( CNN ) -- `` The Good Wife 's '' season 6 premiere ratings were n't revelatory , but the episode sure was . Sunday brought the return of Julianna Margulies ' Alicia Florrick in an episode called `` The Line , '' which saw an arresting unexpected twist . After the loss of Josh Charles ' Will Gardner last season , it would 've been reasonable for `` The Good Wife '' to come back mild ; give its viewers ' heart rates a little rest . No such luck . Viewers were instead treated to the arrest of Matt Czuchry 's Cary for allegedly assisting Chicago drug dealer Lemond Bishop in transporting narcotics . Those watching at home were stunned , and , according to Czuchry , the arrest came as a surprise to him , too . `` It was certainly an unexpected storyline , '' the actor told The Hollywood Reporter . `` When I went into wardrobe and saw it was a prison uniform that I needed to try on , I told my costume designers , 'That 's not a suit ... ' '' We hope Czuchry 's prison uniform is comfortable , because the actor added this plot wo n't neatly tie up anytime soon . `` It 's not a storyline that 's going to go away . We 're going to see how it affects Cary personally and professionally and how it affects everyone at the firm and on the show , '' the actor said to The Hollywood Reporter . `` What the state 's attorney 's office is doing in terms of the case is going to be a huge part of season 6 . Whether that means Cary is going to be in jail or out of jail I ca n't say , but I can say that that particular storyline is going to continue . You will learn more about Cary and Bishop 's relationship . We will touch on a lot of different issues that come from that storyline . It is less about Cary being in jail and more about him having been arrested . '' Unfortunately , the ratings did n't quite repay `` The Good Wife '' for its storytelling chutzpah , as the season 6 opener was slightly down with a 1.3 rating in the advertiser-valued 18-49 adult demographic ; last year 's premiere received a 1.5 rating . In total viewers , the episode drew nearly 10 million . By comparison , CBS ' new series , the Tea Leoni-starring `` Madam Secretary , '' had a 2.0 in the adult demo , with 14.7 million tuning in . That 's a promising start for the freshman program , which has earned some mixed reviews from critics . Leoni stars as Elizabeth McCord , a professor and former CIA agent who 's abruptly appointed to the position of Secretary of State after the current one dies . McCord 's also married and a mom , so part of the background for `` Madam Secretary 's '' stories are the reality of balancing work and home life . So far , not so bad : The Washington Post thought the pilot was `` taut and well-structured , '' aided by a `` calm , cool and wry performance '' from Leoni . The Los Angeles Times called the series a `` front-runner '' this fall TV season , thanks to its sharp writing `` and formidable cast . '' The A.V . Club too saw potential , acknowledging that `` Madam Secretary is not perfect , but it could be . '' But others have taken a less optimistic view . For Slate , the problem with `` Madam Secretary '' is that it 's `` just really , really dull , as if someone tried to make a counterweight to 'Scandal ' with only the boring parts . '' Variety , which calls `` Madam Secretary '' a `` slightly more simple-minded return to 'The West Wing , ' '' is curious to see how the series will use its stronger selling points . The show , the trade paper says , `` has enough interesting pieces ... to have significant potential . '' It 's just that Sunday 's premiere `` does n't bode particularly well for being able to maximize those assets ... as they say in diplomatic circles , the devil is in the details . ''
`` The Good Wife '' and `` Madam Secretary '' premiered Sunday on CBS . `` The Good Wife '' was slightly down in ratings , but had a strong episode . It is the second time this season that it has been beaten by an original series premiere.