Because there's another thing going on here, the Eli thing of it all, which is that he's not saying anything that's not true: You will be firing your PR company. You will be doing whatever I say the second that I say it. You will be doing exactly what I say and paying exactly what I ask, because they're no time to waste. You're plummeting at 32.2 feet per second per second, I'm the parachute, this will go easier if you stop asking me questions. You can't argue with gravity. Some forces are irresistible; time and gravity are only two.

It's the role that he's always played with Alicia, of course -- "If X, then Y, so stop bitching and do what I say" -- and generally it's sympathetic because the whole show is about double-checking your own shit (as a human) before you mess with other people's lives (as an officer of the court), but it's intriguing to see the ultimate pragmatist, Diane, unnerved by his upfront, no-bullshit bullshit.

A truly amazing phone-video by one of the lunch ladies shows a bunch of kids barfing, rolling around in agony, sliding down the walls like crackheads; it's marvelous. Eli just about punches himself in the nuts, but nobody can look away.

Eli: "You'll have to hire Lockhart, Gardner as temporary counsel."
Guild: Quibbles.
Eli, beautifully: "I can explain myself for now? But when things move faster, you're going to have to just trust me."

Essentially, they need to hire Diane to represent them so that the things they talk about in the crisis management stuff can't be subpoenaed later for a civil (or criminal) trial. I've always said half of what's great about this show is that the music makes you feel like you're having a heart attack even when you're not quite sure what's going on -- even today, the word "addendum" makes me feel like I'm losing my mind -- but watching Eli put the available tools to use faster than most of the people even know what or why, that is very exciting. Even above the thematic "These are the true facts" thing going on this week. So yeah, suddenly you've lost your PR and gotten a new law firm, and at some point he's going to stop explaining himself.

Eli zooms in on the video and sees packaging; he calls for the CEO of Heather Farms, before he talks to a reporter, but it's been four hours. A lot can happen.

IMPERFECT INFORMATION

One of those reporters that you always wonder if you'll see them again -- this time the Vindicator's new Metro editor, Gretchen Battista -- has contacted Maggie asking if she knows anything about a leaked medical investigation of Dr. Farland. Apparently the FDA has moved it up a year, and apparently they're on Farland's side.