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On The Good Wife (2009), Alicia (Julianna Margulies) has an arrangement with Peter Florrick (Chris Noth) to stay married in name only. But after the progression of the show over its many seasons, why is she still married to him? Does their marriage retain any purpose? The couple’s children are nearly grown. They’re aware of the phony nature of their parents’ marriage. Are they only married because the show is called The Good Wife, not The Good Ex-Wife?

Alicia directly answers this question posed by her current lover Jason Crouse (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) in Season 7, Episode 16 “Hearing.” The reason: because Alicia helps Peter with his career and Peter’s status as Illinois governor helps with hers.

Alicia may not have always had the same justification for staying married to Peter. Earlier seasons follow Alicia’s changing perspective, from first attempting to reconcile with Peter largely for the sake of the children to later realizing that she can never trust him, does not love him anymore and does not want to remain the woman she became while married to him - someone who gave up a promising law career before it even got started in order to stay home with the children and support Peter’s career. Alicia’s practical acceptance of their arrangement by the final season suggests an evolution in Alicia’s mindset as well as her reasons.

At this point, it seems their open, pointless marriage would be perceived more negatively than a divorce by the public. If they divorced, Alicia would always be the governor’s ex-wife, without his name and his connections. With their marriage no longer helping the children, Alicia’s reasoning could come across as selfish and unwilling to lose her title as the “First Lady” of Illinois. Or, it could be perceived as politically and professionally pragmatic.

Alicia is ambitious and intelligent. She wants to excel in her profession. If Peter’s name can help her in doing so, perhaps it’s his turn to be the “good” husband and facilitate a benefit to her. Cynical. Yes. However, the characters in The Good Wife, Alicia included, are not intended to be static caricatures of good and evil, moral and immoral. They possess differing personalities, changing contours, human flaws and self-interested motivations. No longer simply “the good wife,” Alicia has grown into an independent, working professional seeking to use whatever lawful tools are at her disposal to succeed.