have one.
I've been looking at the episode all afternoon.
I'll call you if I find something.
Good.
I'll do the same.
Damn it.
You're my lawyer.
You have an obligation to zealously defend me.
Which I will do by making the prosecution prove its case.
Not by falsifying evidence or by cheating.
Fine, Goody Two-Shoes.
I'll tell you, Debbie.
When this is over, I just might fire you.
No, sir.
I'm firing you.
Because Debbie Conlon is not for sale.
Diane, it's Alicia.
I think we have a way to force them to settle.
Here.
Here.
Here.
And here.
Is there a point to this or are we just playing show-and-tell? Five scenes from this episode display a monitor that features the ChumHum homepage.
And on every homepage we can make out Chummy the Gopher who gets three minutes and 42 seconds of screen time.
- So what? - Chummy is the registered trademark of our billionaire client, ChumHum.
You've infringed on their trademark.
- Fair use.
- Nice try.
Since when is trademark disparagement fair use? Please.
We didn't disparage anything.
Um, you think a jury will believe that Chummy being in multiple scenes with a psychotic killer doesn't disparage Mr.
Gross's brand? This case is worth 50 million easy and we'll come after every dollar.
Or you can give Mr.
Sweeney the public apology he deserves by taking out ads in certain papers of record.
Your choice.
Come on.
I understand Guy Redmayne's PAC has decided to support you.
Is this a back channel, Frank? That's a big get.
A lot of money.
It could make the difference in your campaign.
- You've raised a lot of money too.
- I have.
He's quite a character, isn't he, Redmayne? - He is.
- A bit provocative? I guess.
My campaign manager is angry.
Why is that? He thinks Redmayne was in my column and then he wasn't.
After he spoke to you.
- That happens.
- Yes, it does.
One argument's better than another, right? Do you think this back channel has overstayed its usefulness? I don't know.
I think campaigning is a lonely profession.
And the only one who shares that loneliness is you.
We took down the robocall.
- The PAC did.
- I noticed.
Thank you.
Hey, Mom.
Grace.
You okay? You look unhappy.
No.
Just Nothing.
What? I don't know.
I don't like when people do bad things.
What people? Clients.
Yeah, well, everybody's bad in some way.
I was bad today.
No, Mom, you weren't.
You can't be.
Why? Why can't I be? Because you're the best person I know.
No.
Mom.
Shh.
Shh, shh, shh.
Shh.
It's okay.
Well, it is a good hurt.
Is it not? Heh-heh.
Please, no.
Don't kill me.
Did you write that, Mr.
Tierney? - I did.
- You produced this show - Call It Murder? - I do.
Proudly.
Oh, I'm glad.
Is that Colin Sweeney? No.
No, that is a fictional character named Bernard Loomis.
You're aware that my client was found not guilty of murdering his wife? I am aware.
But again, this character is not based on him.
I see.
Uh, but you cast an actor who looks just like Colin Sweeney.
That's a coincidence.
Even though he has the same occupation, dresses identically, met his wife in a similar fashion.
And even though Mr.
Sweeney's wife, like the wife in your show, was strangled and found buried in an orchard and her decapitated head was discovered in Mr.
Sweeney's yard.
Despite all of these similarities, you still insist that Mr.
Loomis is not based on Mr.
Sweeney? - I do.
- Isn't the only difference between Mr.
Sweeney and your character that the latter killed his wife? I think there are many people who think Mr.
Sweeney did kill his wife.
So there's no difference between the two? He didn't say that.
Argumentative, Your Honor.
- This is galling - I will rephrase.
I don't wish to "gall" Ms.
Krause.
Mr.
Tierney, you were quoted by the Television Critics Association, saying: "All our episodes are ripped straight from the headlines.
" So which headline was this episode ripped from? I was exaggerating.
Not all the episodes.
This one was not.
I see.
The one episode in which your studio is being sued for defamation? Again, argumentative.
Your Honor, I wish you would admonish plaintiff's attorney.
And I wish you'd stop overdramatizing your objections, counselor.
I get it.
Sustained.
Talk about how he's ruining my reputation.
Mr.
Sweeney, please.
Trust me.
So, Mr.
Tierney, let's talk about the casting process for this role.
How many actors did you read for the part of Bernard Loomis? - Hi.
- Hello.
- Thanks for seeing me.
- No problem.
You're doing well.
- So are you.
- No.
I shouldn't have walked out on that debate.
I listened to my handlers.
Sometimes they're right, sometimes they're wrong.
I want to play something for you.
Are we back-channeling? Ah.
We are.
Hello, this is Brian Rogers.
I'm a Rainbow Brigade activist who just loves Frank Prady.
He's a great supporter of our cause, and I want to remind you to support him - What is that? - and not Alicia Uh, that's a robocall put out by your campaign.
- No.
- Yes.
That doesn't make sense.
Gays are your coalition, not ours.
Well, this robocall was sent only to suburban homes in Evanston.
You understand? It's a false flag.
It's intended to piss off conservatives so they'll send money.
- I didn't know.
- Didn't think you did.
That is why I have brought that knowledge to you.
Frank Prady is a great supporter of gay marriage.
He wants to focus resources on Boystown in Lakeview - and not in Evanston.
- You see? - Plays off all the worst stereotypes.
- Please come to our rally.
Excuse me, sorry.
Yes, hello.
Uh No, it's Frank.
No, we haven't released any robocalls.
Josh! It was disgusting.
The worst kind of politics.
A lisping voice.
Going out to conservatives.
We didn't do it, Alicia.
Hey, Josh, have we released any false-flag robocalls? Three weeks before the election? Are you kidding me? We'd wait until three days before.
Want anything, Alicia? Cookies Adults talking here.
Can you give us a minute? - No, Marissa, come in.
- Actually, Alicia, we need a minute.
- I'd like Marissa to stay.
- With adults? - You sure? - You in touch with the PAC? Am I? No, that would be illegal.
When I wanted the PAC to stop their attack ads, I told you, and they did.
Yes, because they knew it was wrong.
Right, Josh? Yes.
What's @TobyZiegler44? - Excuse me? - TobyZiegler44.
What is it? - It's a campaign Twitter account.
- How do you know about it? Of course.
The chatty body woman.
A dormant Twitter account.
We rarely use it.
And yet we used it last night.
"Fourth, 40/43-soft.
- Third, 44/44" Can I interrupt here? The candidate should not be talking about this.
It's our polling data, isn't it? It's a code? Fourth Ward.
We're soft there, It's a message to the PAC, telling them where to focus soft money.
- Awkward silence.
- It is a public Twitter account.
We release random data.
Anyone can access it.
It's not illegal.
It's a loophole in the campaign laws.
Okay, this is what I need.
Use your decoder ring and your West Wing tweets to tell the PAC to stop these homophobic robocalls.
That's all I ask.
You do know we're behind? No, polling has me within the margin of error.
Not polling.
Cash.
Prady got an influx of late campaign cash.
- From where? - No idea.
Maybe out of state.
He's popular in California.
Who's Redmayne? - What? - Redmayne.
I recognize the name, but I don't know who it is.
Guy Redmayne.
He's a Democratic mega-donor out of Phoenix, why? I can't tell you how I know this, but I know this.
Redmayne's in touch with Prady.
- How do you know this? - I can't tell you.
- Do you know this or do you suspect? - I know this.
- We're screwed.
- I'll get cookies.
Jerome Morris.
Actor, raconteur, teacher You played Bernard Loomis in Call It Murder? I did.
I like the small screen.
So many more challenges.
- Oh, my, he is a cartoon.
- What else have you done? Is that it? The casting tape? - Yes.
- You're a lifesaver, Kalinda.
I stood by for several roles Hello? Mr.
Bishop? Why does it take you eight rings to answer? I was in court, sir.
- Do you need something? - I do.
The favor.
The one you owe me.
Yeah, uh, look, if this has anything to do with Florrick/Agos, we could always just bill it through the firm.
No.
It doesn't.
What is it, sir? And in inhabiting Mr.
Loomis, were you ever directed to base your part on Mr.
Sweeney? No, I base my performance on life.
I build a performance from here.
Let the record reflect I was pointing to my ear.
Actually, Mr.
Morris, that's my job.
Apologies, Your Honor.
I did Inherit the Wind.
Would you admit that you bear a striking resemblance to Mr.
Sweeney? Heh.
He's, what, ten years my senior? We share a certain je ne sais quoi.
And don't you think that similarity suggests exactly to the audience - who you're portraying? - No, I created an entirely original character.
But your inflections in this episode are identical to Mr.
Sweeney.
I mean, it was masterful, the way that you copied him.
- Ah.
Well - Objection.
Your Honor, uh, counsel is attempting to trick the witness with flattery.
- Complimenting a performance.
- Sustained.
Ask the same thing without the compliment.
Were you directed to play the part like Mr.
Sweeney? - No.
Never.
- I am nothing like him.
- He's like my retarded brother.
- Shh.
Let me play you a tape, Mr.
Morris.
- You want it more serious? - No.
Do you know Colin Sweeney? Do it like Colin Sweeney.
- Like to revise your testimony? - What do you mean? You said you were never directed to base a performance on Sweeney.
Wasn't that the producer doing exactly that? That was an audition.
Nothing is very serious at an audition.
- Nothing further.
- Mr.
Morris, were you directed to base your performance on anyone else? - What do you mean? - Like Claus Von Bulow Objection, Your Honor.
Leading.
- Sustained.
- I'm sorry, Your Honor.
I was just trying to save some time.
Were you directed to base your performance on any other accused killers? Yes, I was.
That one.
Claus Von Bulow, for example.
Huh.
You have to be at the Shriners in one hour.
I just need to pick up a few things.
You're not answering my texts.
I'm a bit busy, Mr.
Sweeney.
I told you, she's campaigning.
She doesn't have time.
I'm unhappy.
Does it matter to you that I'm unhappy? Does it matter to me that you're unhappy? - Not so much.
- You prepped for this trial, Alicia.
Ten months ago, you swore to me - that you could win it.
- No.
- I didn't.
- Yes, when you wanted me - to stay on as a client.
- No.
In fact, I told you to drop it.
That defamation was hard to win, but that if you wanted to pursue it, we would do our best, and we did.
And we are.
No, you said, you would do your best.
And you are not.
- Hello.
- Hi.
Marissa.
I'm the body woman.
Really? The whole body? Or just parts? - Why don't you wait outside? - Just ignore him.
He likes unsettling people.
- Hi.
I'm Renata.
- Don't worry.
- I don't unsettle easily.
- Oh, don't tell him that.
It's a challenge.
Here, sit.
We take your business seriously, Mr.
Sweeney.
We have two name partners fighting for you in court.
Yes, but Diane and Cary don't like me.
- I don't like you either.
- Don't be silly.
This TV show makes me out to be a killer.
Herald Equity's stock has plunged 56 percent, and the board will fire me if I can't clear my name.
Israel? I was in the IDF.
- Oh.
The army.
- Yeah.
Two years.
Lone soldier.
So you carried a gun.
What kind? - TAR-21.
Assault rifle.
- Oh, my God.
- Did you kill anyone? Oh.
- No.
- But you wanted to.
- I wanted action.
Just so I could write about it.
A frustrated novelist.
- Me too.
- I will leave here.
I will leave your firm.
Go ahead, Mr.
Sweeney.
I don't care.
- You're heartless.
- No, I just know that you won't.
I know when you're bluffing.
Okay.
Try this bluff.
I know who finances your PAC.
Oh That brought you up short.
How would that sound? Me telling the press who's laundering his money through your PAC? Okay, Mr.
Sweeney.
I will consult with Diane and Cary.
I will look through the evidence.
But I won't be in court.
I won't be seen with you.
That's the best I can offer, and if you don't want to take it, go ahead, go to the press.
Come on, Marissa.
You're late.
Tell Marcus, wait on the delivery.
I need you at this address at 3 tomorrow.
And every day this week and next week.
You'll be picking someone up.
Look, I'm not really a bodyguard, sir, - but I can hire somebody - No.
I need someone who doesn't look like a bodyguard.
Why? Dylan's school doesn't like people who look like bodyguards.
- This is for Dylan? - Yes.
That's the address of his school.
I need you to pick him up and drive him home after school every day for the next two weeks.
- I don't mean to offend you, sir - Then don't.
My son means everything to me.
I am trusting you with the most valuable thing in my life.
You understand? What is this? The original casting breakdown.
I don't know what that is.
It's a breakdown of the characters, sent out to agents to get casting.
- Where did you get that? - You see, these are the original names of the characters, before the studio's legal department advised the production to change them.
Clearly the plaintiff has been diving into Dumpsters for this proprietary information.
But why is this bad, counselors? Instruct me.
The name of the murdered wife is Carolyn.
The name of the murderer is Colin.
The name of the detective is Rick Crowell.
These are all the names of the real people in the Colin Sweeney case.
I am outraged, Your Honor.
Well, you're welcome to your outrage, Ms.
Krause, but I am inclined to decide that the plaintiff has proved likeness.
I believe that this episode, though fictionalized, does defame Mr.
Sweeney.
Unless you have something else.
I do.
Your Honor, I do have something more.
The episode does not defame Colin Sweeney because it is, in fact, true.
Colin Sweeney killed his wife.
- This is crazy.
- Are you kidding me? The episode depicts something that actually happened.
Colin Sweeney was found not guilty by a jury of his peers.
Yes, but the threshold for truth is higher in a criminal court.
You ready to prove Colin Sweeney murdered his wife? Yes, Your Honor.
Well, I won't stop you.
We'll meet this afternoon to hear the defense's case.
Okay, Guy Redmayne, born in Dallas, 1942.
The oldest of three siblings.
Made his fortune in real estate.
- Pro-Israel.
- The player in Democratic circles.
The PAC he runs helped - Who's that, his wife? - No, that's his daughter, Crystal.
- You'll meet her at the club too.
- What time? Four o'clock and he's squeezing us in, so you'll have to move fast.
Which means you need to learn how to ask for things.
Let's hear it.
- What, now? - Yeah, why? Come on.
Ask me for money.
My name's Alicia Florrick.
Thank you for meeting me.
- I hope you'll consider - No.
No qualifiers.
You don't hope that someone will consider.
- I'd like your Ugh.
- No.
Own it.
I want your support.
I believe together we can influence Not influence, accomplish.
You're a doer, so do.
- Give me your money.
Now.
- That's closer, but it's not funny.
Think Bill Clinton.
Want to be a part of my movement? Give.
You'll be joining something bigger than yourself, you'll be helping the world.
It's to their benefit, not to yours.
The money's weighing them down, so relieve them of it.
Oh - This is ghastly.
- Mr.
Sweeney.
Shh.
Yes, 911.
Hello.
My name is Bernard Loomis, and I think something has happened to my wife.
Oops.
One second.
I'll call you back.
Detective Crowell, how accurate is that sequence? I worked the case, and I'm a technical adviser on the show.
That's exactly how Mr.
Sweeney covered up the murder.
There was a rug missing from Mr.
Sweeney's house.
Mr.
Sweeney had a receipt for a gallon jug of lye in his work shed.
His lawyer convinced the judge the warrants didn't cover detached dwellings.
Detective, did the actual Colin Sweeney make a 911 call when he buried his wife? I'm sorry.
When he discovered his wife was missing? - Yes, he did.
- I'd like to play it for the court.
Uh-oh.
Yes, รง11.
Hello.
My name is Colin Sweeney, and I think something has happened to my wife.
Oops.
One second.
- I'll call you back.
- Goodness.
That's very similar to the 911 call on the show.
- Yes, identical.
- Nothing further.
Detective, how many times have you testified against Mr.
Sweeney? Four times.
This is my fourth.
Each time you've lost, Sweeney was cleared of all charges? We call him the luckiest murderer on the planet.
I see.
And given this attitude, don't you have an ax to grind? - No.
- In fact, haven't you admitted - Sidebar, Your Honor.
- Let's go.
Come on up.
What's eating you, Ms.
Krause? Your Honor, plaintiff's counsel is preparing to introduce e-mails in which E-mails in which Detective Crowell insists that he will, quote, "Get Sweeney eventually," unquote, but their investigator hacked into the detective's account and obtained the e-mails illegally.
Counselors, is this true? Damn it.
How did she find out? David Lee.
No, he wouldn't do that.
Would he? Kalinda, who else knew about these Crowell e-mails? The judge is rejecting them as illegally obtained.
Only you and Cary.
Look, I'll look into it as soon as I get back, okay? Bye.
It's illegal to drive and talk on the phone.
It's a $75 fine.
But it's more with a child in the car.
Should we just try silence for a moment, Dylan? Hm? - Where are you going? - A different way.
This is the way to Brian's house.
He was my best friend, but he moved.
He moved to Las Vegas.
He's the only one whose parents let him come over to my house.
Dylan, I need you to do me a favor.
Scoot down in your seat.
- Why? - Just do it.
This is RL-567.
I want to check a license on an Illinois plate, RFI56TH.
I'll hold.
All-American Mike says that my dad killed my mom.
What? He's a kid at my school.
All-American Mike, he, uh, says my dad killed my mom.
- Well, why would he say that? - I don't know.
He said it was true.
Someone is leaking to the defense.
I don't like being undercut by my own firm.
Yeah.
That's too bad.
Do you trust Cary Agos? - What? - Cary Agos.
Is he leaking? - No.
- Who, then? If you lose your seat on the board, does your wife get to keep hers? Renata? - I guess.
What are you saying? - You've been married going on? Eight months.
Why? Do your homework.
I'll be right up.
No video games.
Bye, Kalinda.
- You got a plate? - A Jesse Raymond White, of Darien.
No priors.
Is that anyone you know? That might not mean anything.
Keep track if it's the same car tomorrow.
What did Dylan say? About the SUV? Nothing.
No.
About anything.
He said I shouldn't be on my cell when I drive.
- Nothing else? - Not really.
He didn't say anything about the kids at school? Yeah.
Someone named Brian, who moved away.
Did he say anything about Mike Zeiler? All-American Mike? Yes.
What did he say? He just mentioned him.
Part of your job, Kalinda, a big part, is to tell me what Dylan says.
You understand? I'm not really a kid person, sir.
- But maybe there is someone - No, no, no, there's nobody.
There's you.
Mrs.
Florrick.
Guy Redmayne.
My daughter and aide-de-camp, Crystal.
Alicia Florrick, thank you both so much for meeting me.
Sit, sit.
Double vodka.
Would you want a pick-me-up, Mrs.
Florrick? Oh, no, thank you, and it's Alicia.
Okay, Alicia.
Yeah.
Now, because I only have a few moments, let's cut to the chase.
You want my money, huh? Heh.
Yes.
- And let me tell you why I deserve it.
- Yeah? I will reduce the murder rate by aggressively prosecuting gun crimes.
Good.
It's a big problem.
And because I also believe in the swift administration of justice, I will make it a priority to double the speed of our prosecutions.
Yeah, well.
You're good on substance, but family values, it's critical to a guy like me.
How long have you been married? Oh, uh, 21 years.
Thirty-eight for me.
You know, till Sylvia died of ovarian cancer.
- I'm so sorry.
- We went through a lot, but we stayed together.
Like you and your husband.
It speaks volumes.
So do you, um, always demand this kind of privacy? Everywhere I go.
I hate people.
I love mankind, but I hate people.
Especially when they eat.
Now, why don't you sit back down, Alicia? Let me see those pretty legs of yours.
Heh.
You are pretty fresh, aren't you? It's my best feature.
I got the testicles of a 20-year-old.
Where? In your briefcase? You.
Isn't she great, Crystal? So, what do you think of my stance? Well, I'm going to support you, Alicia.
Yeah.
One million in dark money.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mr.
Redmayne.
It's not because of your pretty face or because you have the best eyes on a lawyer I've ever seen.
- Well, then, why is it? - Because I don't like fags.
I heard the calls your campaign is making to the suburbs.
It's a smart way to use it.
Well, actually, that's not us.
That's our PAC.
- I'm not even sure if it is our PAC - Hear about the two fags on safari? No, and just so you know, Mr.
Redmayne's married.
Mr.
Prady's married.
- Yeah? - Or he was married.
It's good meeting you, honey.
Keep up the good work.
Kick that fruitcake when he's down.
I love people who share my values.
Welcome back, everyone.
Ms.
Krause, you may call your next witness.
Defense calls Renata Ellard-Sweeney.
Your Honor, the witness is the plaintiff's wife.
We move to exclude her on the basis of marital communications privilege.
Which covers only communications made between spouses during marriage.
Hey, hey.
Darling.
Oh, dear.
I think she's mad at me.
Did your husband tell you that he buried the gloves he wore when he murdered Carolyn? - Objection.
Marital privilege.
- He tell you before you were married? - Yes.
- Overruled.
We had gone away for the weekend to Calistoga.
We were having sex in a supply closet.
I told him he was bad, he said I didn't know how bad.
So I asked him to tell me.
Did you have occasion to tell Detective Crowell about these gloves? Yes, that's how they got in the episode.
Guess I should move those gloves.
I don't understand what the problem is.
The problem is you need to tell us you were joking, Mr.
Sweeney.
- Why? - Because if we know you killed Carolyn, we can't elicit testimony from you that you didn't.
Which means that your wife's accusations go unchallenged.
So were you joking, Mr.
Sweeney? Yes, of course I was joking.
But I do need to talk to Alicia about something.
Your colleagues worry that I might perjure myself on the stand.
- Regarding what? - Whether I murdered dear Carolyn.
Now, speaking hypothetically, if I did perjure myself, could I be prosecuted? Mr.
Sweeney, why can't you be having this discussion with Cary or Diane? Because your ethical compunctions are much more pronounced, which means I'll get a more considered answer.
One more likely to keep me out of trouble.
Perjury prosecutions in civil cases are exceedingly rare.
- Good.
- But given your profile, I think the SA would jump at the chance to nail you.
- So you need to give yourself cover.
- Uh Show me.
Mr.
Sweeney, did you kill your wife? - Absolutely not.
- No.
Try this: "As I've said on numerous occasions, I did not kill my wife.
" Tricky, tricky, yes, yes.
Go on.
Sometimes you can't sidestep, so you evade completely.
Did you take drugs the day Carolyn disappeared? - A sleeping pill.
- Which can impact memory.
So if you don't want to answer, say you were under the influence of prescription medication.
And I don't recall anything that happened that day.
Yes.
Mrs.
Florrick, whatever will I do without you? Hey! What are you gonna do, you little baby? - Hey.
- Lower your fist or I'm gonna break your arm.
We were just We're friends, right, Dylan? You touch him again, and I'll be back.
Now, tell me you understand.
I understand.
Don't tell my dad.
What? I said, don't tell my dad.
About that kid? All-American Mike.
Don't tell him.
He'll just get angry.
You have a black eye.
I got it from tripping after school.
Please.
He'll do something.
He'll scare them.
Dylan, I'm gonna go a little bit faster here, okay? But don't worry, - I know what I'm doing.
- Fine.
Do you promise? - Where's your dad? - I don't know.
What do you want me to do? That's not what we talked about.
Dylan is home, sir.
All right, thank you.
What? I was very clear about how I wanted this to go down and what I wanted.
You're not listening to me.
Call It Murder depicts your character as engaged in a sexual practice called breath play, right? - That's correct.
- And did you engage - in this practice with your late wife? - Not as often as I would've liked.
So you would have liked to strangle Carolyn more? What a crass way to put it.
I meant, I miss my wife.
Okay.
As depicted in the show, you're also a practitioner of shibari, S & M and piquerism, all of which you engaged in with other partners.
What's piquerism? Deriving sexual satisfaction by stabbing or cutting your partner.
Objection, this questioning is irrelevant as to whether Mr.
Sweeney killed his wife.
It's not about whether he killed his wife.
It's whether the overall portrayal of Mr.
Sweeney is accurate.
Details of his sexual practices Are repugnant, but in this instance, salient.
Overruled.
I won't apologize for my sexual proclivities, Ms.
Krause.
I like to experiment.
The unexamined life, after all Yet each of these practices demonstrates a tendency towards violence, wouldn't you agree? The genetic fact is that women respond to male domination.
And the role of the male is to dominate his mate and to discipline her when she steps out of line.
It's biblical.
Wives, submit to your husbands.
That's all I'm here to do.
Dominate.
Judge, plaintiff will stipulate that the sexual practices Your Honor, the defense The plaintiff is trying to interrupt Hello, sir.
I need to see you right now.
About what? We'll discuss it when you get here.
Guy Redmayne.
Frank Prady.
Thank you for meeting with me Sit.
I know you don't have much time, so let me just say your support, and the support of your PAC, would mean a lot to my campaign.
- Together, we can - Full disclosure.
I already sat down with Alicia Florrick.
Okay.
Uh, well, that makes sense.
It's important to meet both candidates and hear our visions for the office.
I'm thinking more about my vision.
Did you see the ass on that broad? Heh-heh.
I'm telling you, my eyes were popping out.
Uh Uh, well, I think the key difference in our approaches I figure that she's a tigress in the sack too, right? Those buttoned-up types almost always are.
Let me start again.
Give me an hour with her and she wouldn't be walking straight for a week.
I'd split that little missy in half.
What's wrong, Mr.
Prady? You got an issue? Uh, no, I wouldn't exactly say an issue, more a request.
- Yeah? - Mrs.
Florrick may be my opponent, but I don't really need to denigrate her.
I'm not talking about denigrating.
I'm talking about banging that bitch till she screams like a $5,000-a-night whore.
Okay.
This was interesting.
You leaving? Mr.
Redmayne, I don't know if this was some kind of test, but my issues with Mrs.
Florrick are all intellectual, not personal.
Huh.
Just as I thought.
Just as I thought, Crystal.
Get the hell out of here.
You're disgusting.
Right, but I'm rich, so it really doesn't matter, does it? Like I told you, fag.
Big fag.
I hope I'm not interrupting.
No.
We were just basking in the musk of each other's pheromones.
Renata, could we have a moment? A moment.
But then I need more.
- So I see you've made up.
- Yes.
With an additional 2 million holding deal on her board seat.
I was genuinely moved by the depths to which she would go to show I was neglecting her.
Do you think you could be moved again in court? Why? I hear you've lost the judge.
Maybe it's time to show him another side.
A sensitive side.
We were married for seven wonderful years.
And at the time of Carolyn's disappearance, how would you describe the state of your marriage? We were deeply in love.
Can you explain why, seven years after Carolyn's death, a show like Call It Murder would choose to portray you as a killer? I'm notorious.
The white O.
J.
And no matter what happens, people will believe the worst.
It's a good story.
I, uh, was acquitted.
I prevailed in a wrongful death suit.
There's someone now in prison for Carolyn's murder.
Her daughter.
And no one will allow me to be vindicated.
No one seems to consider how much I How much I miss her.
How much pain I still feel.
I know I'm not a perfect man, but I loved Carolyn.
And they shouldn't be allowed to tell 15 million people that I did this.
I'm sorry.
Dylan has a black eye.
- I saw.
- How did he get it? Well, what did he tell you? He tripped while leaving school.
Yeah, that's what he told me too.
You know how hard it is to fall on your face? It's very hard.
Because your arms instinctively shoot out to protect your head.
That's how you can tell when someone's a drunk.
But my son doesn't drink.
So, what happened to my son? - A bully hit him.
- I needed to be made aware of this.
Look, I took care of it, sir.
I scared the kid off.
And what did this kid look like? Mr.
Bishop, I really don't think How hard is it to answer one simple question?! On the heavy side? Maybe half a foot taller than my son? Dark hair? Could use a comb? Mike Zeiler? What are you gonna do? You can go now.
- Look, there's no need to be hasty - I said, you can go.
Mr.
Zeiler, it's Dylan's dad.
Do you have a minute? Your son's been bullying my son.
Yes, hitting him.
I I'm sure you didn't.
But you will speak to him? Good.
That's all I ask.
Okay.
Good evening.
Hardest thing I've ever had to do.
Be a parent.
Do you want me to go, sir? My dad didn't give a rat's ass about me.
He ran off when I was 6.
I told myself I'd never do that to Dylan.
Never.
He's the only thing I'm proud of.
The only thing.
Then this little nothing of a kid makes his life hell.
Not a mule from Colombia or a Guatemalan assassin.
Just a little kid, with his day-trader parents.
What do I do with that? You did it.
- I have to go.
- Yeah.
- Your Honor.
- Hold it.
Hold it! One at a time.
We renew our motion for a directed verdict.
The defendant has not carried its burden of showing that Mr.
Sweeney killed his wife.
But we have proven that the show's depiction of Mr.
Sweeney's crime is littered with falsehoods.
We don't have to establish all the particulars are true.
Only that they are substantially true.
A circumstantial case with no eyewitnesses, judge.
Even the show can't manufacture that.
Yes, and if the standard were beyond a reasonable doubt, then I'd be unconvinced.
But the standard is a preponderance of the evidence.
A low bar, which the defendant has met.
He denied your motion? Yes.
We have to put on our rebuttal tomorrow.
What's the strategy? Well, as of now, we don't have one.
I've been looking at the episode all afternoon.
I'll call you if I find something.
Good.
I'll do the same.
Damn it.
You're my lawyer.
You have an obligation to zealously defend me.
Which I will do by making the prosecution prove its case.
Not by falsifying evidence or by cheating.
Fine, Goody Two-Shoes.
I'll tell you, Debbie.
When this is over, I just might fire you.
No, sir.
I'm firing you.
Because Debbie Conlon is not for sale.
Diane, it's Alicia.
I think we have a way to force them to settle.
Here.
Here.
Here.
And here.
Is there a point to this or are we just playing show-and-tell? Five scenes from this episode display a monitor that features the ChumHum homepage.
And on every homepage we can make out Chummy the Gopher who gets three minutes and 42 seconds of screen time.
- So what? - Chummy is the registered trademark of our billionaire client, ChumHum.
You've infringed on their trademark.
- Fair use.
- Nice try.
Since when is trademark disparagement fair use? Please.
We didn't disparage anything.
Um, you think a jury will believe that Chummy being in multiple scenes with a psychotic killer doesn't disparage Mr.
Gross's brand? This case is worth 50 million easy and we'll come after every dollar.
Or you can give Mr.
Sweeney the public apology he deserves by taking out ads in certain papers of record.
Your choice.
Come on.
I understand Guy Redmayne's PAC has decided to support you.
Is this a back channel, Frank? That's a big get.
A lot of money.
It could make the difference in your campaign.
- You've raised a lot of money too.
- I have.
He's quite a character, isn't he, Redmayne? - He is.
- A bit provocative? I guess.
My campaign manager is angry.
Why is that? He thinks Redmayne was in my column and then he wasn't.
After he spoke to you.
- That happens.
- Yes, it does.
One argument's better than another, right? Do you think this back channel has overstayed its usefulness? I don't know.
I think campaigning is a lonely profession.
And the only one who shares that loneliness is you.
We took down the robocall.
- The PAC did.
- I noticed.
Thank you.
Hey, Mom.
Grace.
You okay? You look unhappy.
No.
Just Nothing.
What? I don't know.
I don't like when people do bad things.
What people? Clients.
Yeah, well, everybody's bad in some way.
I was bad today.
No, Mom, you weren't.
You can't be.
Why? Why can't I be? Because you're the best person I know.
No.
Mom.
Shh.
Shh, shh, shh.
Shh.
It's okay.