‘The Good Wife’ Season 7: Matthew Goode Leaving as Finn Polmar | TVLine 

 full-time cast members when it returns this fall: Matthew Goode will not be back as a series regular in Season 7, TVLine has learned exclusively.

RELATEDJulianna Margulies and Archie Panjabi Did Not Shoot that

Good Wife Finale Scene Together – and It’s Not OK

Goode’s exit follows the departure of Archie Panjabi, who made her final appearance as Kalinda in the May 10 finale. However, while it’s unlikely Panjabi will resurface in the near future, I’m told there’s a chance Goode could make a guest appearance or two.

 as attorney Finn Polmar during the second half of Season 5, in the wake of Josh Charles’ swan song as Will. He returned this past season as a full-fledged regular.

The actor’s status change was hinted at in the aforementioned season-ender, which saw Finn reject Alicia’s (Julianna Margulies) offer to join her nascent law firm.

RELATEDCBS Renews Person of Interest, NCIS, Five-0, Good Wife and 11 More Shows

Don’t feel badly for Goode though. The British thesp will return (in a big way, apparently) to

as Henry Talbot for the PBS phenom’s forthcoming sixth and final season.

Thoughts? Sad to see Goode go? Disappointed that the Alicia-Finn romance never quite took off? Hit the comments!

Saw this coming with the finale. Looks like much more Michael J. Fox next year which I’m not sure about. Louis Canning is a good character but having him partner with Alicia full-time? May be too much of a good thing. Matthew Goode will be missed.

Louis Canning is even more unlikeable than David Lee, and that’s really saying something.

That is so true. Two reasons why I’m weary about the next season.

That’s why I wouldn’t welcome him full-time. He is very taxing.

Can we just call it a tie? I generally don’t want to hit Louis Canning until he opens his mouth. I don’t, however, have that kind of restraint when it comes to the awful(but awesomely portrayed) David Lee.

So Canning has more lives than a cat. Wasn’t he near death this season? How is he suddenly well and knocking in Alicia’s door to partner . She has turned him done many times. This would be a desperate move

To bad, but no suprise. I really liked him as Finn and would have loved to see him partner with Alicia.

I’m starting to get the feeling that JM’s ideal season would be her musing out loud while no one else is ever on screen, at all.

How did you miss the headline: “The Good Life season 7, now less Goode”?

Omg they should have done that hahah

This is not surprising, but kind of unfortunate. If they must replace him as a love interest, I’d love to see Nestor Carbonell and his businessman character back.

Bates does half-length seasons, no? Wouldn’t prevent ~5 appearances, and it would be hard to justify his character’s presence much more than that.

I was thinking that too. I prefer Matthew Goode, but she did have chemistry with Nestor Carbonell.

Totally sick of the MJ Fox character and sick that another reason I turned in has gone off into the sunset. There better be some great new characters that get my attention quick.

This is horrible. I loved Finn! And I don’t want more Canning, I just can’t stand the guy. To make things even worse – Goode left TGW for Downton Abbey? Seriously? That show has been all over the place lately! I used to enjoy that show in the first two seasons, but I don’t seem to enjoy it anymore (I know I’m in the minority here), so him choosing DA over TGW hurts even worse. He’s just such a charming guy, I would’ve loved to see him with Alicia! Poor girl needs someone supportive who really loves her (and doesn’t cheat on her).

He has been on Downton Abbey since last season of Downton. Also he is not really choosing one over the other because he must be almost done filming the final season of Downton .

Wasn’t he only in the christmas special? I could be wrong though.

Yeah, his character was only in the Christmas special. He wasn’t even in that much of it either.

Goode had a tiny role in the Christmas special. Apparently, they are bringing that character back to romance Mary. I would rather Goode stay on The Good Wife, and have DW bring back Charles Blake (Julian Ovenden) for Mary. That would be the best of both worlds for me.

It was a limited appearance but how does that even qualify as a tiny role? All of his screentime was devoted to sparring and flirting with Mary and ended on Mary skipping breakfast (!!!) to see him off and apologizing (!!!) for her initial frostiness. Much of the publicity for the Christmas episode ran on his meeting with Mary. Matthew Goode was available for only a couple of weeks last summer and DA milked it for all its worth when they all went to Northumberland. Does that look like they’re paving the way for Mary’s reunion with Charles Blake?

maggie, I agree with you 100%. I mean, I’ll watch Matthew Goode whatever he does, but I would so much have preferred they revisit the Charles/Mary romance and allow Finn to stay for Alicia.

So if he’s almost done filming Downton Abbey, availability shouldn’t be the problem. I wonder what other issues are causing him to leave TGW. Things didn’t look too promising when his character was taken out of the DA’s office, then the SA race, and there were hardly any court cases last season where he and the other attorneys could be brilliant as in previous seasons.

They’re only half way into filming S6 for Downton Abbey and he’s moved back to the UK with his family, which he said he would last Feb. To me that sounds like he’s limiting his availability to guest appearances on TGW and he made up his mind long before this became news.

Amen re Canning. He’s a total sleaze. Alicia couldn’t trust him for even a second. Anybody who would pull shenanigans on his so-called death bed would stoop to anything.

I agree with you !! And….kinda makes me wonder if there’s more to people “leaving” than is being said. I may very much be reading too much into all this, but my take is an unhappy set! Hope I’m wrong ‘cuz this is one of my two favorite shows….the other being “Scandal.” There just seems to be a lot of “jump ship” going on!

Instead of Canning I wish they’d bring back Martha Plimpton as Patti Nyholm… I wonder why she hasn’t been asked back.

I know! She’d be a great partner, barring Carrie Preston’s Elsbeth Tascioni who already has partnered with Maura Tierney’s deep pockets.

I’m with you on the Downton issue. So we’re in the minority I guess. Matthew Goode is super hot. The thought of him going off to Downton to romance Mary makes me feel barfy. IMO, she is the worst, most unlikeable character on TV. A spoiled brat who seems to always get her way. Even with her husband dying I can’t dredge up sympathy for her. And now she’s going to get super hot Matthew Goode which just makes me hate her and the show more.

I’m not surprised by the news because of how the season ended with Finn turning down Alicia’s partnership offer.However it wouldn’t surprise me that even though Matthew Goode won’t be a regular next season that he won’t be on a few episodes at least.For example Finn could battle Alicia in court which could make things interesting.

Talk about unrequited love! To me, they had more chemistry just talking to each other than Alicia & Will did. I will definitely miss him! Hope he visits often.

Such a shame. Alicia and Finn were great together and if that show had to end next season (I hope not!), I would have loved for the two of them to get together, The casting department on this show is still excellent so I’m sure they’ll find a way to fill the void. Still sucks though. Hopefully he can come back occasionally. I for one think they should bring Geneva Pine on more. I’ve always enjoyed that character and think she’s very underused. Also, please, please, please, if any TGW writer reads this (I know they probably won’t) don’t up Michael J. Fox to a regular status. He is a tired character and the show would do better to move on from him (Alicia better reject his offer or I’ll freak and be super pissed). If they want to bring someone back someone ruthless and antagonistic, see if they can bring back Patti Nyholm/Martha Plimpton. More Carrie Preston/Elsbeth. She is always a welcome presence for me. They have a wide roster of guest stars. Enough of MJ Fox already. Also would love to see Owen and Veronica again next season.

Now that Archie P is gone, Carrie Preston’s Elsbeth is my favorite female character apart from Alicia the partners.

Okay enough with the bummer departures. Bring back Elsbeth Tassioni stat!

Really wanted him and Alicia to get together as her next love interest. Cannot believe he will not be back. I am so disappointed.

What a shame. After watching the finale i assumed he wouldn’t come for season 7, turning down alicia was a great way to leave Finn with an open door (because of the schedules in real life).

I really like the show, i’m a fan. But, what else can happen now?

Alicia being a cheated wife and work to get over it (done)

Will there be anyone left besides Alicia and Canning? What’s with the mass exodus? Hope Christine and Matt don’t leave. If Canning becomes permanent, I’m done. Show has gone down hill since Josh Charles left. Alicia in every scene? Boring.

I was hoping Canning wouldn’t survive his last medical flareup.

Christine and Matt are signed on for next season they’re not going anywhere. At least not yet.

This past season of the Good Wife was a huge disappointment. It played out like an extended trailer for a lousy show. It never took off. Nothing definite ever happened. The previews that they showed all week promised some huge shocker when Alicia answered the door. Michael J. Fox? Really? Snore!

Downton is in its final season. If The Good Wife is renewed after next season, we may see him again. Oh please, oh please!

The writers of the good wife said they planned it to be seven seasons. I hope with Downton and the good wife ended and the success of stoker and the imitation game that Goode tries to return to movies full time.

No no no no Really i’m crying. Would have been better much much better never have known him .. I am so disappointed ..he is making a mistake. The American market is important and is too stupid to stay just in England. But I think it’s also A Kings mistake. They didn’t give him the space he deserved. I am desperate

TGW’s loss is DA’s gain. Hope he’s in all nine episodes of Downton Abbey. I need my Goode fix!!!

So bummed yet not surprised given the current environment and how underutilized he was on the program. Matthew Goode made the most of his tiny role though and charmed many of us viewers as good guy Finn. Looking forward to seeing what he does after Downton Abbey. As for The Good Wife, I now have no enthusiasm for next season at all with too much Alicia, Canning and politics being front and center. Yuck.

I’m bummed, he was perfect for Alicia… I’m not thrilled about this new season, let’s hope it’ll be better than the previous…

Miss Panjabi would have been a great replacement for Patricia Arquette in CYBER. If she was in it, I would watch it.

Dang. I don’t want to see another love interest. Bring back Johnny Elfman. Or slowly get Peter and Alicia back together.

Although I’ve never been a fan of Peter, watching Alicia and Peter fall back in love with each other would make for an interesting, and surprising storyline. An entire season of no sexual relations, just old fashioned courtship. Like a first season style will they/wont they.

Loved Steve Pasquale as Elfmann! Now the was some chemistry. Miss him

Well, there goes my only reason for wanting to continue with this series. I’m not sorry, though, because I’m excited about his new role in Downton Abbey, and I’d pretty much lost interest in The Good Wife after Josh Charles, and then Archie Panjabi’s departure, plus the marginalization of Christine Baranski’s role.

Totally agree. I was going to hang in another season because of Matthew Goode, but if he’s gone, so am I.

Just another reason to never go back to this show. They can’t focus on characters when characters don’t stick around or are let in the same room with its “star”.

I hate to read this. I will miss him!

I remember the early Lewis Cannning, who made Alicia a substantial job offer combined with a promise to give her time to be a real parent. They may be more in sync than we see now. I’m willing to wait and see how Alicia answers the “Wanna partner?” question and how it plays out.

I agree. I think Canning is more than just the jerk he appears to be, and perhaps a partnership with Alicia, if it actually happens, could bring that out.

I love him. I hope he returns after Downton Abbey finishes.

I like Finn. Too bad he’s leaving but I hope he returns at some point.

I wonder who Alicia’s new love interest will be… Unless they are paving the way for Alicia and Peter to rekindle their love.

I AM SO, SO DISAPPOINTED! I saw the connection, the potential between them, Finn and Alicia, from the beginning when he came on board. I thought they had a better fit than even Will and Alicia. So when Will died and Finn was wounded, I thought ‘Now it’s their time!’ Booooooo on him leaving! They looked perfect together!! Boooooooooo!!

I really liked Matthew Goode on The Good Wife! He’s a great actor.He will be missed. He will on the next, and final season of Dowton Abbey. I look forward to seeing him again!

Matthew Goods is a great actor. He will be missed!

I don’t like the way Alicia was portrayed in the finale. Even though Finn made it clear in spite of his attraction to Alicia it was important to him to repair his marriage. But she still pushed it. And pushed it. Suggestively. Give me a break. Alicia doesn’t need Finn. Alicia doesn’t NEED anyone. She’s such an interesting, intelligent, sexy woman. She doesn’t need to get all messy up in another person’s relationship. She’s better than that. At least I always thought she was. I don’t like how the writers seem to think she’s lame if she’s not with a man. How about next season, while getting her new firm going, she’s courted by 2 or 3 different (single) men at the same time. Why the heck not? Now THAT would be interesting.

The Finn character was a really great guy, and if he’d been uninvolved in trying to make his marriage work, I’d have been for that duo 100% (well, maybe not 100% cause enough with the “characters are always involved with co-workers stuff already”.) Glad to see he’ll be on Downton. He’s a great actor and so likeable.

Matthew’s agents haven’t yet discussed the future of his character with the producers. 

I don’t know why Michael Ausiello ran with that story at 3P (PDT) on a holiday Friday. He doesn’t cite any sources.

I am not surprised. It has been a roumer for a long time that he might be too busy with Downton Abbey. I really liked him on TGW, I did not lie the idea of Finn and Alicia as a couple but I loved the idea of them bein law partners. I REALLY hope Canning won’t be in many episodes next season. I liked hom a lot when he appeared once or twice in a season. But this season I got so sick him. If he partners up with Alicia I will probably stop watching. Then we are back to Alicia fighting her old law firm. That storylne has been done and last time they dragged it out too long.

I wish the show could get back to it roots. Interessting court cases with great guest stars.

In season 1 episode 7 Alica worked with a lawer called Ryan something, played by Chris Bowers. They had amazing chemistry. Bring him back as her new law partner.

What is with this show?? It seems like there is never a payoff for anything. This whole season was just a waste it seems, not to mention last season’s loss of Will after investing in that character. I really liked Finn, but they had downplayed his character so much this year because of the political storyline (yuck). I think TGW is going to move way down on my priority list.

I hope they dont make canning series regular he is so annoying :(

Not too heartbroken. He was a filler. Handsome guy, couldn’t understand him trying to disquise his Brit accent. I thought he and Alicia were friends and didn’t see their chemistry. To go further was pushing it for me. He was a comfort to her after wills death, and played a big role as a hero in the courtroom shooting. . I was satisfied with leaving it there .

WTF?!!??? I’m so annoyed by this. There’s going to be no payoff for us fans then. I used to be a huge Matthew Goode fan…key words are ‘used to’. I feel burned as a fan now.

Please no more Micheal J. Fox. Can not stand to watch him.

Matthew Goode AND Finn Polmar were totally disrespected by The Good Wife. The storyline(what little existed) was terrible, the writing was even worse (a sentence or two usually only opposite Alicia). The one line most telling to me was a couple of episodes ago. The partners were all together, Finn there as Alicia’s attorney, and one of the partners said to Finn “can we have a minute?” (meaning leave the room, which he did). I knew for sure then that Matthew Goode and Finn Polmar would never be a part of this show. I was even embarrassed for both of them! What I would like answered is: Why promote someone to Series Regular when they were never regularly on the series? What were their thoughts?

YAAAAAY!!! Thank you, Mr. Goode for re-affirming my belief in artistry over profit & ego.

Cookie & Lucius vs Lady Mary & Henry — it’s gonna be an explosive year in television!

I wish they would have spun off Kalinda into her own show. She was one of the most interesting characters on TV and Im sure they could have come up with a rich backstory and cast of characters for her own series. But I understand an actress wanting to play other roles and she’s got a development deal so they’ll probably be building a new series around her anyway

The Downton Abbey fan in me is happy but the Good Wife fan is decidedly not.

Perhaps it’s just me, but I always thought Goode, though a fine actor who had chemistry with Marlgulies, was too young for the role. He was supposed to play a contemporary of Alicia,but he’s almost 12 years Margulies’s junior and almost 18 years younger than the actor playing James Castro, Michael Cerveris, who was supposed to be his law school classmate. For that matter, I have always thought that Chris Noth, 12 years older than Marguliesr, also great in his role, was too old as Peter.

2015 Renewal Scorecard: What\'s Coming Back? What\'s Getting Cancelled? What\'s on the Bubble?

Orphan Black Boss Talks [Spoiler]\'s Sacrifice, Angry Felix, Twerking Alison

Is The Flash\'s Ronnie Doomed? Which Superhero Finale Was Best? Hypocrisy on Bachelorette? And More TV Qs

Saturday Night Live: Watch Season 40\'s 15 Best Sketches Now!

119 Kids Pulled From TLC Schedule; Network \'Saddened and Troubled\' By…231

219 Kids and Counting: Should TLC Cancel the Series in the Wake of…219

3Is The Flash\'s Ronnie Doomed? Which Superhero Finale Was Best…138

4The Good Wife: Matthew Goode Exits Ahead of Season 794

The Good Wife: Matthew Goode Exits Ahead of…

Sunday Night Football, Empire Top Ratings for…

Saturday Night Live: Watch Season 40\'s 15 Best…

Humans First Look: AMC Drama Offers Eerie Take on…

Orphan Black Boss Talks [Spoiler]\'s Sacrifice…