Things at Lockhart/Gardner became a lot more tense on "Outside the Bubble," as a paralegal brought a harassment lawsuit against the firm -and Diane in particular - and the scrutiny over the actions of the fourth years reached the boiling point.

With the lawsuit and her impending departure from the firm and upcoming nuptials, the focus of the night was really on Diane. It's always been fun seeing the other side of her, especially when she spends free time with Kurt, but it was also interesting how getting some time away from Lockhart/Gardner reinvigorated her love for the firm she is about to leave.

Somehow I missed how close to marriage she and Kurt were. The pairing of a liberal and a conservative works so well in this case, and I applaud The Good Wife for allowing the relationship to grow beyond the stereotypes into something rarely seen on television.

Never were their differences more apparent than when Diane's oldest friends dropped by their dinner table, as they were both devouring beautiful steak dinners after a day shooting. On a lesser drama, Diane would have felt the need to justify her actions to her friends, but not here. She enjoys learning about the other side and, while she doesn't believe everything Kurt does, she's willing to acquiesce and admit when she finds joy in something new.

Her friend gave Diane the advice to make sure her love can survive outside the bubble, the same advice Diane had once given to her. She tested the waters, met his (all female) friends and realized it can. Their love was likely born outside the bubble, and what they're creating together as they intertwine their interests is their bubble. 

That's the beauty of their relationship, and really of Diane Lockhart. Her refusal to give in straight away in the buyout package also showcased her strength, but when she had a bargaining chip - such as indemnifying her against the Howard Lyman case, she promised to do what was best for the firm she created. 

It also made complete sense that Diane would be the partner to figure out Alicia was leaving with Cary and the other fourth years. Of course, the Florrick/Agos team couldn't have made it easier for her to track down the truth.

Alicia should have never agreed to download Diane's files. Surely there will be some sort of recourse beyond being fired for that offense. She was stealing files. They were password protected, she knew it and accessed them for reasons other than Lockhart/Gardner business. 

The idiot fourth year who was feeding information to Viola Walsh in the harassment case, and then subsequently blackmailed the firm to which he wanted to be a part, proved that they are not ready to form their own firm. Alicia and Cary may be ready to do it, but they're putting their trust into a bunch of children. That he had the nerve to balk about being fired and losing his bonus after putting them all in jeopardy was over the top.

Cary and Alicia should have gone along with it and agreed he wouldn't be a part of the firm. After all, is blackmail truly a verbal agreement? I doubt that would stand up in a court of law.

I loved when Diane took everything she knew and went to one of her clients and acted as if Alicia had trusted her with the information. That was genius. After all, it made sense. Diane is leaving the firm to become a judge. Alicia confiding in her mentor wouldn't be too far of a stretch. 

When Diane looked at her name on the wall, she knew she still had a responsibility to her partner and her clients and she dropped the bombshell on Will. 

Will: What?
Diane: Alicia is leaving the firm with Cary and she's taking our top clients. | permalink

They've been advertising for quite some time that next week was the one to watch, and we're about there. This week being all about Diane was a perfect precursor of what's to come. She was given her due and it was her deduction that brought Alicia's downfall six days earlier than she planned. What's next between these two brilliant women? I can't wait to find out.

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.