A strange lack of subtext

The Good Wife is my household's latest choice in dinnertime entertainment, and although it isn't my preferred shade of morally gray, it's been growing on me. There's something intriguing about a female protagonist who so blatantly wields politeness as both shield and weapon -- she's kind of the antithesis of stories in which women can only gain power by means of traditionally masculine qualities and pursuits.

But there's something that kind of baffled me about a recent episode.

( Spoilery discussion of 1x19 "Boom": )