Intimidation Isn't a Sonnet

One of my Fave 5 this fall (and the two before it) is The Good Wife. (If you don't know about the Fave 5, check out the concept here). As is the case with most statements of faves, the first question that comes to mind is "Why do you like it?" The characters are captivating, the plots are crafty, and the subtext is off the map of merely good.

But it's the writing, folks. The writing is what gets me every time. Every. Time.

And this is some goo-oood (!) writing. If the hostage-taker of scripters held his prize Parker 51 to my throat, I'd be forced to choose their pithy one-to-three liners as their secret to rhetorical success. They define erudite and, as key player Diane voiced just Sunday, they "class they joint up." Yeah-huh.

Case in point: last week's episode brought the British to American turf. While the trivia of tweens - US and UK, that is - was entertaining (there were mentions of crumpets and shiny distractions...and who knew the diff between barrister and solicitor was such a red-coat hot button?), it was the peeing contest between Will (sigh) and guest barrister James Thrush (Eddie Izzard) that tickled my linguistic ribs the most.

Check out this monologue...and the rapier response to it:

James:  I am not the England of Big Ben and bobbies. I am not the England of doilies and
            cucumber sandwiches. I’m the England of football hooligans and Jack the Ripper. And this England
            don’t play nice. And they don’t play fair. And they don’t ever stop.

Will: (sigh)
           Here’s some advice, Mr. Thrush. When you want to intimidate someone, don’t use so many
           words. Intimidation isn’t a sonnet.

Intimidation isn't a sonnet.

The Good Wife.

Badass.