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‘Good Wife’ goes its own way as refreshing drama

By WTOP Staff

FRAZIER MOORE
AP Television Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Considering TV’s tradition of copying what works, then copying those copies, it says a lot that no show rips off “The Good Wife.”

Or dares to try. A whip-smart blend of workplace derring-do and domestic melodrama, this CBS series has kept safe distance from TV’s echo chamber, immune to a discernible formula or gimmick. It manages to stay both mainstream and offbeat. A neat trick.

Airing its fifth-season finale Sunday at 9 p.m. EDT, “The Good Wife” has replenished the stripped-bare legal-drama genre with complex story lines that employ human relationships as much as courtroom brinksmanship.

It is often funny yet never less than gripping as it forgoes (with the rarest exceptions) screeching tires, fisticuffs and gunplay.

Oh, sure, lawyer Will Gardner was gunned down in a March episode that narratively served the wishes of Josh Charles, who played him, to depart. But this weariest of legal-drama tropes (a courthouse shooting!) rocked the audience as much as it did Will’s associates. No wonder: It was so unexpected for “The Good Wife” to shed blood.

Despite fans’ sorrow at losing Will, “The Good Wife” remains bursting with great characters played by a stellar troupe including Christine Baranski, Archie Panjabi, Matt Czuchry and Alan Cumming, aided by a bounty of guest stars that currently includes Michael J. Fox in a delicious story arc.

They are led by Julianna Margulies, who plays the titular protagonist, Alicia Florrick — a stay-at-home mother and former Chicago attorney forced to go back to work at the start of the series after a sex-and-corruption scandal sent her Cook County State’s Attorney husband (Chris Noth) to jail.

Back in September 2009, this seemed a juicy premise. But marital betrayal with a good-wife-as-victim was only the stepping-off point.

“We knew that Alicia should confront that initial crisis, but then grow and change,” says Michelle King, who, with her husband Robert King, created the series. “We wanted to follow that trajectory and see her strengths develop, not just live in a world of infidelity and its aftermath.”

The untimely death of Will, Alicia’s former colleague and heartthrob, has given the show a creative jolt, a stirring overlay to its tangled litigation and office intrigue. But life goes on.

“On the show, we try to imitate as much as possible the life most of us are familiar with,” says Robert King. “In your office every day, you’re not dealing with dragon slayers, you’re dealing with people metaphorically stabbing you in the back.”

As a show that relies on words and ideas over flash and dash, “The Good Wife” more closely resembles certain boutique cable series such as “Mad Men” than the slate of procedurals CBS dines out on. But the Kings say the network has supported them in their resistance to a copycat approach.

“CBS has given us so much rope,” says Robert King, “it’s amazing we haven’t hung ourselves three or four times over.”

Meanwhile, the Kings embrace the less-is-more constraints broadcast TV imposes in certain areas. Like the bedroom. In its own distinctive way, “The Good Wife” excels as a very racy show.

“You never see a breast or a behind. We concentrate on faces,” notes Robert King. “But when the actors are very good, and our actors are, that can make those scenes even sexier and dirtier.”

Michelle and Robert King make what they do sound challenging and yet, somehow, second nature. But isn’t it an act of Herculean restraint not to throw in a car chase, ax murder or rotting corpse just to keep pace with so many other shows?

“It doesn’t even cross our minds,” said Michelle King who, like her husband, is L.A.-based. “It would be like living in California and buying snowshoes to get someplace.”

___

EDITOR’S NOTE — Frazier Moore is a national television columnist for The Associated Press. He can be reached at fmoore@ap.org and at http://www.twitter.com/tvfrazier. Past stories available at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/frazier-moore

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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