I have to ask: were the trials happening in "Battle Of The Proxies" actually permitted in real life?

Can two separate people be on trial for the same murder in neighboring counties? It seems most places can barely eek out one suspect, but Illinois somehow managed to find two with enough evidence to put on trial. There should be a law against that. I'm not kidding. There should be one. 

Keeping a suspect on the list is just groovy, but arresting two people for the same crime seems silly, especially trying them at the same time and then inter-evidencing within their trials. I just made that word up, but it fits, right? Inter-evidence. Evidence used at two trials, at one to claim guilt and the other to prove innocence. Inter-evidence. 

Generally, the trials seemed like a three-ring circus. I didn't like the defense attorney in the case outside of Cook County and I've come to the conclusion that I do not like Laura Hellinger, who was the prosecutor in the Cook County case. She is being utilized so much that I'm starting to wonder if she is going to get married so Juliana Margulies can leave the show and Amanda Peet can take on the role of The Good Wife. I daresay I liked Mamie Gummer's Nancy Crozier a lot more.

The kicker here is, and this is only speculation, but I am thinking they're ramping up the witty repartee between Laura and Will because they will engage in a romance. If someone thinks we are interested in such a thing, I can only hope they read this and take heed. We do not want Will dating Laura Hellinger. She was interesting when first introduced, but has become a pain in the arse since joining the State's Attorney's office.  

With every case, Will and Laura get a little closer. It's something to keep an eye on.

With the addition of Laura, we also got a loss for Lockhart/Gardner. It was convenient that Alicia was working with the secondary case and learned that man was innocent and Will's client was guilty so viewers wouldn't feel cheated when the almighty Lockhart/Gardner went down. The most confusing part of the episode and the greatest miscarriage of justice? Both suspects were found guilty. Of the same murder. Someone please tell me that can't happen. If Will and Laura being friendly helps the innocent guy in his appeal, then everything about their friendship isn't bad.

Thank you, Alicia, for finally telling Nick that Lockhart/Gardner can no longer represent him. Of course the idiot would threaten her. The State's Attorney's wife. He was such a sleaze bag and I was cheering out loud when Kalinda took matters into her own hands, ran down Nick's partner and found drugs in the trunk of the cars, just where Cary said they would be.

It was a pity that Kalinda felt she had to pay Nick off to leave her. The question is: did he take the money and run? Or did Kalinda have to bury something else in the walls that will come back to haunt her? Would you put it past her to kill someone, especially someone like Nick who was an imminent threat to her and all of those around her? I wouldn't. While I hope that wasn't her last resort, I do have to say: welcome back, Kalinda.

A few things of note:

• I had the same phones they used at Lockhart/Gardner at my office, and I can tell you they were not plugged in. The lights on the console were amber, indicating there was no power. Details are important!
• I thought that Grace's continued to use ChumHum to research her sex life indicated to me that she was definitely too young to be participating in the act. Except for the fact it was JACKIE searching for condoms. Um...yuck!
• I guess we learned who was being investigated, and it wasn't Kalinda. It's Eli? For offering discount crisis management services in return for political donations? I tried to think of him doing that, and either he never did it on screen or he's innocent.

What did everyone else think of the midseason finale?

Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.