The Good Wife

28,000 feet, 73-mile-an-hour winds.

The South Col.

500 climbers all crowding the same route

in the one three-week period.

It's a nightmare on Everest.

That's Hillary Step.

I shot this just below the summit.

There's always a bottleneck waiting to use the ropes.

And that's where Robert Lambros died?

Yes.

And that's his body there?

Yes. He was a guide.

One of the members

of his party collapsed and died above Hillary Step,

and Bobby stayed to help, and then succumbed, too.

I'm sorry.

I liked your brother.

You okay?

Now, regarding his book--

the defendant's book-- have you read it?

- I have. - In it, he claims

that my client,

Mr. Oliver Cardiff,

came upon the dying Robert Lambros, and not only

stepped over his body to get to the summit,

but then took his bottled oxygen.

- You're aware of that accusation? - I am.

- And do you disagree? - I do. I was

climbing Everest for a documentary,

and I saw Mr. Cardiff here

climbing with a British team.

- And this is below the Hillary Steps? - Uh, Step.

Yes.

So, Mr. Cardiff couldn't have been near Lambros.

He was lower on the mountain, heading up

Yes, that would follow.

So, this book is untrue?

Well, I hate to question another climber, especially a friend, but

Danny was at base camp and didn't see what I saw.

No further questions.

Nothing personal, but I have to rip your friend apart.

Be gentle.

Mr. Branch, what is the death zone?

The death zone?

In mountaineering parlance,

it's the altitude above 26,000 feet

where oxygen is insufficient to sustain life.

It's also a place

where perceptions are not to be fully trusted?

- Sometimes. - You believe

that bottled oxygen has hurt the sport of mountain climbing,

so you climb without oxygen?

I do.

And an absence of oxygen would increase the likelihood

of untrustworthy perceptions?

Yes.

So, when you say

that you saw the plaintiff

below the Hillary Step, we have to take your word for it,

and yet your word could

be colored by your oxygen-deprived perception.

I believe... that follows.

Your Honor, I'd like to make motion

at this time to dismiss this lawsuit.

This is a libel suit, not a criminal case.

The plaintiff needs not only to prove

that my client's book was wrong, but that he knew it was wrong.

- Which we're doing. - No. There is

too much inherent uncertainty here.

This is a case built on perception, and

the death zone makes those perceptions essentially suspect.

Wow. He dismissed.

I'm... I'm stunned.

Me, too.

Thank you.

Oh.

The thought of him leaving my brother behind and then

suing me for everything...

I know. It's over.

Hi, Eli.

Where are you? The meeting's in ten minutes.

And what meeting was that again?

Okay, don't tease. I'm not the mood.

I'm heading back there now. 30 minutes.

Mickey, there you are.

Hey.

- Any trouble? - No.

Took the elevator to the 31st floor,

Any trouble? walked on down, Nobody saw me.

You look like crap.

Thanks. This way.

Who was that?

No idea.

Do you ever get the feeling we're losing control here?

Every day.

The state's attorney can hire any law firm he wants

to handle all civil cases against his department.

Glenn Childs had Brimly, Tully & Snider.

God, I hated them.

Peter Florrick fired them and is looking for new outside counsel.

It's $20 million

a year in new business.

Florrick will never hire us.

It's his wife's firm,

his campaign manager's firm.

Which works against us.

He doesn't want it to look like a sweetheart deal.

We've been invited in to pitch.

How many firms have been invited?

Eight.

Then you should pitch.

We should pitch.

No.

Is there something I should know?

About?

I just don't want to be blindsided.

Have you noticed you're turning into me?

All the sports metaphors.

A better version of you.

How the hell

is it I can love a new car smell but hate a new office one?

The car means fun,

and an office, work.

- You getting laid, anyways? - Me?

No. You?

Not since the summer of '08.

So, you're the flavor of the month these days

in crisis managers.

What happened with Weiner?

Thought you'd be on that one.

Oh, God, the day politicians discovered Twitter...

I hear you're the flavor of the month in strategists.

What campaign are you on?

Uh...

I need your help.

But I can't tell you who this help is for.

- Okay. - I've been hired by

a candidate who's setting up an exploratory committee.

- For what? - I can't tell you.

But he's got a problem.

- A real problem. - Financial or sexual?

- Uh, I can't tell you. - Oh, come on, Mickey.

You want me to crisis manage a crisis you can't tell me?

This guy wants options, okay?

He wants to know this scandal can be handled

if he chooses to run, but he doesn't want the scandal

to get out if he chooses not to run.

This is BS.

It's like a bake-off without any ingredients.

Buyer's market, Eli.

If you choose not to play, there are others who will.

Now, I'm meeting with three crisis managers.

Whoever's got the best play, that's who we're going with.

Alicia, I'd like you to meet a good friend, Mickey Gunn.

Yeah, yeah, I get it.

You got Saint Alicia our on your team.

I'll hear from you by Thursday, buddy.

Hi.

That was the big meeting?

Who's the investigator here?

Kalinda Sharma. Why?

I need her to investigate a scandal before it happens.

Mrs. Florrick.

Hello.

Hi.

Are you here to see someone?

Yes, you.

James Thrush.

Very pleased to meet you.

And you.

How may I help you?

Do you know the key distinction

between the libel laws our in your country and mine?

Burden of proof is reversed.

In America, it is up to the person libeled

to prove the accusations against them

are either knowingly or recklessly false.

In England, it is up to the person libeling--

your writing client, Mr. Lambros--

to prove what he says is true.

This is already adjudicated, Mr. Cardiff.

Yes.

In the United States.

Danny didn't sell any books in England.

Actually, I'm afraid he did.

This, in fact, is one.

Purchased not two weeks ago

our from your wonderful Internet site, Amazon.

- You can't... - Actually,

I'm afraid I can.

I am a Queen's Counsel of the Royal Courts of Justice,

and this is a writ of new proceedings for libel.

You had this ready the day you lost.

Mr. Cardiff wished to exhaust the American courts first.

You're going after the wrong man-- Danny did nothing wrong.

He accused me of killing his brother.

He ruined my reputation.

Read the charge.

I am suing him for £20 million

He's not rich. He doesn't have your money.