Lessons from The Good Wife: Exploring the secrets (and devilish quirks) behind truly memorable characters in TV writing…
The Good Wife, a legal political drama created by Michelle and Robert King, executive produced by Ridley Scott and his late brother Tony Scott, ran from 2009 until 2016. It was an incredibly successful show, scoring an average review score of 93% for all seven seasons, for it’s interesting storylines but most of all it’s astoundingly well-written characters.
The show starred Juliana Margulies as Alicia Florrick (the titular “good wife”), along with Josh Charles, Matt Czuchry, Alan Cumming, Archie Panjabi, and a tour de force performance from the legendary Christine Baranski, playing ball busting senior partner, Diane Lockhart.
As an ensemble show with serious hard-hitters behind the camera, there were a myriad of A-List guest stars, the likes of Michael J. Fox, the late Matthew Perry, Anika Noni Rose, Carrie Preston and America Ferrera, to name but a few. This acclaimed legal drama introduced audiences to some of the most memorable characters in modern television.
The Good Wife has some of the best characters ever written, each crafted with devilish quirks that make them a delight to watch. From the bumbling duplicitousness of Nancy Crozier (Mamie Gummer) to the salt of the earth stoicism and restrained passion of Kurt McVeigh (Gary Cole), each character gives the actor (and viewer) something to chew on.
There are so many valuable lessons on crafting multi-dimensional characters here. Below are seven characteristics that define great characters that you can apply to your own writing.
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You love to hate them
The best characters aren’t always likeable; in fact, the more morally ambiguous, the better. Characters like Patti Nyholm (Martha Plimpton) and David Lee (Zach Grenier) show us that being disliked doesn’t mean you aren’t compelling.
What makes them fascinating is their unpredictability, the tug-of-war between their good side and their bad one. Crafting characters who are complex enough that we can’t help but watch them, even when they’re doing terrible things.
Quirks out the Wazoo
Supporting characters, like Elsbeth Tascioni (Carrie Preston), bring something extra to the table: quirks. These little oddities make characters feel more real and add depth to their personalities.
Elsbeth’s erratic behaviour, jumping from complimenting someone’s brooch, losing her train of thought, to absolutely annihilating her opponent with an underhand strategy all in the same conversation take you on a wild ride. Quirks reveal a character’s inner workings, showing us what drives them in ways that words alone can’t.
Everybody has a secret
In the world of The Good Wife, secrets aren’t just plot devices, they’re central to character identity. Secrets make characters dynamic and unpredictable, always one step away from revealing something shocking.
When crafting characters you should ask yourself: What does this person have to hide? Even if it's not obvious at first, this hidden part of their backstory makes them all the more intriguing.
Public face vs private life
One of the most interesting aspects of The Good Wife is the duality of public and private personas. A lawyer might be ruthless in the courtroom, but gentle and caring outside it.
Take Louis Canning (J. Fox), for example. While he’s cold-hearted in negotiations, his softer side emerges with his family or in how he drops everything to help Alicia find her missing daughter, Grace (Makenzie Vega).
These contrasts reveal the complexity of human nature, and it’s essential for your own writing to balance public and private lives. Who are they inside versus how do they want to be perceived?
Deeply flawed, but human
No one is perfect and that’s especially true for the characters in The Good Wife. Alicia Florrick may be a legal powerhouse, but she’s deeply flawed. She makes mistakes in her personal and professional life.
Characters who make wrong choices for both good and bad reasons feel more authentic, as they mirror the mistakes we make in real life. Embracing your character’s flaws allows your audience to connect with them. Plus, it’s damn fun to watch people do the wrong thing.
Bordering on caricatured
While the main characters are well-rounded, the supporting characters often toe the line between real and exaggerated. These characters, like the bumbling Nancy Crozier or dryly nefarious Colin Sweeney (Dylan Baker), add a fun dynamic to the show.
Their larger-than-life personalities keep the tone from feeling too heavy, reminding us that characterisation doesn’t always have to be subtle to be effective.
Facets and layers
Lastly, great characters are multi-dimensional. Alicia Florrick could easily have been a one-note protagonist, solely defined by her role as the “good wife”. Instead, she’s a mix of contradictions. She’s strong but vulnerable, cold but capable of warmth.
The writers allow her to make mistakes, face inner conflict and make difficult, sometimes deeply selfish, decisions. Your characters must be more than one thing. Their layers are what make them believable and real.
Final thoughts
The characters in The Good Wife are a masterclass in writing. They’re not one-dimensional or entirely predictable. Instead, they’re multi-faceted and unforgettable. As a screenwriter or filmmaker just starting out, these seven traits should serve as a blueprint for creating your own compelling characters.
Remember, your characters should challenge the audience’s expectations and be more than just what they appear on the surface. By adding layers, contradictions, secrets and flaws, you’ll be well on your way to creating characters that feel both authentic and captivating.
Take a page from The Good Wife’s book and write characters that leave a lasting impact.
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