The Good Wife producers on Eli Gold's big confession to Alicia

Sunday's episode called back a pivotal scene from the drama's first season

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Published on December 15, 2015 08:41PM EST

Eli told Alicia what?!?

If you caught Sunday’s episode of The Good Wife on CBS — AND STOP READING IF YOU DIDN’T — Eli (the terrific Alan Cumming) finally fessed up to a gobsmacked Alicia (Julianna Margulies) about erasing a crucial voice message to her from the late Will Gardner (Josh Charles) all the way back in season one.

What was that message again, you ask? Only that Will loved Alicia and that he was ready to make a plan to be together! Eli erased the message because Alicia was about to join Peter (Chris Noth) on the dais to announce his candidacy for state’s attorney.

In response, EW caught up with Good Wife producers Robert and Michelle King over email to talk exclusively about Eli’s major reveal and what it means for the rest of the season.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Did you always intend to have Eli come clean about erasing that phone message from Will?

ROBERT & MICHELLE KING: Yes. Eli isn’t the only one who’s been carrying the burden of Will’s erased phone message. It’s been weighing on the writers for the last five years too. We’ve never forgotten it, and knew that such a malignant secret wouldn’t stay secret forever. It’s always been our hope to find just the right moment to play out that story.

Why have him admit it now? Eli has to know that he could lose Alicia’s trust forever.

Eli admits it now for a few reasons: He’s particularly vulnerable because of his pain over Courtney (Vanessa Williams) leaving, and the reason for her leaving … work over love. But he also feels guilty about his involvement in manipulating Alicia out of happiness again by maneuvering Jason (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) away from her. He realizes he’s doing the same thing now that he did back at the end of the first season. He cares for Alicia now, and wants her to be happy. He confesses in order to relieve his guilt, but also to push Alicia to not give up her chance at happiness.

Eli is like a ship without a rudder now. Are things going to get worse before they get better for him?

Please stay tuned. What we can promise is that Eli’s situation vis-a-vis Alicia will not be forgotten in the new year.

Will we see Jeffrey Dean Morgan again as Jason?

Oh yeah. He’s in all remaining episodes this year except one.

The Good Wife airs Sundays at 10 p.m. ET on CBS.