Faberry in Glee, Emily and JJ in Criminal Minds, Olivia and Alex in Law & Order: SVU – just some of the characters we love to write about, talk about and pretend are in a couple. Then there are the odd ones like Hermione and anyone with ovaries in Harry Potter and Starbuck and anyone with ovaries in Battlestar Gallactica. As soon as a good show comes out and there are a couple of strong female characters in it, we start to ship. (For those not in the know, a “ship” is a couple you are egging on to become lovers and a “shipper” is the person doing the egging.) Indeed, this has become such a phenomenon that writers will purposefully get one of the actresses involved to throw a prolonged glance at her counterpart just to get the shipper sites jumping.

I have a question. Where are all The Good Wife shippers? Can this well of female sexual tension have passed so many by? The Good Wife stars Julianna Margulies as Alicia Florrick, the wife of a disgraced state’s attorney, who is back to work  and trying to build her life while surrounded by gossip. Also employed in the law firm in which she gets a job is one Kalinda Sharma, played by Archie Panjabi.

When I started to watch the show, it was the usual give-it-a-go, but I’ve been hugely surprised. Julianna Margulies is incredible in it; so understated and subtle that you can feel every spark that comes from her eyes, every clench of her jaw. She underplays Alicia, lettting her iron-like strength of character come through but never letting her be cold or standoffish. I was never a fan of hers, but this is exceptional stuff.

Kalinda, the company’s investigator, is one of the best things on the show. She’s cynical, tough and smart; double-crossing double-crossers, flirting to get information and we never know where her loyalties lie. Except for one caveat; she always does the right thing by Alicia. Plus, she wears the kick-assest (it’s a word ok?) boots in the world. She takes no prisoners our Kalinda. The two become fast friends, Kalinda taking Alicia under her arm when she comes back to work wounded by her husband’s past but holding her head high. They have a respect for each other’s strengths and weaknesses. And did I mention the looks? They throw these “no need for words” looks at each other that should have fanfic writers drooling. Plus, have I mentioned that Kalinda is bisexual? We know this from the call sheet when they were casting her, it’s only been hinted at in the show.

As with ships like this, the writers throw the bone (if you’ll excuse me) and then inevitably go back to the straight thing; Alicia is married after all and is faithful to her hubbie. Then there is the only misstep the writers have made so far. Will Gardner is Alicia’s boss and they are old college friends. He fancies her coz he has a pulse. But the writers are letting her have a thing for him too. Basically, I think he’s supposed to be what her husband should have been; a successful lawyer, not a womaniser who dragged her and her kids through hell. I think she’s supposed to be chewing over “maybe if I’d married him instead of Peter”. Unfortunately, Josh Charles who plays Will, is about as charismatic as the hole in my sock, so there is just no rooting for him. If she can’t be with Kalinda, it’s Peter all the way. Chris Noth plays him with such charm it’s hard not to like him.

I’m on the Kalinda Alicia ship though. Oh we need a name for them…..Kalicia!! I stake my claim on that one.

There is one slightly obsessed shipper out there – shout out to saint_moro in Oz – who practically explodes at every interaction, but where are the rest of you? I can’t write fanfic, I suck, I need you!

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