The BEST episodes of The Good Wife season 5

Every episode of The Good Wife season 5, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of The Good Wife season 5!

The Good Wife is a drama starring Emmy Award winner Julianna Margulies as a wife and mother who must assume full responsibility for her family and re-enter the workforce after her husband's very public sex and political corruption scandal lands him in jail.

Last Updated: 8/29/2024Network: CBSStatus: Ended
Hitting the Fan
star
8.51
1756 votes

#1 - Hitting the Fan

Season 5 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/27/2013

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

Directors: James Whitmore
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Dramatics, Your Honor
star
8.32
1556 votes

#2 - Dramatics, Your Honor

Season 5 - Episode 15 - Aired 3/23/2014

Alicia enlists Cary as her lawyer when Nelson Dubeck approaches her to participate in a deposition regarding his investigation into election rigging. Meanwhile, Will continues the difficult defense of Jeffrey Grant as he faces off against a new prosecutor who proves to be a formidable adversary.

Directors: Brooke Kennedy
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Decision Tree
star
8.15
1458 votes

#3 - The Decision Tree

Season 5 - Episode 10 - Aired 12/1/2013

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 Kalinda to look into Damian's background. Also, Eli and Marilyn are concerned about Peter being seen with Alicia's more disreputable clients at the Florrick/Agos holiday party.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
A Weird Year
star
8.08
1370 votes

#4 - A Weird Year

Season 5 - Episode 22 - Aired 5/18/2014

An open feed from a camera mistakenly left on after a teleconferenced deposition between the lawyers of Florrick/Agos and Lockhart/Gardner reveals a threat to the firm that Alicia and Cary never saw coming. Meanwhile, the fate of Lockhart/Gardner hangs in the balance as Louis Canning vies for a larger role. Also, Alicia entrusts Zach's high school graduation party to Jackie and Veronica.

Directors: Robert King
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Everything Is Ending
star
8.01
1503 votes

#5 - Everything Is Ending

Season 5 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/29/2013

Alicia works to prevent the execution of a convicted murderer as she plans her exit from the firm with Cary. Eli helps Peter put together his staff.

Directors: Robert King
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Outside the Bubble
star
7.94
1457 votes

#6 - Outside the Bubble

Season 5 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/20/2013

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.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Next Week
star
7.91
1386 votes

#7 - The Next Week

Season 5 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/10/2013

Zach makes a discovery that leads Alicia and Cary to believe that the firm is spying on them. Will helps one of Alicia's former clients. Clarke Hayden offers financial advice to Florrick/Agos.

Writer: Craig Turk
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Next Day
star
7.87
1438 votes

#8 - The Next Day

Season 5 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/3/2013

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.

Directors: Michael Zinberg
Writer: Leonard Dick
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
A Precious Commodity
star
7.86
1521 votes

#9 - A Precious Commodity

Season 5 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/13/2013

Alicia receives a stunning offer that causes her to reconsider leaving the firm. The partners must take action when Diane is put at odds with her colleagues.

Directors: Brooke Kennedy
Writer: Keith Eisner
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Last Call
star
7.83
1399 votes

#10 - The Last Call

Season 5 - Episode 16 - Aired 3/30/2014

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 Lockhart/Gardner who must decide how to move forward.

Directors: Jim McKay (II)
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
All Tapped Out
star
7.82
1493 votes

#11 - All Tapped Out

Season 5 - Episode 18 - Aired 4/20/2014

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 difficult task of working alongside Louis Canning when he joins Lockhart/Gardner. Also, Alicia goes after the State’s Attorney when he attempts to make Finn a scapegoat in the Jeffrey Grant case.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Parallel Construction, Bitches
star
7.82
1412 votes

#12 - Parallel Construction, Bitches

Season 5 - Episode 13 - Aired 3/9/2014

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. Meanwhile, the investigation into voter fraud in the gubernatorial election continues to move forward when Marilyn is approached by an agent in the Office of Public Integrity.

Directors: Matt Shakman
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Goliath and David
star
7.81
1430 votes

#13 - Goliath and David

Season 5 - Episode 11 - Aired 1/5/2014

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 of Alicia’s strengths and weaknesses against her.

Directors: Brooke Kennedy
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Bit Bucket
star
7.80
1473 votes

#14 - The Bit Bucket

Season 5 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/6/2013

Unaware that Lockhart & Gardner's communications are being monitored, Cary and Alicia sue the NSA on Chumhum's behalf. Alicia receives support from her mother. Eli tries to secure Diane's Supreme Court nomination.

Directors: Michael Zinberg
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Whack-a-Mole
star
7.78
1504 votes

#15 - Whack-a-Mole

Season 5 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/24/2013

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 wishes when he hires Damian Boyle, an unpredictable attorney with ties to organized crime, who immediately interjects himself into Alicia's website case. Also, Eli and Jackie clash over a Florrick family secret.

Directors: Kevin Hooks
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Next Month
star
7.78
1531 votes

#16 - The Next Month

Season 5 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/17/2013

Alicia must block the deportation of an undocumented immigrant who has been threatened by a cartel in Mexico. Eli's reconnection with Natalie Flores concerns Marilyn. Robin tries to emulate Kalinda.

Directors: Josh Charles
Writer: Ted Humphrey
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
A Material World
star
7.73
1465 votes

#17 - A Material World

Season 5 - Episode 17 - Aired 4/13/2014

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 assistance to Finn when it becomes clear that the State's Attorney is looking for a scapegoat in the Jeffrey Grant case.

Directors: Griffin Dunne
Writer: Craig Turk
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
A Few Words
star
7.69
1406 votes

#18 - A Few Words

Season 5 - Episode 14 - Aired 3/16/2014

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 Diane and Will continues as Alicia and Cary battle to align with a powerful New York lawyer. Also, Will turns to an old acquaintance when it becomes clear that Nelson Dubeck's investigation into possible voter fraud isn't going away.

Writer: Leonard Dick
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
We, the Juries
star
7.65
1586 votes

#19 - We, the Juries

Season 5 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/12/2014

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 jury pools. Meanwhile, Cary attempts to woo a Lockhart/Gardner client, Kalinda tries to repair a damaged relationship and Marilyn begins her investigation into possible voter fraud during the gubernatorial election.

Directors: Paris Barclay
Writer: Keith Eisner
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The One Percent
star
7.63
1389 votes

#20 - The One Percent

Season 5 - Episode 21 - Aired 5/11/2014

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 interest when she and Louis Canning are on opposite sides of a class action suit involving a pharmaceutical company. Also, Eli learns the truth about Alicia and Peter's relationship.

Writer: Ted Humphrey
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Tying the Knot
star
7.61
1332 votes

#21 - Tying the Knot

Season 5 - Episode 19 - Aired 4/27/2014

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 unfortunate picture of Zach threatens to become a public relations nightmare for Peter.

Directors: Josh Charles
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Deep Web
star
7.49
1396 votes

#22 - The Deep Web

Season 5 - Episode 20 - Aired 5/4/2014

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, Diane's friends come to her for legal advice when their son is accused of selling drugs on the Internet.

Directors: Brooke Kennedy
Watch Now:Apple TV