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Season guide

The Good Wife: Season 5

22 episodes Premiered Sep 29, 2013 Updated Sep 20, 2026

The Good Wife is an American television drama series created by Robert and Michelle King that airs on CBS. The series stars Julianna Margulies, Josh Charles, Christine Baranski, Matt Czuchry, Archie Panjabi, Zach Grenier, Matthew Goode, Cush Jumbo, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Alan Cumming. The story centers on a politician wife who pursues her own career as a defense attorney after her husband is sent to jail on charges

Previously on The Good Wife

Season 5 Lore Primer

Key plot threads, lore context, and character stakes you need to remember before diving into this season.

  • The series is an American TV drama that airs on CBS.
  • It was created by Robert and Michelle King.
  • The narrative follows a politician's wife who pursues her own career as a defense attorney after her husband is sent to jail on charges of political corruption.
  • Alicia Florrick assumes full responsibility for her family and re-enters the workforce.

Season overview

The Good Wife is an American television drama series created by Robert and Michelle King that airs on CBS. The series stars Julianna Margulies, Josh Charles, Christine Baranski, Matt Czuchry, Archie Panjabi, Zach Grenier, Matthew Goode, Cush Jumbo, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Alan Cumming. The story centers on a politician wife who pursues her own career as a defense attorney after her husband is sent to jail on charges of political corruption. The fifth season of the overarching saga continues across twenty-two episodes. Alicia Florrick boldly assumes full responsibility for her family and re-enters the workforce.

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Season 5 Episodes

Episode Guide

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Binge Efficiency Engine

Season 5: Filler vs. Essential Canon

Filter episodes by narrative weight. Focus on essential mytharc and skip standalone side quests.

14%
86%
Mytharc (3): Crucial lore & season climaxes
Core (19): Character development & subplots
Side Quest (0): Standalone / filler
S5·E1 Mytharc

Everything is Ending

Sep 29, 2013

Alicia must focus on the firm’s efforts to prevent the execution of a convicted murderer while she secretly plans her exit from the firm with Cary. Meanwhile, Eli helps Peter assem

S5·E2 Core

The Bit Bucket

Oct 6, 2013

Alicia and Cary sue the NSA on behalf of search engine Chumhum, unaware that Lockhart/Gardner’s connection to a former client has resulted in the spy agency monitoring the firm’s c

S5·E3 Core

A Precious Commodity

Oct 13, 2013

Will makes Alicia a stunning offer which causes her to reconsider her plans to leave the firm. Also, the partners take action when Diane’s Supreme Court candidacy puts her at odds

S5·E4 Core

Outside the Bubble

Oct 20, 2013

Alicia tries to obtain Lockhart/Gardner files as she prepares to exit the firm; faced with a sexual harassment lawsuit, the firm hires Elsbeth Tascioni.

S5·E5 Core

Hitting the Fan

Oct 27, 2013

A desperate battle to retain clients begins when Cary and Alicia's plan to leave the firm is exposed.

S5·E6 Core

The Next Day

Nov 3, 2013

Alicia and Cary represent a client who changed firms and Will and Diane delay turning over the case files; Marilyn tries to give advice to Alicia.

S5·E7 Core

The Next Week

Nov 10, 2013

Zach makes a discovery that leads Alicia and Cary to believe that the Lockhart/Gardner firm is spying on them; Will helps one of Alicia's former clients; Clarke Hayden (Nathan Lane

S5·E8 Core

The Next Month

Nov 17, 2013

As Florrick/Agos move into their new offices, Alicia attempts to block the deportation of an undocumented immigrant before he is sent to Mexico, where a cartel has threatened his l

S5·E9 Core

Whack-a-Mole

Nov 24, 2013

Alicia tries to hold a website accountable when its users accuse her client, a college professor, of being linked to domestic terrorism. Meanwhile, Will goes against Diane’s wishe

S5·E10 Core

The Decision Tree

Dec 1, 2013

Alicia is shocked to learn that a former client bequeathed her millions, but Lockhart/Gardner quickly contests the will on behalf of the deceased’s wife. Meanwhile, Diane asks Kal

S5·E11 Core

Goliath and David

Jan 5, 2014

Alicia represents a band suing a TV show for copyright infringement, but the simple case becomes psychological warfare when Will joins the opposing council and uses his knowledge o

S5·E12 Core

We, the Juries

Jan 12, 2014

Alicia and Will each represent one half of a couple accused of smuggling drugs, but the courtroom becomes mired in confusion and legal technicalities when they insist on separate j

S5·E13 Core

Parallel Construction, Bitches

Mar 9, 2014

Florrick/Agos and Lockhart/Gardner fight to keep Lemond Bishop as a client when he is arrested on a drug-related charge, which possibly resulted from a leak inside Alicia's firm. M

S5·E14 Core

A Few Words

Mar 16, 2014

When Alicia is asked to be the keynote speaker at the American Bar Association conference in New York City, she looks to her past for inspiration. Meanwhile, the competition with D

S5·E15 Core

Dramatics, Your Honor

Mar 23, 2014

Alicia asks Cary to be her lawyer when Nelson Dubeck asks her to participate in a deposition; Will faces off with a new prosecutor while defending Jeffrey Grant.

S5·E16 Core

The Last Call

Mar 30, 2014

Alicia searches for answers as she tries to make sense of Will’s death in the aftermath of the courthouse shooting. Meanwhile, Diane delivers the somber news to the partners at Loc

S5·E17 Core

A Material World

Apr 13, 2014

Alicia and Diane consider merging their firms in the wake of Will's death, even as they find themselves on opposite sides of a contentious divorce suit. Meanwhile, Alicia offers as

S5·E18 Core

All Tapped Out

Apr 20, 2014

Florrick/Agos takes on the case of an NSA whistleblower, only to learn that the agency has been monitoring the firm as well as Alicia’s personal life. Meanwhile, Diane faces the di

S5·E19 Core

Tying the Knot

Apr 27, 2014

When Alicia pays a visit to longtime client Colin Sweeney, she finds herself in the unwanted role of witness when a body is discovered in his home. Meanwhile, Eli steps in when an

S5·E20 Core

The Deep Web

May 4, 2014

When Alicia has a chance encounter with a charming entrepreneur during jury duty, she begins to consider options outside her marriage and seeks the advice of her mother. Meanwhile,

S5·E21 Mytharc

The One Percent

May 11, 2014

Alicia manages the fallout when her client's insensitive statements to the press threaten the fate of a multi-billion dollar merger. Meanwhile, Diane faces a potential conflict of

S5·E22 Mytharc

A Weird Year

May 18, 2014

The futures of Florrick/Agos and Lockhart/Gardner are at stake when the firms consider merging, driving a wedge between Alicia and Cary. Meanwhile, Diane makes a big decision when