The finale of season three is finally upon us, and with all the ups and downs of Alicia’s tumultuous world, not to mention unpredictable adjusted air times for our favorite legal drama, it’s a lot to consolidate. Fortunately, CBS put together an “Ultimate Look Back” video so we can review all the season’s highlights in one place. First, watch the video below to refresh your memory and then read on for our thoughts on the season overall before the big finale this Sunday.

A brief outline of the season’s major plots:

Alicia and Will’s Affair: We began the season with the pair’s torrid, secret affair, but then a bit unexpectedly, it quickly died out when Alicia couldn’t handle the potential ramifications for her family and her career. Since then, the two have remained fairly separate in their narratives.

Will’s Investigation by the State’s Attorney: Having (temporarily) stolen $45,000 from a client way back, Will was put under investigation by special prosecutor Wendy Scott-Carr (under Peter, her former opponent). When before a grand jury, Alicia was forced to reveal her affair with Will but soon elected to refuse questioning. Ultimately, the charges were dropped when the details of the case fell through, and the heat between Peter and Will subsided.

Cary and His Women: While working hard at the state’s attorney’s office, Cary also managed to strike up a relationship with DA Dana Lodge, while also engaging in the occasional spark with longtime friend Kalinda. Kalinda and Dana also began to use one another for their own gain, but Kalinda won that tense give-and-take. Cary’s now back at Lockhart/Gardener, rejoining the estranged Kalinda.

The Race for Senior Partner: After Will’s six month suspension, the snarly David Lee, Julius Cain and our favorite Eli Gold began a game of shifting loyalties and back-door plotting to replace (or at the very least, join) Will as a name partner at the firm. So far, Diane and Will have managed to hold the fort against their attacks.

Eli and His Women: Eli rekindled his friendship (and ultimately more) with his ex-wife Vanessa (Parker Posey) to help her run for office. But she also sought the help of Eli’s nemesis Stacie Hall (Amy Sedaris), and the two began their own competition of who could best the other (resulting in a couple nights in bed together). Most recently, Eli was forced to choose Peter’s campaign over Vanessa’s, thereby severing their relationship once again.

Wife Vs. Mother-in-Law: Jackie has become a more persistent nuisance recently by putting a payment down for Alicia and Peter’s former home, hoping to edge out Alicia and bring the family together. When she somehow manages to have a heart attack after Peter calls her out, it seems Jackie has managed to find the upper hand yet again.

Kalinda and Alicia’s Slow Recovery: Though their friendship effectively ended last season with the discovery of Kailnda’s affair with Peter, the two women have managed to be civil and even approach the idea of being friends again. Alicia is also helping Kalinda on a dubious tax case, which seems to not bode well for Kalinda’s future (could Alicia helping save Kalinda out of a bind be the final step in their healing process?)

From the most recent episodes, we also know Mike Kresteva (Matthew Perry) is on the scene to threaten Peter and Alicia in his run for governor, and Michael J. Fox and Martha Plimpton return to take down Lockhart/Gardener.

Now that we’ve taken a review of the season, what are your thoughts? Has it made you excited for the finale? Were you pleased with how this season has played out? Sound off below, and then be sure to catch the finale on Sunday at 9pm on CBS!

(Image courtesy of CBS)

Jenn Lee

Staff Writer, BuddyTV

Jenn grew up in Ohio before moving to Seoul, Korea, where she attended international school and failed to learn Korean. From there she went on to earn a BA in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania before settling in Seattle, where she now spends too much time pondering the power of narrative in TV shows and novels. While she loves a good smart comedy (a la Community or Parks and Recreation), her favorite current show is Breaking Bad; all-time mentions include Arrested DevelopmentLost and Friends. When she’s not consuming television or literature, she’s savoring pastries and searching for the city’s ultimate sandwich.