Will Gardner

Last updated
Will Gardner
The Good Wife character
WillGardner.jpg
First appearance"Pilot"
September 22, 2009
Last appearance"End"
May 8, 2016
Created by Robert and Michelle King
Portrayed by Josh Charles
In-universe information
GenderMale
Occupation Attorney at law
RelativesSarah Gardner (sister)
Audrey Gardner (sister) [1]

William "Will" Gardner is a fictional character of CBS television series The Good Wife and was portrayed by Josh Charles for the first five seasons of the show's run. [2] For his performance, Charles received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations as well as a Golden Globe nomination. [3]

Background

An old friend of Alicia's, in the pilot he helped her get a job with the firm and is constantly trying to avoid appearing as if he favors her. This is complicated by the fact that the two have feelings for each other. Will and Alicia have an affair beginning at the end of season two. [4] In season three they break up when Alicia's daughter goes missing, and Alicia decides she needs to focus more on her children. He is seen as very much of a ladies' man throughout the series and had various love affairs and girlfriends. Will generally had a good working relationship with Diane Lockhart, his co-managing partner at the firm, and the two demonstrate a shrewd ability to guide their business, even through difficult times. Will plays in a regular pick-up basketball game with other attorneys and judges, and has friendships with the players that are eventually scrutinized. During season three, Will is suspended from practicing law for six months as punishment stemming from money he stole and replaced of a client’s 10 years previous and an unfounded bribery charge involving the judges he plays basketball with, but returns to the firm after the suspension expires in season four. In season five after much planning, Alicia and Cary leave Lockhart & Gardner to start their own firm; Will takes this betrayal personally. In episode 15 of the fifth season, he is shot and killed in the courtroom by his client Jeffrey Grant [2] (played by Hunter Parrish). [5] [6]

Following his death, he appeared in dream sequences in episodes "Minds Eye" [7] and the series finale, "End". [8]

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References

  1. ↑ Sims, David (5 March 2012). "The Good Wife: "After The Fall"". The A.V. Club . Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  2. 1 2 Moraski, Lauren (25 March 2014). "Josh Charles opens up about exit from "The Good Wife"". CBS News . Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  3. ↑ "Josh Charles". emmys.com. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  4. ↑ "Good Wife season finale, Robert and Michelle King discuss". ew.com. Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved February 26, 2017.
  5. ↑ O'Connell, Kimberly Nordyke, Lesley Goldberg, Mikey; Nordyke, Kimberly; Goldberg, Lesley; O'Connell, Mikey (2023-04-10). "21 of the Most Shocking Character Deaths in Television History". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2023-04-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. ↑ "The Good Wife Mourns Will Gardner's Death: Our Critic's Take". People. Retrieved 2023-04-11.
  7. ↑ Bissey, Breia. "Minds Eye". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved 12 May 2016.
  8. ↑ Sepinwall, Alan. "Review: 'The Good Wife' comes to an ambiguous, disappointing 'End'" . Retrieved 12 May 2016.
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